New Trail Buddies: The Muir Project & American Hiking Society

5 Mar

GUEST POST: By Gregory Miller, President, and Leigh Scott, Director of Development – American Hiking Society

Some things were just meant to go together: Good Old Raisins and Peanuts (yes – that’s GORP!); a well-provisioned backpack and a long, winding trail; a sturdy pair of hiking boots and some comfy wicking socks; and American Hiking Society and The Muir Project. While we’re sure that you’re familiar with the first three combos, the last one takes a bit of explaining.

As the only national voice for hikers, American Hiking Society is not normally connected with one particular trail – as we must speak for all American hikers and the trails they love. Our mission contains a broad mandate to promote and protect America’s hiking trails, their surrounding natural areas, and the hiking experience. And our signature programs, including National Trails Day®, Volunteer Vacations, and the National Trails Fund, truly do have an impact all across the country.

Yet even though we must often metaphorically fly at 30,000 feet, we’re still hikers at heart – so we love to get our boots on the ground and connect with special trails and beloved natural places. We’re big fans of majestic, snow-capped peaks, bordered by aquamarine lakes; delicate petals of tiny wildflowers, lining the edge of the trail as it winds beneath a verdant forest canopy; and jewel-toned butterflies, pausing to sip the sweet nectar from blossoms in a meadow. And when we’re hard at work in the office and can’t be there in person, we enjoy the wilderness vicariously through photos, art and film.

That’s why we’re enthralled by Mile… Mile & a Half. It is a splendid documentary of the experiences encountered by a team of artists, musicians, and photographers during their month-long journey on a very special trail. The John Muir Trail (JMT) is much more than just the trail tread and miles. It is a wonderful sensory experience, physical challenge, and spiritual uplift. When we’ve hiked the JMT, we’ve confronted the arduous challenge of thousands of feet of vertical climb (and descent!), but we’ve also been moved by the rhythm of the mountains and we’ve experienced nature on our own terms.

We think the film is wonderfully inspirational and should serve as a source of encouragement to people who might become active in the outdoors after seeing the film. And we believe that the filmmakers have found the right balance between showing beautiful vistas and depicting the sometimes difficult realities of life on the trail – steep, exhausting climbs; unexpectedly deep snowpack; wrong turns; and heavy backpacks. As their story indicates, the right gear and preparations can help to ensure that every hike becomes a successful journey – which fits nicely with our continuing educational outreach regarding American Hiking’s 10 Essentials of Hiking.

And so it is that we have formed a partnership with The Muir Project, because we see a very clear fit between the film’s ability to inspire hikers and our mission to protect trails and promote the hiking experience. We’re proud to be trail buddies with this great team and look forward to hiking together for a long, long time.