I came upon a story by Damian Koshnick describing his first time hike of the Grand Canyon. It is well written and perfect for anyone that entertains hiking into the canyon or other remote destinations. There are also the very well done photographs along the way.
Some thirty plus years ago, I entertained doing the same thing. I was an avid backpacker. I had read works by other hikers that had traversed the Pacific Crest Trail and seriously considered doing the same. I even studied maps and the intersecting highways where food caches could be established.
But, also, I had read Colin Fletcher’s works on not just the Pacific Crest Trail but also the Grand Canyon. The adventure of it all was alluring. The solitude. The self sufficiency drew me in. I read every thing I could about both trips. I wrote Fletcher, but he never replied. He was probably standing naked (his normal hiking attire I recall) in some desert canyon.
Suddenly, life got complicated and although it all begged escapism, I hunkered down, stalled out and the glorious plans evaporated. Later, I would re-emerge and continue to back pack but the wanderlust of a truly grand expedition gave way to the Cascades, Eagle Cap, the Strawberry’s…gentler yet still remote enough locations. Fishing became a pronounced subplot to hiking too.
I still enjoy reading about others who venture forth in varying degrees to any part of these systems. Damian Koshnick’s writing (“composing”) seems very interesting.
SwittersB & Exploring 
Hello and thanks for not just the reblog, but also the reflection. Like you, I had always wondered when and if I would be able to make a trip down into the grand canyon. Living in Flagstaff now for 7 months, I didn’t really have many excuses since it was only an hour’s drive away. Thankfully, it was a crew of good friends that made the difference. I wouldn’t have done it without a trusted bunch of friends. It was a real pleasure to be able to swim in the Colorado river at the bottom of the canyon. It is so much better now, to have realized that wish, to stand at the rim and to be able to think and visualize my way to the bottom. Anyway, I fully understand exactly what you captured in your post -how we sit with the desire to get certain places and wonder if and how it will happen. Nothing better though -given a few limited experiences- than the Cascades too. Happy hiking and thanks for your post and work through this site. Cheers, Damian (acomposing).
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