Have you ever been lost in the woods overnight?

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Skiddah - agreed! My friend Jenifer brought some of that line once and we used it for the tent staking ... you could see that spider web layout from quite a distance. I was impressed; maybe I can get some at the big sale this weekend at REI.
 
Lost, as in scarey lost

Good thread, and would love to hear even more accounts of being lost or almost lost.

It happened to me a long time ago when a buddy of mine and I were camping on Moose Pond near Bloomingdale and decided to canoe across the pond to the outlet in search of a fresh rumored beaver pond with huge native trout in it, according to a tip from someone in a local bait store. Well we walked for a least a mile down the outlet, trudging over blowdown in hot heat and humidity. Never found the magic beaver pond down the outlet, and we decided we'd head back to the pond, only this time we'd climb the ridge nearby the stream and take an "easier" route back instead of going the way we came along the stream. Well we learned a hard lesson. About 5 minutes into our trek through the woods along the top of the ridge, we lost sight of the stream and about 30 minutes into our return, we found ourselves entangled in some of the thickest blowdown and firs that I've ever experienced...and completely lost. Moving at a rate of about 10 feet per minute through the firs, we had made a bad mistake and should've stuck to the stream, and now we desperately needed to find that stream again. It was so thick you couldn't see the ground anywhere below you..just fir branches and blowdown. Evening was setting in, and we were starting to get really concerned, not having told anyone where we had gone, having no water or food, and knowing that there was nothing but desolation for miles unless we lucked out and found the stream again which would lead us back.

We decided our only chance of finding the stream again was to find a "mark" in the woods and then send one of us as far in a straight line as we could, always keeping the other in sight. Then he would stand there while the other of us would bypass him and continue, making a straight line, using three points at all times. We'd do this for 20 minutes at a time, and if that line didn't bring us back to the stream, we'd return as close to the original starting point and head off in a different direction for another 20 minutes or so, making these experimental "spokes" through the woods. On the third try, we lucked out, and rediscovered the stream, and feeling all the relief in the world, trudged our way back up the outlet and to our canoe waiting for us at the pond just as darkness set in. BTW, if we had gone in the first direction of what we thought was the way back to the stream, we would've ended up seriously lost.

I've heard of people leaving their car to pick berries 50 feet from the highway into the woods and never being seen again, and after our experience I could easily understand why. That was the last time I ever ventured off road, trail, or stream into the unknown woods without a map and compass.
 
The closest I've come to getting "lost" was on a night approach. Somehow we got off the main trail and started to follow trail markers to a designated tent site. When they ran out and we were at a lake, I was totally baffled and a little stressed out (I don't like hiking at night...) Luckily the last guy in line hadn't passed the last trail marker, and we followed them back to the right trail.

On a hike on Cranberry Lake, we were hanging out, swimming and fishing and my cousin, Tom, decided to follow a stream uphill for a ways and see if he could find the source. Sounded dumb to me, but I was only 16 or 17 so didn't try to tell him not to go. About 1 hour later, when he wasn't back, we went out to look for him. The stream he had followed forked, so we took the one on the right. When that one ran out, we took a compass heading across the hillside and ran over to the other branch. After hiking for about 1 hour, calling his name and blowing our whistles, we heard an answer. Telling him to stay put, we eventually came upon him sitting on a moss covered rock. When asked why he hadn't turned around and returned to the lake, he replied (not a direct quote, but you'll get the gist...) "I went so far, I thought I had to follow the stream over the hill to get back down to the lake." Tom isn't allowed to go off by himself for any reason anymore.
 
Experience

I am in a way less experienced than these two teens, as I have never had an unplanned night out.

Sure, I've been lost a few times. And over the past few years, I have been occasionally hiking later at night (to 0130) and earlier in the morning (to 0230), so the lines have blurred a little.

Still, there is a big difference between planned and unplanned, to be sure.
 
Re: I used to feel foolish about leaving my spare LED headlamp turned on

Jim lombard said:
Has anyone ever thought about pulling a "My Side of the Mountain" and getting lost on purpose?

I read that book when I was about 12 years old, but forgot what the name of the book was and didn't own a copy, so I hadn't read it in a while. My wife, who is a teacher, was telling me about a book she was reading to her kids this past year, and it turned out to be "My Side of the Mountain." I've only read it once in the past few months, but I might take it on my next hike for inspirational reading. I often thought of taking off and living as the boy in the book did, getting many of my ideas from "The American Boy's Handy Book" by Daniel Beard. Click Here.
 
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There was a movie that followed, it was OK but didn't compare to the original book. I'm glad this thread came back to life, reading and writing about un-chosen adventures is a hobby of mine.

