Good reason to pee in ziplock, and take care of other business before turning in.Originally Posted by RADHiker
WHO - are you going to tell us what happened in your encounter?
Last year a father and two small children froze to death in just such a situation. It was a nice sunny day in the 60s so they weren't dressed very warmly, but as night fell and it started to rain they were in big trouble. They missed the fork in the trail that would have led them back to the campground they were staying at, so when they sent out a search party they were looking in the wrong area.
However, given the scenario you just outlined, I wouldn't necessarily assume anything was wrong. What if they had already set up their camp somewhere nearby and all of their gear was there? What if they had left their gear in the shelter and went out for a hike after dinner. You never really know in these situations.
Last April, I managed to secure a campsite reservation at Bright Angel Campground at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. After passing Indian Garden, I noted the Park Service signs warning day hikers not to proceed further; anyone with any wherewithal should have the common sense to know not to go further but the signs reinforce that. After another few miles, I met two young Latino guys hiking up with daypacks, asking me how much further they had to go. 15 minutes later, a young Latina woman hiking alone asked me the same. "Are you with the 2 guys up ahead?" "Yes." "You have a ways to go - hope you get there before dark. You got water?" She was out of water.
But the worse was yet to come: within sight of the river, another young Latina woman was hiking up slowly and painfully. "How much further to the rim?" I thought to myself, jeez, you just hiked it today. Aloud: "Sweetheart, you're not going to make it before dark. Do you have any water?" She didn't. All I could do was give her a little water. I suppose I could have torpedoed my whole hike and walked up with her but frankly, I didn't even think of that at the time (I'm not the fastest thinker around, LOL). Bottom line, I didn't hear any stories when I returned the next day so I guess disaster didn't strike. It made me wonder how many ill-prepared people have met the worst fate. These folks, especially the last one, either hiked in darkness (dangerous in the GC or spent the night along the trail). A tragedy waiting to happen.
If nothing else, the 4 of them should have stuck together. The 2 guys were very irresponsible to get so far ahead but perhaps the intense sun (even in April) affected their judgement.
Just this past summer I was hiking Breakneck and was approached by a woman hiking without a pack. She just had one small water bottle (16oz or so). She also had three young boys (under 12) with her and a dog that promptly collapsed in my bit of shade. It was at least 95 degrees out. When she reached me I was at the top of the mountain. She asked me what the quickest way down was. I told her I could point out her options on her map...which she didn't have. She had passed the trail she wanted by about .75 miles. I showed her mine and described what color markers she'd be looking for on her way. I asked her if she needed water for her, her boys, or her dog. She showed me her half empty bottle and told me they were all set. I very gently told her that she might want to let the dog have some of that water and a break in the shade before heading down...and they quickly took off in the wrong direction.
I see so many city slickers hitting the Hudson Highland trails every weekend I can't stop to try and help them all. The majority are wearing sandals and toting small dogs. I rarely see more than a tiiny amount of water, if any. I would say of the folks I've talked to MAYBE 1/10 carry a map. I frequently ask people about snakes and get puzzled looks when I mention the 5+ rattlers I passed on my way to that point.
Being a novice is one thing. Being naive is another. We were all beginners at one point, but I've never been quite that unprepared or unaware of my surroundings. I saw someone step on a copperhead and didn't even know.
"I only went out for a walk, and finally concluded to stay out til sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in." -John Muir
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