EARLY FREEHIKING MEMORIES

After my first freehike at age 52, I took every opportunity to freehike the foothills and mountains in and around Parowan and Paragonah, Utah.  I particularly remember freehikes in the foothills and mountains above town, such as Valentine Peak.  I explored the nearby washes nude.  I hiked nude through higher mountain valleys.  One January was warm enough that I freehiked 18 times.  I never ran into anyone.  In fact, I seldom even saw other’s footprints.  I learned to totally love being naked in the outdoors.

However, these were all solo freehikes.  I still feared being with others.

I did share my hikes with others through the Internet, and one fellow from some distance away followed my directions to what I had named “Staircase Canyon” and enjoyed freehiking there.  He reported that he had left me a message, so I looked for it on my next freehike in that area.  He had placed rocks in a pattern spelling “HIKEN” at the end of the trail.  That message was still visible the last time I freehiked that area.