Terrifying Tales from the Wilderness: Camping Experiences That Defy Explanation
Out in the middle of thr wilderness, miles from the nearest shelter, this weather-worn man with dirty, shoulder length hair comes rushing out of the brush onto the trail in front of us.
His out fit was mis-marched hiking gear, and up close it was clear he had seen hard times. Though he was young, his hands were scarred, skin pock marked. And around his waited, I kid you not…he had f******* a machete tied to his belt.
So this fine gentlemen introduced himself by the moniker “Lone Wolf”, and claimed he was a lost through-hiker, hiking the AT South to North. The fact he had no pack however was odd.
But being really stupid 18 year olds, with that sense of invisible energy common to that age, we didn’t immediately get the h**l away from him. He was weirdly charming, and we were kind of amused, in a perverse way. We figured he leaves us be if we we’re friendly, so we offered him some cigarettes.
As he’s smoking it, “Lone Wolf” starts staring at my friend Gwen with weird looks, and making uncomfortable conversation directed at her…and only her. So we took off pretty quick and hoped that would be the last we’d see of him.
NOPE
Two hours later we break for a rest on a tall rock, and to our shock, we see” Lone Wolf”, machete in tow, sneaking along in the brush next to the trail. We immediately double our pace hoping to lose the guy, but he managed to follow us all day. With each hour we realize beyond any doubt that he is following us, and our pace became more and more urgent.
By night fall we lost track of the drifter, but were jumping at every snapped twig, and moving shadow. hours pass and we don’t see anyone, so we decide so build a fire.
No one could sleep. Throughout the evening we heard the periodic sound of brush and twigs breaking beyond the firelight. Half panicking I called out to the darkness. Something is definitely moving just out of sight.
“Hello?”
The noises suddenly stopped, and I felt the sinking dread of full panic chilling my blood. I drew my utility knife, sweaty plams shaking.
“We’ve got a g*n!”
My friend shouts; a lie. He reaches into his bag, and pulling the handle of a camping frying pan out, which in the dark looked vaguely g*nlike. He waved around in the firelight.
There was science then rapid crunching leaves, and the more distant sound of twigs breaking. Then silence.
The next day a local ranger came up to us as we were approaching the next shelter, and asked if we’d seen a man matching “Lone Wolf’s” description. Apparently someone had been attacked – beaten and robbed nearby. The ranger phoned the sheriff about our story and told us they’d look for the guy.
The ranger saw we were shaken, and was nice enough to give us a ride up a fire trail a few miles so we could get out of the area.
I still shutter think about what they guy would have done had we not scared off.
I’m an avid backpacker; I’ve logged over 40 days of backpacking this year, about 20 of them solo. All out west in Colorado, Utah, Wyoming. I’ve been woken up by a ton of crazy noises, but it’s all just animals- Although when you wake up your heart is racing since you can’t always ID what exactly it is, and it’s startling. Even if they come up to your tent, you just turn on your light and yell at them to get lost and they leave. They know what you and your tent are, most are just curious or looking for food.
The more I go out the less s**t bothers me. I do carry a pistol with an 800 lumen light, but it’s actually people who I’m worried about; humans are the real monsters in the dark.
Was camping a mile or so below the base of the Mt. Bierstadt trailhead near Gerogetown, Colorado on Guanella Pass. We were trying to get a high altitude night in before heading off to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro the next week. My wife (gf at the time) and I had gotten pizza at a place on the drive there and were VERY careful to eat it in the car, never let it (or any other food) out of the car, and not have any food at our campsite. The plan was to camp, leave at 5am, and climb Bierstadt & Mt. Evans by the Sawtooth ridge the next morning.
Around Xam (no clue, was dark and had no watch) I hear heavy footsteps and panting. Then something starts pawing at our tent. Heavy breathing. Grunting. Heavy steps circling around our tent. *Could* it be a moose? No, I *feel* it is a bear (though a moose is honestly probably more dangerous, it’s the only animal a bear is afraid of). My eyes are wide open and I assume my wife’s are too, but I can’t see them, pitch dark.
The next morning I find out my wife slept thru it. We find bear tracks all around our tent.
Well, this was a few years ago, we a group of friends usually go to a farmhouse which is of a relative of our friend located inside a forest, the most beautiful place, peaceful and quiet. So we went there and put a campfire and we had few drinks.
I think around past 1 am [ IST ] three of us went to the river located down of the farmhouse, the path only is through the forest, we stayed there for a while went further and as we were high well let’s just say we were very playful, screaming and everywhere, and suddenly it felt like someone was watching us, we didn’t give a thought of that and went back thinking it was the best thing to do.
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