Backpacking Through Backcountry

Physical Education teacher Tyler Heidtke shared his passion for backpacking and the importance of exploring the outdoors with Upper School students at Morning Ex last week.

Heidtke tries to go on a backpacking trip every summer and has visited several national parks. He showed photos of landscapes, wildlife and camp setups from the Tetons, Yellowstone, Yosemite and other amazing places and talked about the benefits of backpacking, such as living simply, resetting one’s mental health and persevering through a challenge.

Heidtke described how to manage backpacking—from shelters and gear to dehydrated food and water filters, he offered plenty of tips for surviving out in the wild.

Learning to improvise and assessing risks at hand are just a few of the life skills one can pick up from backpacking. Heidtke talked about the strategies of crossing a river and the need to adjust in real time when circumstances change.

Toward the end of his talk, Heidtke spoke about his time with the National Outdoor Leadership School and encouraged students to look into programs they have for high school students.

“It was great to share my love for the outdoors with everyone,” Heidtke said. “I hope to have sparked some interest that will lead others to explore ways to get outside and enjoy nature.”

Parker faculty have myriad interests outside the classroom, and Morning Ex offers them time and space to share these passions with students and inspire them to learn more.