Aldo Leopold Society: Camp Catharsis, Day 1

The notion of wilderness as a gateway to catharsis has been around since Biblical times, as both Moses and Jesus sought repose in the wilderness. The concept retains its significance to the present day, with wilderness providing an environment of physical hardship where spiritual catharsis occurs -- a place to relieve emotional tensions.

The idea centers on the belief that those in need of consolation can find respite from the pressures of civilization -- a sanctuary, if you will -- in the wilderness. So on Monday, August 17, a group of us from the Aldo Leopold Society departed from the Phelps Creek Trailhead in the Glacier Peak Wilderness to seek renewal and restoration.

They came from hither and yon to honor the 50^th anniversary of The Wilderness Act: New Hope, Pennsylvania; Pioneer, California; Anchorage, Alaska; Austin, Texas; Eugene, Oregon; Boise, Idaho; Toronto, Ontario; and Seattle, Washington. For many, the journey provided the type of emotional relief only wilderness can provide.

In the planning stages for months, the day had arrived: nine of us hit the trail together again for the first time in over 30 years. For some, it was an opportunity to purge the demons -- whether recovering from a relationship gone bad or the loss of a loved one, or simply satisfying a desire to expel the ills of society, providing a measure of peace.

Considering that we all worked with horses, mules and burros back in the day, it was only appropriate that Doug Baldwin and Connie Cook reserved a pack string, along with the attendant wranglers, to transport fresh food, in addition to a generous supply of wine, beer and other spirits, such as Cowboy Punch (vodka with lemonade).

Departing at just after 10 a.m., the weather was perfect: cool and windy enough to keep the black flies at bay, but delightfully sunny nonetheless. Most had arrived in Spider Meadow by 1 p.m., but a downed log near the one-mile marker had delayed the wranglers, who were breaking in a rather rambunctious new mule.

While a few of us waited patiently for the arrival of the pack string, others struck out for a quick hike to Upper Phelps Creek where, despite the excessive temperatures in the area during the summer of 2014, snow still stubbornly clung to the shadowed areas of the high mountain basin. The water in the creek was cold and delicious.

Later, we established our base of operations for the next several days, dubbed “Camp Catharsis” by one irreverent comic. Our little tent city resembling a homeless encampment was comprised of “the bottom one percent of the 99 percent,” noted another self-deprecating wag. Hey, if the boot fits, wear it. And pray for no blisters.

Guitar Heroes

For me, a bonafide rock ‘n’ roll guitar hero is one who transcends the genre. To my great fortune, I had the opportunity to see no less than five brilliant guitarists over a five-day period in early August. The featured performers were old rockers from the 1970s. The opening acts were even older rockers from the 1960s.

On Thursday, August 7, we witnessed a magnum opus from the likes of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers at the Matthew Knight Arena. Back in 1978, one of his first hits, “Breakdown,” was repeatedly playing on the jukebox in the Cornerstone Bar and Grill in Ellensburg, Washington when I first met my lovely bride, Rebecca.

Though he didn’t play that particular tune, Petty and fellow guitar hero Mike Campbell (above, left) -- the “co-captain” of The Heartbreakers -- did lead the band into familiar territory with songs like “Learning To Fly,” “Mary Jane’s Last Dance,” “Free Fallin’,” and a cover of “So You Want To Be A Rock ‘N’ Roll Star” by the Byrds.

On stage first was the legendary Steve Winwood, a key member of the Spencer Davis Group, Traffic and Blind Faith before striking out on his own. A versatile musician who plays keyboards, guitar and mandolin, Winwood covered such favorites as “I’m A Man,” “Gimme Some Lovin'," "Dear Mr. Fantasy,” and “Can’t Find My Way Home.”

On Sunday, August 10, we moved across the Willamette River to the Cuthbert Amphitheater for an outdoor concert featuring ZZ Top, including lead guitarist Billy Gibbons, bassist Dusty Hill and drummer Frank Beard. Paradoxically, the drummer -- the foundation for the band's infectious sound -- is the only one lacking a beard.

The iconic Texas band banged out old favorites like “Waiting For The Bus,” “Jesus Just Left Chicago,” “Sharp Dressed Man” and “My Head’s In Mississippi.” With a well-synchronized blues/rock set, the band really rocked, and boogieing squatters tried to impede our front row view, but they were soon chased away by some guy named "Guido."

Jeff Beck, another versatile guitarist, preceded the boys with the long beards. An early guitarist for The Yardbirds (along with Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page), Beck plays jazz, funk and rock like a maestro in each genre; he played well-known compositions like “Morning Dew,” and an instrumental version of “A Day In The Life” by The Beatles.

Both guitarists, below (photo credit: Jory Mitchell), paid homage to Jimi Hendrix with versions of “Little Wing” (Beck) and "Foxy Lady" (ZZ Top). Beck, 70, particularly seemed to be enjoying himself. “I sure was glad when I got the call from ZZ Top to join them on tour,” he noted. I second that opinion with a hearty “how, how, how, how.”