I’ve just returned from the archives of Sewanee University, where I have been researching the papers of Hudson Stuck. Hudson was a Victorian Londoner who flipped a coin to see if he’d seek his adventure in Australia or Texas. Fate or perhaps Providence chose Texas, and from 1885-1888, he worked on ranches in Junction City and even taught school here in San Marcos. His real claim to fame, however, came when he moved to Alaska, where he worked with First Nation people and went on to lead the first successful summit of Mt. Denali.
While sifting through numerous correspondence and articles, I came across a small booklet that referenced Stuck’s favorite trails at Sewanee while he was there, 1888-1892. After a side quest of trail archaeology and name etymology, I found that two of the trails were still in existence, and on the Sewanee property. Immediately, I left the library and hit the trails, because to know a person’s favorite trails is to know a person in a way no correspondence or interview can convey.
True to form, Stuck’s trails prefigured Denali as they descended precipitously into Appalachian hollows. Unlike more prudent options, he chose trails that eschewed switchbacks or ridge runs in favor of direct routes to caves and summits. In my taxonomy of trail types, Hudson Stuck was clearly a Pat Benatar. He wanted the landscape to “hit him with its best shot.”
That being said, I now present to you, based on 47 years of observation, my trail types and where to find them in San Marcos.
Pat Benatars: These folks are all about the challenge. They want to go places few dare to tread and push themselves to the limits. They like the Malacoda Trail at Purgatory because it’s hard to reach, the Porcupine Trail at Spring Lake because it’s the best vertical gain, and the Ridge Loop at Ringtail Ridge because you have to high step the entire trail. These are the lunatics attempting the Tour de San Marcos— a 26-mile loop of all the trails in our town.
Jane Austens: These people love to walk and talk. Their preferred communication style is side-by-side, where they discuss everything from the weather to friends and family. Most of these types perambulate along the river, but when they go off-trail, look for them on the Styx Trail at Upper Purgatory, the Tankawa Trail at Spring Lake, and the RRNA Service Road. Don’t be shy, Mr. Darcy is always willing to say hi.
Harry Trumans: Named for the President who earned international fame for his morning constitution, these folks are all about getting their steps in, and you can usually set your watch by their routine. I suspect every neighborhood park has its regulars, but they seem especially prevalent at Schulle Canyon, the River Recharge Zone, and Prospect Park. These types have one of my favorite subspecies in the dog walkers.
John Muirs: Finally, these are the people who will tell you, “Nature is my church.” They tend to move alone or in silent packs, and if you have any questions regarding wildflowers, birds, Wendell Berry, or Mary Oliver, these are your people. You can find them on any trail that is seasonally closed for Golden Cheek Warbler Breeding Season to include Grey Fox and Roadrunner at Spring Lake and Paraiso at Purgatory.
So, what trail are you? And please feel free to expand the options.
