Thanks for the Memories

My first backpacking trip was over 18 years ago - more than half a lifetime away. I was green, and not in the sustainable sense; my friend Eric and I spent the evening on a side trail to the Appalachian Trail at an unknown campsite wondering exactly where we were. That night became fodder for my infamous Sasquatch story, told around many campfires. No time for that now or this post will get even longer than it has potential to be now.

Back then I bounced between two outfitters as I began to grow into a legitimate outdoor customer, Eastern Mountain Sports at the Park City Mall and The Wildernest at Regency Square. But, like many of our customers I have seen over the years, I'm not much of a "mall guy." I can take it for an hour before I break out in a cold sweat. I was drawn more and more to be a regular at the Wildernest, pulled in by the personal service I received and quality conversation.

It wasn't long until my close backpacking friends and I were gaining trail cred and bulking up our gear closets from the store. He'll buy the Pur (remember that name) filter and I'll buy the MSR stove and we'll be on our way. We headed out to the Black Forest Trail for a two and a half day blitz, one that became the yardstick for all future weekend adventures. In fact, those nonstop thousand foot climbs and descents had me blowing chunks the second night. Brian, I haven't forgotten that you ate all of the shells and cheese that evening...

The following summer led me to Baxter State Park with my pal Eric for some real adventure. All the while I was in and out of the store, picking up gear and clothes as needed; but as a strapped teenager, more often window shopping and looking for advice. My friends and I were extremely disappointed to find out at the time that the Wildernest was closing, but felt lucky to salvage a few items during the clearance sales. I was too naive at the time to understand that liquidation sales often meant a change of ownership, not knowing that the store's manager Shawn was now taking this baby under his wing. I was thrilled to see the store reopen and was back in to check it out in a hurry.

Some more serious hikes ensued. I ticked off the 85-mile Susquehannock Trail with my friend Brian. Not long after I decided a solo hike was in order as I prepared for my dream of heading out for a thru-hike on the AT. Four days on the 73-mile Quehanna Trail forced me to grapple with time alone in the woods while helping me realize what I was capable of in terms of trail mileage. The following spring, after graduating from college in December, I looked to get that thru-hike started in Springer Mountain, Georgia. More Wildernest shopping in order, and this time it was serious. Shawn led me to the Patagonia R2 fleece as a do-it-all jacket; it is still a staple of my trips thirteen years later. I was loading for bear (no, not literally) and all the while Shawn and I got to know each other better.

The summer of 2000 on the AT was a pivotal moment in my life, definitely something that has shaped me in numerous ways. As I came through PA I returned home for some friend and work commitments, and I was back at the Wildernest to join the throng of trekking pole users. After a hiatus at home I kept trekking north. I ended up descending Stratton Mountain, Vermont to return home with the trail unfinished, but that too is a story for another time. The trail itself makes for a rich narrative, and the return home was based mostly on work and the woman I currently call my wife, by my own volition and not her call.

Upon returning home I experienced some of the same societal re-acclimation that full thru-hikers experience, and where did I go for therapy? The Wildernest of course! At that time I was in the process of securing my full time job as a teacher, and I spent much time in revery at the thought of a summer job at the store. One day I approached Shawn, asking if he would need any summer help as I looked for a job to supplement my income and give me something to do. It's funny how you look for "something to do" at that age! His response was that he'd love to have me... and that was my interview. I was humbly blessed to have this opportunity, even more now in retrospect.

My first weeks and even months were spent learning about gear. I already knew quite a bit, but I had even more I had to learn. Clinics and time spent with Shawn and other employees (shout out to employee Eric!) sharpened my knowledge and brought me up to speed in the retail world, an area I had never worked before. One early lesson Shawn taught me was that my view of gear would change after working at the outfitter - I am still a miser with my money, but my taste for quality gear has distinctly improved!

Although my long trip on the AT was done, my thirst for backpacking wasn't satiated. Weekends off for "job training" had me out on the Loyalsock Trail, the Shenendoahs, the Thunder Swamp Trail, the West Rim Trail, the Catskills, back to the AT, the Dolly Sods, the Allegheny Front Trail, back to the AT, and much more... you get the idea. It was never a problem making sure I had off work for a trip, whether for a long weekend with the guys, a midweek adventure with friends, or an overnighter with my own boys.

All the while Shawn was the most flexible scheduling boss I ever had. When I was coaching, I'd take a two month leave and then be back on the schedule when I was ready. When baby one, then two, then three, and then four came... I was always able to adjust my availability. When I wanted to pick up more hours, they were nearly always open for me to grab. As I added the  third job of adjunct professor, one Saturday per month became the norm, and that was OK.

And the gear, oh how my gear collection has grown. Thanks to an understanding wife, it has its own small room in my basement, complete with a sleeping bag rack, pack wall, pack scale, and massive closet. Camping and backpacking is a family affair for us, and the Wildernest has been my provider over the years. I also have quite a bit of extra old gear taking up that space; I have had a passion for taking out first-time hikers and it's nice to have gear at their disposal.

While at the store I also had the privilege to meet many great customers and work with many great people. Dave (an AT thru-hiker and likely a triple-crowner by now) and Shawn (no, the other Shawn!) come to mind. These guys have become long-distance hiking warriors. In fact, Shawn has just broken, no, shattered, the unsupported speed record for the Colorado Trail. The hiking world is not one of celebrity, but I feel honored to have met and worked with these guys. Somehow I never left like these fellows, waging a constant war between responsible family guy and transient hiker. Now I am blessed to have the best of both worlds, married to a beautiful girl and father to four strong hiking boys (two soon to receive the KTA young hiker award!) while getting my backpacking kicks several weekends each year. I joked with Shawn that I may be the longest running employee the Wildernest has had - I'm getting old as an outfitter employee!

So if you haven't heard or haven't figured it out by now, the Wildernest is closing. I don't want to disappoint those of you who lack the naivete I had 15 years ago, but regretfully it isn't being reopened by one of us in the weeks to come. Although we faced mounting pressure from Internet sales and the economy was a bit slow at times, the main reason was difficult lease conditions. That story isn't the point here - you can look elsewhere for that.

I have many memories to reflect back upon and many things I'll miss. Discounts on gear - I can't deny it. Hanging snowflakes for the holidays with Josh - something I seemed to be stuck with for many years but somehow escaped in recent years. Having clinics with sales reps to see new gear - and get it cheap. Gaining a full knowledge of what equipment and technology was out there - not just what I had. Catching up with Shawn between shifts to see how our families were doing - we were both adding children from the time I started working. Organizing the back storage area with the other Shawn - only to find it in shambles in a few months! Getting paid to do something I would have done for free given the time - I may have reinvested much of it back into gear, but it filled my gas tank from time to time. But maybe most of all, and the main reason I started working - spending a day helping a customer plan a trip. Or having a new hiker come in and helping them get outfitted on their budget. We weren't commissioned, so we did our best to meet the customer's needs with what we had. It was a pleasure to introduce people to the world of backpacking or just converse and learn from customers in the store.

So Shawn, thanks for the memories. I am grateful for what I have learned at the store, and for the opportunities the job has provided. I hope my time away won't dull my knowledge, but I know it won't dull my sense of adventure. There will always be trips, and maybe someday another outfitter. Thanks for the experience Shawn.

Happy trails, from Chris at the Wildernest.