Emergency Plans of Action

[Rick M]

HJ

I think you’re set for signaling. If you are out in the winter I like to also carry matches or a lighter for warmth, melting snow, signaling, etc but you need to know how to make a fire in the cold damp windy environment that you might find yourself stranded in and reading about it is no substitute for trying it in non survival conditions. I used to hear/read a lot about solar stills and even survival instructors advocate them. When I would ask how much water they’ve gotten from them in the summer I’ve had some say they’ve never personally tried it. My experience has been dismal in the hot summer, marginal soon after a rain in favorable places at other times.

Lots of people talk about the "ten essentials". Back in the late '60s when I started as a back to nature hippie, many of the books back then were "woodcraft" oriented. When I looked at the Mounatineers Freedom of the Hills book, though primarily about climbing, it did give some useful hiking info. I found it strange that the woodcraft books talked about building shelters using a tarp and hacking down saplings while the mountaineers book talked about the ten essentials for the minimum but no shelter. I had a problem with it back in those days and I think the so-called ten essentials need to be adjusted for location and time of year.

Somewhere I once read 3 minutes without air, 3 hours without shelter, 3 days without water, and 3 weeks without food as a general guide for surviving. To me, some type of shelter should be paramount. I’ve used space blankets many times. I remember in a summer thunderstorm downpour while going up Devil’s Slide I stopped on the trail, I took it out and stayed perfectly dry under it while other hikers trudged by getting soaked. I caught up to the group up above getting stuff out to make camp and trying to “get dry”.

Anytime I go out I carry at least a space blanket (shelter, warmth, signaling, snow melter, lots of uses). On SAR missions I carry a space blanket, aluminized mylar emergency bag, and a custom made three person Gortex bivy bag for putting a hypothermic person between two warm bodies. On the marine we recently rescued, he was put into a sleeping bag with the bivy bag over it and the space blanket over that. In an hour or two he was warmed enough to be able to hike out under his own power (plus warm liquids and food). But again, I think people need to practice being out with what they normally carry.

The first time I tried out my newly constructed Gortex bivy sack was when a storm was forecast for Mt San Antonio. Thinking it would be a great time to try it I hiked up Baldy with my day pack (no sleeping bag) and got in my bivy sack when it started snowing. I survived but I thought a few hours into my ordeal that I should have conducted my “experiment” back down by my car with my sleeping bag nearby. I didn’t need to endure the whole night out in it in a snow storm.

I have mixed feelings about the PLBs. They are expensive and I think a survey of hiker/backpackers would show very few have them. For people in trouble, they work great and save time, expense, and lessen the risk to SAR people that otherwise would have to search a much larger area. Avalanche beacons are similar. Expensive, most skiers don’t have them but could save your life if you’re caught in an avalanche (incidentally, on the way up the gully we found the marine in earlier this month, we did have to retreat to the sides of the gully twice when a couple of snow slides came down from above). Because FRS radios are inexpensively mass produced, I’ve thought it would be great if the manufactures could incorporate a button or feature to use it as an ELT beacon…help find lost kids (and hikers). At very least, it could be a good selling point for a manufacturer. For group hiking, they do allow people to communicate if they get separated (I was on a search years ago where that happened and the separated person has still never been found). Perhaps this is getting off the original thread…maybe be a new thread? Maybe should post it under the 2 ways to lesson risk on the mountain.

Rick

[formerjarhead]

Concerning Halhiker’s comments, I was under the impression there is no need to send the rescue teams out for him. I have lost count on how many posts of his I have read in which he makes an argument against sending out SARs for people on the Skyline.

Now, with that aside, let me tell you guys (and gals) what changed my mind on leaving word behind and having all of the essentials (and then some).

I have been fortunate to never require rescue while in the wilderness. However, I cannot say the same in regards to the open ocean.

I resided in the Florida keys for a few years. During my time there I use to scuba dive solo on a regular basis. I am an experienced diver, diving since my active duty days in the Marine Corps. Contrary to popular belief, solo diving can be rather safe, if the right training & equipment are at hand.

The guys at the local tech diving shop would always try to sell me various safety items they insisted I should have on my solo dive. Things like a waterproof tube to hold flares and a rescue signal sock (a long fabric orange cone to inflate and display above the surface), as well as some form of a spare air.

