[pct-l] SAR

[edfaubert at yahoo.com]

Meadow Ed here...
Speaking about all the news this week regarding SAR there is an article  in this Sundays Antelope Valley Press on the front page about "Chopper" and his little brother "Savior"
Chopper was saved this April in Hauser Creek on his first day on the trail  where he ran out of water and was heloed out after calling 911. Two weeks later he ran out of water going down from Fuller ridge where he again had to call for help. Turns out the boys mother died in a freak snow storm  near Lake Hughes in 1997 and these brothers are hiking in her memory,
There was quite a discussion about these two up to Walker Pass this weekend and  they were going to be nominated by the class of '09 for this years "Darwin Award' unless it was already given to some of the other people who had called for help this year on the trail. Looks like the boys as well as the other people who needed assistance this year all have survived to get back on trail. The story in the paper talks about the fact when their mother died there was no device like "Spot" and had there been it may have been a different story for their Mom. I am sure we on line can relate to John Donovan and what would have been had he too had a device to call 911.
Its a hard call i think to cast blame on anyone who seeks help because they feel they needed it at the time but on the other hand are some of these people too unprepared for the challenges that face a thru hiker....  We can sit home and arm chair these events on PCT-l but remember for all these folks out there who we discuss on line i think we may be missing something, they are out "on trail" and we are home wishing we were "on trail"