Weird things in the Wild

[allanalxndr]

So I have seen and read on other forums of all the different UFO sightings, dead bodies, illegal grow operations, etc. etc. that people have come across while in the back country. So I thought this could be fun sharing stories about things everyone has come across while in the back country. So what things have you come across that made you uncomfortable or that you thought were pretty crazy?

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[nonot]

Well, other than chatting with ET in the Supes I'd have to say the few encounters I had with bigfoot in the Four Peaks were pretty interesting.

[te_wa]

nonot, i dont think those were Shitake mushrooms

[azbackpackr]

I was out hiking near Show Low on a trail. I decided to go off trail with my GPS and get a different perspective. There were no roads out in this area that were very close by. I sat and took a break in the shade under a juniper tree, next to a TV and a record player. These items had obviously been abandoned there a long time ago as they appeared to be 1970's vintage or older. Technically, they were trash. However, I thought of them as sort of random art in the woods. I rested there for awhile, contemplating why they might be there, and examining the buttons and dials.

[PaleoRob]

The least weird things that I've come across are old sweat lodges and medicine wheels out in the desert. That's just the tip of the iceberg.

[Jeffshadows]

I saw this:

[writelots]

Jeff:

Craziest thing I've ever seen was a couple having wild monkey sex in the Big Ditch park in Silver City after my hike in the Gila Wilderness. At 2pm on Sunday.

Once I saw a teenager say "Excuse me" as he let me pass while I was heading up on the Ventana Canyon trail. Does that count?

[Jeffshadows]

Once I saw a teenager say "Excuse me" as he let me pass while I was heading up on the Ventana Canyon trail. Does that count?

Yes

[fotogirl53]

I took a picture from a short distance of a cave above Honanki and there was a large "orb" in the cave--there weren't any weird dust/water spots in the frames before or immediately after.

[imike]

....after spending a couple hours stalking a small herd of deer (6-7) below mt blanca, and getting to within 40 feet of them, I finally stepped out and walked toward them scattering them... only to turn around 45 minutes later to find them in single file following right behind me by 15 feet... scared the bejeezus out of me

[big_load]

That'll teach you. I hope they weren't packing.

[imike]

That'll teach you. I hope they weren't packing.

my first thought in that moment was they had some very strange plans for me...

[azbackpackr]

I already told most of you guys about that night up in Canada when a bear sniffled and snuffled me as I was lying on the ground in my sleeping bag!

They make this kind of snuffling noise when they breathe, in case you wanted to know without having to find out first-hand!

[imike]

I already told most of you guys about that night up in Canada when a bear sniffled and snuffled me as I was lying on the ground in my sleeping bag!

They make this kind of snuffling noise when they breathe, in case you wanted to know without having to find out first-hand!

I had exactly the same thing happen to me up on Mt. Lemmon... I'd spilled a bunch of trail mix on the ground in the evening and decided to clean it up next day in the light. I laid my bag down over the spill and passed out. Middle of the night I awoke to a wet noze nuzzling my face. I thought it was a friend's dog who was camped about 100 yds away. After putting on my glasses and sitting up it became obvious that it would have been a very big dog... the bear had sat down and was staring at me oddly, sort of with a confused look that said: "... you don't taste like trail mix..?!" I carried on an interesting dialogue with the bear for about 20 minutes before it occurred to me that the dog could wander over, in which case this nice encounter might turn sour... so I crawled out of my sleeping bag and stood up... inspiring the bear to amble on off. I walked over and spent the rest of the night next to my friend's tent. In the morning I walked back over to get my stuff and discovered that the bear had returned and eaten all the trail mix, save for the hot, spicy peanuts I'd mixed in.... and, she'd taken my quart of water. I guess she must have eaten some of those peanuts!

[azbackpackr]

Finally, someone with the same experience. Myself, I just lay very still. I was pretty scared. I ended up sleeping in the front seat of the VW, in fact. The cooler was in the back seat, of course! That was before we had heard that bears can open cars and get in!

[Jeffshadows]

I ended up sleeping in the front seat of the VW, in fact.

Back in the day (Like 20 years ago) when tube tents were the fashionable way to go ultralight I had practically an entire pack of coyote run through my tube tent with me in it down near the San Pedro. I still have no idea why they did it am amazed that I wasn't trampled...Couldn't really get back to sleep after that one.

[azbackpackr]

Ah, yes, tube tents. I seem to recall they lost popularity after a few people suffocated to death in them!

[Jeffshadows]

Ah, yes, tube tents. I seem to recall they lost popularity after a few people suffocated to death in them!

...I hadn't heard that? It doesn't surprise me, though...

[imike]

Ah, yes, tube tents. I seem to recall they lost popularity after a few people suffocated to death in them!

I can recall a few friends nearly drowning to death in them... from all the collected condensation! One really bad idea for a shelter... better to simply wrap yourself up in dry cleaning plastic for the night... (I've done that...) it packs even lighter!

[Jeffshadows]

Ah, yes, tube tents. I seem to recall they lost popularity after a few people suffocated to death in them!

I can recall a few friends nearly drowning to death in them... from all the collected condensation! One really bad idea for a shelter... better to simply wrap yourself up in dry cleaning plastic for the night... (I've done that...) it packs even lighter!

The proverbial "Survival burrito?"