Hiking and Backpacking

“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived” 

–Henry David Throeau, Walden, “Where I lived, and What I Lived For”

In our tech saturated culture, it’s easy to feel disconnected

Nature promotes healing. A typical hiking or backpacking excursion:

• Promotes a healthy lifestyle
• Burns an average of 4,000 calories per day
• Has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety
• Stimulates the release of endorphins which increase the body’s threshold for pain and affects mood
• Assists in the prevention of osteoporosis due to its weight bearing activity
• Fosters better cardiovascular health
• Increases awareness of the natural environment
• Improves team building skills and fosters therapeutic alliance
• Allows for an emotional cleansing from the artificiality of the world
• Offers opportunities to connect socially with others