Add to ORKGWhen a very unexpected opportunity to join the National Park Service presented itself I was at first inclined to reject it with scant consideration but the lure of the wilderness was strong. Recurring visions of high mountains, verdant forests and camping out under the stars held an irresistible appeal. Also, an unusually annoying lot of final exam papers were still cluttering up my desk; there was a very large question mark in my mind as to why I had ever undertaken to become a college professor; and it seemed possible that the students were puzzled over the same question. Finally, being of a very sympathetic nature and wishing to give the students a break, I secured a leave of absence from the college and set out to get a fresh point of v...