Ever notice how people, without trying to be sarcastic or duplicitous, can say one thing and mean the exact opposite? Consider, for example, the statement, “I’m sure you’ll be fine,” given by a middle-aged backpacker after hearing I was going to start the arduous Appalachian-to-Lincoln Gap hike at 11:30 in the morning. What she meant was, “I’m sure you’ll be fine, if there’s a guardian angel for complete idiots.” I think she was put off by the fact that at the end of this one-way hike, I also needed to hitchhike back to my car on a Sunday evening in rural Vermont. Everyone seems biased against my risk-assessment capabilities… even complete strangers!

The hike itself seemed quite manageable. After all, I’d decided to do the six-peak traverse from north-to-south, which psychologically – though not factually – means downhill. The magazine and internet descriptions had promised beautiful views and warned of dangerous exposure along the high-altitude ridgeline. But my expectations slowly contracted as the afternoon progressed.