View Full Version : What's Your Most Spectacular Story from the Wilds?
Instead of politics, gear-talk, or criminal concerns, what is a story from your adventures that stands as iconic for why you "go to the woods."
Old Hillwalker
02-18-2008, 17:52
Getting knocked off my feet by a nearby lightning hit just below the summit of Mount Moose Hillock last July. Two of us had just retreated back into the woods from the Alpine Zone in advance of an approaching thunder storm. Had come up the Beever Brook trail from Kinsperson Notch going to Glen's Cliff. Just as the stroke hit, sparks flashed at the base of several small trees by our feet. We were standing, and then we were sitting.... Both of us had no feeling in our feet for about ten minutes. After we recovered our senses and feet, we continued up to the summit. About a hundred feet from where we were standing the trail looked like it had been plowed up and dirt thrown everywhere. Just off to the left was a medium sized Spruce that had been stripped of its bark and limbs. There were Spruce splinters everywhere. Two big splinters now reside on my mantlepiece. They say that if you survive a lightning stroke you end up with superpowers.. I'm still waiting for mine to show up:-?
Getting knocked off my feet by a nearby lightning hit just below the summit of Mount Moose Hillock last July. Two of us had just retreated back into the woods from the Alpine Zone in advance of an approaching thunder storm. Had come up the Beever Brook trail from Kinsperson Notch going to Glen's Cliff. Just as the stroke hit, sparks flashed at the base of several small trees by our feet. We were standing, and then we were sitting.... Both of us had no feeling in our feet for about ten minutes. After we recovered our senses and feet, we continued up to the summit. About a hundred feet from where we were standing the trail looked like it had been plowed up and dirt thrown everywhere. Just off to the left was a medium sized Spruce that had been stripped of its bark and limbs. There were Spruce splinters everywhere. Two big splinters now reside on my mantlepiece. They say that if you survive a lightning stroke you end up with superpowers.. I'm still waiting for mine to show up:-?
They already did, and you now only have eight more lives left :D
notorius tic
02-18-2008, 18:05
Doing a Flip Flop last year an seeing alot of people that i pounded miles with<: Well 1 in general looked at me in Maine an said Tic your going the wrong way<:
Got to the shelter north of Harper's Ferry, set up tarp and started a small cooking fire, got a little whisky in me and some friends. Decided after dark to do an all nighter hike, Got to a outlook (not sure where) and I have never seen a more beautiful view. The moon was a brighter orange than ever and lit the valley like a torch. The view was crystal clear even at 2AM. Hiking while the sun rises over a civil war battle field gave me a feeling of exctacy note yet equaled in my travels. Next day I got sick and could barely keep my self standing (Lyme?). Continued hiking for the longest 20 or so miles of my life (three days). Had to get off trail cause my partner got lyme for sure. Such amazing heights followed by near death reminds you of the Yin and Yang or give and take of life and parallels the trail's peaks and valleys..
As I have posted in numerous threads, my daughter Cody (21) and I spent her last day hiking up Sulpher Springs Trail to the AT. She found a red eft and told me about the ones in Natural Bridge Caverns (guests try to steal them), the dog found a turtle. Why I return?
1.) 2 weeks after her death, I took her dog hiking at Apple Orchard Falls. He was bitten by a poisonous snake. I told Co. she had to take care of her dog because I couldn't stand another loss. He lived, healthy as ever, and hiked Stav Hollow and Apple Orchard Falls with me today. I am not comnfortable hiking without him, in fact.
2.) 4 weeks after her death I hiked Sulpher Springs Trail again, determined NOT to be afraid of that hike. I found another red eft.
3.) In late Sept. I was at Apple Orchard Falls again (one of my favorite places), and found myself locked out of my truck. I tried to break into it, and frightened the wonder dog. He ran off. I ran 1 1/2 miles down to a photographer who was taking advantage of the beautiful creek, to have him call my son to bring keys. On the way back to the truck I told Cody she needed to find her dog. When I returned to the truck, he was sitting there waiting for me.
