Hiking into Oregon’s Mt. Jefferson Wilderness with a pack and a 6-foot crosscut saw balanced over one shoulder, I felt a desire for true adventure for the first time as a young college student. Clearing trails for the US Forest Service was my job, but my so-called “office” included hundreds of miles of trails that I had yet to explore. Those trails opened my eyes to what potential adventures were possible, and I was inspired.
There are thousands of miles of trails and hundreds of summits in every corner of the world, and all it takes is one moment of inspiration to find a new adventure.
The sport of ultrarunning continues to evolve into a dynamic outlet where, outside of racing, athletes can find adventure in unique formats – like multi-day fastpacking and trekking across some of the world's toughest terrain. It’s a sport where athletes are inspired to push themselves over long distances while seeking out even more inspiring landscapes and the possibilities are truly limitless.
While struggling during a steep hike near the base of Mt. Jefferson, a co-worker reminded college-aged-me that every hill, no matter how steep, has a summit. From that moment on, the mental struggle turned into a desire to conquer every climb I encountered. I was inspired to seek out more adventure in the mountains and continued to conquer summits, whether in cities or the wilderness. I found myself glissading down the base of Mt. Jefferson, hiking to a peak high above an alpine lake where the remains of a fire lookout had stood years before and wading in the waters of a mossy green waterfall that cascaded from high above. There was so much natural beauty I had yet to see, and my journey as a trail runner was just beginning.
In this issue, our writers discuss their inspiration behind adventure. Ellie Greenwood takes us to the Manaslu Circuit in Nepal on page 10, Maggie Guterl finds adventure on the “roof of Africa” on Mount Kilimanjaro on page 45, Sean Meissner pays tribute to his furry adventure partner, Ardy, on page 12 and Meghan Canfield writes about the adventure of life and how she became inspired to start running on page 19.
Many of us focus on a specific race or event that inspires us to train and reach our goal, however, once that race is over, what comes next? There are thousands of miles of trails and hundreds of summits in every corner of the world, and all it takes is one moment of inspiration to find a new adventure. I’m still inspired by the natural beauty that’s found in the wilderness and still seeking out summits each week, but what was once the carefree nature of youth has transformed into a more thoughtful process when planning the next adventure.
Whether it's just down the road or halfway across the globe (or somewhere in between), finding inspiration for a new adventure can change how you see the world – from the nearest summit to a backyard ultra.
