especially mr. knight. in the future maybe he won't be so hard headed about hiking aloneOriginally Posted by Tin Man
arson?........
Arson?
Kinda my thoughts as well.
Certainly not to take anything away from his safe return but, was it really necessary to set the woods on fire, considering all of the technology available today for being located when lost.
Perhaps Ryan Jordan and Backpacker Light could provide him with GPS Beacon (or whatever you call those things) or better yet, require him as an "employee" to take one with him when he hikes from now on.
"I was once lost but, now I'm found."
"Like the confluence of two streams, dreams & reality are joined, flowing as one. I know how lucky I am." - Cody GA-ME 2010
100% agreed.
He should be thankful, humbled, and embarrassed over this ordeal. After refusing help when he thought he didn't need it, he was forced to ask for it when he really did.
We all need to realize that we need others, even those of us (me for one) who often hike alone. I'd like to say that I wouldn't have done what he did, but knowing myself, I probably would have.
I'm glad he was found and hope he continues to hike for many more years - but not alone.
As I live, declares the Lord God, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn back from his way and live. Ezekiel 33:11
I had the same thoughts as well. Then I remembered something from a documentary about Chris McCandless ("The Call Of The Wild" by Ron Lamothe.) Some of the residents said that is the first thing they would do if they needed to be found in the wilderness and couldn't make it out themselves, start a forest fire.
But if you think about it, whats a few hundred trees compared to a human life?
Glad Ken made it out to hike another day!
Hindsight about a hiker that all accounts that know him was an accomplished hiker.
With that said, how many hikers that you know, carry the 10 essentials every time they go out?
1. Map
2. Compass (optionally supplemented with a GPS receiver)
3. Sunglasses and sunscreen
4. Extra food and water
5. Extra clothes
6. Headlamp/flashlight
7. First aid kit
8. Fire starter
9. Matches
10. Knife
Just heard on the 1100 news, he has been found. Hungry, but otherwise OK.
WalkingStick"75"
Only, this guy wasn't in the wilderness. He was a mile from the road, according to the news report.
I feel redeemed for having said hikers often show up after a week.
If only my stock market calls had gone so well.
I will say this: those without a fundamental disability like legal blindness have a hard time comprehending the intense need to be independent and not a burden on anybody else.
Clearly Ken took it too far this time but it no doubt served him well a zillion times right up until it didn't anymore.
I'm legally blind in one eye and wouldn't want to be out in the woods with what little I can see with it. But if something ever happens to the good one, good luck keeping me off the trail.
As far as he knew, he was. Would most hikers know when they are a mile from a road?
Unless it is in an "above treeline" area probably not. Trees do a lot of insulating in regards to sound, etc....
This is fantastic news. I can't wait until Ken writes about this ordeal.
Do you think he realized so many folks were searching the area close to where he was found? Maybe that's what made him decide to start the signal fire?
He was, in retrospect, damned lucky the fire didn't get him.
Haven't read anything yet about the fire--may we assume it got extinguished?
a man was lost and now is found. kinda like me .sep he aint got bearpaw. or jesus ill bet.
matthewski
I've seen several examples of people starting wildfires when they got lost, from the Boundary Waters to Alaska. Sometimes they do it on purpose, sometimes their warming or signal fires got away. The trouble is a "little forest fire" might get to be giant thousands-of-acres fire! The odds are good, though, that if McCandless had lit a wildfire he would have been found.
Another common cause of fires is people burning toilet paper. Just something to think about.
A spot would have saved the trees
I wonder why he didn't carry a SPOT? If he had carried a SPOT, he would have been found quickly.I've seen several examples of people starting wildfires when they got lost, from the Boundary Waters to Alaska. Sometimes they do it on purpose, sometimes their warming or signal fires got away. The trouble is a "little forest fire" might get to be giant thousands-of-acres fire! The odds are good, though, that if McCandless had lit a wildfire he would have been found.
Another common cause of fires is people burning toilet paper. Just something to think about.
Shutterbug
Read the full updated version of the story on The News & Advance website. It may answer some of your questions. No one here is considering this arson.
http://www.newsadvance.com/lna/news/...r_found/15648/
And I have to say, the writer here is brilliant.
Do you carry one? Just askin....
Starting a fire in the bush of Alaska is a little different than starting a fire a mile from a road in Virginia. This shouldn't be encouraged as something hikers should do when lost on the AT.I've seen several examples of people starting wildfires when they got lost, from the Boundary Waters to Alaska. Sometimes they do it on purpose, sometimes their warming or signal fires got away. The trouble is a "little forest fire" might get to be giant thousands-of-acres fire! The odds are good, though, that if McCandless had lit a wildfire he would have been found.
Another common cause of fires is people burning toilet paper. Just something to think about.
NH would probably charge this guy for the cost of his rescue. I would disagree with that. However, if that fire caused any property damage, I would certainly think he should be charged for THAT.
Yes I do.
In fact, you can see one of the hikes I made last week here:
http://share.findmespot.com/shared/f...HzKtqhP5XpPu7f
It shows up best if you use the "Hybrid" view.
Ignore the last few tracks. I forgot to turn the spot off when I came off of Mt. Wrightson.
Shutterbug
I agree it absolutely should not be encouraged! But as an absolute last resort....
And it sounds like he had started a small signal fire, knowing that people were searching for him but then it got out of control.
You keep saying he was only a mile from the road. He did not know that as most hikers would not know. This isn't I-95 or anything close but a state road in rural VA.
I'm not saying there are not things he could have done to minimize this situation, but most hikers do not do the minimum to keep themselves safe.
Posting Permissions