4.) A damsel fly landed at my hand, in the gloaming, in my backyard, the day after she died. Normally those insects are not flying in the near-dark. I knew it was a visit from Co. I kayak almost eveyday in the summer and am often surrounded by clouds of damsel flies. I am never alone.
To many people these things would be insignificant. I would be hiking and kayaking anyway, without these signs. BUT, to me these events are very meaningful and add depth and breadth to my forest, and river experience. When I am hiking with her dog, I am hiking with her, and we are at home. When I am paddling with damsel flies, I am paddling with Co.
Even if some horrible accident should befall me preventing me from hiking or kayaking, I would relieve those days over and over and consider myself blessed.
Frau
Beautiful story, Frau. Thanks for sharing.
Sometimes, it seems, it is not what happens outside, but what happens inside ourselves that is most meaningful when we go to the woods.
Beautiful story Frau, You are blessed. Thank you for sharing.
Frau, that's incredible..thank you so much for sharing.
Well, my most spectacular story, which I wrote up last night, took me 3 pages. I'll spare the details here, but briefly:
October at Linville Gorge Wilderness (NC). Leaves at their peak. Going to the North Carolina Wall for climbing. Foggy day. Get to the Chimneys, look west across the Gorge and see a squall line coming our way:eek:. Hunker down under a tarp pitched in the cliffs of the chimneys. Wind-whipped rain pounds for about an hour.
Rain abruptly stops. Climb out from under tarp into clear skies and late afternoon sunshine. No climbing on wet rock.:( Scramble to top of Chimney Ridge. Look east at retreating storm. See two perfect double-rainbows!!:p
Decide to cowboy camp at site. Chill wind blows. Beautiful sun setting across the Gorge and behind Mount Mitchell and the Blacks. Go back to ridge top to catch the whole show. Look east to be amazed by a big FAT full harvest moonrise. Dueling celestial objects. How cool! :)
Go to bed early in order to get apre-dawn "alpine start." Blanket of stars pulled over our heads.
Need to get up in the middle of the night to pee. Look around for the moon :confused: to tell what time it is. Whoa! It is a red crescent!! It is being eclipsed by the earth! Watched for awhile before falling back asleep.
Rose before sunrise. Full moon is now setting over the Black Mountains. Heat up water for coffee and oatmeal, go back to ridge top. Again watch the spectacle of celestial symmetry. Sunrise and moonset 180 degrees apart.
Felt humbled, and fortunate, to have witnessed all of this in 15 hours! The climbing that day, though fine, was anti-climatic to Mother nature's show.
Parking off the beaten path and ascending a lessor traveled trail to Fires Creek rim and Tusquitee Bald. Setting up my bivy sack and eating. Night hike to Potrock Bald and gaze at the valley of lights in Hayesville below; accompanied by the Milky Way above. Upon my return to camp the stars have disappeared with incoming clouds. I bed down and sleep well. In the morning I eat, pack and head off. Another beautiful hike back to my car as the leaves are changing in the dry autumn. I love having a mountain all to myself; me, my thoughts, God and the trees.
Cowboy camping on the Colorado Trail in a meadow just beyond Searle Pass at 12,000' with my daughter in 2005. She was 15. It was day 1 of our 5 day hike. We drank and cooked with snow melt, watched the sunset and then the stars and the Milky Way all night, and awoke at sunrise to find a herd of Elk about 200 yards away. It was a great way to start an awesome hike.
Also, hiking with her on the Northville Placid Trail in 2006. We heard Loons 3 nights and swam most every day. She was the 4th generation in my family to recreate in the wilds of the Adirondacks.
Parking off the beaten path and ascending a lessor traveled trail to Fires Creek rim and Tusquitee Bald. Setting up my bivy sack and eating. Night hike to Potrock Bald and gaze at the valley of lights in Hayesville below; accompanied by the Milky Way above.
