Portrait 3: Lowlander

Many thru hikers have a very specific reason for being on trail. A lot of people are fulfilling lifelong dreams. A lot of others are working their way through overwhelming life problems. I never talked to Lowlander about why he hikes. But I do know that he hikes - and he hikes with a smile and a quick wit.

I like to envision him as a class clown in his youth. I haven’t the faintest idea if that’s true. Honestly, I doubt it; he’s a really intelligent, thoughtful person. But I hold onto that idea because he always has a joke, a good story, or a funny pose. I have dozens of shots of Lowlander to choose from. In every single one of them, he’s either smiling or doing something that’s making other people smile.

I didn’t get to spend as much time with Lowlander as I would have liked. Here’s what little I know about him with certainty - I know how he got his trail name. I know that he was always fun to meet on trail. I know that he brightened every single tent site he approached. And when it comes down to it, what else do I need to know?