One day the inevitable happened, I had a very serious incident while solo diving. I was at 60+ feet spearing fish over a small wreck when I ran out of air. My gauge had mal-functioned, so I was unaware of the problem until it was to late. I managed to kick my way to the surface and manually inflate my BC. However, while inflating my BC I drifted past the tag-line off the back of my boat. I soon found myself a-drift just off the reef line only 4+ miles from shore in a very swift current.

The only saving grace was that I had a planned radio check with the local SeaTow operator at a pre-arranged time. If not, I would not be hear to tell this story. SeaTow in-turn called the Coast Guard (CG) when I did not check in on time. The CG in turn sent out a 40 footer to check on me. However, without a rescue signal sock sticking up over the rollers, the Coast Guard vessel went right by me (within 100 yards) on the way to my boat (which was anchored). If I would have had flares in a waterproof container I could have signaled them. The CG spent close to 2 hours searching for me in the area of my boat. But I had already drifted substantially out of that immediate area. After close to 2 hours in the water a dive boat from a local shop spotted me as they passed within 30 yards of me (they plucked me out of the open ocean).

The next day I went to the local tech diving shop and bought the following; 1) a spare air, 2) a small pony bottle & reg, 3) flares, 4) a small VHF radio, 5) a rescue signal sock, and 6) a waterproof container to carry all of the aforementioned within.

The “lesson learned”, always leave word behind and always carry the essentials (and then some).

Before that lesson I was one of those guys who always said “I can rely on my experience and grit”.

[Hikin_Jim]

We're all immortal until our first serious accident or when someone close to us has a close call.

In 2001, I was back country skiing in Canada. I went down on a patch of hard ice covered by a mil or two of drifted powder. Didn't know it was hard as iron until I hit -- and screamed in pain. Couldn't stand up. A woman came over and said words I'll never forget: "Um, I don't think your leg is supposed to bend there." The good news is that I had plenty of cold wx gear. The bad news is that I went into shock and really wasn't mentally competent to make decisions on my own behalf. That mental incompetence was the scary part. To that point, whenever I had gotten into a jam, I'd always been mentally sharp. Having experience and being well prepared gear wise had always carried the day. In that moment when I lay in the snow helpless and in shock, my prepardness, conditioning, and equipment would have meant little or nothing had I been alone. People had to dress me in my own clothes (I was so out of it that the -9C temperature didn't even register). Thank God I did have the gear, but as I say, had I been solo, you wouldn't be reading a post from me right now. I had always assumed that I could rely on my wits and resourcefulness. I found out the hard way just how wrong I was.

I now no longer do true cross country* or winter travel solo; I always file a hike plan; and I always carry sufficient gear to survive an unplanned night out, not be comfortable, just not die.

The cold, hard reality of our vulnerability and mortality can hit us any time, often when we least expect it. Keep your mortality in the back of your mind and don't fall into the trap of "it won't happen to me."

OK, I'll get off my soapbox now. I recognize everyone has a right to determine what risk is appropriate for him/herself. I love adventure too. All I'm really trying to say is don't be of the mindset "I can always rely on my own resourcefulness." It ain't necessarily so.

'Nough said. Sorry for the rant.

*Use trails or well known routes I don't consider true cross country.

[Hikin_Jim]

Hey Hikin-Jim. I have pics of Ellen when she made her first summit to San Jacinto via C2C. Bloody legs etc. I do not know how to post them. Do you know how? Thanks. FIGHT ON.

Check out the 2nd post in this thread: http://www.palm-springs-photography.com ... .php?t=155

[FIGHT ON]

And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be humbled; and whosoever shall humble himself shall be exalted.
Matthew 23:12

Hikin-Jim and formerjarhead. Thank you for all the info. That's good advice.

and thank you for the link Hikin-Jim.

FIGHT ON

[magikwalt]

Some of the very bravest and very fitest still require rescue. It is a fact of life. If you venture towards the edge often enough, eventually, someone may have to come for you: and you will love the sight of them.

Unless you have contemplated dying for a long dark night you'll not understand the absolute love for those who came for you.

Blessed be those that give of themselves to rescue others!

I have both been rescued and rescued others in the time of need. Its very easy to believe it only happens to others less prepared.

[Ellen]

Howdy All

Needless to say, I will now have a detailed emergency plan of action for each hike.

Walt, your statements about SAR (and the scary hours) are spot on.

Semper Grateful to RMRU, this board and my family.

Ellen