View Full Version : Adirondack Hiker Still Missing.
71 year old Frederick Gillingham is still missing in the Adirondacks after failing to return from a dayhike on October 12th. Almost certainly this will not end well, but hopefully the continuing search will reveal his fate and provide some peace of mind for his family and friends.
http://www.denpubs.com/html/ny/newspaper.php?id=19560
I always make sure, even on a day hike, to carry with me the minimum necessary to survive should something happen and I be stranded in the woods.
You never know...
Sad story. I was at RRG a couple of weeks ago and two 18 year old rock climbers died. Be careful out there folks..
A sad ending to this story, but hopefully relief and closure for the family.
http://www.wten.com/Global/story.asp?S=9374340
double j
11-23-2008, 00:32
I always make sure, even on a day hike, to carry with me the minimum necessary to survive should something happen and I be stranded in the woods.
You never know...
yupp im with u on that .sometimes i even carry a full pack ,minus a lil water n food.
tom_alan
11-25-2008, 19:20
I always make sure, even on a day hike, to carry with me the minimum necessary to survive should something happen and I be stranded in the woods.
You never know...
This is all too sad yet it happens a lot. It happens more often to hikers that are not experienced but I have seen it happen to some of the most experienced hikers that should know better than to go off trail. I’m sure that it helped bring some closer to the family; however, they will never understand why he was where he was. JMHO ~ If one hiker learns from his demise than what happened will not be in vain.
tom_alan
11-25-2008, 19:27
I always make sure, even on a day hike, to carry with me the minimum necessary to survive should something happen and I be stranded in the woods.
You never know...
yupp im with u on that .sometimes i even carry a full pack ,minus a lil water n food.
While hiking with my than three-year-old I twisted an ankle so bad that I couldn’t pack him out. It took 4 hours to hike what we should have done in 45 minutes. My son was a trooper that day. Since than I too carry more than I should on a day trip. It beats the alternative if you get caught out.
Bare Bear
11-26-2008, 17:08
We should all carry whatever we need to survive in the 'worst case scenario'. After thirty years of chartering boats all over Fl and the Caribbean I cleaned out and threw away thousands of dollars worth of old safety gear, packages of water, food, etc. that was never needed. Lots of Captains made sport of me for carrying all that extra expense and weight in the boat. But I never had a client lost, hurt more than a bandaid, or die on me.
nitewalker
11-26-2008, 19:28
anyone can get lost at anytime and whether u have extra survival gear or not u still mite end up dead. it only takes one good fall or one to many turns to end up in a bad way. a man of 72 yrs old should always be with someone else if planing to venture into the woods. anyone at 72 should not be alone out there[most]..people need to be alot more smart about what task they are trying to accomplish. the story has a sad outcome but maybe it will help other people make better choices be4 venturing out on their own especially the elderly.....People please be careful out there!!! peace, nitewalker
anyone can get lost at anytime and whether u have extra survival gear or not u still mite end up dead. it only takes one good fall or one to many turns to end up in a bad way. a man of 72 yrs old should always be with someone else if planing to venture into the woods. anyone at 72 should not be alone out there[most]..people need to be alot more smart about what task they are trying to accomplish. the story has a sad outcome but maybe it will help other people make better choices be4 venturing out on their own especially the elderly.....People please be careful out there!!! peace, nitewalker
Well, I'm always reasonably careful. But come on Nitewalker, don't give me that crap. I'm six months shy of 80. If I didn't walk the woods alone, no one would enjoy going with me. I need to set my own pace, look at those things that interest me, clip that brush that blocks the trail. Not many people want to walk my pace, and keep up with my interests. It's far better to walk alone.
I tell my wife where I'll be, and who to contact if I don't show up. But my plan is to walk as long as walking is possible, whether anyone wants to come along or not.
Death is a part of life. And is inevitably lonely, I suspect. Having lived through several long and painful deaths of others, I'm not afraid of dying in the woods. IN fact I can't think of a better way to go. Can you?
I lead a couple of guided walks annually -- and will continue to do so as long as people keep showing up.
But for most of the year I walk alone, and will continue to do so for as long as one foot goes in front of the other.
Weary
Bulldawg
11-26-2008, 23:14
We went out today for a six mile hike on the AT in the Nantahalas. I always carry at the minimum a sleeping bag and food for 2 days when I go out with my kids. Thank God I have never needed any of it, but I always figure better safe than sorry. I guess I am rubbing off on my kids, because my eight year daughter now packs her own pack, and showed up this morning with a full pack with a sleeping bag in it. Better safe than sorry she said.
But for most of the year I walk alone, and will continue to do so for as long as one foot goes in front of the other.
Perfect segue into Thanksgiving. :sun We give thanks... for legs and lungs that will still take us into the woods.
