A while back, I went on a casual hike at Glacier National Park to Virginia Falls. The trail was short and easy, not much to it. As I began my trek, I noticed another hiker behind me. At first, I didn’t think much of it, but soon realized we were matching each other’s pace, which was a bit irritating. To shake him off, I stopped to let him pass, but he lingered, taking a drink just as I did. Annoying but fine, I thought. We reached St. Marys falls, and he was still tailing me. We both took a break, and when I caught a glimpse of him, he seemed unkempt with a massive pack for such a short hike.
Despite my attempts to lose him, he persisted. Each time I stopped at a viewpoint, he did too. It became clear he was following me, which put me on edge. I tried to rationalize it, thinking maybe he feared bears or was on a long backpacking trip. Determined to reach Virginia Falls, I hurried along, hoping to find more people at the main attraction for safety.
As I approached the falls, the man disappeared. I relaxed, thinking I had outpaced him. After enjoying the falls, I started back alone. Suddenly, I spotted him off the trail, holding a hatchet. Panicked, I prepared my bear spray. He assured me he would step aside, mentioning his large bag, which struck me as odd. With my heart racing, I cautiously passed him, grateful to be on my way.
A while later, park rangers rushed past me, asking about the man with the big bag. I informed them of his last whereabouts by Virginia Falls, and they hurried on. It was a bizarre and spooky encounter that left me shaken. I never found out what happened to the man or why the rangers were after him.
Reflecting on my eerie experience, I wonder about other chilling tales from solo hikes or travels. It may not sound too scary in hindsight, but in the moment, it was a heart-pounding ordeal that soured my hike. I’m left curious about similar unsettling stories from fellow adventurers.