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BROeditor
07-11-2008, 15:31
Blue Ridge Outdoors is looking for survival and emergency stories from backpackers. Spent a few hours or days lost in the woods? Suffered hypothermia? Broke a leg on the trail? Been rescued? Helped rescue someone else? Bit by a poisonous snake?

We'll choose the best stories for print in an upcoming issue and also publish suggestions and tips from outdoor professionals about how to avoid emergency situations and what to do once you find yourself in common emergency situations.

Feel free to write about your trail tales in this forum, or send an email to [email protected].

Check out Blue Ridge Outdoors here: www.blueridgeoutdoors.com.

Thanks, and looking forward to hearing some tales.

Footslogger
07-11-2008, 15:42
I've got a hypothermia story for you if you're interested - - personal experience during my thru in 2003. PM me and we can work out the details. Too much information to put in a post.

'Slogger

fiddlehead
07-11-2008, 22:20
Blue Ridge Outdoors is looking for survival and emergency stories from backpackers.
Spent a few hours or days lost in the woods? Yes, a few times.
Suffered hypothermia? Yes,
Broke a leg on the trail? My hiking partner did once
Been rescued? He was flown out
Helped rescue someone else? Helped carry a rock climber out who broke: neck, back, 2 arms, 2 legs a few ribs. He lived!
Bit by a poisonous snake? No there's one i have no experience with.


You didn't mention spending a night out (in the snow) with nothing except a water bottle and lighter and rain gear at 9,000' Gives a whole new meaning to the 10 essentials. (you can spend all night thinking about what you wish you had)

modiyooch
07-12-2008, 09:57
The worst that has ever happened to me is getting one leg stuck 34" in a mudhole at the summit of a mt. I was alone, 17 miles deep. It was an effort to retrieve my leg AND BOOT. Then I had to walk briskly because I was wet from the mud and didn't want to get cold. It shook me up. I often wonder what would happen if a child had fallen in that mudhole. My initial thought and reaction was quicksand, but I realized that I had hit the bottom and wasn't sinking.

modiyooch
07-12-2008, 10:00
also, I did get lost once between my bear bag and my tent. The problem was that I didn't have my flashlight or warmer clothing with me at the time. Keep in mind, this was Oct 1980, I was alone, young, in SNP and extremely concerned about bears.

Wolf - 23000
07-12-2008, 14:36
You didn't mention spending a night out (in the snow) with nothing except a water bottle and lighter and rain gear at 9,000' Gives a whole new meaning to the 10 essentials. (you can spend all night thinking about what you wish you had)

What's wrong with that? I'm sure we have all been there.

Wolf

4eyedbuzzard
07-12-2008, 19:00
You didn't mention spending a night out (in the snow) with nothing except a water bottle and lighter and rain gear at 9,000' Gives a whole new meaning to the 10 essentials. (you can spend all night thinking about what you wish you had)


What's wrong with that?
High possibility of death comes to mind.


I'm sure we have all been there.

Wolf
Nope. Never even close. Don't plan on experiencing it either.

Homer&Marje
07-17-2008, 09:47
Drove to Virginia with the wife in the middle of a huge rainstorm. Wanted to check out surging waterfalls in Shenandoah Valley. Good plan Got there 3/8/08 with the best drive through clouds on skyline drive. Bout 2pm started hiking, it started raining again. Got to Dark Hollow falls, off dark hollow falls trail of course and found no good camping. Trail looked like \ / that with a raging river in between. Walked farther on and saw ominous clouds and knew 50mph windgusts were forecast. We found a 15' diameter spot of land next to the river so close you could feel the spray. Started to set up tent and golf ball size hail started out of the sky, unreal, seriously talk about panic attack. SO finally finished tent set up, soaked, everything covered in ice and water. Ate went to sleep at 530pm and 40-50mph gusts happened all night with temps near 15 F. woke up hypothermic with a 6 mile planned hike to an AT shelter. Painfull walk, heavy packs and first 4 miles uphill through icy mud. interesting. Met up with the AT at a skyline drive lookout and hiked a 1 sided ridge for 2.2 miles, 25 F was the temp with 40+ gusts ripping into us from our left bouncing off the wall behind us and hitting our right side. COLD! Got to Rock Springs Hut / Rock Springs Cabin aprox. 430pm very miserable but the next 3 days were probably some of the best ever. Best view of Stanly VA 6 miles away through this hollow in between two mountains. Sunsets were unreal, the people we met were the best. Chad and Brad from Detroit and the two girls with them. Best people ever!!! Remember when on the AT give what you can, take what you need, never assume, never be afraid to ask, and make friends, not enemies in the woods.