Adventurers... are most certainly individuals... Everything we do and think out there has a very relative nature to it... With this in mind, I have always been aware that each person will view the journey of these Summit Stones in their own way...After a close friend pointed out discussions on the "West Coast Paddler" and the "Paddling.Net" forums, I wanted to acknowledge the controversial comments, the empassioned debate, and the insightful musings of their members...
If only one person has now said they would not appreciate finding something like a Summit Stone... then I am sure there are others who have also had the same thoughts. This is not something I would want to be disrespectful of.....
I was introduced, decades ago, to a 100 year old Mountaineer's tradition of Summit registers, where notes and mementos are left and taken away. Canadian Climbers also have a long history of giving others small tokens to remember their adventures in altitude by. Worldly hikers, have an even older history of building cairns, placing stone and wood guides, for others to find and enjoy. More recently, Geocaching, has become an internationally accepted outdoor sport that even Public Parks are allowing now. The Geocachers I know are some of the most environmentally aware people I've met. While the Summit Stones are not meant as geocaches in any way, these adventure sports give some context here for items respectfully placed and meant to be taken away...
Yet, even understanding such history and adventures in context... there may be some who view such activities as intrusive to their own wilderness travels... Summit Stones may be seen as an uninvited presence... And to these persons I do apologize.....
Yet I sincerely hope... that the medium or the method applied here... does not cloud the messages... Simple thoughts about... giving back in its many forms... passing forward in its endless possibilities... keeping on regardless of obstacles and adversities... about inspiration, mystery, motivation, and how these metaphors within our adventures make our daily lives more rich and vibrant...
This is also one of the reasons for placing a Summit Stone within an Adventure Muse... The Muse is about pondering our motivation for being out there... because in our motives we find meaning... and it is in our nature to protect what is meaningful to each of us...
I do believe though, there is a difference between the graffiti and garbage we have all seen out there that may permanently mar wild areas, and a small stone that is very thoughtfully placed, and meant to be carried away with the 'Finders' themselves... a simple re-minder of precious moments...
There are many who enjoy adventure activities who may be very aware of the vulnerability of our wild lands and seas... and just as many who may not be... The reality of it is that powerful forces exist which are real threats to the natural world... Sometimes, actions such as mine, or even efforts of whole nature based organizations, often do not seem to be enough.....
As I wrote in my post of "Just One Thing", these small pebbles are really only symbolic of what we each could possibly do in giving back to our wild lands - be it maintenance of a trail, cleaning up a beach or campsite, supporting wilderness and animal rights groups, spending time educating youth about nature, even prompting debates and sharing of our own perspectives on conservation awareness... among so many other useful efforts...
I realize we all have a personal level of appreciating nature... and respect each of us may be passionate about conservation and 'leaving no trace'... I hope I understand the difference between true wild country... and a parking lot at a trail head; a summit register; or even an established camp on part of a trail where human trace has long been present...
I appreciate such musings on these forum venues, as that discussion itself, and the many who then read and consider their own position, all has very positive value...
The natural world needs no enhancement... but is it a negative thing to attempt to invite enhancement in human perspectives about nature.....
Nature's beauty has its own perfection... human perspectives can always be developed further.....
I believe... giving back and passing forward is about more than being neutral... Wild places will not remain that way unless we take some kind of steps... even small ones. We cannot simply stand and observe and hope the innocence of nature will be left alone... That is not how the real world works.....
While it is not my intention to be intrusive ( and it may be amusingly ironic, considering my interest in Geology, that an 'intrusion' is a body of rock forced between strata) sometimes we may have to commit to an act... then hope for understanding... let go of the outcome... and simply ask for forgiveness if others see things differently...
As for the actual placement of these small Summit Stones, over ninety-nine percent of them have only been placed with a summit register, at an established trail head or campsite, or at times upon the windshield of another adventurers vehicle... These are places where traces of our passing are already clearly there.....
Maybe we are all hopeful of reaching that same protected horizon... but are just on different paths on how to get there...
People will indeed make what they will of these small rocks; and more significantly, individuals will create their own meaning for the experience... That is the way... and the nature of things.....
DSD
Link: "Just One Thing"
