View Full Version : Hikers rescued after spending week lost in the Everglades
http://www.nbc-2.com/story/37027420/hikers-rescued-after-spending-week-lost-in-everglades
Hey, all you WB members who are way over on the "Judging" side of the Myers-Briggs Judging/Perceiving continuum, why not just skip over a thread like this just this once? Take it as self-evident that this pair of hikers made some mistakes and move on. Thank you.
rocketsocks
12-08-2017, 19:51
No can do, anymore, my spidey sense starts goin’ off and I gotta ask myself...did they really get lost. Glad they got found though.
Feral Bill
12-08-2017, 20:00
We all mess up from time to time. If we are lucky, we live and learn.
Which Way
12-08-2017, 20:17
We were hiking in Arizona last week, and leaving a difficult trail. I told my wife I thought heard something up the mountain, but never saw anything. A few minutes later, a lady and her 8 year old son came running up to my wife and I. She said they had been lost. I asked her which trail she came in on, and she told me me, but before I could give her directions she asked if they could just follow us out and give them a ride to their car. I said sure and made sure they water; her son had a camelback with plenty of water left in it. She was almost in tears in when she caught up with us. I felt sorry for her, because the trail was now well marked in places.
Slo-go'en
12-08-2017, 21:35
I can see how one could get lost in the Everglades pretty easy. It looks the same in all directions and blazing is likely thin. But I don't see how a map by it's self would help, you at least need a compass to know which way to go. If they could call 911, they should at least have had a map and compass app the phone.
handlebar
12-09-2017, 13:15
I remember Great Cypress as being well-blazed, but the water was only about 2 feet deep. Never saw nor heard alligators there, but did elsewhere on the FT.
Slo-go'en
12-09-2017, 17:27
I remember Great Cypress as being well-blazed, but the water was only about 2 feet deep. Never saw nor heard alligators there, but did elsewhere on the FT.
Either way, I'll stick to the mountains thank you very much :)
rocketsocks
12-09-2017, 18:03
Technically it’s wading, not hiking. :D
I have hiked on wet Florida trails, once across a cow pasture that was boggy and had at least one alligator that my dog spotted. Not fun and we cut the trip short. I’m glad these fellows got out ok. Wild hogs and snakes are also a big problem.
Furlough
12-10-2017, 07:52
Hey, all you WB members who are way over on the "Judging" side of the Myers-Briggs Judging/Perceiving continuum, why not just skip over a thread like this just this once? Take it as self-evident that this pair of hikers made some mistakes and move on. Thank you.
Great Post Map Man. Thankfully I had just set my coffee mug down before I read this.
Hey Mods - Figure out a way to make the spirit and intent of the above post a pop up disclaimer before anyone can post.
Furlough
Hey, all you WB members who are way over on the "Judging" side of the Myers-Briggs Judging/Perceiving continuum, why not just skip over a thread like this just this once? Take it as self-evident that this pair of hikers made some mistakes and move on. Thank you.Hey, if everybody that disagrees with me could just go away and not respond that would be great.
You add all that water into the mix and its a whole different ball game. The everglades is a huge area with few roads and other marks of civilization. You get lost in the middle of there and its not like you can just say "if I walk in this direction I'll eventually find my way out." You might be walking through waist deep water with no dry land in sight when dark comes.
Uncle Joe
12-10-2017, 10:57
I can see how one could get lost in the Everglades pretty easy. It looks the same in all directions and blazing is likely thin. But I don't see how a map by it's self would help, you at least need a compass to know which way to go. If they could call 911, they should at least have had a map and compass app the phone.
You have to make sure your smartphone compass is calibrated often. I've seen mine be nearly 180 degrees out.
cmoulder
12-10-2017, 11:07
We all mess up from time to time. If we are lucky, we live and learn.
^^^^This.
This incident registers pretty high on my stupidometer, but on a few occasions I've come close to being in situations that others would have said were moronic. For example, being on the top of Kings Peak in Utah at 3pm as summer thunderstorms were rolling in. Made it out totally fine but it could have easily gone very badly.
johnspenn
12-10-2017, 12:48
I appreciate the difficulty of "hiking" in waist deep water for a few days straight.
I do have one question tho... how do you "lose" a tent?
