Everett Ruess, a name synonymous with adventure and wilderness exploration, is often regarded as the original wilderness wanderer. Born on this day March 28, 1914, Ruess was a young artist, writer, and adventurer whose passion for nature’s grandeur was incomparable. His insatiable desire to explore the unexplored trigged at a young age when he began to embark on solo trips into the vast wilderness of the American West.
Despite his young age, Ruess demonstrated a profound understanding and appreciation of the wilderness that was far beyond his years. His writings, artwork, and letters were filled with vivid descriptions and deep reflections of his experiences in the remote landscapes he explored, revealing an old soul in a young body. The wilderness was his muse, inspiring him to create beautiful pieces of art and write eloquent prose that captured the essence of his surroundings.
Ruess’s life was a testament to his free spirit and love for the wilderness. He traversed through some of the most rugged terrains, including high Sierra Nevada, California’s coast, and the deserts of Arizona and Utah. He often traveled alone, with only his pack animals for company. His courageous spirit and ability to survive in harsh conditions earned him fame as well as infamy among locals and fellow explorers.
However, Everett Ruess’s story is not just about a young man’s adventures in the wilderness. It is also a tale of mystery and intrigue. In November 1934, at the age of 20, Ruess disappeared without a trace while on a solitary journey in the Utah desert. Despite numerous search efforts and investigations over the years, what happened to him remains a mystery to this day. This unsolved enigma adds an element of mystique to his legacy, making Everett Ruess a compelling figure in the annals of wilderness exploration.
Onward from vast uncharted spaces,
Forward through timeless voids,
Into all of us surges and races
The measureless might of the wind. […]
In the steep silence of thin blue air
High on a lonely cliff-ledge,
Where the air has a clear, clean rarity,
I give to the wind…my pledge:
”By the strength of my arm, by the sight of my eyes,
By the skill of my fingers, I swear,
As long as life dwells in me, never will I
Follow any way but the sweeping way of the wind.”
-Everett Ruess, from On Desert Trails with Everett Ruess
Curated by Jennifer
