If ninteenth century newpapers had had web comment sections, they'd be filled with spittle-flecked rants saying, "Serves them right. My tax dollars better not be paying to rescue these idiots!"

I typically hike with a college buddy and we've taken so many trips for so long we never chat about our "what-ifs?" Well, one trip we had a creek crossing that had washed out and been replaced by an immense jumble of downed wood and no obvious crossing point. We found our way across separately and out of sight of one another, well away from the trail. I got across, found the trail and resumed hiking, presuming we'd run into one another soon enough.

Soon enough stretched into an hour or more and since we didn't have a specific stopping point—more of a "Let's find a spot along the river in this area." proposition—it finally occurred to me that 1. I couldn't know where to stop for camp, 2. I didn't know whether he was ahead or behind me and 3. since he'd lost his map at that crossing on the trip out, he might not even know where to leave the trail to find a campsite.

With my "duh" realization I returned to the last significant trail fork, waited and intermittantly blew my whistle. I can't recall how long it was before he finally returned my signal, and that was that.

Weather was late-summer perfect and we both had adequate gear and provisions to solo if need be, but a twist of fate—crappy weather, injury, etc.—could have made our little error very significant indeed, as we were two full days from the trailhead.

So yeah, it can be that easy to screw up.



Cheers,