(35 years ago) Rockhurst Goes Coed! - Rockhurst University

Miles away from civilization,wrapped in wintercoats, mosquito netsand rain gear, severalnovice campers and I huddledaround a campfire for warmth.“I bet it’s 80 degrees back home,”I thought as I ate the last of my oatmeal.But the thought didn’t lastlong. It was time for morning prayer— an open-eyed, free-movementprayer on the misty bank of MountainLake — then to set out on theday’s trek through the wilderness.In Jesuit spirituality, we’re taughtto find God in all things. Last spring,I accompanied a group of Rockhurststudents who set out on a path toexplore their relationship with theearth in light of their Christian faith— a backpacking adventure calledthe SuperNatural Christians Retreat.The destination? The most pristineand isolated place we could reach ina university van… the 18,000-acreSylvania Wilderness Tract in theUpper Peninsula of Michigan. Ourgroup consisted of six students, astaff member, a former Jesuit Volunteerand myself.The physical challenge involvedcold, wet weather conditions, heavyequipment and plenty of hiking andpaddling. We canoed and kayakedthrough half a dozen lakes andexplored miles of wilderness on foot.We carried our own 64-poundcanoes between lakes — someportages stretched to three-quartersof a mile — filtered our own drinkingwater and cut our own firewood.Opposite page: The calm waters ofCrooked Lake create a perfect settingfor prayer and personal reflection.Left: The author finds the weightof her canoe adds new meaning toa breathtaking experience.Below: Senior Nicki Lee (left) andjunior Mary Pimmel watch for eaglesin the unspoiled wilderness.“Those canoes were heavy,” saidNickie Lee, a senior English major.“But people can surprise you. It wasamazing to see girls who were 5-footnothingcarrying them.”Along the way, we were overwhelmedby the forest’s spectacularnatural beauty. Far away from the noiseof highways and cell phones, we wereimmersed in the sounds of nature andsurrounded by bald eagles, loons andother wildlife. The location was especiallyappropriate for the purpose ofour expedition. Part of the land hadbeen purchased in 1895 by a lumbermanwho intended to cut it down, buthe was so inspired by the beautifulscenery that he changed his mind.Today, the land continues to be carefullypreserved by the national forest service.