This morning we begin the major activity for the week; a three-day walk in the mountains with limited gear. My gear will include an axe, a knife, a small piece of plastic, a small metal pot, a pocket-sized first aid kit and the clothes I’m wearing. The students will have a similar gear. Our goal is to put into action many of the bushcraft and survival skills we’ve covered, and to enjoy a beautiful place while the leaves are turning color. Last year I saw a lynx in the area we’re headed. It was just before dawn in the gray light that precedes the sun, along a river in the white mountains. I was standing with my back to a small fire, looking upstream. I saw some movement along the bank and followed it with my eyes. It ran out of the bushes and paused on a rock in the river, only about 25 yards from me. It stood there for a few seconds, then dipped its head down for a drink. Then it was off, disappearing into the bushes as it worked its way upstream. On this trip, as with that one, people will get cold and wet and might not sleep through the night, but the benefits will far outweigh the costs.