A little known gem. I gave a presentation at the SORUCK about this area.
Jason of the Woods
02-21-2008, 11:14
I don't think that any "one" trip stands out. Every time that I am lucky enough to enjoy what Mother Nature has provided to us I appreciate it. I love sleeping and waking up in the woods. I especially like a cold morning that slowly heats up as te morning goes. Also the quiet I love the solitude that comes with being miles from town, roads, etc.
Instead of politics, gear-talk, or criminal concerns, what is a story from your adventures that stands as iconic for why you "go to the woods."
Actually, one of my favorite "TRAIL TALES" happened in RED ROCK country near Sedona, Arizona.
I was climbing up to the top of a peak...to take some spectacular photos...as i was taking a step or so back to get that "just the right angle" shot....i hear that distinctive "RATTLE" sound! I had stepped off the trail & right on top of a RATTLESNAKE....i slowly moved away as he slithered away....
i think i was as white as a ghost for my return trip down from THAT peak!
YIKES!:D
Johnny Thunder
02-21-2008, 12:09
(I think this is a re-post)
In 1997 I was part of a student trail crew working within Idaho's Selway-Bitteroot Wilderness. Towards the end of our contract we were asked to clear a nearby trail of some major blow downs as we made our way out of the park.
Three of us broke camp, and with a Pulaski and cross-cut saw, were able to clear all the trees except for one. This honkin' tree was at least 3.5 or 4 feet in diameter and was wedged between it's uphill root-ball and the lower lip of the trail tread. We used the cross-cut for about an hour, sweltering in the August sun, and using water to cool the saw. It wasn't going to work.
I climbed up on the root structure, and in frustration, yanked on the largest off shoot. It moved. The other two pushed; we threw our collective weight into it and it moved. I was thrown under the trunk which pinned my leg as it passed.
I still have the pants with a pair of nickle-sized in and out holes where my calf should have been. (I was skinny).
Later, we decided to cowboy on top of one of the peaks in the area. We set up in the ruins of a wrecked fire watch tower and counted earth satelites. We enjoyed the halo of light from far off towns.
Before dawn we heard thunderheads rolling in. We quickly packed up and ran down the scree and boulder fields below the summit. 10 minutes down and rain was falling. 15 minutes and we were bouncing from Volkswagen-sized boulder to boulder. The 6 foot cross-cut lightning rod sang as it flexed. We counted the seconds between flashes and tried to convince ourselves if it was 4 miles per second. Or maybe less.
In 20 minutes we reached the saddle and slipped below the tree line. It was pouring. You could feel your arm hair stand on end. We smelled ozone.
In 40 minutes the trail opened to the alpine meadow which we had previously called home. The clouds parted. The sun rose.
Cool stories, Jaybird & Johnny Thunder!
I was so captivated by the sky and the light at the summit of Baldpate that I completely missed the implications of what was happening. A few minutes after taking this photo, I was pelted by intense cold rain and hail, with no place to take cover. Inwardly I was laughing and happy, because I knew I'd taken one of my best photos ever. Sometimes you just know.
. . http://www.terrapinphoto.com/temp/baldpate_summit3.jpg
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Tipi Walter
03-03-2008, 11:15
I've had what I call "epics" many times in the woods and here are a few of them:
++++ Since I lost the main trail, I tried to bushwack from a ridgetop in Pisgah and reach Upper Creek. In the process I ended up on a very steep thin-soil rockface in the Upper Creek canyon gorge. I could see and hear the river far below me and it was my goal but I reached a point on the mountain side where I couldn't go up or down. I panicked and clung to the diminishing mountain and tugging on my back was a very heavy external frame pack.
About 80 feet below me I could see the river but it was straight down and I was terrified. I saw a pine tree sticking out of the cliff and in a controlled fall I allowed myself to land at the tree which I hugged but in the process of falling I dislodged a microwave-sized rock and it came down on my head but the pack frame took the brunt of it. Had a nasty bleeding headwound at this point and in a fury I pushed the rock off the hill and down to the river. My pack frame got bent.
