| Author |
Topic |
Whitehorse, YT
Canada
156 Posts |
Posted - 01/24/2006 : 10:55 AM
|
Read all about it:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20060123-9999-1m23hike.html
The Outdoors Club is an organization similar to ClubTread. It was my first outing with this group. My friend Annie had found them online and joined. Twelve people was too large a group and we were of varied levels of fitness and backcountry experience (found that out too late). We left vehicles where we planned to exit and hit the trailhead shortly after nine in the morning, our leader taking us up the wrong valley right from the start, which put us in a steep drainage of loose scree and rock. I acted as sweep keeping back with the slower ones. One was a guy with two bad knees, wearing mechanical braces on each, and he was constantly loosing rocks down the slope behind him. Doug and Allison (the two who would later become lost) were also at the rear. After a long and dangerous climb up out of the
drainage, we came out onto a saddle two miles north of where we should have been to get to the summit of Indianhead. We decided to stay together (instead of some going on to the peak and others heading to the exit). We planned to contour around the mountain until we could drop down into the canyon and out. It didn't take long before the main group left us far behind. Alan, the guy with the bad knees, decided that it would be easier going if he immediately dropped down into the canyon where there was a sandy bottom visible. The group of twelve was about to be split from two into three, Alan ignoring our shouts to come back. The main group was still visible just cresting the ridgeline ahead of us, so I sent Allison and Doug off to follow them and I followed Alan down into the canyon, figuring he was the one most likely to get into trouble. I tracked him to a steep dry waterfall that there was no way down, catching him there. We climbed back out of the canyon and came upon the group's leader who had doubled back to find us. He hadn't seen either Doug or Allison. We were now on the ridgeline, ahead of their point last seen. We called for them and scanned the area with my binoculars but there was no sign of them though the rest of the group was visible on the next ridgeline (Indianhead is a peak with a number of drainages that drop into a curving canyon of boulders and waterfalls). I was fed up by this time. We only had a couple hours of daylight left and the canyon was in the shade. I left Alan with the leader (they both had food, water, lights, and clothing, but we didn't know if either Doug or Allison did) and I dropped down into the canyon hoping to find them there. Annie and I were planning to camp out in the desert that night and I had the keys to the truck with all our gear in it. I followed the canyon bottom down, thankfully hitting the steepest of the waterfalls while there was still daylight, but got no response from my calls for Doug or Allison. It got dark. If the situation had been different, I probably would have stopped and spent the night in the canyon but I kept on going, eventually coming to a group of Boy Scouts camping and two of the main group who had fallen behind. They borrowed flashlights from the scouts and we continued on, getting to the parking lot around 8pm. We met up with the rest and Annie called 911. Two Park Rangers showed up within minutes and a Sherriff shortly after. Temps were below freezing the previous night so the Sherriff called for SAR. More personnel arrived, the helicopter pilot searched as long as he could using thermal imaging... I called AAA in to open Allison's car so the K-9 Units would have some clothing to get a scent from. They planned to send the dog teams up from where we had started and the ground teams up the canyon from where we came out. So the first team headed off at 3am and others followed at daylight being dropped in various locations by a larger helicopter. Over 50 SAR personnel in teams out searching the area, three helicopters... at least we had excellent weather.
Apparently Doug had determined that the best way to continue was for them to head back to the saddle where we had come out of the drainage and then go back down it, so they had gone up from their point last seen. I guess they had a cold night, Doug refusing to cuddle up together for warmth. At daylight, Doug continued on towards the saddle and Allison dropped down into the canyon as was the previous plan. It was Team 1 that found her there. She shut down when she was found and the team had to get her to a point in the canyon where the smaller chopper could pick her up.
It was all valuable experience for me, lots of lessons learned, but I felt responsible for leaving Doug and Allison alone. In hindsight, I probably should have kept them with me and followed Alan. I was prepared to spend the night if I had to. But I had the keys to the truck and I thought Doug and Allison would follow the main group. They would have met up with the leader had they kept going the way that I had told them to. What a relief it was when they were found.
