[pct-l] when to ask for help

[meadowed at comcast.net (ed)]

I just got home from the CDT where i had to (make that call) for help!!!!!!!

 I drove Bill Jennings out to Chama NM where he roadwalked to Cumbers Pass
where we camped for the night. The next day i dropped him off at the
trailhead where he was heading north! I did not check his miles or maps as i
thought he was much more knowable about the area and his ability etc
etc...turns out he read his milage chart wrong by seeing this as 44 miles
whereas it was closer to 80....read the wrong line!!!!!!!!!on his chart!!!!!
He leaves with two dinners and thought the possibilty was he would see me in
two days at dusk, well i thought 3 days but nonetheless was at the pass by
dusk on fri. Sat night and no Bill???????day three now....then on sunday  i
saw a feller i knew from Aldha w that i had seen last year at Peter Grub
hut....not surprized in our small world to do so.....Paul had gotten out at
Ellenwood pass with a hitch into town and returned to WCP on sunday AM...he
had somw snow problems at Montazuma and went around the trail so did not see
Bill or any tracks but with daily rain thats common....Sunday night, day
four now!!!!!!what to do!!!!!For some reason i did not realize how many
miles he had to do as i DID NOT go over his trip plans with him!!!!!I then i
drove into town and make some phone calls to Bills friends as well as to his
cell phone!!!!no one had heard from him...i thought he had his GPS as well
with him but he did NOT have it anyway!!!!
Monday morning comes and at 9 am i sent word down that we had a problem here
at the pass, well by noon i went to town in case my message did not get
there. I went to the ranger station and they had gotten my message and was
in the beginning stages of getting a search going....i was impressed as all
they had to verify this was a piece of paper with a few details on it. Of
course when i got there the search kicked in to higher gear as they knew
more info now but thay had already notified the 4 countys involved...i met
with two marshals and a 3rd one on the speakerphone. Bill had started out of
Cumbers Pass so that was the county that was in control...They may have sent
up a helo that day but weather may have grounded it anyway so i am not
sure...
I had gotten a room at the same motel Bill and i had stayed at the week
before, i needed a place where i could be reached by the sheriff. I was able
to get a fax sent by kamp anza as to what bill looked like....by 4:45 i
called in to check with the sherrif and as i was talking to him he was
getting a message that they spoted Bill, this is tuesday night, day five!!!

So now its time to ponder here....did i wait too long? should i have waited
longer to call? I knew he only had two dinners but that was his problem not
mine! When the S/R feller checked Bills meds we saw he is taking heart
medication twice a day and the question ws how much extra meds did he have
in his pack? That single thing, meds, is what made me not wait longer then i
did. Water was a little concern but with snow and rain out there i was not
worried....he had Moaks shelter and a good rain outfit so weather was not a
problem....
I feel i did the right thing even though Bill may have to pay for the search
but he left me no choice here.....I have no guilt about this.....He could
have and perhaps should have gotten out at the road crossing  a full 24
hours earlier, well i had already alerted the S/R team, at least thay would
have not gone out the next day to look for him.
This brings up another little thought here that i call the unknow weight
problem. We have discussed this over and over as to the wight of your pack
reflexs on your fear factor....this is true for hikers as well as for your
support team, trail angles and other hikers out there with you who worry
about your turning up missing. We have seen some real sad tales on the trail
this year about missing hikers as well as the feller who drowned up in the
Sierras...
So when to ask for help? i think there are many answers to that question....
Meadow Ed