Forum Index > Trail Talk > How to Find Silence in a Noisy World
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RumiDude
Marmota olympus



Joined: 26 Jul 2009
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RumiDude
Marmota olympus
PostSat Dec 14, 2019 7:45 pm 
About three years ago in July I was camped at Stony Point Camp along the Elwha. I went to bed early but about 10:30 I awoke to a loud noise. It almost sounded like a jet was landing close by. The sound got louder, then started to fade away but then got louder again. At first I thougt it might be a helicopter but I could not hear the usual thumping of helicopter rotors and didn't see any lights.. When I got out the next day I asked around if there was an SAR operation of something but was told there wasn't any. So don't know what it was. But that was strange to be sure. When I worked up the Elwha, I regularly heard jets flying low over the valley but because of the dense tree cover there, I never got a good view of them. I always presumed it was military. But it is peaceful to sit and listen to nature without the intrusion of human caused noise. It can be a transcendent experience if I quiet myself enough. Rumi

"This is my Indian summer ... I'm far more dangerous now, because I don't care at all."
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treeswarper
Alleged Sockpuppet!



Joined: 25 Dec 2006
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Location: Don't move here
treeswarper
Alleged Sockpuppet!
PostSat Dec 14, 2019 10:12 pm 
I believe their penis art days are over with so at least you don't have to see that over the park.

What's especially fun about sock puppets is that you can make each one unique and individual, so that they each have special characters. And they don't have to be human––animals and aliens are great possibilities
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Gregory
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Gregory
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PostMon Dec 16, 2019 7:11 am 
I remember when one of the navy's training exercises ended with a plane smacking the mountains up off the Sol Duc. Probably25 years ago. A couple of heavily armed soldiers stopped me from going up the cooper ranch road while they recovered the plane. Down in town I listened to old boys tell a story of them playing Cribbage when the plane roared over their house. One of them commented on how low it sounded. Come to find out that pilots had ejected and it crashed seconds later.

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RumiDude
Marmota olympus



Joined: 26 Jul 2009
Posts: 3579 | TRs | Pics
Location: Port Angeles
RumiDude
Marmota olympus
PostMon Dec 16, 2019 3:21 pm 
I think one reason I love the Olympic Peninsula river valleys (especially the West End) so much is because the dense lushness seems like a great backdrop for the sound which surrounds the listener. And if you have ever had the opportunity to be near a bull elk buggling in the misty rainforest ... oh that is beyond special. But even up high, I have had wonderful experiences sitting in a high meadow, leaning back on my elbows as the glorious scene complete with the sounds of nature plays out before me. Yea, it's not all about sweat and exertion, sometimes it's the moments I just lose myself by quieting myself and absorbing it all. Rumi

"This is my Indian summer ... I'm far more dangerous now, because I don't care at all."
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MtnGoat
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Location: Lyle, WA
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PostTue Dec 17, 2019 9:52 am 
There are zero mountain ranges in the US where someone would not object to jet noise from training excercises. As for escaping noise, if you want a quiet sport take up caving. You'll find total silence and perfect darkness if you choose. I've taken a few naps which are amazing, but it is pretty disorienting to wake up in utter, total blackness and silence.

Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock. - Will Rogers
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BarbE
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BarbE
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PostTue Dec 17, 2019 10:40 am 
During an extremely cold February night at Mount Rainier and absolutely no wind, animal sounds or other humans, our brains couldn’t handle the deafening silence and made up the eerie sound of distant human voices. In all the years of remote Backcountry camps we’ve never experienced silence like that.

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Hiker Mama
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Hiker Mama
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PostMon Dec 23, 2019 10:59 pm 
I had the pleasure to meet Gordon Hempton for an interview a few years ago. He gave me afresh rock to put at the One Square Inch site, and told me to take home the rock that had been sitting there. It was a magical place. Really an interesting guy, thought-provoking. I heard of him first through the Krista Tippett interview. Then read the book. Wasn't there a video, too? Can't remember. Anyway, here's a link to my article in Adventures NW Magazine. https://www.adventuresnw.com/chasing-silence/ The quietest place I've ever been was one October at Lake Ann doing the Maple Pass trail. We stayed overnight, and it got down to like 17 degrees or something insane. It was sooooo quiet, my ears were straining to hear anything!

My hiking w/ kids site: www.thehikermama.com
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BigBrunyon
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PostTue Dec 24, 2019 12:10 am 
PTHHHHHMMMPH.

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