I wasn't planning on writing a post today, but I had to get this out.
Today, for the first time ever, I bailed on a hike halfway through. Not because it was hot (it wasn't). Not because I was tired (I wasn't). Not because my boots were falling apart (they are, but I'm working on getting a new pair).
One of the sites that I monitor is in the Hudson Highlands State Park. This particular site involves walking through the woods off-trail and following flags (orange marking tape tied around trees) and then some crazy navigation on my own to get to the site. It's about a 45-50 minute hike one way and I always, always, always have close encounters with deer in there. It's a lot of fun and tests my navigational abilities, and it's one of my favorite sites to visit.
Today, I immediately felt like something was off. When I crossed a dried-up creek, I knew I should be able to see a flagged tree up the hill that I would have to climb.
No flag. What?
I headed up anyway. When reaching the top of the hill, I knew I had to veer to the left a little bit to reach the next flagged tree.
Still no flag. Hmm. Maybe some of the flags have fallen since last month? They're biodegradable.
This is where things started to get a little tetchy. I spotted a flagged tree in the distance, at a sharp angle from where I was headed. Hmm, maybe I just got a little turned around? I headed off toward the tree.
Reaching the tree, I noticed that the flag looked like it had been retied to the tree. Strange. Oh well. My memory isn't exactly the best sometimes.
I looked around for the next flag. At this point I was chest deep in a patch of Japanese stiltgrass. My normal route involved dirt and rocks, and the occasional patch of plants. I knew something was off.
For whatever reason, I ignored my gut instinct and pushed on. Examining the knot on the flag, I headed off to the left, where I found a flag on the ground. I picked it up and tied it to the tree. The next tree over also had a flag on the ground.
I should have known something was off. When my guide and I set up the flags, they were set at approximately 200 feet apart, in part to conserve the flagging tape and to protect the wildlife. Definitely not tree to tree.
I pushed on anyway. I waded through the stiltgrass to the next flag. The rock formation just up ahead looked familiar. Score, I'm almost there! I was thinking. I headed toward the rocks, getting entangled in the stiltgrass and the Mile-a-Minute vines.
That's weird. There shouldn't be any vines until I get to the site. I pushed on anyway. (I'm stubborn and not very smart, apparently)
Climbing up past the rocks, I saw a very large rock outlook. Maybe this would help me find my site?I climbed up the overhang and looked around. And froze.
To my right, approximately half a mile away, in the middle of a veritable green sea of stiltgrass, there was a barren area approximately two acres around. There were two or three dead trees in this area, and absolutely no plants were growing. The soil (?) was gray looking.
I climbed back down and ventured closer. I had a bad feeling.
If this was a fictional story, I would start talking about how the ground opened up and tried to swallow me, and I escaped by the skin of my teeth. Or how I got chased by Slenderman. Or something.
But this isn't fiction. Nothing exciting happened. I felt petrified - I couldn't force myself to get closer. Instead, I wimped out. I took a quick picture and sent it to my supervisor. Then I turned around and fled. I ignored the flags and pushed on until I wound up on the side of the very dangerous road. I didn't care. I would have preferred to get hit by a car rather than find out what that empty, barren area was for. I trekked a few hundred yards on the side of the road, and was never so happy to see my car in the pull-off.
It wasn't dramatic. But there was something very wrong. Maybe it was just a dumb prank, or some kids rerouted my flags so they could meet up to drink in the woods. But it was unsettling.
And, of course, my supervisor has been laughing at me all afternoon, telling me that I needed to go back and make sure that I left nothing that could be used in Satanist or voodoo rituals, or that vampires were looking for me, or that I shouldn't visit the Highlands on a full moon. (He's awesome)
In any case, this site was very unsettling, and I think I'll force someone to come with me next time.
Today, for the first time ever, I bailed on a hike halfway through. Not because it was hot (it wasn't). Not because I was tired (I wasn't). Not because my boots were falling apart (they are, but I'm working on getting a new pair).
One of the sites that I monitor is in the Hudson Highlands State Park. This particular site involves walking through the woods off-trail and following flags (orange marking tape tied around trees) and then some crazy navigation on my own to get to the site. It's about a 45-50 minute hike one way and I always, always, always have close encounters with deer in there. It's a lot of fun and tests my navigational abilities, and it's one of my favorite sites to visit.
Today, I immediately felt like something was off. When I crossed a dried-up creek, I knew I should be able to see a flagged tree up the hill that I would have to climb.
No flag. What?
I headed up anyway. When reaching the top of the hill, I knew I had to veer to the left a little bit to reach the next flagged tree.
Still no flag. Hmm. Maybe some of the flags have fallen since last month? They're biodegradable.
This is where things started to get a little tetchy. I spotted a flagged tree in the distance, at a sharp angle from where I was headed. Hmm, maybe I just got a little turned around? I headed off toward the tree.
Reaching the tree, I noticed that the flag looked like it had been retied to the tree. Strange. Oh well. My memory isn't exactly the best sometimes.
I looked around for the next flag. At this point I was chest deep in a patch of Japanese stiltgrass. My normal route involved dirt and rocks, and the occasional patch of plants. I knew something was off.
For whatever reason, I ignored my gut instinct and pushed on. Examining the knot on the flag, I headed off to the left, where I found a flag on the ground. I picked it up and tied it to the tree. The next tree over also had a flag on the ground.
I should have known something was off. When my guide and I set up the flags, they were set at approximately 200 feet apart, in part to conserve the flagging tape and to protect the wildlife. Definitely not tree to tree.
I pushed on anyway. I waded through the stiltgrass to the next flag. The rock formation just up ahead looked familiar. Score, I'm almost there! I was thinking. I headed toward the rocks, getting entangled in the stiltgrass and the Mile-a-Minute vines.
That's weird. There shouldn't be any vines until I get to the site. I pushed on anyway. (I'm stubborn and not very smart, apparently)
Climbing up past the rocks, I saw a very large rock outlook. Maybe this would help me find my site?I climbed up the overhang and looked around. And froze.
To my right, approximately half a mile away, in the middle of a veritable green sea of stiltgrass, there was a barren area approximately two acres around. There were two or three dead trees in this area, and absolutely no plants were growing. The soil (?) was gray looking.
 |
| This was as close as I would get. Very creepy! |
If this was a fictional story, I would start talking about how the ground opened up and tried to swallow me, and I escaped by the skin of my teeth. Or how I got chased by Slenderman. Or something.
But this isn't fiction. Nothing exciting happened. I felt petrified - I couldn't force myself to get closer. Instead, I wimped out. I took a quick picture and sent it to my supervisor. Then I turned around and fled. I ignored the flags and pushed on until I wound up on the side of the very dangerous road. I didn't care. I would have preferred to get hit by a car rather than find out what that empty, barren area was for. I trekked a few hundred yards on the side of the road, and was never so happy to see my car in the pull-off.
It wasn't dramatic. But there was something very wrong. Maybe it was just a dumb prank, or some kids rerouted my flags so they could meet up to drink in the woods. But it was unsettling.
And, of course, my supervisor has been laughing at me all afternoon, telling me that I needed to go back and make sure that I left nothing that could be used in Satanist or voodoo rituals, or that vampires were looking for me, or that I shouldn't visit the Highlands on a full moon. (He's awesome)
In any case, this site was very unsettling, and I think I'll force someone to come with me next time.
I'll go with you next time.....
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