Sidetracked #33

Sidetracked #33

‘Sometimes it’s in the stillest moments that we feel the rawness of the wild most deeply.’ —Natasha Klein

If we intentionally step beyond all we think we need, something we can only do through adventure, we find a simpler reality. Are we evaluated by how much we consume or produce, how we measure up? Or does our humanity stem from moments of deep connection to the natural world, each other, and ourselves – from the clarity of flow state and kinship with another soul? In this volume of Sidetracked we highlight stories striving to reveal the elemental through presence.

In ‘The Magic Puna’, Sònia Colomo Sala bikepacks through a hostile region of Argentina and experiences feelings she struggles to put into words. Ameena Rojee tries to see the Cairngorms of Scotland as they truly are, following in the footsteps of Nan Shepherd. And in ‘XXIV’, Sam Smoothy questions the motivations and risks of a New Zealand mountaineering project.

To seek human meaning has never felt more important. Maybe by reaching for the elemental, stripping things back and seeking essence over achievement, care over ambition, we can find it.

About Sidetracked:

Everything about our magazine is intended to present those narratives in the most compelling and visually stunning way possible. Words and images portraying the inspirational truth of the experience. It’s more than a magazine – it’s about being immersed in the journey of those with captivating stories to tell. Every volume brings together some of the finest stories of exploration and adventure. From extremes of human endurance to both cultural and emotional discovery, we present endeavours from a global group of adventurers, writers and photographers all looking to shatter boundaries.