So this one time we got found by Search & Rescue
Read below for the Deets:
Robbie calls & says there are people going to hike/camp at the hot springs in Spanish Fork. Syd & I thought it'd be fun. So we go. We get there to find out the road is blocked the rest of the way to the trail head. Everyone bails out, but 5 of us. We decided to go on with it & just hike through the snow to the trail head, too. We hike the 4 miles to the trail head. Exhausted by this point, but just wanting to get to the hot springs. So, running off of one piece of bread each we hike to the hot springs. It was the most horrible thing ever. It was freezing, pitch black & SO steep. We were all so exhausted, but there was no where to set camp, just a narrow path everywhere. So we keep going. Just able to see from the brightness of the snow. After going for forever on this trail, I started freaking out inside. I thought we were going to get frostbite or hypothermia or something, seriously, no dramatics on this one. So we finally were able to smell sulfur. Hallelujah! I told Robbie, who was hiking in front of me, with my voice ready to crack into tears, "OH MY GOODNESS! That's the sweetest smell I've ever smelled!" He laughed, in agreement, I'm sure. We finally reached the hot springs, all of us feeling like we're going to die. We got to the campsite at 2am & we started working on setting up camp & getting a fire started. The fire was NOT working out. I started freaking out thinking we were going to die there because it was so cold. Devin was starting to get a little nervous, but didn't show it. He yelled, "I'm an eagle scout, I am going to do this!" But the boys went into the woods & come back with some huge dead branches with some good little red shrubbery things attached and finally got the fire going. Most incredible feeling of my life. It was 4am at this point, we enjoyed hot dogs that tasted better than any Christmas meal ever prepared & we finally got into the tent at about 5am. FREEZING. Despite exhaustion, I probably slept for 20 minutes. It blizzarded during the night... So we get up in the morning & decide to go into the hot springs, it was so freezing cold and snowing outside, but the hot springs were SO hot, it was amazing and definitely rejuvenating. So we hiked back..the trail back to the trail head didn't take that long, but because of the snowstorm the night before, the canyon road was the hellish part this time. So on the road it was really hard because I swear it was uphill both ways. We were trudging through the fresh snow...it was fantastic. The hike back only took us 3 hrs, though. Right as we had about 100 ft left, seriously, around the bend was the road block where the car was parked. A snowmobile came around the corner w/ these people all in red snowsuits. They pulled up & stopped next to us & say "we found you!" We all just stared....uhhh????... "Are you the 5 BYU students that went to the hot springs last night?" "Yeah?" "Well there's a group of people waiting for you around the corner," My first thought was it my family or something & I was so confused. We were asking, "What are you talking about?" seriously so confused. They told us there was a search party of 50 people coming for us. "Wait, what? ha!" Then they radio some people using lots of code words. Another snowmobile comes & they take Sammi back w/ them, then some more come & we all get rides for the last 5 minute walk of our hike. Oh my gosh. I have never laughed harder, I was so embarrassed, we turned the corner & there were trailers & ambulances & cars lining both sides of the road for SO far down the road. We were still so confused at this point as to how they knew we were there. We didn't even know we were lost. They told us that someone had been expecting us back that morning and got scared (it was 4pm). They took down our names & info for their report offered us any food & drinks & made sure everyone was okay. We got a huge lecture on the weather & not being prepared etc... Oh man, I felt so bad all those volunteer people were about to go looking for us...ooooh man. SO basically we survived, Syd & I just wore our boots we got from target...our feet were frozen and completely bruised on every surface. But all in all we survived & were so happy about it...can't say the same for Momma though!
Happy Valentine's Day!
Moral of the story: We took the situation too lightly & didn't think we could actually be the ones on the news, but it was seriously a stupid move. We easily could've froze to death. I feel good to know I am that tough, but I am never doing that again, I CANNOT handle snow...I do like to camp, just no more snowy trips! Whewy!
Accomplished: 14 mile hike in below freezing weather by 3 rookie girl & 2 experienced boy BYU students.
xoxo
