Love at First Hike
View of Linville Gorge from the Chimneys
How a Recreational Backpacking Trip Jump-started my Career
Every time I mention to somebody that I am a recreational cartographer the most common question I get (besides: what’s that?) is “how did I become a cartographer?”. I thought for my next few journal entries I will write about certain moments in my life that influenced me to become a recreational cartographer.
On a recent backpacking trip to Linville Gorge Wilderness in western NC, I reflected on the fact that this place is where my cartography journey began. It was nearly 20 years ago to this day when a quick one-night backpacking trip through a portion of Linville Gorge Wilderness would change the direction of my career & life for the better. This trip would guide me down a path (or rather trail) that would eventually lead to my recreational cartography career.
View of Table Rock Mountain
It was the turn of the century and I had recently moved to Asheville after a year-long trip of riding my bike across Italy. My girlfriend at the time (now my wife) suggested we do an overnight backpacking trip in Linville Gorge. I only had two problems with that idea; I didn’t have a backpack and I didn’t have any money to buy one. Fortunately, I found a co-worker that had a backpack that he wasn’t using, so I bartered a few items from my college days that I no longer needed. Problem solved.
I went to the Forest Service and acquired a permit to camp in the Gorge, and while I was there, I purchased my first recreational/topographical map of the wilderness area. I didn’t know how to necessarily read a topographical map, but I wasn’t too concerned b/c I was just going to follow a trail that was shown on the map. I also purchased a compass too, again I had no idea how to use one or how to even set the declination. What’s a few degrees amongst friends?
My First Map Purchased from the Forest Service
My plan of following the trail worked perfectly for about the first two miles, then the trail began to get harder and harder to find. Eventually it vanished, and we found ourselves bushwhacking on my first backpacking trip. I wasn’t trail or wilderness savvy, I grew up in the concrete jungles of South Florida. I had very limited hiking experience, but I wasn’t going to let that deter me. I had a map and compass and more importantly a woman to impress.
We pushed on bushwhacking with a map and compass, but the reality was that we were hemmed-in by gorge/cliff wall and a river. I guess we were never going to get “lost”. However, I did learn how a cliff was represented with isohypse (contour lines) on a map, and learned how to avoid those areas. I did eventually notice a prominent spire on the horizon and with the use of the map and deduction I knew it had to be Babel Tower. Our destination had been found, along with a well-trodden trail up and out of the gorge. Success!
Sunset from Hawksbill Mountain
I consider this trip of mine through a portion of Linville Gorge is what I consider to be the “trailhead” of my career. I bartered for my first backpack and I purchased and used my first recreational/topographical map & compass (I still own the map; the compass is shot). More importantly, I learned that with a map & compass (and a little knowledge) one can never get lost. I was hooked. In these past two decades, I would go on to hike or backpack in all 50 states and I always purchased a recreational map of the area if one existed. What can I say; I love maps!
