A hiker waking on a granite slab overlooking the Domeland Wilderness at 5:30am, 44 days into a 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail journey, reflects on how the film Into the Wild shaped her life. She walks about 20 miles daily with all supplies for four months on her back.
Early Inspiration from Into the Wild
At age 16, after watching the film about Christopher McCandless, she fantasised about escaping her north London bubble for remote American wilderness. Over 20 years, she travelled to India, Nepal, and Brazil, always chasing the next adventure, believing freedom was out of reach.
Changing Perspective on Freedom
As she aged, she stopped admiring McCandless's abandonment of society and noticed the cost. She recalled older characters warning that freedom means little at the expense of loved ones. In her late 20s, living in Los Angeles, she felt lonely despite millions of people, so she moved back to London to nurture relationships.
Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail
In April, she began the Pacific Crest Trail not to run away, but to connect deeper with nature and trust herself. Hiking became a walking meditation for anxiety. She constantly stops in awe of cactus flowers, desert bluebells, and incredible sunsets.
“The biggest thing the trail has taught me is to take life step by step,” she said. She feels gratitude for experiencing life one day at a time, finding peace in not needing everything figured out.
Loneliness vs. Isolation
Alone on a mountain, she never feels lonely. She learned loneliness and isolation are different. Isolation comforts her, especially knowing she has roots back home. She now realises the freedom she sought was mental, not physical, and can be found anywhere.
