Strange experiences?

[VFTTop'r]

What is the strangest experience you have seen/had on the trails?

 

[Barbarossa]

What is the strangest experience you have seen/had on the trails?

Naked hiker.

I was somewhere between Madison Hut and Crag Camp, I think. I went around a turn and there was a man, who appeared to be in his late 50s, wearing boots, glasses, and a pack. He might have had a hat on.

 

[Tom Rankin]

Naked hiker.

I was somewhere between Madison Hut and Crag Camp, I think. I went around a turn and there was a man, who appeared to be in his late 50s, wearing boots, glasses, and a pack. He might have had a hat on.

We met a man, who has as a goal, hiking the NE HH naked. As he was coming up to the summit of one of the Bigelows (an oddly inappropriate name in this case), we could see him from the waist up, and he appeared to simply be shirtless. At this point, he said "Pardon my attire". As he got closer, we could see that his 'attire' was nothing more than boots and a pack. Once he got to the top, he did put his clothes back on. He basically wants to 'summit' each peak naked, the last few hundred feet or so.

 

[Barbarossa]

We met a man, who has as a goal, hiking the NE HH naked. As he was coming up to the summit of one of the Bigelows (an oddly inappropriate name in this case), we could see him from the waist up, and he appeared to simply be shirtless. At this point, he said "Pardon my attire". As he got closer, we could see that his 'attire' was nothing more than boots and a pack. Once he got to the top, he did put his clothes back on. He basically wants to 'summit' each peak naked, the last few hundred feet or so.

Ack! I wouldn't want to go off-trail without trousers. I hadn't thought of that encounter for years. I'll need to go back into therapy.

 

[funkyfreddy]

Bushwacking with your pants off - that has to be a sign of an either moronic or masochistic hiker, perhaps both....... I guess it takes all kinds to make a world,doesn't it?

I've done some stupid things while hiking before, but can you imagine injuring your private parts in a thorn bush or spruce trap - OUCH! I'm going to quit while I'm behind.......

 

[sierra]

footsteps

Many times while hiking from MT. Clinton to Monroe or Eisen. I have heard footsteps walking behing me. I could hear the snow crunching and it varied from 10 to 20 ft away, one peticuliur time it was directly behind me, I would stop walking very fast and the steps behind me would also stop, that time they where right behind me, I became unnerved enough to turn around.
I gave this much thought and came to two conclusions, either someone who perished up there over the years is still hiking around lossed or its something else altogether from a higher place. These occurances only happened when I was solo.
I would not make this up, this is the truth, take it for what its worth. I fianally accepted the fact that it was harmless and it never bothered me again, although it did continue from time to time, only it began to happen in other parts of the Whites as well.

 

[DougPaul]

Many times while hiking from MT. Clinton to Monroe or Eisen. I have heard footsteps walking behing me. I could hear the snow crunching and it varied from 10 to 20 ft away, one peticuliur time it was directly behind me, I would stop walking very fast and the steps behind me would also stop, that time they where right behind me, I became unnerved enough to turn around.
I gave this much thought and came to two conclusions, either someone who perished up there over the years is still hiking around lossed or its something else altogether from a higher place. These occurances only happened when I was solo.

Whenever I hear noises like this, I realize that I am only hearing my own footsteps (or noises) and misinterpreting the sound.

Whenever you are with someone else, you can easily explain away the noise as being made by your partner.

Your biggest enemy can be your imagination...

Doug

 

[sapblatt]

Imagination...of the hyperactive kind

Your biggest enemy can be your imagination...

Doug

Absolutely true. Sometimes I think the only thing my brain is capable of imagining is that a very hungry bear with two cubs is staring me down and feeling threatened. This only happens when I am hiking alone and I hear any noise...rushing water, a chipmunk walking over a leaf...

 

[dr_wu002]

Naked hiker.

I was somewhere between Madison Hut and Crag Camp, I think. I went around a turn and there was a man, who appeared to be in his late 50s, wearing boots, glasses, and a pack. He might have had a hat on.

Barb,

You might meet this guy sooner then you think.

I'll see you tomorrow.

-Dr. Wu

 

[BrentD22]

Tuck's Trail

One night after a long day in the PNVC kitchen I grabbed my gear and headed out for a late night hike up to HoJo's. It was 8:30pm or so in Feb so it was dark out, but the moon was almost full. I started up and maybe 5 mins into the hike I started hearing noise in the woods to my right and it followed me the hole way up. I never figured out what it was. I have had someone tell me that fox occasionally follow people off trail, but I have no idea. It was very uumm for lack of a better word, scary! Thank god I was staying inside HoJo's that night.

