Sunset showed me the right path when markers failed

I was hiking the Pine Ridge loop and all the trail blazes were faded from rain. I got turned around three times near the same rocky outcrop. Then I saw the sun setting right behind a distinct tree shape on the ridge. I used that tree as a guide and bushwhacked toward it. This led me to a clear game trail that connected back to the main path. Now I pick a natural marker like a weird tree or big rock when trails get sketchy. Feels great to solve a puzzle the woods threw at me.

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5 Comments

stella_black336mo ago

Nice! I always watch the shadows for direction too.

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abbyharris6mo ago

Unless they're lying...

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the_david6mo ago

My buddy Nate had a coworker who kept calling off sick last summer. He said it was migraines but his Instagram was full of beach day posts. The real kicker was a Tuesday he called out, then posted a lunch pic with a time-stamped receipt from a restaurant two hours away. People think they're being slick but the truth always comes out in some small, stupid detail. Nate said it's like watching a bad magic trick where you can see the strings.

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jordan_henderson135mo ago

Shadows are great for finding north, but they shift through the day so you need the time. AbbyHarris has a point about the lying thing too, because some people just fake the whole story. It's wild what details people miss when they're trying to cover their tracks.

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lewis.gray5mo ago

What's the dumbest detail you've ever seen someone slip up on?

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