[pct-l] Emergency Notifications

[Bob Bankhead]

First and foremost - leave a DETAILED itinerary of your hike with at least
two at-home people besides your spouse or significant other. One of these
should be a neighbor who can be trusted to reach you should something evil
befall your spouse/significant other. Do you and your spouse each have an
Advance Directive so someone can make important medical decisions for you
should the other be unavailable? 

You don't have to lay it out it mile by mile, but rather list your
ANTICIPATED campsite by date for each night. Call or otherwise contact at
least your primary at-home person periodically on the trail (if you have a
means to do so) and definitely from every town and/or resupply stop. There's
no sense wasting SAR time checking trail you've already covered. This also
gives you the opportunity to revise your schedule or routing, since while
planning is essential, no plan survives first contact with the trail.

Also provide the name and contact info for any motel or resort at which you
PLAN to stop - either for a re-supply or an overnight stay. Your at-home
people may be able to leave URGENT messages for you there, but don't ask
them to be a  casual message service. 

Incidentally, neither is the PCTA. They don't know you or what you have
planned, so please don't waste their time.

If you are facing such a potentially urgent issue at home or the office that
you absolutely MUST be reachable 24/7/365, I strongly suggest you rent a
satellite phone - regardless of the cost - or just stay home. 



Note - this input approved by my at-home spouse, who has some experience
with my hikes and the occasional "come save my a$$ ".


Wandering Bob







-----Original Message-----
From: pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net]
On Behalf Of Dennis Osborne
Sent: Sunday, March 27, 2011 1:39 PM
To: pct-l at backcountry.net
Subject: [pct-l] Emergency Notifications

What is a good way to get in touch with a hiker in case of an emergency or
other important need at home.  I assume its call the PCTA?  I don't plan to
carry a phone but will mail it to my resupply in bounce box, but will carry
a SPOT so folks can track my progress.  Is there a better approach for a
serious illness, etc. to get info to a hiker?
Thanks all...