Why Hiking in the Dark is a Bad Idea on Friday the 13th

So.... tonight I experienced my first time getting in trouble with the police.

There was a temple trip last night. On the way home, the driver (who shall remain anonymous) asked us if we were up for an adventure. I said, "YES!", naturally, and he drove us to the trail head to hike up Castle Rock.

What we didn't know is, a) it's illegal to hike in the dark in Castle Rock, and b) it was Friday the 13th and a bunch of teenagers were up on the rock causing trouble. Thus... the police were already there. Their car was in the parking lot with lights flashing, and there was an officer speaking to a  car there. We naively assumed that she had pulled someone over and they'd driven into this parking lot.

But the police officer came right over to talk to us. Her first question: Had we been up on the rock with flashlights? No, we didn't have flashlights. Was it not okay to hike now? Nope.

She asked us a long series of questions about who we were and where we were coming from. We explained we'd come to go hiking. She said, "You're going hiking in suits, dresses, and heels?" We explained it was a spur of the moment thing, and we'd just come from a church activity in Denver. Also, that we were Mormon. (It came up because we'd been to the temple).

She asked for all of our IDs, and explained that it just seemed a bit suspicious that we'd come hiking in the dark in such ridiculous clothes. Whoops.

She went off to run our IDs. Someone in the car asked the driver if he had a perfect driving record. He did! A little conversing, and it turned out we all did!

We could hear her talking to someone (her radio? her partner?) about us, slightly baffled that we'd just drive on up when there was a police car there already, dressed in our Sunday best but wanting to do some late night hiking.

Finally she came back and said, "There are warrants out for 3 of your arrests." That brief silence as we all panicked (well played, ma'am! Make us all think the other 3 are crazy--there were four of us) and then she laughed. She told us the park was closed at sunset. If we really wanted to hike it, we could come back in the daylight in more appropriate clothes, and sent us on our way.

Except there was another police car parked to block the parking lot entrance by then, so we stayed there for a while and tried not to stare as a teenager got frisked a little ways from us. Finally the officers sent the teenagers on their way and moved the police car so we could leave. As the kids passed us, they explained to us that a bunch of people went hiking tonight in honor of Friday the 13th. Ohhhhhhhh.... Whoops! What a bad night to pick.

The whole thing was actually pretty funny. It was definitely an adventure, as promised! And we learned a few lessons: a) don't hike in the dark, b) don't hike in church clothes, and c) if you see a police car parked in a parking lot with flashing lights... maybe that means you shouldn't pull in. :)