An on-line narrative of Colorado wilderness: Self-in-"cybernetic space"

The authors consider a new frontier for the study of wilderness recreation experience, an increasingly common form of blog known as online trip reports. Analysis and discussion in this article is the result of collecting and reflecting upon more than 300 trip reports focused on wilderness areas in the state of Colorado. The authors present a case study of one trip report that demonstrates the intersection of self, narrative, wilderness, and new media technology. While the practice of trip reporting is rather uniform across the cases, the analysis of a single exemplary case reveals that the narrative performance can provide a very personal statement of self and the relationship to wilderness. As Internet presence grows exponentially, online trip reports are expected to play a greater and greater role in the experience of wilderness in cybernetic space.