Two Campers

It’s early morning, midwinter. Two campers pack the last of the equipment, extra clothes, and food into their packs. Stooping, they fit their boots into their skis.

It snowed during the night. Not a track can be seen on the fresh powder. Maintaining a brisk pace, the two set out for the heart of the wilderness area.

Hours later, the sun hangs high over the two. Already they had seen evidence of winter wildlife, including a set of deer tracks. The two are excited about what experiences lie ahead of them.

That’s when they hear the sound for the first time—high and whining, almost like a chain saw. Suddenly a convoy of snowmobilers erupts into the wilderness clearing, whooping and waving. Forty-five minutes before, they had all been drinking coffee outside the wilderness border. In another hour, they will have passed the half-way mark.

The two skiers wave unenthusiastically at the snowmobilers, who plunge into the snowy thickets on the trail ahead. The skiers quickly realize that they don’t want to follow snowmobile tracks for the rest of the day and decide instead to return to their cabin.