Wilderness As Mentor

It was about 40 years ago when I first headed into the wilderness.  Northern California’s  Marble Mountains were yet to be formally designated by Congress, but they retained the same wonder and wild slendor that I had associated with places like the high Sierra or Utah’s Red Rock country.  As a 17 year old member of my  Explorers Post, I took my first backpacking excursion - a 50 mile, 7day trip into the California backcountry.

Our first destination was ManEaten Lake.  Not a name to inspire hope and anticipation.

By the end of the week, I had learned many lessons - I could walk farther and carry heavier loads than I thought possible.  I could walk through the pain of multiple blisters and eat food that left much to be desired.  But more importantly, I learned about the magic of the quiet of the mountains, the blazing brightness of the night stars and the deep blue of the mountain lakes.

Wilderness experiences like these encouraged me to pursue degrees in biology and forest ecology at the University of Washington.  That later translated into a career as a fisheries biologist working for the U.S. Forest Service and later with the Tulalip Tribes.  Today, I have the honor of representing the Skykomish River Valley on the Snohomish County Council, where I have made my home for the last 20 years.

Over the years some of my deepest most vivid memories come from my trips back into the wilderness: my first hike with my future wife, who was smitten and later worked as a Backcountry Guard; our honeymoon, when Elaine took ill and I ended up carrying 100 pounds of gear out of the Pasayten Wilderness; my days with the Forest Service climbing through the future Henry M. Jackson Wilderness and Wild Sky country.

There are discoveries and memories to make that can only be done in the wilds.  They are different for each who go there, but they bury themselves deep in our hearts.  They make us better people.  They help us to know ourselves and those we travel with.  They allow us the increasingly rare opportunity to be close to nature.  We have an obligation to future generations to preseve these precious gifts.
 

Dave Somers currently represents the 5th district on the Snohomish County Council and has previously worked as a fisheries biologist for the U.S. Forest Service and the Tulalip Tribes.  He and his wife Elaine make their home in Monroe, WA.