I'm posting this hoping that ClubTread learns from the mistakes of The Outdoors Club. That we all learn from the mistakes made by us in the group. There is a very lively "discussion" going on at present down here, people assigning blame and playing Monday morning quarterback, and what follows is some of what I added to the discussion. The reason that none of us who were on the trip are pointing fingers is because we all take responsibility for our actions and decisions. In my opinion, the trip description adequately described what we could expect. The unexpected should be up to the participants to prepare for. I understand now that Joe was only the coordinator (as anyone organizing a ClubTread outing is) and had limited responsibility but if you had witnessed his efforts to maintain the safety of the group and his deep concern for all when things went badly, you'd be assured that he is a man of great character. Only as a result of people not understanding the facts of the club and the incident could this "negatively effect the organization". After observing the negativity and finger pointing that always occurs after such an incident, one has to wonder why anyone would choose to coordinate such a trip in the future? If this warns quality people like Joe off from coordinating trips, that definitely negatively effects the organization.
As Ken Murray wrote: "What a shame. The great value of discussing such an epic, is to look at it from the perspective of what can be learned." A couple of the things that I learned:
- I carried only nine of the ten essentials, I was not carrying a map of the area. I was familiar enough with the area but had I been carrying a map and especially my GPS, and had I been using it to mark waypoints along our path, I would have been better prepared to assist in the search when the unexpected occurred.
- I also noticed that the SAR personnel wear bright orange shirts and saw for myself how visible that made them. What was I wearing during the hike? Pale green shirt and black pants, hardly enough to make me stand out against the greens, browns, and shadows of the terrain. I'll be making some wardrobe changes for the future.
What would I like to see become required or suggested for anyone participating in future outdoor activities?
- The ten essentials.
- A realistic self assessment of one's experience and abilities after reading the trip description and before beginning the trip.
- Contact information available in case of emergency. Brief physical description? Recent photo? Relevant medical history: diabetes, heart disease, serious allergies?
- An impression of the sole of the footwear worn the day of the hike? All it takes is single step onto a piece of tin foil placed on a soft surface, identify it using a permanent marker, and keep it in a vehicle at the trailhead.
- In each vehicle at the trailhead: Number and names of participants? Destination? Route plan? Date and time of departure?
For the group:- Like Lt.Curry of the Sheriff's Dept said: "The No. 1 mistake they did was they didn't stick together. If you go in as a group, you go out as a group."
- FRS radios, one at the front, one at the rear, so the two can communicate?
What else? |
Edited by - CWF on 01/24/2006 11:05 AM
|
|
 double-double seeking, snow-chasing, short-cutting, vertical feet collector
4523 Posts |
Posted - 01/24/2006 : 11:07 AM
|
"Allison dropped down into the canyon as was the previous plan. It was Team 1 that found her there. She shut down when she was found"
What do you mean by 'shut down'? |
|
|
 Moxie scambler of pinnacles, tireless leader haunting the CDN/US border climbing everything in sight
Burnaby, BC
Canada
1275 Posts |
Posted - 01/24/2006 : 11:20 AM
|
This is a fantastic post and opportunity for people to learn, CWF! Thanks very much for taking the time to post it, and for giving your open and honest self-assessment. Hopefully, this will reduce the chance that this kind of thing happens on a CT hike.
PB |
|
|
Raincouver, British Columbia
Canada
718 Posts |
Posted - 01/24/2006 : 11:36 AM
|
CWF thanks for your post. I'm sure it will help people on CT think about what they are doing every time they head out into the backcountry, especially when they going with a large group or people they are unfamiliar hiking with.
I know that I have reservations about going hiking with people I have never met before, but perhaps I should also think more about what happens when I hike with a large group of friends that I do know. Like Mazegirl, I have organized groups of friends to go on long hikes or overnight trips. Several times I have gone with people who I did not know their hiking ability, what they carried in their packs, or if they were familiar with the area. And a few of those times we split into several smaller groups.
