Kati Cooke

Opinion: A wake up call for hikers

I set out on my hike just like I always do: excited with a camera in my hand. I was by myself, but that’s normal for me. I’d done it a million other times – it was just another walk in the woods. But it wasn’t. On Nov. 3, I set out to hike McNeil Point. I was armed with hiking boots, a light jacket, my Canon, my phone, some water and some snacks. The hike was supposed to be seven miles round-trip. I had a screenshot of instructions someone posted online. About a mile into the hike, I took what I thought was the right turn. Nine miles later, I realized that I had taken the wrong trail and reached a different summit, Yocum Ridge.