![[Image Description: Two MCC members taking a brief break; one is sitting on a rock, the other is standing nearby. They are both in their uniforms, looking out at the expansive, mountain view surrounding them.]](https://cdn.firespring.com/images/c3f85e97-43a9-4810-8081-e8e6338173d0.jpeg)
Think to yourself, have you ever spent several days in the backcountry, miles from your vehicle, and many more from cell service, social media, grocery stores, flushing toilets, and so many other amenities that most consider daily essentials? The typical MCCer, someone who loves the outdoors and embraces a good challenge, might not think twice about a backcountry hitch. However, some might not realize how 8 days of grueling work might magnify certain challenges. The mornings are early, cold, and increasingly dark. Rain pours for days, leaving no time for your one set of clothes to dry. Each night, you face off with the 'whisperlite' stoves, which act like living beings seeking vengeance against some unknown offence you've committed. Thoughts of old friends and distant family run through your mind, with no way to reach out.
However, as the days creep on, you find comfort in the simplicity and routine. You look forward to the steep hikes and hard work to occupy your mind, and begin to notice the small, beautiful details in the isolated, untouched land surrounding you. Every day becomes an adventure, from learning to crosscut saw to catching cutthroat trout on a Tenkara rod. You grow closer with your crew, finding solidarity in the experience. Your phone becomes little more than an alarm and a dead weight in your pocket.
When it's time to go, you might find yourself a little melancholy, wishing you had more time.
Thank you to MCC and the Shoshone National Forest for granting me the beautiful experience of a backcountry hitch.
