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Lost in the Mountains

When Mary O’Brien, a PE teacher from Massachusetts, USA, decided to walk the 30-kilometre circuit in Olympic National Park, she thought she’d be back at her tent after about ten hours. After 30 hours, she was covered in cuts and bruises, bleeding and lost. After five days lost in the mountains, she got back to the campsite.

On the day of the walk, O’Brien left her tent and sleeping bag at the Sol Duc Campsite and set off at 11 a.m. with food, clothing, a light and a light blanket. She was a strong hiker, and by 4 p.m. she was at the halfway point on the walk. It was summer so it would stay light until about 10 p.m. and she thought she could get back by about 9 p.m. However, even in summer, there can be a lot of snow there and she couldn’t follow the path anymore because of it. She carried on walking, but it started raining and then snowing. Then it got dark. Walking, now using her light to help her, she missed the turn back to the campsite and went deeper into the mountains.

She spent the next four days and nights walking around trying to find her way back. She began seeing and hearing things and people who weren’t really there, not because of not eating enough, but because of not getting enough sleep. Water was not a problem as there were loads of small rivers and she melted snow to drink. She wanted to light a fire, but she couldn’t find her box of matches. On the fifth day, she saw two people in a motor boat and they came and rescued her.

‘The main problem was not taking a map,’ said Mary afterwards. ‘I didn’t tell anyone where I was going, which wasn’t a very good idea either,’ she added, ‘but I just couldn’t work out where I was, even using the compass I had with me. A compass isn’t much good without a map!’

How long did Mary expect her walk to take?

Lost in the Mountains

When Mary O’Brien, a PE teacher from Massachusetts, USA, decided to walk the 30-kilometre circuit in Olympic National Park, she thought she’d be back at her tent after about ten hours. After 30 hours, she was covered in cuts and bruises, bleeding and lost. After five days lost in the mountains, she got back to the campsite.

On the day of the walk, O’Brien left her tent and sleeping bag at the Sol Duc Campsite and set off at 11 a.m. with food, clothing, a light and a light blanket. She was a strong hiker, and by 4 p.m. she was at the halfway point on the walk. It was summer so it would stay light until about 10 p.m. and she thought she could get back by about 9 p.m. However, even in summer, there can be a lot of snow there and she couldn’t follow the path anymore because of it. She carried on walking, but it started raining and then snowing. Then it got dark. Walking, now using her light to help her, she missed the turn back to the campsite and went deeper into the mountains.

She spent the next four days and nights walking around trying to find her way back. She began seeing and hearing things and people who weren’t really there, not because of not eating enough, but because of not getting enough sleep. Water was not a problem as there were loads of small rivers and she melted snow to drink. She wanted to light a fire, but she couldn’t find her box of matches. On the fifth day, she saw two people in a motor boat and they came and rescued her.

‘The main problem was not taking a map,’ said Mary afterwards. ‘I didn’t tell anyone where I was going, which wasn’t a very good idea either,’ she added, ‘but I just couldn’t work out where I was, even using the compass I had with me. A compass isn’t much good without a map!’

What time did it get dark?

Lost in the Mountains

When Mary O’Brien, a PE teacher from Massachusetts, USA, decided to walk the 30-kilometre circuit in Olympic National Park, she thought she’d be back at her tent after about ten hours. After 30 hours, she was covered in cuts and bruises, bleeding and lost. After five days lost in the mountains, she got back to the campsite.

On the day of the walk, O’Brien left her tent and sleeping bag at the Sol Duc Campsite and set off at 11 a.m. with food, clothing, a light and a light blanket. She was a strong hiker, and by 4 p.m. she was at the halfway point on the walk. It was summer so it would stay light until about 10 p.m. and she thought she could get back by about 9 p.m. However, even in summer, there can be a lot of snow there and she couldn’t follow the path anymore because of it. She carried on walking, but it started raining and then snowing. Then it got dark. Walking, now using her light to help her, she missed the turn back to the campsite and went deeper into the mountains.

She spent the next four days and nights walking around trying to find her way back. She began seeing and hearing things and people who weren’t really there, not because of not eating enough, but because of not getting enough sleep. Water was not a problem as there were loads of small rivers and she melted snow to drink. She wanted to light a fire, but she couldn’t find her box of matches. On the fifth day, she saw two people in a motor boat and they came and rescued her.

‘The main problem was not taking a map,’ said Mary afterwards. ‘I didn’t tell anyone where I was going, which wasn’t a very good idea either,’ she added, ‘but I just couldn’t work out where I was, even using the compass I had with me. A compass isn’t much good without a map!’

Why couldn’t Mary see the path?

