NOLS’s Finest Field Snafus

I’ve heard many reasons for loving the great outdoors, but perhaps my favorite is that camping offers the thrill of things perpetually going amok. Whether a headlamp breaks or a rhinoceros stomps out your fire (skip to 6:16), debacle-free backcountry excursions are certainly rare.

In the spirit of tolerance for adversity, we asked a few instructors and in-town staff to share their favorite field fiascoes. Here are the Top Seven Snafus we heard about:

7. Winter camping…in the summer: Lately, our courses in the Wind River Range have been dealing with some moody weather gods. A recently returned course experienced 1.5 feet of snowfall over the course of just two days!

6. Cowboy Up: A student wore cowboy boots in lieu of hiking boots after accidentally leaving them behind at the RM. (Why he decided to bring cowboy boots backpacking is a question we have yet to answer.)

5. The Naked Mile: After focusing so hard on getting his students ready, an instructor opened his pack to find he forgot to bring any clothes.

4. Pack Jack: While waiting at a roadhead, two instructors had their packs stolen when they weren’t looking. Luckily, the packs were recovered when (unluckily) the thieves crashed their car just down the road.

3. Christmas Come Early: There are numerous examples of unexpected, perhaps unwanted, presents showing up in packs. Hidden goodies some people have found include coconuts, a Tonka truck, a 32 oz. jar of Miracle Whip, a toilet seat and (our personal favorite) a pink sequin dress. See above photo.

2. Potato Pearl Appendicitis: After eating nearly a quarter pound of dry potato pearls, one student was evacuated for appendicitis. Turns out, his appendix was fine. You’re just supposed to rehydrate dehydrated food so it doesn’t rapidly expand in your stomach.

1. Skunk in a Bag: A student unwittingly zipped a skunk into her caving bag one night after leaving it open and unattended. When she unzipped the bag in the morning, the well-rested skunk crawled out, happy to have slept in a nest of her clothes and gear.