By Tyler Morgan
Hiking a mountain can be a tough obstacle for some, but it is also a way to relieve any stress one may have or even just to clear one’s mind. For Nancy Regan, who works in Health Services on the Gardner campus at Mount Wachusett Community College, this is a way of life. She hikes nearly every weekend and does it year round.
“I love it. For me, it is exhilarating. I consider it a lot of soul-searching that you can do when you’re out in nature and I think it’s great for anyone,” said Regan, who is currently in her third year as the advisor of the MWCC Hiking Club.
The outdoors is a way for her to relieve stress, if she has a headache or is overwhelmed by something; the outdoors is a way for her to just take a deep breath and relax. Her goal was to bring students and show them how to relax in nature. With the hiking club, they do many activities such as kayaking, snowshoeing, and climbing various mountains.
Nature is a big part of Regan’s everyday life; even in her free time, she hikes Mt. Monadnock twice a week. She has even hiked the largest mountains in Vermont, Maine and New Hampshire. Regan hikes year round, but feels that she is in need of a new goal. If she didn’t have a job, she would be completing the Appalachian Trail, which takes approximately six months to do.
Each mountain that Regan has hiked has something different about them. She enjoys being able to see the view once she gets out of the woods and everything opens up. Regan believes hiking is a way to really find yourself, especially for the younger generation that is so attached to their phones and social media.
The winter is the best time for hiking; it’s so pristine and nothing has been touched. With the sun coming down, the snow looks like ice and it is very beautiful.
Regan’s son even became interested in hiking about a year ago so they may end up attacking what is called the “48’s” which is located in the White Mountains of N.H. She has already accomplished hiking the 48 mountains, which are four thousand feet or higher, and would like to do it with her son now that he has expressed the same interests.
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