Bre Scott
Wilderness Ranger Fellow
Payette National Forest | Frank Church Wilderness
In the house I grew up in, we had a large glass window on the front of the house. The window was tinted and created a mirror if you tried to look in. I can still see my child self peeking in.
Bre is spending the summer immersed in the Frank Church Wilderness, based out of the Chamberlain Guard Station. She does not have access to internet, therefore, her blog post was handwritten and mailed to the SBFC office with a polaroid picture.
The problem with the window was that birds would frequently fly into it. It appeared as an unexplored world, which was the perfect place to take flight. I remember birds glancing at themselves, trying to understand their reflection. Perhaps curiosity was another driving factor of flying towards it.
On my first hitch, I felt just like the bird looking into the window… I was unable to fully remember what I looked like.
We walked about forty miles throughout the beautiful mountain terrain. As I walked, I watched my shadow a lot. I could see the outline of my hat, braids, backpack, and tools bounce on the trail. Sometimes, I feel like it even encouraged me to walk faster.
My shadow represented something to me. It reminded me that my external self is a glimpse of who I am. Yes, my body was performing the act of walking and cutting… but my mind kept me going. The connection I was making with this land was also beyond “just the views.”
I realized that I forgot my physical reflection because I was focused on the reflection of my inner-self and the journey I was on. Just as the bird in the window, I wanted to explore this unknown place and my curiosity of my inner reflection.
BREANA SCOTT
Payette National Forest | Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness
Texas State University
Major: Recreation Administration
Breana grew up in Odessa, Texas and will graduate in May 2022 from Texas State University with a degree in Recreation Administration. She plans to continue her academic career and work towards a graduate degree. At sixteen, Breana worked at a Boy Scout Ranch and fell in love with the idea of being an outdoor professional. In 2021, she did conservation work in Oregon and Washington. This experience shifted her career and personal priorities. It fueled her interest to contribute to wilderness lands through conservation efforts. Breana loves adventuring, including kayaking, canyoneering, or backpacking.