I know that the situation that CWF describes can easily happen to anyone who is not prepared, yet it is often something we take for granted. Thanks for giving me something to think about before I plan my next trip. |
|
|
Vancouver, BC
Canada
1013 Posts |
Posted - 01/24/2006 : 11:37 AM
|
Wow Carlos, what an ordeal for your group, glad that everyone got out safely in the end. I recall from our Brew Lake group that you have great skill and dedication in looking out for the best interests of everyone! Things like that can happen so easily when it's an informal group of fast people and slow people who may not know or understand each other's abilty or experience. I agree that self-assessment is crucial: each person needs to be ready/willing/able to look after themself if they get separated.
I think the radios are a good idea, I've done a couple of large group snowshoe trips that Newtrail organized, Robert always brings a radio for the front leader and sweep, even on straightforward, well-established trails just in case 
Hope the rest of your winter down there is exciting in a different way 
Regards,
Margaret
|
|
|
Whitehorse, YT
Canada
156 Posts |
Posted - 01/24/2006 : 11:45 AM
|
quote:
Originally posted by seawallrunner
"Allison dropped down into the canyon as was the previous plan. It was Team 1 that found her there. She shut down when she was found"
What do you mean by 'shut down'?
I recently got certified in Wilderness First Aid and one point that was discussed during the training was how in the case of an injured person, often he/she will "shut down" when help arrives and the fight that may have kept him/her alive to that point has to be rekindled. This "shutting down" can lead to a worsening in their condition.
When she was found, Allison thought she would be carried out at that point however she was not injured, only tired, thirsty, and hungry, and still had to assist in her rescue. She wasn't "out of the woods yet". |
|
|
Whitehorse, YT
Canada
156 Posts |
Posted - 01/24/2006 : 11:50 AM
|
quote:
Originally posted by margaretkoren
Hope the rest of your winter down there is exciting in a different way
Thank you. It was valuable experience and hopefully we all do learn from it. And I do hope I never have to go through it again (though I do know now that I can function for at least a couple of days without sleep when alcohol isn't involved ;0) |
|
|
|
Trail running, bike hucking, fast packing, beer drinking collector of pine cones on a day pass
AKA
Dances with Trees
Forest Gnome Cabin
Canada
13090 Posts |
Posted - 01/24/2006 : 1:33 PM
|
Thanks for sharing your story,CWF. Too often when people have an experience like you did they get embarassed and don't discuss the situation, so good on you.
It seems to me that if Alan could not prevent himself from dislodging rock onto the hikers below him, that he should have been at the back of the pack( if I understand that part of the story correctly).
I've seen people in that "shut down" mode you describe(for a very good description of that, read Touching the Void ). Most people I know who have worked in SAR have mentioned how common that is.
The idea regarding radios is definitely a good one, and as always knowing the group members individual tendencies is helpful.
It sounds to me like you did your best to handle the situation well, and your efforts were very important in getting a positive outcome once things got out of hand |
|
|
 | Dru
Mountain Grammar Police
|
Sardonic sandbagging scoundrel, Cascade Climbers lobotomized spraymeister, space blanket flyer, new millennium vulgarian betaboy and friend to all squids
Climbing, a mountain
Canada
∞ Posts |
Posted - 01/24/2006 : 1:43 PM
|
Hmm I know about that "shut down" effect. It is psychological. You have some expected stop point, "I need to keep going until...." and you manage to control your energy expenditure such that you can reach that point. It happens to everyone... you hike up a new trail and don't know how far you have to go, so you go slowly and rest lots - when you get to the top, you know how far it is back down, so you move faster.