Finally I saw a long evergreen branch and pulled it to me first starting with an individual needle and then got the whole branch and used it to swing me down closer to the river. While all this was happening I was calling out to every deity I knew, Jesus, Buddha, Yogananda, Shiva, Krishna, the Christian God, the Hindu God, nothing happened and I felt no response. After I hit the river I stumbled around in the water and in a crazed panic immediately climbed up the mountain side on the opposite bank all the way to the top. My goal was to get to the river and follow it out. Oops.
++++ I stumbled into a trail dead end at the top of Burnthouse Branch and got nailed by five yellow jackets simultaneously. No where to run.
++++ Stealth camping around a town I got stopped by a cop as I was going thru a grocery store dumpster and he called in my ID. I offered him some of the watermelon I got from the dumpster, he declined.
++++ Another time stealth camping I left my hidden camp to sit in the morning sun and do some yoga when two cops approached while I was meditating and asked to see some ID. I didn't budge(my eyes were closed, I was meditating!), until one of them touched me on the shoulder. I told them I was doing yoga and the woman cop said she was familiar with yoga. We all walked back to my tent in the woods and they asked, "Do you know who's land you're on?" And I said, "No, do you?" And they said, "No." End of story.
++++ I was camping on a 5000 foot open bald and got caught in a mini-tornado microburst which sounded like an F4 Phantom jet ripping across the sky overhead. I had to hold onto the tent poles from inside the tent and it was butt-puckering.
++++ Camping in NC in the woods around Tweetsie Railroad when a real bonafide tornado came thru and demolished a small area, lifted cars and broke windows. I was camped closeby and had my nice North Face Westwind tent blown over and split some tentpoles.
++++ Had a skunk stick his head in my tent while I was trying to sleep and say hello. We talked for a bit and he got bored and left.
++++ I was sitting up meditating and doing yoga in the Conehead Forest when two little birds landed on my head and shoulder and sat for a while. I felt like Milarepa or the Buddha.
++++ Up at the Tipi I nursed a wild raccoon as it was sick and dying. It was in the middle of winter and on top of a high exposed snowy ridgetop and so I built it a small shelter and fed it cashews and water. It curled up in the shelter for several days and would reach out its strong arms to touch me. One morning I woke up and it was frozen and stiff.
++++ One time I was backpacking the Shenandoahs with Celo Girl and we set up our tent in a terrible wind at night by Marys Rock. It was a North Face Windy Pase VE24 knockoff. She went off to do something and I just stepped outside when a big tree fell and hit the tent and broke a pole and ripped the fly. We hitched to a yoga ashram where they had a sewing machine(Swami Satchidananda's Yogaville), and fixed the thing.
++++ Spending the Blizzard of '93 up at the Tipi and having a boatload of fun trying to keep the tipi door from sealing shut with windblown snow. I had to swap out the woodstove in the middle of the night too and dig out the old one from a high snowbank. Since the trails were all much higher, when I walked out of the lodge to get something, I hit my forehead on a nail sticking out of a tree limb and we had bloodflow. Also in the middle of the night while working to rebuilt the woodstove, I knocked over a full bucket of pee onto the floor but that's another story.
++++ Trying to cross a swollen raging creek at high water mark on the Upper Bald River on the Brookshire trail. This was one of the toughest epics as I barely made it across and the fast moving water was up to my belly button and so I stood tottering with a hiking pole in one hand and my dog's collar in the other. We barely made it and I felt weird afterwards, had that strange panic taste in my mouth again.