The 911 call (http://www.naplesnews.com/story/news/local/2017/12/08/missing-hikers-found-everglades-friday/934284001/)has been released.
I kinda got the idea that they weren't as much lost...as just behind schedule and running out of provisions
nsherry61
12-10-2017, 18:48
. . . I do have one question tho... how do you "lose" a tent?
The same way you loose your map?
Since there were two of them, it makes me wonder, did they only have one map to share? They apparently had a phone, probably a smart phone? What about a map on their phone? . . . I'm guessing these guys weren't really appropriately prepared either mentally or otherwise for this adventure.
Hey, all you WB members who are way over on the "Judging" side of the Myers-Briggs Judging/Perceiving continuum, why not just skip over a thread like this just this once? Take it as self-evident that this pair of hikers made some mistakes and move on. Thank you.
Um...thats not what Judging means in the Meyers-Briggs test. They arent judgemental.
I kinda got the idea that they weren't as much lost...as just behind schedule and running out of provisions
Kinda like the lady who climbed Mt Washington and called 911 because she was tired?
Redrowen
12-11-2017, 14:06
I'm going on a 3 day Big Cypress National Preserve solo trip making my way up to I-75 in first week of February. A map is about useless out there for most people, you're better off carrying a traditional compass than relying on a phone compass or map. What I find interesting is some of the reports on this incident states they ran out of water while being surrounded by water. :banana It's obvious these two were not prepared to face the realities of the swamp.
saltysack
12-11-2017, 14:23
I'm going on a 3 day Big Cypress National Preserve solo trip making my way up to I-75 in first week of February. A map is about useless out there for most people, you're better off carrying a traditional compass than relying on a phone compass or map. What I find interesting is some of the reports on this incident states they ran out of water while being surrounded by water. :banana It's obvious these two were not prepared to face the realities of the swamp.
Just curious how your working logistics for this section.....shuttle? Parking safe at rest area?
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Just curious how your working logistics for this section.....shuttle? Parking safe at rest area?
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I did this section last season (https://whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php/123533-Section-hike-update). There is a hiker parking lot on the other side of I75 from the rest area. I had no problems leaving my car there for a couple of days. I am fortunate to have a friend in Hollywood provide my shuttle. I read on the Facebook Florida Trail Hikers forum there is a FTA member providing shuttles out of Miami for a very reasonable price.
saltysack
12-11-2017, 16:37
I did this section last season (https://whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php/123533-Section-hike-update). There is a hiker parking lot on the other side of I75 from the rest area. I had no problems leaving my car there for a couple of days. I am fortunate to have a friend in Hollywood provide my shuttle. I read on the Facebook Florida Trail Hikers forum there is a FTA member providing shuttles out of Miami for a very reasonable price.
Great thx! Looks like will be in Miami soon and would also have 2 Days one night.
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I have to ask:
Who in their right mind would enter the Everglades without a proper boat? I’m not talking about a stink pot either.
It boggles the mind.
Wayne
saltysack
12-11-2017, 19:42
I have to ask:
Who in their right mind would enter the Everglades without a proper boat? I’m not talking about a stink pot either.
It boggles the mind.
Wayne
Does a paddleboard count?
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I thought about you when I was typing. It counts! A lot more than trying to hike through the Everglades.
Are folks still running the 200 mile race for beach launched boats around south Florida?
Wayne
I thought about you when I was typing. It counts! A lot more than trying to hike through the Everglades.
Are folks still running the 200 mile race for beach launched boats around south Florida?
Wayne
Yep! Still running.
http://www.watertribe.com/events/evergladeschallenge/
Awesome event!
Wayne
saltysack
12-11-2017, 21:10
Yep! Still running.
http://www.watertribe.com/events/evergladeschallenge/
Awesome event!
Wayne
That’s it....2 attempts down...maybe thirds a charm! I only made it to Everglades city/ Chokoloskee....by far the craziest, hardest thing I’ve done....
