A week in the wilderness without cell phone services and internet. 45 minutes drive on meandering roads in the mountains everyday. On average 3 miles hike per day. Lunch and restroom in the woods.
These were the parts and parcel in the week we volunteered in Wilderness with Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards (SAWS) in Tellico Plains, TN. To people who weren’t on the trip, these experiences may seem a little intimidating; but to us, the volunteers from Alternative Spring Break group, these exclusive experiences made the trip incredibly memorable.
More than being memorable, our volunteer experience as trail maintenance crew added another perspective to our understanding on Wilderness and nature. A hike is enjoyable because of the beauty of nature. Yet this beauty is easily disturbed; a small action may have tremendous effects on the natural environment. We learned from this incident the importance of practicing “leave no trace” policy; the things we bring into the wilderness are the things we carry with us as we leave.
A hike is delightful also because of the safety on trails. A safe trail comes from the efforts of volunteers who widen and clear obstructions on the trail. It took us, a crew of 13 students and a few local volunteers, four days to maintain a five-mile trail in Bald River Gorge Wilderness. As we walked hike through the trails we widened, the sense of satisfaction that bubbled in us was beyond words.
Yes, this was a week back to nature. A week back to peace and fun in its purest form. A week with SAWS in the Wilderness.
-Chye Hong Liew
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