[pct-l] your experiences with fear on the trail

[Karen Keller]

>From Campo until that frightful night a few miles from Big Bear, my
practice had been to sleep with my food in my pack, and my pack under my
feet. Since I am slower than the average hiker I usually end up sleeping
alone and cowboy camping. On this particular night though it was snowing
and cold and I not only decided to sleep inside my tent, I also happen to
camp with two couples who had chosen the same spot. Friendly folks, one of
the hikers made a joke about being visited by bears during the time we were
setting up. He made me laugh. Late that night, however, I woke up to a
sound that caused me to be instantly on high alert. I could not identify
the sound and lay there barely breathing and waiting for something to give
me a clue. Inside my tent I felt blind and vulnerable. I remembered the
hiker's comment and began to imagine what would happen if a bear decided to
investigate our camp.With a sense of growing dread, I imagined a mangled
tent, torn pack and a wet sleeping bag. My heart pounding, I heard the
sound again. Surely it was closer than before! Indeed, it sounded like a
low rumbling growl. Oh why didn't I hang my food or at least leave it
somewhere other than in my tent???  I lay awake on high alert for what
seemed like hours before I finally realized that what I was hearing was a
little too rhythmic and predictable to be a prowling animal, and that what
I was really hearing was the harmless snoring of a fellow camper,
completely oblivious to the terror he or she had caused.