Registered: 02/03/06
Posts: 6800
Loc: Gateway to Columbia Gorge
The comments require a cast iron stomach!
The guy actually did everything right--when he got lost in the whiteout, he stopped, pitched camp and stayed put until it cleared. He also was well-prepared.
_________________________
May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view--E. Abbey
Weird that someone who does everything right from a SAR point of view would get criticized so violently by the public.
Yahoo!, on the other hand, is running a story about a 9 year old in Utah that survived a night in the woods because he watches "Man Vs. Wild" religiously. He tore his poncho into ribbons despite rain, to leave a trail while he followed water sources hoping to find someone. Who wants to bet there's nothing but praise about "survival instincts" with this story??
(For the record, I'm glad that BOTH hikers are safe, and I certainly don't mean to insinuate that the child should be criticized in any way for doing what he thought was the right hting to do.)
I saw the yahoo article with the boy as well. Something tells me that he would have been found sooner if he stayed put and kept his poncho in one piece, and if he kept his backpack with him. There is nothing like bad advice to get you killed. I am glad it turned out good in the end.
_________________________
I've taken a vow of poverty. To annoy me, send money.
Too bad this hiker isn't a Man vs. Wild fan also. He would've avoided the costly SAR and been back in a comfy hotel that night had he just started running, sliding, scree skating, and randomly jumping down the mountain to a lower elevation.
Our long-time Sponsor, BackcountryGear.com - The leading source for ultralite/lightweight outdoor gear:
Affiliate Disclaimer: This forum is an affiliate of BackcountryGear.com, Amazon.com, R.E.I. and others. The product links herein are linked to their sites. If you follow these links to make a purchase, we may get a small commission. This is our only source of support for these forums. Thanks.!