View Full Version : "Lost" Shining Rock Hiker "Found"
Ramble~On
07-10-2008, 05:31
50 local folks (Fire fighters, Forest Service and Law Enforcement) were involved in a search Wednesday to find a local 23 year old in the Shining Rock Wilderness area in Western North Carolina.
:-? I'm not sure what exactly happened to him as he was found hiking down the Art Loeb Trail and was about a mile from the Boy Scout camp.
His Mother dropped him off on Tuesday...he planned on doing an overnighter and the article says he was just about on time Wednesday...so why the rescue ? He had a satellite beacon.
Maybe I missed something in this article:
http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200880709107
It doesn't say if he had a map, guidebook or any outdoor experience but he did have a personal rescue beacon and I guess that was good enough.
If everybody who has one of these little devices goes out into the woods and signals because they're not sure where they are and they're tired...it's gonna get real busy for S&R folks which will pull a number of them away from being able to respond to other "emergencies".
Odd Thomas
07-10-2008, 06:04
It doesn't make sense that he'd need to be rescued, he signaled as soon as it got light out, he was planning on overnighting anyway. Maybe he was just testing it. :)
boarstone
07-10-2008, 06:44
those S&R folks need to send him a bill for they're time..."This is a test, pay and you pass, don't and you won't..."
For Sale: One-time hiker's emergency satellite beacon! :eek: :p
I saw this on TeeVee this morning and came here to find out what was going on. The article states:
“We were heading toward him, he was heading toward us, and we cut him off at the pass,” Shuping said. “He was lost, and he was tired, and he needed help, so we got him out.”
So, he needed help. I guess that's a good enough explanation for me.
kayak karl
07-10-2008, 07:51
“He was lost, and he was tired, and he needed help, so we got him out.”
That was the end of the interview! im sure hes answering alot more questions right now.
hope he bought the insurance package that came with that satilite locator :D
NICKTHEGREEK
07-10-2008, 09:03
Well it worked and as far as that goes it's good training for the rescue folks, but it would be a shame to see it abused like cell phone calls for rescue. Wonder if they had problems with field comms to/from the satellite folks who would most likely send updates on the lost guy's position as the rescue progressed.
As an old guy I still like the old concept of UHF/VHF Guard beacons with voice backup that work with airplanes and ground units.
This "who needs a map that I can't read anyway? I have a beacon." mentality could create some new issues for search and rescue. Maybe they should require a lesson in map reading and backwoods skills before handing out those beacons. :-?
I saw this on the local news last night, as well, and could not figure it out. He was on an overnighter, had not been missing...at all..., and was just tired and 'LOST'. I can't agree with the 'LOST' part if he was hiking toward them on the Art Loeb. There might be a little more to it than that since they did send out S&R. Who knows...it's sad that S&R had to be called if there was no true emergency.
wilconow
07-10-2008, 11:43
I saw this on the local news last night, as well, and could not figure it out. He was on an overnighter, had not been missing...at all..., and was just tired and 'LOST'. I can't agree with the 'LOST' part if he was hiking toward them on the Art Loeb. There might be a little more to it than that since they did send out S&R. Who knows...it's sad that S&R had to be called if there was no true emergency.
It's possible he thought he was lost, but wasn't. Especially in the Wilderness area where there is no signs or blazes
Strangest part of the article to me is that other hikers reporting seeing the kid. IF this was after he thought he was lost, why did he continue on himself?
envirodiver
07-10-2008, 11:46
Maybe the signal should have gone to his Mommy instead of S&R.
It's possible he thought he was lost, but wasn't. Especially in the Wilderness area where there is no signs or blazes
Strangest part of the article to me is that other hikers reporting seeing the kid. IF this was after he thought he was lost, why did he continue on himself?
That's exactly what I did not understand. He might have made the mistake of calling mom and saying ' I'm not sure where I am' and she freaked out.
maybe The Signal Should Have Gone To His Mommy Instead Of S&r.
Heehee:d
Incahiker
07-10-2008, 12:52
It's possible he thought he was lost, but wasn't. Especially in the Wilderness area where there is no signs or blazes
Strangest part of the article to me is that other hikers reporting seeing the kid. IF this was after he thought he was lost, why did he continue on himself?
Ya, figure he could have talked to them and have asked for directions.
humunuku
07-10-2008, 12:56
Especially in the Wilderness area where there is no signs or blazes
It funny how many sign and blazes are popping up in Shining rock... Was just there last weekend and Big East fork is Blazed on the lower section and Old Butt Knob trail has a new wood sign posted off of shining creek trail.
Ramble~On
07-10-2008, 14:48
I am not sure of what exactly happened here...but for whatever reason this guy figured he needed help and he got it. No S&R person would argue that being a bad outcome.
I have no idea what kind of experience in hiking this guy has but the area he was in is full of trails and open balds where a simple glance from the top of any of them will give you a pretty good idea of where you are.
He was from Canton, NC - this is pretty much his backyard (maybe he's new to the area?)
Shining Rock is surrounded by roads - very well used roads NC 215, NC 276 and the Blue Ridge Parkway...
People new to hiking in Shining Rock often have some confusion around Shining Rock Gap...the Art Loeb here runs through the small grassy area and then skirts the left side of Shining Rock. There's a spiderweb of smaller trails here and it could cause some confusion...but "lost" and needing a rescue beacon and 50 people to come "help" you because you are "lost" and "tired" is a waste of resources and very expensive.
Kudos to everyone who had anything to do with the search - they did a great job.
As for the guy who was "lost" I'm sure he could hear the rifle and shotgun range at the Boy Scout Camp which he was heading towards on the obvious, well used and likely soon to be blazed Art Loeb Trail.
Slickrock Creek Wilderness used to be a textbook wilderness area that provided a true "wilderness" experience but due to too many S&R's like this current one the FS folks had had enough and they put up signs all over the place. With these signs more and more people who wouldn't otherwise now find the confidence to venture beyond where they probabaly should.
No worries though cause now these people just need to buy a rescue beacon and help will be the push of a button away.:rolleyes:
I really hope to see a follow up article explaining that this guy was given a bill for his rescue..or atleast that he offered up some gas money for the volunteers who don't have city, state or federal funding for their travels to and from frivolous calls like this one.
Ramble~On
07-11-2008, 03:01
A follow up article gives a little more information about this incident..
I'm not picking on him or the beacons but as this article points out there could be a growing number of searches conducted to find people with these devices who are not in a situation that warrants a S&R operation.
This hiker was doing an 11 mile overnight hike from Black Balsam parking area to Camp Daniel Boone...The route of the Art Loeb Trail.
He wasn't injured, was 23 years old but nothing is mentioned of his physical condition. I dare say he didn't have a map or he did have one but had no idea what to do with it or how to read it.
I imagine with the growing number of these things being sold there will be many, many more stories of people being pulled from places where they should not have been...and the taxpayers will........
Edit: Yeah...duh, I forgot to link to the article...thanks wilconow!
wilconow
07-11-2008, 09:22
Do you mean this article?
Use Locator Beacons Cautiously (http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080711/NEWS01/80710124)
oh i found this:
http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080709/HAYWOODCOUNTYNEWS01/80709040/1019/OUTDOORS
Shuping said Brechner is not extremely experienced, having only started the sport about a month ago. But he was in the area once before.