It was a hike that we would never forget, though, we wished we would.

My girlfriend and I were hiking in a familiar spot, just like we had done a thousand times

before.

The hike was going to be different, though.

We'd hike three miles in, camp for the night, make up at 5 a.m., hike up to Helen's

overlook about ten minutes from our camping spot, and then we'd watch the sunrise.

While she watched I'd take a knee, we'd pull out a ring that I had bought weeks ago, and

I would ask her to marry me.

It was all so meticulously planned, but I hadn't taken something into account, something

no one could have ever planned for.

We parked in a lot of the base of the trail.

I had hiked this trail and camped in these woods for years, and it seemed like a great

place to bring my girlfriend after we got together.

We had been for the last three years, but it had been about eight months since we'd last

been up here.

We'd meant to go at the start of the spring, the changing seasons, being our favorite

time to be outdoors with life.

Life had made it difficult, and we were excited to get back up here after a long

hiatus.

We grabbed our packs and headed into the woods following the trail that would take us

to the spot where we meant to camp.

Now, technically, the park service frowns on people camping near the state trails.

...