Sometimes when walking in the woods it is easy to stray off the main trail and find yourself on a lesser worn trail that where it goes is unknown or it goes just so far and ends without a trace. Other times we might see a plant or a flower, or even an animal like a doe and fawn, and be so interested in what they are doing and follow without thinking ending up off the trail and lost.
Most of us watch where we are going and even these bunny trail side trips are noted in notching a tree or noticing our surrounding. But even so it is possible to get a seasoned hiker or backpacker, or camper lost. So my question to you is have you ever taking the road less traveled and ended up far from where you were headed, needing to then decided whether to retrace your steps, or strike out through the forest trying to find the trail by heading in that direction.
I remember once many years ago of being mixed up for a short time going with a section of scrub brush in Florida. I picked a direction and followed it in hopes of coming out at a fire tower. Luck was with me in picking my direction as when I arrived at the tower, the ranger told me that the other trail I had considered wound around in circles and would have taken me far into the woods with no end in sight. I was very happy that I made it out of the area before it got dark.
Anyone have an experience to share? Post it here.
Most of us watch where we are going and even these bunny trail side trips are noted in notching a tree or noticing our surrounding. But even so it is possible to get a seasoned hiker or backpacker, or camper lost. So my question to you is have you ever taking the road less traveled and ended up far from where you were headed, needing to then decided whether to retrace your steps, or strike out through the forest trying to find the trail by heading in that direction.
I remember once many years ago of being mixed up for a short time going with a section of scrub brush in Florida. I picked a direction and followed it in hopes of coming out at a fire tower. Luck was with me in picking my direction as when I arrived at the tower, the ranger told me that the other trail I had considered wound around in circles and would have taken me far into the woods with no end in sight. I was very happy that I made it out of the area before it got dark.
Anyone have an experience to share? Post it here.