One time I climbed Mt Shuksan by the N Face and came down Fisher Chimneys. I had no idea how long the trail out from Lake Ann was. When I came over the lip of the Lake Ann bowl we thought we saw cars and a road down in the bowl below and ran down there. Once we realized there were no cars or road and that we had several more km, including uphill, to go we nearly shut down ourselves because we had erroneously believed we were near the end of the trip and burned up reserve energy quickly to get to the supposed end of the trail.
In this case the end point was a psychological point rather than a physical destination, but it sounds like the idea was that she was thinking "I have to keep going until the rescuers come" rather than until she was out, safe. |
Edited by - Dru on 01/24/2006 1:45 PM |
|
|
|
Trail running, bike hucking, fast packing, beer drinking collector of pine cones on a day pass
AKA
Dances with Trees
Forest Gnome Cabin
Canada
13090 Posts |
Posted - 01/24/2006 : 1:57 PM
|
quote:
Originally posted by Dru
In this case the end point was a psychological point rather than a physical destination, but it sounds like the idea was that she was thinking "I have to keep going until the rescuers come" rather than until she was out, safe.
I'd say that would be more common, though not exclusive to,more inexperienced hikers not used to being self reliant. I've often thought that everyone should have solo hiking experience to break them out of the "dependent" way of thinking, but that's yet another issue... |
|
|
Vancouver, BC
Canada
2666 Posts |
Posted - 01/24/2006 : 3:29 PM
|
I used to work in an accupuncture clinic & I've seen plenty of weird and wonderful things the human body is capable of. Re: the shut down effect, it sounds like people who've probably been going on adrenaline and survival instincts see a rescue team, the adrenaline drops off, phwoomp.
If I came across someone in trouble, I'd rather see them lose conciousness than find them unconcious.
----------------------------------------
Can't...stop...doing...the monkey... |
|
|
|
Happy go lucky, plaid wearin, postholin, safeway gaitor sportin, old-school film shootin, giver of many regards
Abbotsford, B.C.
Canada
13598 Posts |
Posted - 01/24/2006 : 5:04 PM
|
CWF
Thanks for sharing a valuable life experience for all of us who do take other abilities and the situations for granted.
Regards, |
|
|
Whitehorse, YT
Canada
156 Posts |
Posted - 01/25/2006 : 06:15 AM
|
I'll just add that the San Diego Mountain Rescue Team and SD County Sherriff's SAR coordinators joined the discussion. Here's what they wrote:
Quote: Originally posted by Michael Munsey on 24 January 2006
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Hello, My name is Sgt. Mike Munsey and I am the San Diego Sheriff's SAR coordinator. I was the Incident commander for the search for Ms. Lowe and Mr. Vaughn for the first 14 hours. One of your members sent me the website and after looking at it I thought I would let you know from a law enforcement prespective what happened.
I recieved the call at about 1:30 in the morning on Sunday of 2 missing hikers. I activated the team and headed out for the site. By the time I got there about 15 team members were already there. The temp when I got to the command post was about 34 and up on the mountain was lower. My people were a mixture of Sheriff's volunteers and San Diego Mountain Rescue teams. The information we had was the 2 lost persons had no emergency equipment, maps, GPS, clothing, minimual water and food. My people were very concerned when they got this news.
The first teams were sent out in the dark with tech rescue equipment, clothing and extra food and water. We already carry enough food and water to sustain ourselves for up to 12 hours but the info we had was the 2 missing persons hadn't planned to be out over night and were possibly getting dehydrated and hypothermic. My teams were carrying extra for the missing persons.
Later in the morning more and more volunteers arrived, along with 2 helicopters. The search continued throughout the morning without a real definitive concentration because the hikers that had come back all had different ideas about where they had been and where the last place was that the missing persons had been last seen. This makes it very difficult to concentrate our resources so we spread them all over the mountain in hopes of finding a clue to focus on.
Finally, we had to start recalling our teams due to them becoming overextended and running out of water. A third helicopter was called in to help. It was one of these teams who found Ms. Lowe in the canyon and provided aid until a helicopter could be brought in to get her out. When she came out we checked her out and then put her in a helicopter and used her to show us where she had last seen Mr Vaughn. From there the helicopters and searchers focused their attention in the area and found Mr. Vaughn.
