"It never hurts to be prepared," Karen hedges, adjusting the lay of her pack strap over her shoulders. "And Nancy Drew was more my mom's time than mine. I was more Harriet the Spy and the Babysitter's Club." A conspicuous absence, now that she considers the direction her life has taken. She really probably is way more Nancy than Stacey or Claudia.

"I was, uh," she begins again with a vague motion toward the underbrush. "Heading out to the edge of the canyon. Thought I'd take a look. I found some climbing equipment."