Thanks for all the responses Everybody!
 
Lost....nope. Turned around and winding up where I wasn't "sup-poda" be...yup!

"The Ill Fated Expedtiton of "83"

Two friends and I were out for a hunt in the ADK's when we were young and stupid, (not like now when we're old and still stupid) anyways, with that invincible feeling of youth and little supplies we were on the back side of the mountain, with what we now call the "Cracker Jack Compass". No map. As the needle spun around and almost flew off the base like a propeller, we then noticed the quickly setting sun.

And clouds....

We beat feet in the direction that we thought was the right way...needless to say dark came too fast.

We knew tne general area that we were in, but with no flashlights and the fact that we didn't want to break a leg or worse, we settled in for the night.

In the rain.

Next to a beaver pond, where it told us who was in charge all night long by the ever splashing of his tail.

In the rain...

A feeble fire was sort of kept, wood was found with the spark of our lighters....

In the rain.....

Next morning the sun (yay!)came up, we got our bearings, and we then knew the "way" to go. 3 miles up over the mountain and we were back to camp.

Now I carry everything I need to spend another unexpected night in the woods.

I haven't had to ....yet!

:p
 
Unexpected night out....maybe.
Lost...............................prove it to F&G.
Unforgettable trips........many, unforgettable and priceless.

;)

Here is an exerice for everyone....get lost on purpose. Can't be done. (jbrown great ref.)

Although mainly in my youth, THOSE are the times I most remember. And in truth the ones I most learned from.

I just wish now....I could PLAN some!?!;)
 
I've night hiked a fair amount but no bushwacking at night. My philosophy for getting lost is too drop and stop and wait for light. No need getting more out of sorts in the middle of the woods when you can wait for light and get your bearings.
 
Ahhh this brings back memories of one night when I was younger...

It was the day after prom night and we (my girlfriend and I) had reservations in Frontenac Park in Ontario (To my experience one of the more wild places I have been regardless of size) Our site was 17km from the nearest parking, you had to cross two lakes with a portage of 5km to reach this beautiful interior site.

Things got slow when I needed to return my tux and got delayed for a long time Securing the canoe to the old car turned out to be a real problem too. By the time we got to the dock it was 2pm and we had plenty of time considering we were both experienced outdoors people. After crossing the first lake we put the canoe on shore and prepared for the portage. To our surprise we had forgotten our string to secure all of our gear to the canoe. After alot of yelling at eachother we decided we would need to take two trips. The first trip was with the canoe and everything else we could carry including packs. We go to the next canoe point, dropped the canoe and headed back the 5km to where the rest of our stuff was. During the walk back it started to thunderstorm and we had left our rain gear back wih the packs we had dropped off. At this point we ran to the remainder of the gear and got equipped. We got back to the canoe around dusk, the added 10km had put us in a real situation. Being stupid and young we pressed on. The rain got MUCH worse and soon there was enough thunder for a cheap wes craven slasher flick.

We pushed off into the lake with our gear and started towards the campsite, we only had the full length of this lake to cover and we were safe. Half way through we lost light and had enough time to scrounge 1 flashlight. Our main concern was how are we going to find this site in the pitch dark in the middle of the wilderness? The sites were marked with reflective tape so we were able to find the area eventually after much panic and concern we made it to the site.

At this point the storm was far worse with punishing winds and a downpour that did not matter because we were already soaked to the bone. We dropped our gear and started setting up camp. I opened the tent......no poles and no pegs, just when I thought things would not get any worse. This started a huge argument of blame between both parties. We were both to blame because of the hangovers from the night before and the mad rush we had made to get to the park. I decided that we must get the tent up and out of the rain regardless. We had brought 2 pairs of shoes each, I got the idea of tying the laces together and attching them to the corners of the tent and tying the other ends to trees. Luckily this allowed us to be in a semi-waterproof shelter and we made it until the next morning shivering having no choice but to get out of the dark and the rain.
 
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Dixes

I spent the night enjoying the Slide Brook ravine in the DIX range just 3 months ago. After a long day, I was coming off South Dix (Carson) after dark. As I summited Macomb and began descending the slide, I followed a drainage and found myself in a ravine. There was too much water to continue following down, and too steep and slick to go back up. The steep sides were rock-hard snow, and the previously wet rocks along the brook had become icey. I walked until about 3 A.M., then decided to just sit down among the trees on the slope and wait for sunrise. After two hours of alternating sleep and shivering in the 20-something temps, I got up and forced my way through the thick brush of the slope until I climbed out of the ravine. Then it was just simple bushwhacking for a few more hours until I reached the main trail and the lean-to where I had left my main pack and sleeping bag. Just pure fun...
 
