[pct-l] Vale Sea Breeze - reply to Tom Griffin's post

[david booth]

Hi Tom,
just thought I would add my thoughts to your recent posting.

Sea Breeze must have been disoriented as he was reported near Saddle   
Junction at 3pm. A safety bearing from there would be down the west   
side to Idyllwild. Instead in the storm he has headed east and down   
the canyon towards Palm Springs.

We would all try to go down hill in a bad storm to seek shelter.

I made a minor error in the same area last year. The SaddleJunction   
area was under some snow and it was easy to lose the trail. The PCT   
goes south west towards Tahquitz Peak but the lie of the land   
suggests cutting the corner to head NW to Saddle Junction. Added to   
this there was a sign (possibly rotated) that was misleading to me   
showing the PCT going down hill into Tahquitz valley. Also many   
footprints headed that way. I used my compass and cut the corner   
while two Canadians hiking with me went further down the T valley   
like Sea Breeze did, following a trail that leads towards the   
Tramway. They soon corrected and navigated onto a trail back up to   
Saddle Junction and arrived about ten minutes after me. This was in   
good weather.

As Mags said in his post a simple look at the compass is all that is   
needed. Unfortunately the PCT dosen't need you to use the compass   
much and by Idyllwild you are not in the habit of checking, you just   
follow the tread. Both my errors were from overconfidence.

A second factor is the lack of "overview" maps. When in danger you   
need an escape route. The PCT guidebook maps do not provide much   
navigational help if you want to leave the trail. They do not  
include  the Tramway which would be an obvious escape route. I had  
heard a lot  of pct-l people talking about the tramway but I didnt  
know where it was.
The forest service map does show the trails to and from the tramway   
but the guide book does not. (It is not even on the Section B   
overview map on guidebook page 96).

If you look at page 119 in the guide book the map is small and does   
not extend to the tramway. The lie of the land is gentle right to  
the  edge of the PCT guidebook map, it is like  a plateau. This  
belies the  ruggedness of the canyon he was found in.

I dont think the signage needs much upgrading except if that sign  
was  rotated or ambiguous.

It is a lesson to make use of the compass occasionally and   
particularly in a storm where your safety bearing can save your  
life.  But even to use the compass you first need to know where you are!

I think Sea Breeze was a victim of
1. poor navigation
2. lack of suitable map coverage
3. a wrong navigational decision in the storm,
4. then failing to go back uphill (west) after making emergency  
camp.  (He may have been injured at some stage making a climb  
impossible).

A very sad episode, but one of the potential dangers of solo hiking.

David Booth
Carmans Man
Canberra Australia