R. and I have hiked in Skyline Wilderness Park in Napa, California before. We thought we knew the way.
"We don't need to bother with the map", R. said. We had invited along a new MD friend to hike up to Lake Marie; followed by a trip along the Skyline Trail to admire the views of Napa and San Pablo Bay.
Nope.
We took the wrong trail. After walking in circles for a couple of hours; getting lost and taking "short cuts"; struggling up multiple climbs; traipsing up a stream bed only to find that we had gone in a full circle back to where we had started---We decided to give it up and call it a day.
Embarrassing.
Oops.
Next time we shall consult the map. Still--a good time was had by all. Getting lost can be fun if it is early enough in the day, with adequate daylight time to find your way back to the trailhead.
4 comments:
Well, I'm glad you had fun getting lost. I might have been a little nervous about those mountain lions and rattlesnakes and that poison oak!
Hi Woods,
I always have to laugh at those signs. California wants you to know the dangers before you head out. I think these signs are counter productive and over esitmates the danger. Scares people away from taking a walk...
allan
Lost in the woods...the memories...
My first backpacking trip was into the Canadian Rockies in Jasper National Park. Three greenhorn hikers from the flatlands of Wisconsin. More money than sense, and we didn't have much money. Took off down the trail without a compass, using a map found on a place mat from a Jasper, Alberta area restaurant.
Luckily we only went two days in before we decided to come back out the same way. We were at least smart enough to not take the loop we had originally planned.
I miss those days: to be young and stupid!
Larry
That made me laugh Larry! :)
Especially the placemat map...
allan
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