A couple of points that we as a search team would like to point out. This is not ment to be critical of any one person but you as a group might remember this if you lead or go on any hike in the wilderness.
First-Stay together. Yes you are all adults and can make your own decisions but multiple subjects leave a larger trail and are easier to spot from above. Also they can share supplies and equipment in an emergency.
Second-I hike on my off duty time and I know all retailers and publications have lists of the ten items you should always have with you. I always carry that equipment with me and I suggest you carry it also. Whistles, mylar blankets, water purifing tablets, signal mirrors, small flashlights etc. don't weigh that much and take up hardly any room in a pack. They can save your life and in this case would have ended the search before it began. Our helicopters were searching with nightvision and thermal imaging equipment even before I was called and would have found the 2 missing people that night if they had had the above equipment.
Third- Know your limitations. If you can't do a hike or don't have the proper equipment, don't go.
Fourth - It's really hard to see people from a moving helicopter. I flew with the rescue copters for about an hour and from what I know now, flew directly over these 2 subjects at about 300 to 500 feet and didn't see them. I could hardly see my own people who were dressed in orange shirts and who's location was know to me. The missing hikers were wearing neutral colors which blended into the terrain from altitude. Try wearing, or at least have with you some large piece of bright orange or yellow material. Anything that is not found normally in nature is better than blue, green or black. Even better is a signal mirror.
Finally, carry a map and compass or GPS and know how to use them. If we would have had a better starting point we might have found these people a whole lot sooner.
This is just my perspective and hope this helps make your time in the wilderness better. This time the hours of training and work payed off and we were able to find Ms Lowe and Mr Vaugh alive and well. Sometimes it goes the other way and we end up carrying out bodies. Enjoy yourselves and be safe.
If I might ask a favor of you all, If you happen to meet one of my Search and Rescue volunteers or a member of San Diego Mountain Rescue, please take the time to thank them for what they do. They do what they do for free and their motto is "So that others may live". If I must say so myself, they do a good job.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Quote: Originally posted by John Wehbring on 24 January 2006
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi, everybody,
I'm John Wehbring, one of the searchers on this little incident. First, I should mention that I'v been a member of the San Diego Mountain Rescue Team for 39 years and have been on over 1000 SAR operations. I've found this discussion fascinating - we hardly every get such feedback from the subjects we rescue, much less all the comments from other experienced hikers. It's really interesting, and I think most of the comments have been germane to the situation faced by this group and the two people we eventually had to go looking for. Perhaps the suggestions mentioned will help the next group undertaking such a difficult climb. I have a couple of points to add to Sgt. Munsey's, who really summarized the perspective of the rescuers.
As Verdi pointed out, this was a very difficult route with an altitude gain of about 3000 feet in some of the most rugged terrain we have. The Laguna Mountains drop off precipitously on their east face, something like the Sierras. That makes it all the more exciting and rewarding, but it taxes some people more than others. If the group members don't know each others' capabilities, they can't adjust to the different rates of climb. Although Anza-Borrego is a desert, it gets cold in the winter. As I approached search base from San Diego, the air temperature in the mountain above was 20 degrees. These factors - weather and terrain - can often pose a problem
I have often wondered if the 10 essentials are worshipped as being universally applicable, when local conditions should be more carefully factored in. Map and compass are vital, however GPS units are so much better and easier to use that at least one should be required in every backcountry trip. They work at night and in snowstorms. Remember to have at least one GPS turned on at the trailhead so it records your route as you travel. That would have made a big difference on the search for Allison and Doug. Of course you also need a topo map with UTM grid lines drawn on to accurately plot your location.
Somebody should have a signal mirror and practice with it. The desert is almost always clear, and you will be searched from the air. As Sgt. Muncey said, it would really be nice if the people we are looking for are wearing clothing that contrasts with the background.
