Daniel Gittelman- “Shattered on the Pacific Crest Trail" (Outside Reading)

After watching the documentary in class about the PCT, I decided to search for readings of journeys on the trail. The most unique story that I found was “Shattered on the Pacific Crest Trail”, an excerpt from “Journeys North” by Triple Crowner and Barney “Scout” Mann. This story is very unique because rather than focusing on the scenery, sacredness, or self-discovery that is usually the topic of these trails, the author decides to focus on the pain and danger of through-hiking. While this is a very frightening and saddening topic, the vital element of communitas is highlighted here. Communitas is the positive reciprocal relationship between people in which they provide and care for one another. Throughout all of the pains the author describes, I looked to see how communitas played a role in each situation.

The most frightening situation was when hiker Ladybug was on a log crossing, and suddenly “dropped three feet, and her left leg slammed into a submerged rock. The blow shattered her tibia and fibula—in that moment, she knew that she’d broken her leg” (Mann). As scary as this was, I found it interesting how crucial communitas was in helping Ladybug. Tony, another through-hiker, had only recently met Ladybug when they had camped at the same location on the trail. Yet, when he found her with this shattered leg, he went about 10 miles on foot and caught several rides in order to find her the medical help she needed. It was far from an easy task, and giving up must have been tempting, but this strong sense of communitas pushed him through. As I mentioned before, communitas is a reciprocal relationship, so it was likely assumed that Ladybug would have done the same for him.

Another tale within this story, one of a more personal connection, is the relationship between Blazer and Ian. The power of communitas on the trail is evident here because Blazer and Ian “had overcome a lot of history to bond in the Sierra” (Mann). This is significant because it demonstrates the influence the time spent through-hiking has on repairing relationships. Equality and trust were built between the two, and Ian even gave Blazer $500 in order to finish her journey. I’m sure that Blazer would have given him money if he were in her situation, which shows how far they’d come.

Communitas is important because it can be the factor that repairs a relationship, or builds new ones that save lives on the trail. Experiencing communitas is in itself sacred because the mutual bonds that hikers are capable of developing with one another are not quite like any other bonds. This sacredness is built upon the spirit of community that is shared between people and makes them a part of something bigger than themselves.