Dreadful! Positively dreadful!!!
Just this past week my friend and I left the Mizpah Hut at approx 5:20pm to hike down back to Crawford via the Mizpah Cutoff and Crawford path.
Approximately 45minutes into our descent I was getting very worried because the terrain was quite rocky and steep and looked nothing like what I remembered going up. I discussed this with my friend who did not believe that we could possibly be on the wrong trail and assured me that we should be reaching our junction in the next few minutes. I was far from convinced as I tried to negotiate even worse terrain. We had now been on the trail for 1 hr and I injured my left leg. I subsequently developed a severe cramp/spasm in my thigh and could not go forth. We could see the sun beginning to go down and as we studied our maps we realized that we had taken the Webster Cliff trail down. It soon became obvious that we could not continue on this route and that our only option was to go back up to Mizpah. I was in considerable pain and did not know if we could accomplish this. I then made the decision to call the NH State police and give them our exact location requesting that they call the AMC and let them know that if we did not return to the hut in the next several hours that I might need their help. The officer I spoke to was very kind and I assured him that we had enough gear to spend the night out if we had to. During my conversation with him a thru hiker appeared. He was incredible. His name was "Chestnut" and he offered to help us. He took my pack and he assured us that we could go very slowly back up and we would make it. I had my hiking poles and they were a great help because I could weight bear mostly on my uninjured leg. Not having to carry my pack was a tremendous help in maintaining my stability. I took only one bad fall on the way up but sustained no further injuries.
Chestnut was my "trail angel" and I will never forget how calm and focused he was. He talked to us all the way back and it really helped to take my mind of my very painful leg.
We were very fortunate to have cell service. It helped alleviate some of the fear being able to tell someone exactly where we were and know that if we did not return help would eventually be forthcoming. As I laid in the mud with my injured leg I was also very grateful that we had bivy sacs, gortex, fleece, hats, food, water, etc. to sustain us through the night should the need arise.
I certainly did not want to be rescued if I could haul myself out of this mess.
Over the next several days I heard a number of stories from other hikers who also took wrong turns and got themselves into difficult situations.
One moment of distraction is all it took for us to come very close to being benighted on the mountain. This certainly was a very sobering day hike and an excellent learning experience.
I was also very grateful the the AMC were in that hut when we needed them.
Maddy
 
Trail Angel

Maddy GREAT story! I too have run into some very friendly thru hikers who I'm sure would be willing to help us out in times of trouble.
You originally wrote:
I took only one bad fall on the way up but sustained no further injuries.

Where did you end up? Did you make it down Crawford or spend the night at Mitzpah? I've been on the Mitzpah cut-off before but can't picture how it connects to Webster cliff trail. I've climbed up Webster cliff and do remember it as being quite rough.
 
We did stay at the Mizpah Hut.
Rest/Naprosyn/warm packs helped to relieve the pain and the spams. There is no doubt in my mind that I would not have made it back to Crawford that night. We took our time and downclimbed the next day. We spent all afternoon sitting in the Amnoosak river. What a great pain reliever that was.
I will never forget the expression on my friend's face when I told her, as I lay in the mud ,that we might have to spend the night out. After her initial shock she rose to the occasion like a trooper. "Chestnut" will live on in my memory forever.
To answer your question regarding the trail, when you leave Mizpah you hike out approx. 200ft. At this point there is a trail sign for the cutoff to the right and Webster Cliff to the left. It is a Y junction.
We left the hut laughing and talking and LOOKING DOWN AT OUR FEET!
The trail was wet and slippery in spots. We completely bypassed the trail sign and followed the very obvious Webster Cliff trail. There is a good side rock at the Mizpah cutoff junction and we did not appreciate that the trail veered off in this direction.
My mistake was feeling very certain that I knew exactly where we were heading. I had done this trail on several occasions and was very confident that I knew the way out. Big suprise :( :( :(
In the future I will look at my map and use my compass so that I will be certain of my direction of travel. Had I taken a bearing I would have known long before an hour passed that we were heading in the wrong direction.
I had some serious suspicions way before I was injured and it would have taken only a minute to check our direction of travel with the compass dangling around my neck!
It was a great adventure and a learning experience. I cannot imagine being lost and benighted in the woods with not a clue where you are.
I think I will read "Deep Survival" again.
 
Thanks Maddy, some great stories here. Turnbill yours reminded me of Arthur C Clark's "A Walk in the Dark." Minus the man-eating alien crab-like things :)
 
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