There are lots of other things I could say, but I'll stop here. I should say that I was very impressed with the members of the trip - all of whom stayed at base and helped out with as much information as they could provide. I never blame anyone for these kinds of incidents, especially when it turns out well.
One further note, all of the ground searchers in the field were volunteers, both the San Diego Sheriff's SAR unit and the San Diego Mountain Rescue Team. We never look at the time and expense to be attributable to the people we look for. The cost of the helicopters and the deputies who provide the search leadership is part of the San Diego County Sheriffs Department budget, and they don't charge anything for these operations. We want people to know they will not have to pay for searches and rescues. I'm glad somebody in the group decided to call 911 when they realized their companions were in trouble.
John Wehbring
----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
|
bandana wearin', pole huckin', view lovin', dog herdin', 4x4 navigatin', lake huntin', butt-slidin' bridge crosser, who enjoys postholing with an overnighter pack
Surrey, BC
Canada
4663 Posts |
Posted - 01/25/2006 : 11:16 AM
|
Wow what an ordeal - thanks for sharing this with us CWF.
The way I see it, everytime I go out, albeit a 3 hr quick hike or a 10 hr day hike, I always think - what would I need if something happened and I had to stay overnight in the woods by myself? This is how I pack for every trip. We often get stopped by hikers with sometimes a miniature pack or no pack at all - just a bottle of water, if were going for an overnighter. I always think that's odd and how unprepared they are. But that's their choice. All I know is that if something should happen on a dayhike and I'm stuck by myself, I can easily survive the night while waiting for help to arrive (obviously this is if I'm not seriously injured).
I expect that when I'm in a group, we stick together but should a seperation occur then ultimately you're on your own. What I would expect from the group is to notify the proper authorities and get the rescue going. |
|
|
|
Night owl posting,Subie driving, backpacking Dad who is perpetually trying to catch up to his kids on the trail.
Vancouver, BC
Canada
3064 Posts |
Posted - 01/25/2006 : 11:22 PM
|
Great topic and an excellent reminder of why they're called the 10 essentials. Bottom line, if you're going out in the wilderness, at a minimum be prepared for an ultra-lighter's night out in whatever the prevailing conditions happen to be ... and be prepared to make yourself found. On the point of high-vis clothing, an orange garbage bag is light, compact article that can serve many purposes in a survival situation including simply being visible: don't leave home without one (or two).
----------------------------------------
"Aging ... it beats the alternative" |
|
|
Whitehorse, YT
Canada
156 Posts |
Posted - 01/26/2006 : 03:33 AM
|
More from the SAR on the ground:
--------------------------------------------------------
Quote: Originally posted by Rusty Hoar on 25 January 2006
Mornin’ guys and girls… figured I’d throw my .02 worth in here…
I was the team leader for the SAR team that found Allison. First off, let me say I have no doubt that she would have made it out on her own – she seems like a tough, determined lady. I think she was probably pretty close to hitting the wall, however. I don’t think I’ve ever seen 2 bottles of Gatorade disappear so fast! I am glad that we encountered her when we did, as the information about Doug was radioed into base camp, and the whole search was re-directed as a result.
I, along with the other volunteers of the Sheriff’s Dept and San Diego Mtn Rescue, by definition don’t get paid - not with $$ anyway.
The scene of Verdi hugging Allison was enough to pay my salary for a couple of years. Makes it worth the 1000 or so hours each of us spends each year in classes, re-certifications, training, teaching, and actual searches.
