Fall Break 2017

ITS BEEN A YEAR!  One whole year since last year’s fall break trip.  This year there was only one fall break trip offered with the OA (Outdoor Adventure) group.  For this trip, there were four staff members going on this trip with six students.  The staff members were the programs graduate assistant, a senior guide, and two junior guides, one of which was me.

We spent three days and four nights backpacking Eagle Rock Loop in Arkansas.  Well that was the plan at least.  Day one we woke up and began our hike.  We ended up heading twenty minutes in the wrong direction and had to turn around.  Once we were headed in the right direction, we hiked several miles and many mountain until we go to our campsite.  Day two we started our hike a little later than desired.  About three-fourths of a mile into our day, someone took a fall and hurt their ankle to the point of not being able to continue hiking.  We had to change our plan and hike out to the nearest trailhead.  When we go there, two of our members headed back to get our vehicle while the rest of us sat and waited for their return.

This change of events showed me two very distinct things.  One was that it is okay if things do not go as planned.  Even though we did not get to finish the loop, we spent the rest of the day in a waterhole that we found.  It is not exactly what anyone thought was going to happen.  The second thing is how to prepare, react, and handle an injury when backpacking and away from signal.  Although, in this case, we did not have the materials desired to help with this injury, we did know how to react and handle the situation.

Even though this trip did not go as most trips do, I still go a handful of information that can be used in future situations while backpacking.

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