Lost in the Mountains

When Mary O’Brien, a PE teacher from Massachusetts, USA, decided to walk the 30-kilometre circuit in Olympic National Park, she thought she’d be back at her tent after about ten hours. After 30 hours, she was covered in cuts and bruises, bleeding and lost. After five days lost in the mountains, she got back to the campsite.

On the day of the walk, O’Brien left her tent and sleeping bag at the Sol Duc Campsite and set off at 11 a.m. with food, clothing, a light and a light blanket. She was a strong hiker, and by 4 p.m. she was at the halfway point on the walk. It was summer so it would stay light until about 10 p.m. and she thought she could get back by about 9 p.m. However, even in summer, there can be a lot of snow there and she couldn’t follow the path anymore because of it. She carried on walking, but it started raining and then snowing. Then it got dark. Walking, now using her light to help her, she missed the turn back to the campsite and went deeper into the mountains.

She spent the next four days and nights walking around trying to find her way back. She began seeing and hearing things and people who weren’t really there, not because of not eating enough, but because of not getting enough sleep. Water was not a problem as there were loads of small rivers and she melted snow to drink. She wanted to light a fire, but she couldn’t find her box of matches. On the fifth day, she saw two people in a motor boat and they came and rescued her.

‘The main problem was not taking a map,’ said Mary afterwards. ‘I didn’t tell anyone where I was going, which wasn’t a very good idea either,’ she added, ‘but I just couldn’t work out where I was, even using the compass I had with me. A compass isn’t much good without a map!’

Why did Mary start seeing and hearing things which weren’t there?

Lost in the Mountains

When Mary O’Brien, a PE teacher from Massachusetts, USA, decided to walk the 30-kilometre circuit in Olympic National Park, she thought she’d be back at her tent after about ten hours. After 30 hours, she was covered in cuts and bruises, bleeding and lost. After five days lost in the mountains, she got back to the campsite.

On the day of the walk, O’Brien left her tent and sleeping bag at the Sol Duc Campsite and set off at 11 a.m. with food, clothing, a light and a light blanket. She was a strong hiker, and by 4 p.m. she was at the halfway point on the walk. It was summer so it would stay light until about 10 p.m. and she thought she could get back by about 9 p.m. However, even in summer, there can be a lot of snow there and she couldn’t follow the path anymore because of it. She carried on walking, but it started raining and then snowing. Then it got dark. Walking, now using her light to help her, she missed the turn back to the campsite and went deeper into the mountains.

She spent the next four days and nights walking around trying to find her way back. She began seeing and hearing things and people who weren’t really there, not because of not eating enough, but because of not getting enough sleep. Water was not a problem as there were loads of small rivers and she melted snow to drink. She wanted to light a fire, but she couldn’t find her box of matches. On the fifth day, she saw two people in a motor boat and they came and rescued her.

‘The main problem was not taking a map,’ said Mary afterwards. ‘I didn’t tell anyone where I was going, which wasn’t a very good idea either,’ she added, ‘but I just couldn’t work out where I was, even using the compass I had with me. A compass isn’t much good without a map!’

Why couldn’t Mary cook anything?

Lost in the Mountains

When Mary O’Brien, a PE teacher from Massachusetts, USA, decided to walk the 30-kilometre circuit in Olympic National Park, she thought she’d be back at her tent after about ten hours. After 30 hours, she was covered in cuts and bruises, bleeding and lost. After five days lost in the mountains, she got back to the campsite.

On the day of the walk, O’Brien left her tent and sleeping bag at the Sol Duc Campsite and set off at 11 a.m. with food, clothing, a light and a light blanket. She was a strong hiker, and by 4 p.m. she was at the halfway point on the walk. It was summer so it would stay light until about 10 p.m. and she thought she could get back by about 9 p.m. However, even in summer, there can be a lot of snow there and she couldn’t follow the path anymore because of it. She carried on walking, but it started raining and then snowing. Then it got dark. Walking, now using her light to help her, she missed the turn back to the campsite and went deeper into the mountains.

She spent the next four days and nights walking around trying to find her way back. She began seeing and hearing things and people who weren’t really there, not because of not eating enough, but because of not getting enough sleep. Water was not a problem as there were loads of small rivers and she melted snow to drink. She wanted to light a fire, but she couldn’t find her box of matches. On the fifth day, she saw two people in a motor boat and they came and rescued her.

‘The main problem was not taking a map,’ said Mary afterwards. ‘I didn’t tell anyone where I was going, which wasn’t a very good idea either,’ she added, ‘but I just couldn’t work out where I was, even using the compass I had with me. A compass isn’t much good without a map!’

What was the biggest mistake Mary made?