I saw at least one SERE person signed in at the trail register at the Poplar Lean-to. So some were definitely involved in the search.
[QUOTE=Marta;1516145]Not to hijack the discussion, but I learned last week that there are only about 300 wolverines in the world, about 30 of which live in GNP.
Hi...
As one who is quite familiar with wildlife in northern climes...I was skeptical about "there are only about 300 wolverines in the world". Could that have been a misprint?
Canada has an estimated 15,000 to 19,000 wolverines. Russa's estimate is slightly lower. They also exist in many other countries with Arctic-like climates, such as Alaska. (per Wicki).
I never separate from my pack. If you leave your pack on the trail and get turned around, you're lost and without your pack. Not to mention having it grabbed by a bear or person.Originally Posted by Drybones
"You're a nearsighted, bitter old fool."
I'm with you. Years ago, I had the opportunity to witness two bears ripping a couple of new Jansport packs to shreds. The packs' owners had left them beside the trail while they took a short side trail to a viewpoint.
There was a group of Marines (doing survival training) at the Poplar Leanto on the 28th. We met them as we were getting to that leanto that day. They all signed the register. One offered to swap his dinner (a live snake) for my gorp. I asked them if they were involved in the search. They said no, but was going to keep their eyes open. I told the team that I thought I could smell perfume. They said it was their lemon based bug dope. The curious thing is I met a man while I was climbing Poplar ridge that same day. He was wearing clothes that I would not consider great hiking or survival clothing. They were too new and some of them looked like cotton. He claimed he was part of a survival training operation in the area. He asked us if we smelled anything bad in the area. I said no. He said to watch out for the red taped area that was guarding a blood stain on the trail. He said the survival team was going to help in the search. Both the person and the team seemed to be honest, but one said they were involved and the other said they were not. When I got back from the hike, I told a few people about the marines. They said 'you mean navy'. I told them that they identified themselves as marines. Perhaps there was more than one group there that day.
In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years. - Abraham Lincoln
HUmmm......
The Marine Corps is a component of the United States Department of the Navy - that might account for the response you got.
What he was inferring was obvious. When I said no, he stated that some other hiker who had been in Iraq told him he could smell death. I didn't take much stock in that kind of cliché. Things die in the woods all the time. Perhaps that person smelled a dead moose. I certainly don't have that refined of a nose. Either way, I smelled nothing odd in the area except the perfume smelling bug dope the survivors were wearing. I told the person who asked us the question that I doubt I could smell anything beyond my own stink. Gratuitous comment: I wore no bug dope from the 2nd day into the 100-mile wilderness to the end of my hike. You get used to the bugs.HUmmm......
In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years. - Abraham Lincoln
I see... I highlighted your statement but the clothing part is kinda strange as well. Hummm....
Was that guy really going to eat that snake???? Please say no.. gross!!! I'd rather eat blueberries.
I guess the Marines are more hardcore than the Air Force. I visited the Air Force Academy after my junior year of high school for a week seminar, and they told us about SERE. They get dropped off in the woods, and are eventually given a dead rabbit to eat. Reportedly, you are trained to eat the eyeballs for salt/liquid content. Not sure of the procedure to eat snake, but I am guessing that it tastes "just like chicken..."
Anyway, do recall multiple SERE/Navy people signing the register. One was like, "I hope they find that lady", and another seemed to indicate that they were helping with the search.
Did you ever find out if there really was a section of the trail roped off because of a blood stain? It doesn't sound right. After all the rain and people tromping on the trail it seems like it would have to be a lot of blood to be detected by humans. And if it had been detected by the SAR dogs it seems as if it would have been reported as a "lead". I have felt all along that Gerry was abducted and that she's still alive, waiting to be rescued. And no, I'm not psychic. Perhaps it's just wishful thinking.
That might qualify as the understatement of the century. For the most part, the Girl Scouts are more hardcore than the Air Force.
The typical SERE class is made up of both USN and USMC students.
Not even drunk do we make that mistake.Only when being waterboarded do we admit to being part of the Navy!
Yes, he was going to eat the snake. I suggested bunchberries, blueberries, and indian cucumber (all in great supply). Another guy had a bow he made in the the woods. I told him that I hope he wasn't planning on shooting a deer and that I had only seen 3 since Baxter. The leader laughed and said if he shoots 1 that he was going to carry it out himself. I take it the guy in improper clothing was the secretary or something. He did not look prepared. Many people aren't.I see... I highlighted your statement but the clothing part is kinda strange as well. Hummm....
Was that guy really going to eat that snake???? Please say no.. gross!!! I'd rather eat blueberries.
In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years. - Abraham Lincoln
It tastes like a crunchy hotdog. The good news is they flip themselves.
In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years. - Abraham Lincoln
Yes. It was sectioned off by red tape. It was just 1 drop. I doubt it was old. I seriously doubt it was hers. We saw it on the 28th. It was on Poplar. She made it to Lone Mountain.
In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years. - Abraham Lincoln
I mostly posted to try and clear up why the SERE personnel might be referred to by some as "Navy", when in fact it was Marine Corps service members participating in the training. And, if I am not mistaken, the Navy actually does run the SERE training there in Maine. So the misunderstanding makes sense.
If I got an exMarine riled up, it was not (consciously) intended
He is not riled at you. If he was, you would know it. He is not shy. I think he is being tongue in cheek while showing Marine pride. I agree with your assessment. I now understand my confusion. I could not help but think that I was better equipped to survive in the woods than they were (even if you took all my food away). However, I suspect that after their training the opposite would be true.I mostly posted to try and clear up why the SERE personnel might be referred to by some as "Navy", when in fact it was Marine Corps service members participating in the training. And, if I am not mistaken, the Navy actually does run the SERE training there in Maine. So the misunderstanding makes sense.
If I got an exMarine riled up, it was not (consciously) intended
Last edited by BirdBrain; 08-13-2013 at 12:41.
In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years. - Abraham Lincoln
More hardcore than the Air Force re: SERE... Actually, I would not be surprised if the Air Force Academy took SERE more seriously than USMC/Navy. There is a lot of investment in those pilots, and two decades ago, about half of the Academy grads became pilots. Vietnam was not that much of a distant memory then, and captured pilots were not treated well, to say the least.
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