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Redrowen
12-12-2017, 14:29
Just curious how your working logistics for this section.....shuttle? Parking safe at rest area
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This is my neck of the woods or I should say swamp. I live in Southwest Florida. My daughter is dropping me off at Oasis Visitor Center the day before I start. I'll hike north for three days and a buddy of mine is picking me up at the Rest Area on I75.
https://www.nps.gov/bicy/planyourvisit/maps.htm
The Old Chief
12-12-2017, 19:01
This is my neck of the woods or I should say swamp. I live in Southwest Florida. My daughter is dropping me off at Oasis Visitor Center the day before I start. I'll hike north for three days and a buddy of mine is picking me up at the Rest Area on I75.
https://www.nps.gov/bicy/planyourvisit/maps.htm
Unless you have some kind of special arrangement there's nowhere to stay at Oasis if you get there a day before you start.
Get there on the morning you want to start and 7 mile camp is very easy to reach.
Redrowen
12-12-2017, 19:51
Unless you have some kind of special arrangement there's nowhere to stay at Oasis if you get there a day before you start.
Get there on the morning you want to start and 7 mile camp is very easy to reach.
I'm Meeting some friends at Oasis who will be camping in the area and was going to hang out with them for a night, but I did plan on going out to 7 Mile Camp if they had a change in plans.
saltysack
12-12-2017, 20:30
I did this section last season (https://whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php/123533-Section-hike-update). There is a hiker parking lot on the other side of I75 from the rest area. I had no problems leaving my car there for a couple of days. I am fortunate to have a friend in Hollywood provide my shuttle. I read on the Facebook Florida Trail Hikers forum there is a FTA member providing shuttles out of Miami for a very reasonable price.
I’m not on FB you mind sharing info?
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maps are good for kindling and wiping in a swamp but unless you count steps and use ranger beads not much else. before gps and many times after I used dead reckoning and a compass to get out while hunting or scouting and always take a compass even if I have a gps with me. I have come close to spending the night twice and was reigned to but made it out both times by happenstance... but that's a long story.
creek
maps are good for kindling and wiping in a swamp but unless you count steps and use ranger beads not much else. before gps and many times after I used dead reckoning and a compass to get out while hunting or scouting and always take a compass even if I have a gps with me. I have come close to spending the night twice and was reigned to but made it out both times by happenstance... but that's a long story.
creek
I think its hard for people to believe that everything looks alike and that even when you stop to rest for a few minutes you need to confirm your direction of travel.
http://www.nbc-2.com/story/37027420/hikers-rescued-after-spending-week-lost-in-everglades
http://www.insideedition.com/hikers-stranded-florida-everglades-survive-despite-gators-and-venomous-snakes-39078
"911, what is the address of your emergency?" the dispatcher said.
"We're not sure," he told the dispatcher.
perdidochas
01-16-2018, 18:44
Hey, all you WB members who are way over on the "Judging" side of the Myers-Briggs Judging/Perceiving continuum, why not just skip over a thread like this just this once? Take it as self-evident that this pair of hikers made some mistakes and move on. Thank you.
What good would the thread be if we just said that? People should learn from reading about incidents like this, and that involves making judgement calls.
StichBurly
01-17-2018, 06:15
I think its hard for people to believe that everything looks alike and that even when you stop to rest for a few minutes you need to confirm your direction of travel.
It's very true. When standing in the in the swamp sometimes there is no trail on the ground to follow. Very easy to get lost.
41600
Other times the trail is really easy to follow.
41599
Im glad they got out safe.
BlackCloud
01-17-2018, 10:07
It's very true. When standing in the in the swamp sometimes there is no trail on the ground to follow. Very easy to get lost.
41600
Other times the trail is really easy to follow.
41599
Im glad they got out safe.
That's not a hiking trail. I'm not sure what it is, but it isn't a hiking trail. No way. And if they were lost, how did the police find know where to go to find them?
You have to make sure your smartphone compass is calibrated often. I've seen mine be nearly 180 degrees out.
Here here. If in a remote area of the Glades I want a real compass. I don't want to be wading around in the dark in that situation. Easy enough to miss a blaze or two in flooded areas last time I was there which admittedly was 15 yrs ago..
That's not a hiking trail. I'm not sure what it is, but it isn't a hiking trail. No way. And if they were lost, how did the police find know where to go to find them?
I'm sure the Collier County Sheriffs Department is well aware of where the FT is through Big Cypress. A heli covers that segment in probably less than 10 mins. Looks like the hikers were out in the open making rescue easier.
I would very much like to hear the type of hiking the hikers are most familiar.