>went out for a hike ive done before at 1pm
>turned around at 3
>half way back i notice the same trees down across trail as before (this trail is not well documented or maintained)
>walk around them and get back on trail
>notice everything is different than i remember
>check phone once to check gps but the trail isnt documented on google maps so it doesnt help much. (have a map but its vague and inaccurate)
>phone at 20% so i turn it off
>start turning back.
>cant really find the downed tree again
>30 minutes until sunset
>turn phone on to check gps again. its at 8%
>cant find my way back to the right trail
>phone dies
>start to panic a little
>find an access road
>it doesnt go anywhere. (most likely flooded)
>start walking south using the sun as compass (its just above the trees)
>sun sets and my shoes are starting to get wet
>end up using road noise in hopes of finding my way back to parking lot
>hours go by
>i have to walk through waste high water to keep moving south.
>i only have 3 hours before the temperature drops below zero
>im yelling that i need help or im going to die
>start thinking about family and praying to god
>i mentally prepare myself that my feet my be fucked after this or that i might have to sleep in the woods.
>start chanting to myself "im not going to die in the fucking woods"
>after 4 hours of walking through hell i finally find a clearing that i recognize.
>walk another 1 mile to the road
>walk along road for a mile until i get to parking lot.
>drive home and asses damage
>im dehydrated and my feet are grey but i think im good
this is the most helpless ive ever felt in my life. shit can go south fast. its one thing to run thought experiments and plan the actions you would take before the hike. its another to make them on the fly while facing the possibility of death.
1. bring an extra battery
2. bring extra food and water
3. dont cut it close to sunset