Another time at night I was hiking out from Gray Knob. Again it was dark and the moon was near full. The hike was uneventful all the way down until the last 200 yards. I had the odd feeling of someone right behind me. I started running, yes running! I got to the road dropped my pack and ran to my jeep. Got in started the engine, drove over to my pack, got my pack in the jeep and drove fast until I reached hikers paradise. I never spoke of the incident until now. I know many people would say it was my amagination, but it felt so friggin real. It really felt like someone was waiting near the start of the trail to jump someone. I didn't like it AT ALL.

 

[giggy]

gunshot

not really weired but... I was hiking up to gray knob via lowes path about 1 miles or so from road when heard a gunshot - close enough to make me think. and I do know what a gunshot sounds like and 100% sure thats what it was. One shot only - didn't hear it again - I must say - I did move a bit faster up. I don't think there is hunting there - but could be wrong.

 

[onestep]

Freddy Kruger?

On a winter overnight at the Little Bigelow Lean-to the campfire had died down to just coals as we settled into the warmth of our sleeping bags. A short time later, just as sleep had almost overtaken us, the still silence of the winter night was shattered by a LOUD high pitched-human sounding-blood curdling-wailing scream coming from the cold darkness out behind the shelter. This went on for what seemed forever, but probably lasted 15-30 seconds.

 

[roadtripper]

chased by a deer

Three years ago while hiking In western Connecticut a man bolted past me and a friend and didn't say a word. We assumed he was just trail running or something. About 15 minutes later we heard some noise behind us and realized that a deer was charging us!

We immediately started screaming at it and throwing our hands high in the air.....this did NOTHING.....so we immediatley started running and the deer got within 10 feet of us by the time we reached a river bank. We would have jumped in the Hoosatonic River if we had to...but the deer backed off a few seconds after we reached the river.

It stood in front of us for a full fifteen or twenty minutes, and wouldn't let us leave. The thing finally ran off after hearing a group of three or four hikers approaching.

I thought bear and moose charged people on occasion? What was with this deer?

I haven't forgiven the deer family yet.....

 

[DougPaul]

I thought bear and moose charged people on occasion? What was with this deer?

Time of year and sex of the deer?

I have heard of bucks charging humans during rutting season.

Doug

 

[roadtripper]

it was mid-June and it was female.

....and I still want to find that guy that ran past us and didn't warn us!

 

[Pete_Hickey]

I thought bear and moose charged people on occasion? What was with this deer?

Remember the rabbit (not pin-pin) that charged Jimmy Carter?

Naked hiker.

Hey, Don't knock it until you've tried it. Not sure about here in the NE, but in the desert. Except for a bit of sunburn and a couple pricks from a cactus, I found it an 'interesting' experience. Definately worth trying.

 

[Orphic Seth]

Great thread, I love these stories. Last year there was a very similar thread to this, unfortunately I'm pretty sure it got erased. Some people who frequent this board did a good job of freaking me out in my dark empty house that night I read it with their stories of eyes peering into mountain huts and so forth.

On a winter overnight at the Little Bigelow Lean-to the campfire had died down to just coals as we settled into the warmth of our sleeping bags. A short time later, just as sleep had almost overtaken us, the still silence of the winter night was shattered by a LOUD high pitched-human sounding-blood curdling-wailing scream coming from the cold darkness out behind the shelter. This went on for what seemed forever, but probably lasted 15-30 seconds.

I'd hate to see what my pants looked like after that, especially if I was solo...

This pretty much happened to me at Black Mountain Pond in the Sandwich Range last year, except it was more of a war-whoop than a I-am-being-axed-scream, and it was from across the lake. Startling for sure. My girlfriend pretty much lost it at that point. To boot, it was one of those silent nights, so you could hear every mouse in a 1/2 mile radius, so I knew she was bolt awake for the rest of night listening to every crunch.

This winter, while solo, I too heard footsteps behind me. Except after careful study I figured it out: The snow and my gate were just about perfect so that my boots were throwing out snow about 10 feet behind me, and landing with a convincing wet crunch. It was cool once I figured it out.

Anyone else here stories about old Vietnam Vets who live in the Whites and roam around? Lot of territory up in them thar woods...

 

[forestgnome]

screaming sounds

The first time I heard a screaming fox, I thought it was a woman being attacked and screaming for her life. Could it have been a fox?

 

[newjeep123]

My brother and I were hiking in Baxter State Park when we came upon a bull moose standing at the edge of a bog. He look at us, lowered his head and let out a grunt. He then shook his head side to side and began walking toward us. We slowly started backing up and agreed to split up (side to side) if he charged. The moose kept coming doing the antler shake and grunting - though we were backing away faster than he was coming at us. He finally stopped when we were 40 yards away and gave us a "pose" raising his head hgh as if to claim his territory. We agreed the territory was his and let him be.

 

[RGF1]

Nude hikers

I saw a couple hiking nude ojn Bond Cliff in late september it was a bit cool for that . they did get more than one questioning glance or look on top of Bond. it wa a nice day .
Pete I see you have changed from a axe to to a Husqvarna , Now If you move up to a Stihl . ( my saws )