New West Network

My Page: Michael Pearlman

Generation Recreation

Since temperatures took a nosedive last week, my primary activities outside the office have consisted of taste-testing homemade baked goods and indulging in televised sports. If it’s cold and the snow isn’t deep enough to ski, I can usually be found on the couch, gaining weight and battling a mild form of Seasonal Affective Disorder.

For every law-abiding, ethical hunter in the field there are others, a generally hidden minority, who feel no shame in taking part in the wanton killing of animals for sport. There’s clearly a segment of the population that uses hunting as an excuse to indulge in the power-trip that accompanies the use firearms to dominate other species. What I’ve struggled to understand is, how this behavior develops and how individuals justify it to themselves.

The Cloud Peak Wilderness isn’t close enough to an urban area to see the types of impacts that occur in wilderness located closer to cities with millions of people. Yet even in wild areas located in sparsely populated Wyoming, visible evidence of heavy human impact is unavoidable.

In our dog’s perfect universe, tennis balls would be launched continuously into open bodies of water. So there was no way we would miss dog swim day at Sheridan’s community pool.

Aaahh, the county fair. Ferris Wheels, fried dough and 4H exhibits. And in northern Wyoming, a healthy dose of government-paid-for evangelism. [more]

The story of the lost Eagle Scout who was fined $25,000 by the state of New Hampshire for the cost of his rescue brings back questions about personal responsibility and paying for the consequences of our actions. Should foolish adventurers who show poor judgement in getting into dangerous situations be forced to pay for the costs of their rescues? And what qualifies as a mistake in judgement in the first place? [more]

Once in a while, a simple night in the woods can wind up being a humbling experience. This was one of those times. We know July is peak insect season in Wyoming's mountains and we were mentally prepared to deal with the mosquitoes. What we weren't prepared for is what happened to the dog.
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The death of free-solo rock climbing legend John Bachar shouldn't have come as a shock. Like other elite mountain athletes, Bachar's chosen pursuit had no margin for error. But while these athletes understand and accept the dangers of their pursuits, it's their loved ones who are left heartbroken and the public who are left to wonder what drives these unique indviduals. [more]

Walking the Walk

Car culture is the double-edged sword of the National Park experience. Roads inside our parks make it easy for the elderly, the disabled and families with small children to get a taste of the grandeur and beauty of these places. But for the sake of air quality and the visitor experience, it's time the National Park Service got serious about offering bus service in Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. In some areas, private vehicle traffic should be restricted to get visitors out of their cars.
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My training approach for the 30-k Bighorn Mountain Wild and Scenic Trail Run was completely unscientific. It basically consisted of running four or five miles around Sheridan with Lindsay and the dog two or three times per week after work. During this "training", I realized that I find road running boring without music and discovered I develop shin splints 20 minutes into every run. I'm not in love with running, I'm in love with moving quickly through the mountains. I'm also addicted to the idea of testing my physical and mental limits. [more]