My husband and son make an annual short climb up Black Butte in central Oregon. Usually, they ascend the little mountain easily — it’s just over 6,000 feet in elevation — and it’s clear skies for miles.Not long ago, however, they found themselves in white-out conditions.
They lost the trail and had no winter clothes or water, so they had to turn back just short of the peak. I had carefully packed an emergency backpack for them, but they had left it in the car.
They came back home a little beat up, quite frozen, and slightly rattled. They learned their lesson that day: Always expect the unexpected.
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