This letter is based on a true experience I had hiking recently.
I encountered a Texas man hiking alone, going up a trail, who was looking for the parking lot, where his car was parked. When I encountered him, he was about halfway to Engineer Meadow. He said he was hiking up because he had gone to the “end of the trail.” In fact, he had hiked an overlook spur, which ended abruptly.
At that point, rather than stopping and thinking for a minute, and seeing there was a larger trail continuing down, he panicked and started hiking up, which made no sense. He said he had water and was doing OK. After my prodding, he turned around and started hiking down toward where his car had to be. His wife was at the trailhead, frantically looking for him, and we took her to their car. After this experience, I had these thoughts:
Dear tourists,
If you have no outdoor skills and can’t even use simple logic to find your way, please stay home.
If you are going into the wilderness totally unprepared without proper provisions, please stay home.
If you are hiking with your phone in your hand, preparing to call for a rescue, please stay home.
If you have no idea where you parked your car on a simple out-and-back hike, please stay home.
Julie Meadows
Durango
