It really began as a safety practice for me many years ago, as I often hike solo, I made it a practice to check activity in the parking lots and to note the tracks on the trail. Though in snow it is much easier, even in mud or wet areas, tracks often show the direction and number of people on the trail. It then progressed more as a game to observe prints, how fresh they were, etc. Then one cold winter day my game became serious.
I began my hike noting my surroundings and then set off up the well-traveled trail enjoying the tranquility that winter trails bring. Though several routes leave from the parking lot I knew that a few people were ahead of me. After a bit I encountered them – an older gentleman and a young couple. The older gentleman was clearly upset. He lost his hiking companion and thought maybe he had hiked back to the parking lot. “No, I passed no one, and no one was in the parking lot.” This made him more concerned. As I got the details I assured him I would help.
They were hiking together and at one tricky spot one went up and over and the other went around. This is when they became separated. He (I’ll call him S) called and called and then began looking around and there was no sign of his friend (I’ll call D). While in his panic the young couple came upon him and also began looking around thinking maybe he’d fallen or worse. Although they also were coming up the trail they started to accompany him back to the parking lot. Then I met them. “Could he have continued to the summit?” They hike together regularly and S couldn’t understand D going on ahead or going back without him. No fresh tracks had come down the trail so I felt either he was lost or had continued up. We all now continued back up the trail to where he was last seen. Tracks were going in every direction where they had fanned out and looked around. I asked each of them to make a fresh print in the snow. They looked at me funny but complied.
I looked at all three prints and said, “Now let’s look for a print that is different.” We slowly worked our way up the trail a bit and then I saw the print I wanted. It came back into the trail from the same side he had detoured. It was now the only fresh print heading up the trail. I knew he had continued up. S was now visibly relieved as he felt his friend just disappeared. Now he knew he was okay and still walking but why had he gone ahead was still a question. I asked if they carried whistles. “No, but that would be a good idea” was a response from all three. I had mine and blew loudly then we were still and listened. Nothing. I asked a few more questions as to D’s gear and clothing. We all continued upwards but my pace was quick and they were tiring so the couple agreed to continue up with S and I would go on ahead to see if I could find D. I would blow my whistle two times if I found him.
I picked up my pace, blew one time my whistle occasionally, listened and continued to watch the prints ahead of me as I worked my way toward the summit. Then I saw some movement and called out his name. He called back. As I reached him he was very concerned. He’d lost his hiking companion.
D had gone all the way to the summit thinking that S was ahead of him and when he wasn’t there he started back looking for him. I explained that S was behind me coming up the trail looking for him. I asked if he heard my whistle. He had not! I blew my whistle two times to alert the others that I had found him. Then we waited and talked. He described how they got separated but when he got back on the trail S wasn’t around and since S was the faster one (because S is younger, 70’s whereas D is in his 80’s!!) he thought S was ahead of him and tried to catch up not understanding why his friend didn’t wait for him as he always did.
By now the others joined us. It was touching to see these two older men hug each other with joy and then start arguing about what happened. I shared their joy and was glad I had helped. Apparently the episode began as S when up and over the tricky area and D went around, S looked back down the trail and called D while D got back on the trail a bit further up without seeing or hearing S call him. He then hurried himself to catch up but they then got further and further apart.
We all continued to the summit and had a snack, talked with the younger couple for a bit and then I continued to hike down another trail with S and D…a very enjoyable pair who had plenty of tales to share of their hikes together.
I began my hike noting my surroundings and then set off up the well-traveled trail enjoying the tranquility that winter trails bring. Though several routes leave from the parking lot I knew that a few people were ahead of me. After a bit I encountered them – an older gentleman and a young couple. The older gentleman was clearly upset. He lost his hiking companion and thought maybe he had hiked back to the parking lot. “No, I passed no one, and no one was in the parking lot.” This made him more concerned. As I got the details I assured him I would help.
They were hiking together and at one tricky spot one went up and over and the other went around. This is when they became separated. He (I’ll call him S) called and called and then began looking around and there was no sign of his friend (I’ll call D). While in his panic the young couple came upon him and also began looking around thinking maybe he’d fallen or worse. Although they also were coming up the trail they started to accompany him back to the parking lot. Then I met them. “Could he have continued to the summit?” They hike together regularly and S couldn’t understand D going on ahead or going back without him. No fresh tracks had come down the trail so I felt either he was lost or had continued up. We all now continued back up the trail to where he was last seen. Tracks were going in every direction where they had fanned out and looked around. I asked each of them to make a fresh print in the snow. They looked at me funny but complied.
I looked at all three prints and said, “Now let’s look for a print that is different.” We slowly worked our way up the trail a bit and then I saw the print I wanted. It came back into the trail from the same side he had detoured. It was now the only fresh print heading up the trail. I knew he had continued up. S was now visibly relieved as he felt his friend just disappeared. Now he knew he was okay and still walking but why had he gone ahead was still a question. I asked if they carried whistles. “No, but that would be a good idea” was a response from all three. I had mine and blew loudly then we were still and listened. Nothing. I asked a few more questions as to D’s gear and clothing. We all continued upwards but my pace was quick and they were tiring so the couple agreed to continue up with S and I would go on ahead to see if I could find D. I would blow my whistle two times if I found him.
I picked up my pace, blew one time my whistle occasionally, listened and continued to watch the prints ahead of me as I worked my way toward the summit. Then I saw some movement and called out his name. He called back. As I reached him he was very concerned. He’d lost his hiking companion.
D had gone all the way to the summit thinking that S was ahead of him and when he wasn’t there he started back looking for him. I explained that S was behind me coming up the trail looking for him. I asked if he heard my whistle. He had not! I blew my whistle two times to alert the others that I had found him. Then we waited and talked. He described how they got separated but when he got back on the trail S wasn’t around and since S was the faster one (because S is younger, 70’s whereas D is in his 80’s!!) he thought S was ahead of him and tried to catch up not understanding why his friend didn’t wait for him as he always did.
By now the others joined us. It was touching to see these two older men hug each other with joy and then start arguing about what happened. I shared their joy and was glad I had helped. Apparently the episode began as S when up and over the tricky area and D went around, S looked back down the trail and called D while D got back on the trail a bit further up without seeing or hearing S call him. He then hurried himself to catch up but they then got further and further apart.
We all continued to the summit and had a snack, talked with the younger couple for a bit and then I continued to hike down another trail with S and D…a very enjoyable pair who had plenty of tales to share of their hikes together.
