My Transcendental Journey
Eric Olson
About My Journey
Transcendentalism is a belief that people are corrupted and changed by society in a way that can only be reversed by removal from society itself. This desire for change usually is achieved by spending time in nature away from the chaos and concern that is present in society. My journey will be just that- a complete removal from society for four days. During this time, I will be able to spend time alone, without any concerns or worries about the things left behind. It will help me to filter out the noise of society and see what remains when there is nothing left to distract me. My route will take me north along the Pacific Coast, through Canada and Alaska, until I finally reach Denali National Park.
Day 1: Pacific Rim National Park and Reserve
I will begin my journey in Pacific Rim National Park and Reserve. This park is located in British Columbia, Canada. The park is home to over 126,000 acres of land and water, some of which is a rainforest climate. My journey will take me along the West Coast Trail, which traverses many different areas of the park- both beaches and rainforest. This trail will give me a good reference of where to go, without getting lost. It will be a great way to begin the adventure, as the park is not as large or daunting as some of the other, larger parks.
Day 2: Strathcona Provincial Park
Strathcona Provincial Park is located in southern British Columbia, on Vancouver Island. This park is the oldest park in British Columbia, founded in 1911. Strathcona is home to a number of large mountains and is known for its beautiful waterfalls, glaciers, and lakes. There are a number of camping areas, as well as skiing areas and hiking trails. This park will be a perfect place to spend time alone and enjoy nature, as it has a little bit of everything.
Day 3: Glacier Bay National Park
Glacier Bay National Park is a 3.2 million acre park located in the southern panhandle of Alaska. There are no roads leading directly to the park, so the likelihood of seeing anyone will be very small. Access to the park is most commonly found via cruise ship, but I will be able to access the park via air travel and avoid any crowds that may be congregated in a small area of the park. Ideally, I will spend a few days camping here and exploring the park before continuing with my journey.
Day 4: Denali National Park
My journey will come to an end in Denali National Park. After traveling up the Pacific Coast, I will finally end in this park, which occupies more than 6 million acres in an area north of Anchorage. The park is large enough to be able to spend days there without encountering anyone else. It is the perfect location to be removed from society for a time. This is also the location where Chris McCandless spent his time as the end of his journey and ultimately the location of his death. This fact gives the park some symbolic meaning as this journey is quite similar to McCandless'.
Works Cited
"MB Guiding | AboutComoxValley.com." AboutComoxValley.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2014.
"Pacific Rim National Park and Reserve." Parks Canada. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 May 2014.
"Strathcona Provincial Park." - BC Parks. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2014.
United States. National Park Service. "Denali National Park & Preserve (U.S. National Park Service)." National Parks Service. U.S. Department of the Interior, 23 May 2014. Web. 29 May 2014.
United States. National Park Service. "Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve (U.S. National Park Service)." National Parks Service. U.S. Department of the Interior, 13 May 2014. Web. 29 May 2014.