Linville Gorge Wilderness, located in the Pisgah National Forest of Western North Carolina, was one of the first Congressionally mandated wilderness areas on the East Coast. At almost twelve thousand acres and boasting rugged cliffs and technical hiking trails, Linville Gorge is a haven for adventure seekers from across the globe. But what does it mean to set aside land as a wilderness? What is the history that has led to this place to be so loved that it is preserved forever and always from human development? What does it mean to fall in love with a place? These creative nonfiction essays seek to unravel that mystery, exploring ideas about ecology, spirituality, conservation, and self-discovery, to find among the rocks and cliffs the answer to what makes Linville Gorge Wilderness more than just a River of Cliffs.
This manuscript was part of my UNCW Departmental Honors Thesis which I successfully defended on April 27th, 2021. Professor Malena Mörling served as the Faculty Supervisor for the project, and Professor Philip Gerard and Michael Ramos of the UNCW Creative Writing Department and Professor Katie Peel of the UNCW English Department served on the Faculty Committee.
The defense was recorded and is available to view online at this link. If you’d like to learn more about the essays, I invite you to contact me. I’d love to hear from you.
Evan Seay 