++++ While backpacking in the Conehead I found a "harbor site", a place under very thick rhodo just big enough for a bedroll camp. This was no tent site, it was cramped and tiny. As I drifted off to sleep I looked up at the crystal clear stars in the black night sky and fell asleep. Wouldn't you know it, at 3 am a terrible rainstorm hit the ridge and in a high speed clustermuck I reached for the flalshlight and scrambled to put everything in the pack and get out. I slipped the external frame pack on my back and crawled thru the rhodo on my stomach and my hands and knees. I was about 100 yards from the trail and it was a long crawl. When I got out I booked it down to a tentsite and in a flurry of activity put up the tent. Afterwards, I felt GREAT!
++++ While camping at a National Rainbow gathering I saw an old woman with a full goatee and an elephant trained by the hare krishnas to play the harmonica. This was the 2 week trip where I backpacked three packs in on my back, looked like three ladybugs having sex. Had my standard external, had a Sundog pack on top and an Army Alice pack on top of that, all hanging from the back. Had to hump in gear for our group.
++++ Had a wild pony bite me on the butt in Grayson Highlands. He wanted the apple I was eating and I wouldn't give it to him. This occurred by a shelter near the Park. Old Orchard?
This isn't spectacular to anyone but me, I suppose, but 4 summers ago, I drove across country with my then-14 year old son. Most of his camping had been scout camping -- always with groups of loud, young guys. We decided to take off from Philly in the car, threw a tent and some basic gear in the trunk and just drove west. Here and there we stopped at state parks and camped where we could. We weren't backpacking, but it was still an adventure to go someplace without a plan. About day 10 of our trip, we were in New Mexico. Being a scout, he wanted to visit Philmont base camp, and we saw that there was a state park in Cimarron Canyon. Basically, this was just a bunch of campsites along side the main road in and out of Cimarron. We didn't think much of the place at first, but no one else was in the campground that night. We had a grand dinner of fire roasted baked potatoes, onions, mushrooms and cheese. Then we spent most of the night watching a sky jammed with stars and a few shooting stars as well. My son was used to the light-washed sky back east. In that canyon, I remember him saying "Wow!" over and over again. That trip was spectacular because I spent weeks on the road alone with my teenage son, and we never once had a disagreement. We had lots of "Wow" moments, but that one, in the middle of the night in the Sangre de Cristo mountains was a moment that he and I still talk about -- our own shared moment of Wow.
sixhusbands
03-03-2008, 12:12
Kalalau Trail in Kauai, Hawaii. A place called crawlers ledge scared the life out of me!
doggiebag
03-03-2008, 12:23
The day started as all days start: Team Doggiebag (myself and Aldo) was heading out of Palmerton, PA northbound using the winter trail ascending from Lehigh Gap. Aldo and I are healthy and ready to take on the world. We're following Scott from Alabama - who is guiding us back to the trail using the winter trail to avoid the road hike I used to get into town. As we were leaving town - Aldo at my heel ... he rushes forward ahead of Scott and I and jumps over a concrete barrier that we needed to climb over to enter the winter trail. As Scott and I followed Aldo over the barrier I was alarmed to see him battling it out with a huge rattlesnake that was coiled to strike (this particular snake never made a sound). I never saw anything to indicate that anything out of the ordinary has occured and I herded Aldo away as Scott went to the security booth occupied by Barb of USA Securities to warn others of the nearby viper. Scott informed me of his concern that Aldo might have taken a hit ... but since we've encountered snakes before and confident of Aldo's swiftness I discounted his concern (I never even saw the snake strike).
