We need more exposure to the outdoors. Many yearn for that outdoor time, but in our city life we may never have developed any outdoor skills. Maybe that should be a course taught in high school or something, with a required outing or two. For myself, I wanted to learn backpacking but had no role models. I had to learn by reading books! Which of course got me into trouble. It didn’t cover exactly what to wear, and somehow I missed the lesson on “cotton kills”, and I ended up in the White mountains wearing cotton shorts in 40mph wind and hail while the temperature plummeted. I had rain pants which I did wear, but honestly I could have died from exposure. It didn’t help that my nap was outdated and the way down from the ridge was at least 1/4 mile from where the map showed. We got lucky and there are huts up there that have a cellar they keep with space for unlucky hikers. When we got to the hut and got a hot tea, it took a very long time until we STARTED shivering.

That was scary. But I don’t think an internet rant helps. I put in the time and read books, I just didn’t have any experienced hiker to talk to or go with me the first time. It’s really an experience thing. I’ve had other scary situations regarding snow on the trail as I was going up another 500ft elevation. You’d think that’s not much but it created some VERY dangerous conditions near the top. We ended up abandoning that hike because it really was too dangerous. That’s experience talking though. If it had been my first hike with no one else there I may have pressed on. There were some very slippery slopes and some very high cliffs they lead to. Someone died in that mountain the same weekend I was there.

The wilderness is tough. It takes education and experience to visit safely. I don’t think people really understand until they experience it themselves.