[pct-l] Staying Not-Dead (was: stay out of canyons)

[Matt Maxon]

For me at least...
I'd stay right where I was... Because I would have left a detailed itinary
with a responsible party. Who when I did't show at the next check in would
become concerned I didn't check in.

Since I would have given this person a detailed map of where I'd be on any
given day they would know roughly where to send the SAR.

We would need to find a place near or on the trail where we could be seen
from the air, and stay put. Set out rocks or other contrasting materials
spelling "help", "sos" or....

80 miles in deep fresh snow without snow shoes or skis would be next to
impossible.

So to condense it all since someone knew roughly where I was, and I was over
due, my best bet would be to stay put.

In Mr Kim's place he, figured no one knew where he/they where and decided
rightly or wrongly that their only hope was to go for help.

I feel he was correct to go for help, that aside the grave error he made is
to get off the road, he obviously didn't have any / limited outdoors skills,
no matter how far the trip on the road was he knew it would get him out.

Had he any experience in outdoors backcountry travel winter or not he would
have stayed on that road. Being hypothermic and obviously not thinking
correctly he made a grave error. I think he made a valiant effort, given the
conditions, his abilty, lack of equipment, phsycal condition (lack of food,
mild hypothermia)

Trail90


----- Original Message -----
From: "Logan Park" <park at vt.edu>
To: "PCT MailingList" <pct-l at backcountry.net>
Sent: Saturday, December 09, 2006 9:57 AM
Subject: [pct-l] Staying Not-Dead (was: stay out of canyons)


> Okay.  Mr. Kim is tragically dead, survived by his family.  It's got the
> nation talking about it, at least until everyone gets busy with Christmas.
>
> I thought we might discuss this in a context that might be more useful
> to 2007 thru-hopefuls (wish I was one...!!).
>
> Let's suppose you get stuck on a high pass in the Sierras (or other
> suitable PCT locale) in whiteout conditions and you're 80 miles from
> sure help (the closest road crossing).  Like Mr. Kim, you're tied to the
> spot, in this case by an injured hiking companion, instead of a young
> family.  Let's say s/he's injured a leg and cannot move well at all, but
> is otherwise healthy, following a close call self-arrest.  Yes, yes, we
> know that conscientious hikers would never attempt a pass in dangerous
> conditions.  But for whatever reason, you're there and conditions are
> terrible.  How do you maximize survivability for (1) yourself and (2)
> your companion to avoid becoming the next Kim?
>
> Hoplite
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