Nature's Compass

Nature's Compass
As I step out of my office, forty minutes later than planned, I open the settings on my phone to disconnect my email account.  I need clean separation.  My morning was intensely work-focused, but this afternoon, it’s all about the trail. Silencing the phone will go a long way toward transitioning me into the outdoors.

The silent hour of driving to the trailhead works its magic.  By the time I take my first few steps, I feel in tune with my environment.  It’s a bright, crisp winter afternoon and I have four miles of trail ahead of me.

The mature main trail at Wildcat Mountain is all clear today, meaning the freshly oiled folding saw stays in my backpack the whole afternoon.  It’s my first visit in which no maintenance is required.  The extra time this affords enables me to wander along a few of the many side trails that are not open to the public.  One leads down the Black Cotton Branch ravine to a narrow, multi-plateaued waterfall – a new favorite spot at Wildcat, although access will be more challenging during the thick undergrowth seasons.

Another first involves my gear – new boots, new hiking pants, and a new, stylish Tilley hat.  All perform quite well.  Muddy, bloody, and sprinkled with cigar ash, my gear is now officially broken in.  I also begin using a new macro setting on my camera which allows me to focus up close on the subtle beauty of Wildcat.  Lichens, wood grains, thorns and glimmering snow crystals afford opportunities to view my surroundings from a different perspective.

The human eye is particularly good at recognizing patterns.  Just before descending the mountain, I enter a forested area in which all of the trees have snow clinging to just one quarter section of their trunks - the side in which the sun shines least.  Like with moss growth, the snow is pointing north.  Not that I’m lost, but nature’s compass is a welcomed and beautiful sight.

As always, nature points me in the right direction.  Transitioning from the office to the natural beauty of Wildcat Mountain this afternoon has been a wonderful course corrector in more ways than one.

Tilley Hat


Location: Marshall, VA, USA

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