Hiking is tough. One thing that social media has unfortunately done, is glamourize hiking, leading people to think that hiking is a leisurely and casual activity. A good hike will lead you to hard-to-reach places such as alpine lakes, astonishing peaks, and jungle waterfalls. It will take you to amazingly rewarding places that the average person may find quite difficult to reach. This is one reason why when hikers meet each other, we usually bond so well. We participate in an activity that is inherently difficult. We reach our destinations, absorb our memories and take the pictures of the beautiful sites we see. I find hiking to be the most rewarding activity that anyone can partake in.
But one thing that is rarely shown, is the absolute struggle that it takes to reach these wonderful corners of nature. Social media portrays hiking without showing the dark underbelly that is the journey. There are scrapes, bruises, sweat, tears and more than the occasional rest stop. Gasping for air, guzzling water, and being covered in mud are all hiking regularities. Something that I’ve found myself doing, is documenting my occasional breathless monologue as I hike uphill through jungles and over rocks. I think that this is the most legit and honest representation of hiking that I can depict. So, for your viewing, or judgmental pleasure, I present to you some of my most honest moments from some of my hiking adventures.