We kept following the winter trail to start climbing the Rocky hill north of Lehigh Gap. It was a tough climb. Nearly 3/4 way up the mountain, I paused to take the camera out to shoot some video and pictures. I noticed Aldo starting to lay down and start lagging behind. Then I saw something that turned my blood cold - the left side of his face was swelling up. I screamed: "Oh no Aldo!" - Scott was right ... Aldo was struck in the left side of the cheek/neck area by the rattler. It was 10 AM when I noticed the envenomation. Scott who already summitted the mountain heard me scream and peered down to check on me. I said "You were right Scott the snake got Aldo, I need to get back to town." My mind was racing at all possible solutions to evacuate Aldo back to Palmerton. I immediately took his pack off and was contemplating just leaving it there - Scott volunteered to carry his pack and return to town with me. I left Aldo's pack at the ridge knowing Scott would retrieve it and we started double-timing it down the boulder and rock strewn trail. Aldo's face was starting to swell up by the minute. Halfway down the mountain I paused to catch my breath and let Aldo rest. Scott arrived hauling Aldo's pack. He selflessly volunteered to stick with me through what we both knew was a sad deteriorating situation. I also know how important the thru-hike is to both of us. I've only known Scott for a week but we got along quite well. I couldn't allow my dilemma to risk his thru-hike. I told him I'll see him in Delaware Water Gap soon. We both knew we may never run into each other again - that is the way trail goes. "Have a good hike my friend." That's all you need to say in the trail. I will miss Scott - he's a standup guy. It would have been nice to hike to Maine with him.
I never knew I could hike down a steep boulder field so quickly. My adrenaline was surging ... by the time I reached the winter trail backtracking to where Barb's security booth was located - Aldo and I had been running for over 15 minutes straight. Aldo kept trying to hide his injured face from me - it was heart breaking. We reached Barb's post in record time. A quick rundown of the situation got Barb on the phone to anyone able to assist. She never gave up. Aldo crawled under a picnic table for the shade. His neck was swelling up so bad that I knew his collar would soon suffocate him. He cried in pain as I tried to slide the collar off. His neck was too swollen ... in a few minutes he could choke to death. I slipped my knife under the collar to hack it away but I couldn't get any leverage. I went through my fist aid kit and found a pair of folding scissors that did quick work of the nylon section of his collar. Aldo was having a hard time breathing at this point - I started praying. Even though it caused him pain I grabbed his throat muscles to relieve pressure on his wind pipe - it was 10:32 AM (an hour and 15 minutes since the strike).
A glimmer of hope. Barb was succesful in reaching the good folks at the Little Gap Animal Hospital in Palmerton, PA and they were sending someone to bring me and Aldo to the Blue Ridge Veterinary Clinic in Walnutport, PA - at the same time the clinics were in a mad dash to locate anti-venom from all possible sources.
A car pulls up. A lady in scrubs pops the trunk for my gear. Aldo jumps in the trunk .. silly dog. I had him climb in the back seat and it was a red light running momma that was sent for operation "Save Aldo". We arrive at the Veterinary Clinic and they locate antivenom in Allentown, PA. I assist in muzzling Aldo and they start an IV drip. Another vehicle was waiting with a different veterinary tech and I was enroute to Allentown, PA to get the serum. These women are amazing. I'm assuming they probably do part time work for the witness protection program. When they get their mind on to something it's a whilrwind of activity. These folks are great. We get back to the clinic with the serum at 1:30 PM - Aldo is completely swollen and the serum is administered over a drip for the next 1.5 hours. I spent a restless night back at the Jailhouse Hostel.
I was given a ride by a trailangel back to Walnutport the next morning. Aldo is looking rough (I'm pretty sure it's the same dog) He looks like a pit-bull with his face all swollen. But he's fine. I brought him a sausage, egg and cheese (his favorite breakfast) and he inhaled it despite his swollen face.
Aldo fully recovered from the snake bite - we stayed in the woods for another 2 days until I was sure that he was 100% and we continued on our northbound trek. The clinic treated Aldo at cost - realizing that I was thru-hiking. The kindness of small town folks in their humility and dedication to service will forever stay with me.
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/1/1/8/9/9/DSCN1434.jpg (http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=18146&original=1&c=member&imageuser=11899)
Monkeyboy
03-03-2008, 13:07
Not spectacular, but funny as all get out......
On my first campout with our Scout Troop as a new leader, we went to Fort Desoto.
