Solo hiking can be an incredibly risky endeavor if you don’t have the experience. For 48-year-old Mike Turner, a pastor, family man, and avid hiker, a trek across Wyoming on his own would not have been a problem, in fact, it was very much needed. However, one small mistake would ultimately ensure this journey would be the hiker’s last.
Turner was an incredibly experienced hiker. He had embarked on his solo hike in order to renew his connection with God, taking only the family’s black Labrador, Andy, with him for company. Mike and Andy set off on July 30, 1998 with things starting off relatively well, however, by the fourth day, Turner could see that his dog was struggling. The icy ground of the mountain they were hiking across was hurting the animal’s paws.
