Personal Narrative Essay

I’m shivering, and everything surrounding me is ice. The snow, seemingly harmless, falls from the sky and I am completely convinced that this is where I will die. Although my family and I have always loved the beauty and freedom of the outdoors, we must remember that it is a place not only to be revered but also respected as a place that can be treacherous. When I was very young I grew up running through the 30 acres of timberwoods on my grandparent’s farm in Pennsylvania. The smell of moist dirt and grass along with the sound of hundreds of massive trees swaying and rustling in the wind puts me at ease and makes me feel at home. Naturally, I was interested in camping and hiking as I grew older, and eventually decided to join the Boy Scouts. While in the Scouts I learned hundreds of skills, many involving wilderness survival; I would also go on multiple hikes and camp outings. There were many camping trips I went on that provided memories that will last forever, but there is one that caused me to change the way I think about

I was fourteen years old and my family had moved to Utah a few years prior to this Boy Scouts survival scenario. My Scout leader had just informed us that we would be going on the annual “snow camp outing”. I had never been camping in the snow before and was extremely excited. Not only was I going to get to hike in the snowy Rocky Mountains I was also going to have to build a snow shelter and sleep in it, no tents allowed! Unfortunately I procrastinated with my preparation and did not start packing until the day of the trip. As I rushed to put my gear together I tried to remember everything I was told to bring. I remember asking myself “was this going to be enough?” I sat there looking at the meager amount of warm clothing I managed to scrounge up. “I’m sure I’ll be fine. I’ve been camping so many times, I’m practically an expert” I convinced