http://www.fox13now.com/news/kstu-missing-boy-boy-scout-missing-near-dagget-lake-20110812,0,5613029.story This story kinda hit home for me; my Son is also a 12 year old Boy Scout. I
think he would have done okay in the same situation but I sure wouldn't want him to take the test this young man did.
Earlier this year my Wife went with my Son on a 12 mile (one way) hike with his troop. Wish I'd been able to go because it was badly planned. The trail turned out to be so difficult that a few of the boys and their parents had to turn back. Temps were in the 90's and my Son told me they were hiking in a cloud of deet-loving deer flies. They were both all chewed up when they got home. Fortunately I'd supplied them with head nets. Nobody else brought nets and they were going nuts with the flies.
On the way out, Wife and Son were ready to go before the others. One of the leaders told them to go on ahead and the rest of the group would catch up. Bad idea; they took a wrong turn and hiked about two miles on a trail leading back into the woods before they realized they were lost. Thank God they came upon a nice guy who set them straight and hiked way out of his way with them to make sure they got back to the right trail. My Wife's a pretty tough cookie but she told me that before they met up with with this gentleman, she was holding back tears about their situation.
Don't take it for granted that in a group with experienced & trained individuals, everything's gonna go just swell. If you've ever been lost you know what a sickening feeling it is. I can't imagine what would be going through my mind if my boy were alone and lost in the wilderness.