In one of the posts Curtis Sutton mentioned GPS units with the SAR teams. Yep – each team had one. At least one. Some teams had one for EACH MEMBER. GPS’s are a great tool, but only that – a tool. Not an end-all to navigation. In a deep canyon like Palm Canyon, sometimes the satellites are not “visible” to the GPS. So we revert to map and compass skills. There was at least one map of the area with each team, and each team member had a compass. Maps of anywhere can be had FOR FREE off TopoZone.com and a decent compass is relatively inexpensive. Another poster mentioned cottonballs and Vaseline – good tip. That, plus a cheap Bic lighter (it’ll light if it’s wet!) will start a fire for you. Signal mirror? One of those throwaway AOL CD’s you get in the mail will work wonders. Or the inside of a snack chip bag, if it’s foil lined (like “Sun Chips”). Actually found a couple of kids up on Palomar Mtn a few years ago when they used a bag to signal a helicopter.
Lost Person Behavior – or “how to intelligently guess where someone is going”…. A good source is http://www.sarbc.org/behchar.html#hiker from the Search and Rescue Society of British Columbia. In this particular case, the original “intel” we had was that Allison and Doug were last seen on the ridgeline at 3:15 pm on Saturday. Thinking that they had at least seen the rest of the group descend into Palm canyon, there was no reason to think they’d go anywhere else. Of course, Murphy’s Law applies here too!
End result, everyone was found safe, a little worse for wear, and lots of sore feet and legs. No big deal. A good learning experience for all, and definitely an adventure few will forget.
Rusty |
|
|
|
map hatin', coffee perc totin', garbage collectin', backpacking, action hero wannabe, who loves to hide out in Garibaldi park and will have his scouts sing if you keep him awake at night
2479 Posts |
Posted - 01/26/2006 : 07:30 AM
|
This has been a great read and a good learning tool. Thanks for taking the time to post this stuff here.
We've had discussions before on this board before about who carries the "10" and who don't and the differing philosophies behind those decisions. Definitely a good reminder to always be prepared.
Really glad to get the input from the SAR Team members! Hadn't really thought of the inside of a chip bag as a signal device before, not a bad little tip.
----------------------------------------
I'm not a typical anything, I'm atypical. |
|
|
Whitehorse, YT
Canada
156 Posts |
Posted - 01/26/2006 : 10:29 AM
|
| Maybe one of the mods could organize the lessons learned from this incident and post them in a sticky in the "Sign Up Board / Events" area? I'd hate to see the thread get buried and something like this happen to a group of ClubTreaders. |
|
|
|
Coffee swillin', wine lovin', Owl fearin' Andie McDowell stunt double, who sports retro gear
Vancouver, BC
5470 Posts |
Posted - 01/24/2010 : 5:17 PM
|
quote:
Originally posted by CWF
Maybe one of the mods could organize the lessons learned from this incident and post them in a sticky in the "Sign Up Board / Events" area? I'd hate to see the thread get buried and something like this happen to a group of ClubTreaders.
Bump! I didn't see this post until today when I was perusing the "anniversary trip reports" on the top 10 page, but...I've seen this kind of situation on a few group outings. Fortunately nothing bad happened on any trip I was on, but a few times I've seen the faster group disappear around a corner, while the person at the back is struggling and perhaps decides to turn around, but has no way of communicating this to the people in the front. Meanwhile the people in the middle are waiting and wondering what happened to the person in the back, while having no idea which direction the faster group went. Etc Etc. It's OK to break up into subgroups as long as there is some communication as to what's going on.
Great post, CWF, if you are still around |
|
|
Hope, BC
Canada
7131 Posts |
Posted - 01/24/2010 : 5:30 PM
|
(4 years to the day after initial post)...
It's reasons like this that make me a little nervous of organizing hikes.
Good point bringing walkie talkies, I do that. |
Edited by - AcesHigh on 01/24/2010 5:30 PM |
|
|
3022 Posts |
Posted - 01/24/2010 : 6:43 PM
|
There is a guy still missing near Mt.Myra-Van.Isle, about 1978. Bressler, I think. Went looking for his remains about 1978 and 1979, Tennant Lake. He got separated. From america.
Tough country, never leave the trail if you have to drop behind. |
|
|
|
Topic |
|
|
|
Rescuers find two hikers lost in Desert
