[pct-l] "Am Lost"

[Diane Soini of Santa Barbara Hikes]

I got truly lost twice on my 2009 PCT hike.

First time I was not on the PCT, but hiking TO the PCT. I lost my way  
because I mistook illegal motorcycle trails for the real trail. I  
went the wrong way knowingly because I could not find a way through  
the brush to the correct canyon. I got confused because even though I  
was in the wrong canyon, I was passing landmarks noted on the map:  
springs and camp sites. I soon lost any sort of trail at all and  
fought my way down the creek for 4 hours. I was in a panic and had no  
idea where I was. I emerged on the road near Hardluck campground at  
exactly 4pm which was exactly what time I had expected to be there  
had I gone the right way. This made me feel even more confused. I got  
to my camp that afternoon and spent a long time looking at the map  
before I figured out where I had been.

The second time was on the PCT near Sonora Pass. I got up to  
Emmigrant pass and lost the PCT. I wandered all over the place trying  
to find it, trying to find the landmarks that the PCT Wilderness  
Press guide book said would be there. I saw my hiking buddy coming up  
shortly behind me so I forged ahead. Then I no longer saw my hiking  
buddy and couldn't see where he could have gone. I backtracked and  
found a sign with the PCT marked on it but all the arrows were  
pointing in directions I had neither come from nor had been headed  
toward. No trail was to be seen anywhere due to snow. Nothing made  
sense. I could not place myself on the map. I knew which was was  
north, though, and I knew I was headed toward an east-west highway so  
no matter what I'd end up on the highway if I went north. So I forged  
ahead over Emmigrant Pass, found a trail and followed it. Followed  
fresh footprints, too. Eventually I realized I was headed to Kennedy  
Meadows North and even though it was going to add 11 extra miles, I  
was going to be eating ice cream soon so I was okay with it. My buddy  
was in panic mode, though, and was ready to call Search and Rescue if  
I didn't turn up in Bridgeport by the end of the day. Once I got to  
Bridgeport, I made a point to find a restaurant with outdoor seating  
so I could be easily seen if he happened to be walking around town.  
He was relieved to find me soon after I got my meal.

On Dec 9, 2012, at 10:00 AM, pct-l-request at backcountry.net wrote:

> From: Halmargolis at aol.com
> Subject: Re: [pct-l] "Am Lost"
>
> In a message dated 12/8/2012 10:00:09 A.M. Pacific Standard Time,
> pct-l-request at backcountry.net writes:
>
> After  reading Reinhold's description of being lost, I feel  
> compelled to
> add one to  the collection.  I discovered the TWO conditions  that  
> must occur
> (at least for me) to be actually LOST.   (1) It's not just being  
> bewildered
> by not knowing where  you are, but also (2) when you can't at first  
> figure
> 'which  way to go.  One of the other happens countless times on  
> the  PCT. But
> the two together, Ugh!  With me it was waiting for dawn, seeing  a  
> peak
> momentarily through an opening in the clouds, warming up my  frozen- 
> over
> compass, taking a bearing, pulling out a map,  taking another  
> bearing and walking
> to a trail leading to Idylwild.   I wonder if anyone else got LOST  
> and what
> brilliant,  fortunate or opportune measures were taken? Hal "Green  
> Hornet"
> Margolis