Near Atigun Pass
This is Jack, here. I am writing this post from home. My Brooks Range Odyssey will not be completed this year. In short, I failed and I failed quickly. I had been anxious and unsure of my plans ever since I got to Alaska. I made it up to the Brooks Range and my starting point after a failed hitch-hiking/walking attempt that left me with a low level of confidence.
As I arrived at my starting point, the immensity of the task I had to accomplish and the true remoteness/wilderness left me feeling incapable and very unsure of my abilities. In short, I did not feel mentally prepared at all. I spent the night there and, after much thought and discussion with my parents, I realized my heart wasn’t in it anymore and caught a ride back to Fairbanks.
I had spoken a lot before my attempt with others about completing the task alone and how I thought it wouldn’t be a problem. Well that ended up not being true. At this point in my life, the vast remoteness of that area is something that I feel I can not endure on my own.
This was a very tough and disappointing decision for me to make after committing four months to planning. While short, this trip will have a lasting effect and has taught me a lot about my personal limits and trip planning among other things. Hopefully, I can get back into a solid state mentally and figure out what to do from here.
Thank you for all your support.
Whoa! That’s bummer man. Don’t sweat it, you’ll be back.