The Scoutmaster at the time loved smoked oysters, so he snacked on a can of them for his Friday night snack. When he finished, he looked at me and said, "Watch this" and walks behind the youngest, greenest scouts tent and pours the leftover oyster oil all around behind their tent. I was puzzled, but he just smiled and said it will make sense in the morning.
Well, if anyone knows about Fort DeSoto park, they also know that it is absolutely running over with racoons. Big racoons that are not afraid of anything.
Anyway, the two newbie scouts get up the next morning with bags under their eyes. I asked them how the slept, but said they couldn't get a wink because two "wildcats" were outside their tent fighting all night........
That's what made me realize how fun camping can be.......
:)
hopefulhiker
03-03-2008, 13:14
The most spectacular sights I saw were in the Whites and in Maine... The night before I climbed Mt Washington It was so clearI saw the Northern Lights.. I never thought I would see them.. Then the next day was so clear We could see the ocean from the top of Mt Washington.. This is the first time that had happened in four years they said..
Also in Maine I took a blue blaze trail near Pierce Pond and saw a rainbow over a waterfall at Pierce Ponds falls.. The trail was extremely rugged but I have never seen anything like that scene.. I have a picture and will post it someday...
Tipi Walter
03-03-2008, 13:26
For years I went backpacking without a camera and so I have no photo essay to share regarding all things cool, or in doggiebag's case, spectacular. I wonder why dogs seem to take rattlesnake bites better than humans? BTW, here's a gift for old Aldo:
Doggiebag, thanks for sharing your harrowing story. All's well that ends well!
I was so captivated by the sky and the light at the summit of Baldpate.....I knew I'd taken one of my best photos ever. Sometimes you just know.
. . http://www.terrapinphoto.com/temp/baldpate_summit3.jpg
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GREAT photo!
++++ Had a skunk stick his head in my tent while I was trying to sleep and say hello. We talked for a bit and he got bored and left.
That's funny! Well done!
This isn't spectacular to anyone but me, I suppose...but that one, in the middle of the night in the Sangre de Cristo mountains was a moment that he and I still talk about -- our own shared moment of Wow.
What a special experience. Thanks for sharing it. Reminds me how shared moments in nature evoke the love in families, and the hope for teenagers.
mark.k.watson
03-03-2008, 22:10
It's a toss up between running into a grizzly at 15 yards while bow hunting, or rappelling Devils Tower the first time I summited. New terrain, I had no ideas on where the anchors were, and oh yea, it was dark and we had no lights save the full moon.
It was one of the most spirtual experiances I've ever had.
Getting woken up by a bear licking my lips, nice way to start a day. Joke is, I have woken up next to some ugly women, but.................
Sorry ladies.
What'd you do once you were awake and realized a bear up-close-and-personal with you???!!!
Monkeyboy
03-03-2008, 22:57
Probably gave the bear a mint......
maybe a little off-topic, but somewhat related...
one of my most memorable experiences "in the wild" was on a trip with my oldest son (now 20) when he was 13. We went with the Boy Scout troop on a Boundary Waters trip. This was a 6 day, ~70 mile trip out of Charles L. Somers Scout camp.
We arrived early in camp on Wednesday - I believe it was on Alice Lake. Our interpreter (what they call a guide) knew of a place a few lakes / rivers over where there were some old petroglyphs. Four of us wanted to go over and take a look. As we started back, the sun started to set. We hurried through the only portage back to camp (seeing a bald eagle perched on a rock in the middle of a creek - we got to within about 20 feet of him, but there wasn't enough light for the pic to come out).
We knew that we'd hit Alice Lake just as what appeared to be a great sunset was peaking. I'm paddling in the stern of the canoe the following pic was taken from. My buddy in in the bow, took the pic with an $8 waterproof disposable camera. His son (now in his 2nd year at the Air Force Academy) and the interpreter are in the canoe in the pic. Just as we entered the lake, the sun peaked beneath the clouds you see on the horizon.
It was one of those spectacular, peaceful moments that you know you'll take with you the rest of your life.....