Got turned around in the fog on the Timberline Trail last fall

I was about 12 miles in, near Cloud Cap, when a thick fog rolled in and I lost the trail markers. I ended up bushwhacking for maybe 45 minutes before I realized I was going downhill way too fast. I stopped, pulled out my paper map and compass, and backtracked to the last creek crossing I remembered. It added about two hours to my day, but I found the trail again. Has anyone else had to navigate out of a whiteout like that on a familiar loop?

3 comments

3 Comments

umabailey2mo ago

Going downhill way too fast" is the universe's polite way of saying you're about to have a really bad time. At least you had a map and compass, unlike some of us who'd just keep walking toward the ocean. Glad you found your way back without becoming a permanent trail feature.

patricia_wells1mo ago

Did your legs start screaming before your brain caught up, or was it the other way around? I had a similar moment once where I ended up sliding down a gravel slope on my backpack. It was a wake up call about checking the terrain before committing.

dakota_king32mo ago

Yeah @umabailey, that map and compass line is so real. What was the actual moment you realized you were going downhill too fast? Like, was it a specific sketchy step, or just a gut feeling everything was getting steeper way too quick?

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