Mountain Hopping

       This is a tale... a very real tale, of two young men on the brink of death. It all started back in October 2011 beginning with a hike on the Art Loeb Trail in NC. The trail runs through the Shining Rock Wilderness. The trail starts at a Boy Scout Camp that eerily seemed abandoned at first. After aimlessly wandering around the camp an old man came out of nowhere and advised us on the hike. He warned us about the bears and let us know he would be hunting. At this point I told Ricky we should watch our backs this guy is gonna KILL US!! Nevertheless we parked and hit the trail. The hike was strenuous, but after several hours we reached our goal, Cold Mountain ( one of the most appropriately named mountains I have ever been on). It was freezing!            
     As we set up camp I collected water while Ricky collected fire wood. As the sun set it was time to light the fire... easier said than done. Despite rigorous training from Bear Grills (aka man vs wild) we were not able to get it to light. the sticks we had collected were frozen in the insides even though they seemed dry on the outsides!! We became frantic as the temperatures dropped rapidly.. We burned  anything and everything we could for 2 hours and could not get anything to catch. We then decided to save our energy and go to bed but first we had to hang our food so the bears wouldn't get it. So before we left I threw a pile of frozen leaves on the fire to see if the smoldering would create enough heat. While hanging the food our hands were so cold we could barely move them and we were shaking uncontrollably. When we returned to the camp there was literally a glimmer of home. The smoldering had worked and we soon had a raging fire. It was then and there we reminisced on the equation fire=life!!
      In the morning the hiking continued. Through forest and open grass hills we traveled for miles thankful we had survived the night. We saw more hikers that day and found an amazing place to camp. Only one problem lumped. A little ways into the woods was a food pack that had been ripped open by a bear and empty wrappers were everywhere. Sleep did not come easy that night either...

 

     The following morning we doubled back and made it to the car before nightfall. I then continued to be sick the next 4 month with a cold and sinus infections that prescriptions and Zpaks couldn't cure. It was terrible!! Fortunately I have recovered now, just in time for warm weather and more camping!!