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>Camping with 3 other friends
>Tonto park in AZ, in April, not peak heat but 100-105 degrees out.
>Go for a hike, pack a small bag with a bunch of water bottles
>Despite the water, I don't do well in heat and was badly dehydrated by the time we reached the peak, getting dizzy, bad headache, etc.
>Friends want to continue to the next peak on the mountain, tell them I'm gonna turn back and rest
>Sign to turn back is a mossy rock to the left of a barbed wire fence post. Turn left at that marker to get back to the camp
>APPARENTLY there was more than one of those along the trail, and I turn off at the wrong point and quickly lose track of where the trail is
>Remote area with trail, most is just untamed forest or desert, and I have no phone or way of contacting anyone
>Realize the severity of my situation. I'd already come close to passing out from the heat a few times and now if I do, nobody around to help me and I might just fucking die
>Get about a third of the way down where the trees become bigger and there's at least occasional shade
>Still in serious danger, but suddenly get a feeling like I've got a friend with me, cheering for me and motivating me to seize the day, overcome my situation, and push forward
>Feels like the trees are "rooting" for me, if you will *snickers*
>Hike down in a spiral around the mountain hoping to find a trail as I continue down to where I'll hopefully find a road
>Spend about 2/3 of the day making my way down and trying to find some way to civilization
>Closer to the base, in the most wild and rugged part of the mountain, see some of the most gorgeous scenery ever
>Have to cross over a massive fissure, make a big leap over it. If I'd slipped there I'd have almost died for certain. LONG fall down
>1hr later get to the base, luckily right by the road we took to get to our spot
>Some boomer in a golf cart going fishin' spots me and offers me a ride back
Wouldn't wanna do this again, but I'll cherish that day forever.
