He certainly couldnât find it, in any case.
That frustrating day a few years ago on the Cunningham Cove trail â and off it â helped to inspire what today is the Trailhead Stewardship Project.
Johnson hopes this partnership between The Trailhead, which is a bike and ski shop in Baker City, and the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest will help future hikers avoid the conundrum that he confronted that day high on the western slopes of the Elkhorn Mountains.
Johnson is general manager of Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort, which several years ago opened The Trailhead on Main Street in downtown Baker City.
North Fork John Day Wilderness: Umatilla
North Fork John Day Wilderness: Umatilla does not offer reservations through Recreation.gov. Please take a look at the area details below for more information about visiting this location. Enjoy your visit!
Overview
From rolling benchlands to the granite outcrops of the Greenhorn Mountains, the rugged North Fork John Day Wilderness provides an abundance of natural diversity. The wilderness is known primarily for its big game (Rocky Mountain elk and mule deer) and its anadromous fish habitat. There are over 130 miles of perennial streams, 40 miles of which provide spawning habitat for Chinook salmon and steelhead.
That didnât work.
And with the winter solstice two weeks away, dark comes early to the Elkhorn Mountains.
Besides which, the couple, unfamiliar with the area, didnât know how far they might have to hike to reach safety.
The nearest home was in reality about 19 miles away.
âWalking wasnât viable,â Belknap, 28, said in a phone interview Tuesday evening.
The coupleâs other option happened to be orbiting the Earth about 870 miles up.
Belknap and McDonald, in addition to their camping gear, had brought along a Garmin GPS unit equipped with an inReach satellite connection. By pressing a button on the device, they sent a signal, via a network of orbiting satellites, that alerted law enforcement that they needed help. The signal also pinpointed their location.