While most teachers would dream about a luxurious hotel on a vacation, counselor Amy Armon loves being in the woods and sleeping in a tent.
Originally from Michigan, Armon is an avid hiker and camper and said she gets away to experience nature whenever she can.
“I think just getting away from the hecticness of real life, and being in the present, is the joy of camping,” Armon said.
Going on long hikes is part of her regular schedule, and she goes on these trips frequently.
“I try to go at least once in the fall, and a couple times in the spring and summer,” she said.
And of course, when you’re outdoors, you’re going to see some crazy things.
“I’ve seen a lot of bears. I’ve even had encounters with rattlesnakes. I had a close encounter with raccoons near my tent. I’ve even once had to walk under a tree where there were bear cubs, and I was scared to do so because I didn’t know where the mother was. They’re always aggressive when it comes to their kids,” she said.
Armon said she always makes sure she’s prepared before going on a trip.
“I had a small container of pepper spray for safety, mostly around strangers instead of animals. As a solo female camper, it made me feel safer. Luckily, I never had to use it,” she said.
Armon has been on plenty of trips, one of the biggest being a 6-month-long hike on the Appalachian Trail.
“Hiking the Appalachian Trail was my dream. I did it in 2009, it runs from Georgia to Maine,” she said.
But not only is this trail 2,200 miles long, it also proved to have difficult conditions. In fact, they were the most brutal conditions Armon had ever been in.
“80 mph winds in a snowstorm, that was the most brutal conditions I went hiking in,” she said.
While there were a lot of bears and strangers, surprisingly, they weren’t the craziest encounters Armon has faced.
“In Hells Canyon, we camped in front of a really old, historic, rundown cabin, and that was really spooky. Like, creepy noises at night, possibly haunted. It was not a good place for us to sleep at night at all,” she says.
Even after an experience like this, Armon still enjoys camping alone.
“I wouldn’t say I necessarily prefer it, but it’s more like I’m happy to go alone, if I cannot find anyone else to go with! Sometimes my friends and family are busy or don’t want to go, depending on the weather, temperature, etc., so I’d rather go by myself than not go at all. It’s really peaceful to have time alone, particularly in the woods. I don’t get that very often, so it’s enjoyable in its own quiet way,” she said.
Armon also camps with her husband and son on occasion.
Going through all these experiences, Armon still loves to go camping and would love to be able to do it throughout her whole life.
“It’s something that I hope I can do for a long time; I feel like it’s the most healing activity for mind, body, and soul,” she said.
