Missing hiker

hipari wrote: »

thereshegoesagain wrote: »

I'm a frequent hiker and always leave my husband a note where I'm going and with who
He also has a list of my hiking friend's car description with plate numbers.
The only time I needed his help is when a bunch of cows had us trapped behind a fence, but a cute cowbay saved us before my husband came. 😁

I pray that she is found safe.

I’m glad your husband understand the importance of this! My bf doesn’t really understand why it’s important that I leave with him my flight schedules, a passport copy, lodging information and a contact for who I’m traveling with (and sometimes the contact info for their significant other who is also staying home). Or my expected hiking route and schedule, even if I’m not going alone.

As others have said, there are risks associated with everything we do, and hiking is just one of those things. This happened maybe 12 years ago but it still bugs me, I was on a skiing holiday in a big ski destination with both downhill and cross country skiing, and mid-week there were reports of a lost cross country skier. They started searching right away (good thing she had given her route and schedule plan to someone!), but there was heavy snowfall that day, and she wasn’t found until several months later when snow melted. She had fallen on a downhill that ended in a turn, and tumbled straight out of the turn into the woods, and couldn’t get up. There was so much snow she had fallen pretty deep, and with fresh snowfall all tracks of her falling and tumbling were covered. She was just a few feet from the ski track. This was back in the day before personal GPS devices, and could have happened to absolutely anyone whose fall isn’t immediately seen by someone else.

julubeet wrote: »

WickAndArtoo wrote: »

hipari wrote: »

thereshegoesagain wrote: »

I'm a frequent hiker and always leave my husband a note where I'm going and with who
He also has a list of my hiking friend's car description with plate numbers.
The only time I needed his help is when a bunch of cows had us trapped behind a fence, but a cute cowbay saved us before my husband came. 😁

I pray that she is found safe.

I’m glad your husband understand the importance of this! My bf doesn’t really understand why it’s important that I leave with him my flight schedules, a passport copy, lodging information and a contact for who I’m traveling with (and sometimes the contact info for their significant other who is also staying home). Or my expected hiking route and schedule, even if I’m not going alone.

As others have said, there are risks associated with everything we do, and hiking is just one of those things. This happened maybe 12 years ago but it still bugs me, I was on a skiing holiday in a big ski destination with both downhill and cross country skiing, and mid-week there were reports of a lost cross country skier. They started searching right away (good thing she had given her route and schedule plan to someone!), but there was heavy snowfall that day, and she wasn’t found until several months later when snow melted. She had fallen on a downhill that ended in a turn, and tumbled straight out of the turn into the woods, and couldn’t get up. There was so much snow she had fallen pretty deep, and with fresh snowfall all tracks of her falling and tumbling were covered. She was just a few feet from the ski track. This was back in the day before personal GPS devices, and could have happened to absolutely anyone whose fall isn’t immediately seen by someone else.

I am all for hiking alone, skiing alone... not so much! I grew up between two large ski mtns in MT the risks are too many and too high to be skiing alone. Even my most experienced skiing friends always bring a friend!

Have you read 'Missing 411', about missing hikers in the national forests and parks. I've attended several Search & Rescue schools in Colorado and know many backcountry rangers. If you're going out into the backcountry to prove something by the experience this is the wrong mindset. There is no question something can go wrong when you hike alone. The risks are high. A GPS messenger unit should be a must if you're going alone. It's the taxpayer that picks up the tab for almost all search and rescues. Hikers are free to take risks but endangering the S & R team members searching for you is a high risk, too.

WickAndArtoo wrote: »

julubeet wrote: »

WickAndArtoo wrote: »

hipari wrote: »

thereshegoesagain wrote: »

I'm a frequent hiker and always leave my husband a note where I'm going and with who
He also has a list of my hiking friend's car description with plate numbers.
The only time I needed his help is when a bunch of cows had us trapped behind a fence, but a cute cowbay saved us before my husband came. 😁

I pray that she is found safe.

I’m glad your husband understand the importance of this! My bf doesn’t really understand why it’s important that I leave with him my flight schedules, a passport copy, lodging information and a contact for who I’m traveling with (and sometimes the contact info for their significant other who is also staying home). Or my expected hiking route and schedule, even if I’m not going alone.

As others have said, there are risks associated with everything we do, and hiking is just one of those things. This happened maybe 12 years ago but it still bugs me, I was on a skiing holiday in a big ski destination with both downhill and cross country skiing, and mid-week there were reports of a lost cross country skier. They started searching right away (good thing she had given her route and schedule plan to someone!), but there was heavy snowfall that day, and she wasn’t found until several months later when snow melted. She had fallen on a downhill that ended in a turn, and tumbled straight out of the turn into the woods, and couldn’t get up. There was so much snow she had fallen pretty deep, and with fresh snowfall all tracks of her falling and tumbling were covered. She was just a few feet from the ski track. This was back in the day before personal GPS devices, and could have happened to absolutely anyone whose fall isn’t immediately seen by someone else.

I am all for hiking alone, skiing alone... not so much! I grew up between two large ski mtns in MT the risks are too many and too high to be skiing alone. Even my most experienced skiing friends always bring a friend!

Have you read 'Missing 411', about missing hikers in the national forests and parks. I've attended several Search & Rescue schools in Colorado and know many backcountry rangers. If you're going out into the backcountry to prove something by the experience this is the wrong mindset. There is no question something can go wrong when you hike alone. The risks are high. A GPS messenger unit should be a must if you're going alone. It's the taxpayer that picks up the tab for almost all search and rescues. Hikers are free to take risks but endangering the S & R team members searching for you is a high risk, too.

I use well established trails and am very prepared as well as careful to let people know where I am going and I never do anything “ to prove something”. Something can go wrong no matter what we do, but to expect individuals that don’t have friends or are for whatever reason unable to buddy up every time for a hike to just never experience the outdoors is ridiculous. There is risk involved in everything we do everyday, and as long as people are planning ahead, prepared, and smart about their adventures (keeping risk to a minimum) it is a reasonable option. I agree though, using a gps device is a very smart option. I always send my husband a gps beacon through strava on any run or hike whether it be on road or trail.