Young People

Web Exclusive: Lesson in the Wild

Scotch on a camping trip sent this boy down the wrong path.

"I have no recollection of paying attention to wildlife on that trip. All I’d focused on was how miserable I was and who was to blame."

It was only supposed to be a two-day hike. But this was the end of day three.

With no sign of the camp we should’ve been back to sometime yesterday, we were lost, tired and aching from head to foot. The backpack that felt too heavy to lug through the Rocky Mountains for a one-night campout was also too small to hold everything we ended up needing for what now looked like a third overnight stay in the wild.

Eight teenagers were hungry, grumpy with each other and sick of walking hour after hour, one day after another without knowing if the camp was getting closer or further... Login to read more
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