Never been really lost. Had to spend a night out cause I couldn't quite find my truck. Was on a preseason scouting trip and parked by the only stream in the area, according to the topo map. Went what I call "full dress rehearsal" -- pack, mini stove, freeze dried vittles, sleeping bag, no tent, gun and ammo, etc. -- to test my conditioning.
Well, thanks to a pretty good winter, the spring melt filled a ravine with a "creek" that I kept following downhill until I was deep in a canyon and running outta daylight. No truck? Where could it be if there's only one creek in the area and I'm on that creek? Too dark to take a compass reading (pre-GPS days). Found a flat boulder, made a pine needle bed for my sleeping bag and cooked supper. Had a candle lantern for light and when I blew it out the night sky was a sight to behold. Woke up the next day with a scrub jay warbling in the tree above me. Took a few back azimuths and plotted a route out to the bridge my truck was parked next to. Took less than an hour to hike out so I wasn't really "lost", just a mite turned around. All's well that ends well. :wink: On the hike out I bumped into a fat forkie who looked at me like "whazzup, is that your truck over yonder?" :haha:
Well, thanks to a pretty good winter, the spring melt filled a ravine with a "creek" that I kept following downhill until I was deep in a canyon and running outta daylight. No truck? Where could it be if there's only one creek in the area and I'm on that creek? Too dark to take a compass reading (pre-GPS days). Found a flat boulder, made a pine needle bed for my sleeping bag and cooked supper. Had a candle lantern for light and when I blew it out the night sky was a sight to behold. Woke up the next day with a scrub jay warbling in the tree above me. Took a few back azimuths and plotted a route out to the bridge my truck was parked next to. Took less than an hour to hike out so I wasn't really "lost", just a mite turned around. All's well that ends well. :wink: On the hike out I bumped into a fat forkie who looked at me like "whazzup, is that your truck over yonder?" :haha: