The Story of One Man in the Wilderness Sublime
The fall of my Junior year in high school I went to Conserve, an environmental based semester boarding school. Part of the Conserve School experience is a three-day solo camping immersion in the wilderness. I started this three-day journey with minimal items hoping to make the most of the experience with the least. My pack consisted of one milk jug of water, a sleeping bag, the clothes on my back, three books, matches, a torn pair of shoes, my journal, and a taped envelope. Inside the envelope was a cell phone. On the envelope was written, “DO NOT OPEN!” The goal for these three days was to remain without contact with the outside world, this meant not using the cell phone except for in an emergency.
On the first day of Solo’s I found my site and immediately started to build a shelter. The shelter was so large that it took me until dawn to get only an eighth of it covered with birch bark and leaves. Before daylight ran out I built a fire and then crawled into my sleeping bag and curled up next to it. The coyotes howled and the fire crackled. The sprinkle that wet the ground earlier had cleared and the stars emerged in the sky.
The second day I woke up to a damp ground and chilled air. I put on what was left of my dry clothing and gathered firewood. Instead of warming up to a cozy fire I found that the strike pad for my match had been left on my damp shelter floor. I couldn’t start the fire so I worked on dumping more leaves on my shelter to insulate and water proof it. I also placed more sticks across the frame of my shelter to hold the leaves up. At high sun I pulled out Into the Wild and read a good section of chapter nine to pass time. I finished reading and sat beneath the un-shaded tree with the sun beating upon my back and observed my surroundings. As I sat there I listened. The song of the birds and the clouds passing over my head were enthralling. A drop of rain struck my face and I decided to work on my shelter some more. I got hungry and tired after a while and laid down on a log to listen to the beautiful silence. After about an hour I went by I got up and gathered several more armfuls of leaves and insulated my fort. For a short while I returned to reading Into the Wild in the darkness of my shelter.
That night I had troubles sleeping. I couldn’t find a comfortable position and I woke up once with cold feet. I also had thoughts of warm food floating through my head. Trying to sleep while hungry and cold isn’t so easy. I tried to turn my mind to other things while I wrapped my feet in my shirt to warm them up. Once I felt that my feet were warm, and my mind was diverted, I was able to doze off quite comfortably.
The last morning I woke up at first daylight with a warm sensation. I took a swig of water and sat there listening to the rustle of the leaves as the wind brushed the treetops. I realized that I would have to leave soon. I said my goodbyes to the lonesome paradise and promised myself that I would be back. Then I set back for civilization.
I was just becoming acclimated to this new life style when I had to leave but what I learned will always stick with me. I found that I don’t need anyone to be content. The only person I need is myself. Although a warm house and food on the table is nice, I can do without it. I never felt the need to open the envelope.
The second day I woke up to a damp ground and chilled air. I put on what was left of my dry clothing and gathered firewood. Instead of warming up to a cozy fire I found that the strike pad for my match had been left on my damp shelter floor. I couldn’t start the fire so I worked on dumping more leaves on my shelter to insulate and water proof it. I also placed more sticks across the frame of my shelter to hold the leaves up. At high sun I pulled out Into the Wild and read a good section of chapter nine to pass time. I finished reading and sat beneath the un-shaded tree with the sun beating upon my back and observed my surroundings. As I sat there I listened. The song of the birds and the clouds passing over my head were enthralling. A drop of rain struck my face and I decided to work on my shelter some more. I got hungry and tired after a while and laid down on a log to listen to the beautiful silence. After about an hour I went by I got up and gathered several more armfuls of leaves and insulated my fort. For a short while I returned to reading Into the Wild in the darkness of my shelter.
That night I had troubles sleeping. I couldn’t find a comfortable position and I woke up once with cold feet. I also had thoughts of warm food floating through my head. Trying to sleep while hungry and cold isn’t so easy. I tried to turn my mind to other things while I wrapped my feet in my shirt to warm them up. Once I felt that my feet were warm, and my mind was diverted, I was able to doze off quite comfortably.
The last morning I woke up at first daylight with a warm sensation. I took a swig of water and sat there listening to the rustle of the leaves as the wind brushed the treetops. I realized that I would have to leave soon. I said my goodbyes to the lonesome paradise and promised myself that I would be back. Then I set back for civilization.
I was just becoming acclimated to this new life style when I had to leave but what I learned will always stick with me. I found that I don’t need anyone to be content. The only person I need is myself. Although a warm house and food on the table is nice, I can do without it. I never felt the need to open the envelope.
Gear List
- Milk jug of water
- Sleeping bag
- Clothes on my back
- Three books: Into the Wild, Undaunted Courage, and Deep Survival
- Three matches
- Torn pair of shoes
- My journal
- Taped envelope