The nugget sat there in plain sight, though it was covered in dirt, while hundreds of people had passed that way every day.

Adam’s condition had been deteriorating every step of the way. At times, I could only coax him ten or twenty feet before he laid down again. He refused to eat or drink. At this point, I realized we might not get out of the canyon by dark and might need help getting Adam out at all.

As I arrived at my detecting location, I got all my gear and headed up the trail. I had to stop and take in the devastation all around me.