Being a field biologist, naturally of course, I am drawn to the outdoors. What many of my readers may not know is that I have a terribly wonderful obsession: hiking. Limited by experience and lack of availability, I didn’t start backpacking until I graduated; but I dreamt of it always. In the same month that I graduated from college, I went on my first wilderness backpacking trip.

It was a 44 mile hike through the Gila Wilderness. I had no backpacking experience, but it was everything I hoped it would be. The hike went absolutely well considering it was my first time. The experience absolutely paralleled my dreams of what backpacking was like. It was in my blood, I had always known that, then I was sure of it. I felt mentally prepared for that hike, and it was by no means an easy hike. But I felt prepared. Probably because I had been obsessed with the idea of it for some time. I had read so much about backpacking, gear and other related topics. Since then I have hiked and backpacked the Continental Divide Trail, Arizona Trail and many other places in New Mexico, Oregon, Colorado, California, Arizona, Wyoming, Texas, Idaho and Montana. With many more adventures on the horizon.

Today, I am continually in training and planning mode preparing for my next adventure with nature. Wilderness backpacking meets all of my spiritual needs as it is the means in which I can experience pristine and wild places first hand. I like to think that my interest in field biology and wildlife and my passion for hiking harmonize quite well as I have been able to incorporate some of my backpacking experiences here on The Wandering Naturalist blog.  Though, I don’t necessarily think of my interest in ecology and backpacking as separate, I do have a separate blog dedicated to my hiking and backpacking experiences only, specifically about my Continental Divide Trail endeavors. It is called Wild Feather Hikes.

In case you may be wondering; Wild Feather is my trail-name. Which is why you may see Wild Feather on other accounts. I hope this doesn’t prove distracting or confusing. I created two different blogs with the idea that people may be interested in one aspect more than the other and to avoid spreading myself too thin on one blog, so far it seems to be working out.

Stay close to nature!

~ The Wandering Naturalist AKA Wild Feather