StubbleJumper
11-27-2008, 03:46
I'm with Weary. I hike alone all the time, often in lightly travelled areas. I do this in summer and winter. I take the few basic bits of equipment that are recommended just in case something should occur and I usually tell somebody roughly where I'm going. But we cannot mitigate every risk in our environment....nor would I want to. It is entirely possible that some time I fall through the ice when snowshoeing across a lake or that I will take a tumble down a cliff while hiking, which could ultimately lead to my demise. However, getting out to the woods is too important. I'll take those risks willingly, just as I am comfortable with the risk that I incur in driving to the trail head.
tom_alan
11-27-2008, 04:42
I was climbing a 14’er here in Colorado on Monday. They were doing some trail maintenance and had the main trail closed. There was also snow on the mountain. For about 45 minutes I had lost the trail. I realized than how someone could get off trail without knowing it. Although at the time I was above tree line, had a GPS, and had a general idea if where I had to go as I descended, I was a little nervous. Had I lost the trail in the wooded part of the climb I would not have gone as long without searching for the trail. How it turned out was that because I was above tree line and had been on the mountain before I was able to regain the trail higher up. The real question in my mind was could I bivouac with what I had with me? I had a stove, tea & coco (I usually melt snow for my tea or coco once I get to the summit this time of year), some sport drinks, a space blanket and 2 oranges. I also had two trekking poles and some light rope. Using the trekking poles, rope, and space blanket I feel I could have made a shelter and made it through the night. But I really don’t want to put it through the test if I don’t have to. I think it all boils down to how much risk you are willing to take?
As nitewalker says, "People please be careful out there!!!"
Tom
Thanks Weary.....well said!
No one should hike alone in any season, ever:rolleyes:
Do as i say, not as i do...
my condolences to the mans family and friends
Montana Mac
11-27-2008, 11:24
To reinforce Weary’s statement I have and will hike by myself. If I died in the woods it sure as hell beats dying some other place I could die.
I have had the privilege of hiking in the Rockies and plan on doing more of that, either alone or with a hiking partner. When I do die, my ashes will be scattered off a drop off in the Rockies (no I will not enter into a discussion of LNT or pollution) that I have identified to some friends and is also entered into my GPS. I cannot think of a place I would rather choose for my final resting place! If I die while hiking in certain parts of the Rockies I might become griz fodder – and that would be okay with me. Life is what you make it – you can’t get out of it alive so enjoy it before you lose it!
Well, I'm always reasonably careful. But come on Nitewalker, don't give me that crap. I'm six months shy of 80. If I didn't walk the woods alone, no one would enjoy going with me. I need to set my own pace, look at those things that interest me, clip that brush that blocks the trail. Not many people want to walk my pace, and keep up with my interests. It's far better to walk alone.
I tell my wife where I'll be, and who to contact if I don't show up. But my plan is to walk as long as walking is possible, whether anyone wants to come along or not.
Death is a part of life. And is inevitably lonely, I suspect. Having lived through several long and painful deaths of others, I'm not afraid of dying in the woods. IN fact I can't think of a better way to go. Can you?
I lead a couple of guided walks annually -- and will continue to do so as long as people keep showing up.
But for most of the year I walk alone, and will continue to do so for as long as one foot goes in front of the other.
Weary
Autopsy results have determined that Mr. Gillingham died of heart related issues: http://www.adirondackdailyenterprise.com/page/content.detail/id/503630.html?nav=5046
It's impossible to know, but I suspect that he too was not afraid of dying in the woods.
nitewalker
11-27-2008, 11:57
Well, I'm always reasonably careful. But come on Nitewalker, don't give me that crap. I'm six months shy of 80. If I didn't walk the woods alone, no one would enjoy going with me. I need to set my own pace, look at those things that interest me, clip that brush that blocks the trail. Not many people want to walk my pace, and keep up with my interests. It's far better to walk alone.
I tell my wife where I'll be, and who to contact if I don't show up. But my plan is to walk as long as walking is possible, whether anyone wants to come along or not.
Death is a part of life. And is inevitably lonely, I suspect. Having lived through several long and painful deaths of others, I'm not afraid of dying in the woods. IN fact I can't think of a better way to go. Can you?
I lead a couple of guided walks annually -- and will continue to do so as long as people keep showing up.
But for most of the year I walk alone, and will continue to do so for as long as one foot goes in front of the other.
Weary
weary,
i realize just from most of your posts on this site that you are one of the few that can take care of yourself at your age. i didnt mean to touch a nerve with u and for that i apologize. if you notice i did put the word "most "in parentisis. its just my opinion that alot of folks at your age are starting to become less physical in life. there are alot of novice people who go into the woods these days and end up on tv. some are young and some old. im just looking out for the older folks out there.. hike your own hike but just be careful.....
weary, if i am as energetic as u when i turn your age than that would be real rewarding for me. keep up the good work and HAPPY TURKEY DAY!!
PEACE, NITEWALKER
THEmapMAKER
11-27-2008, 15:24
I was in the aderonacks in october on a busness trip with my wife. We stopped at the ADK hiking club store and got a map while we were there. We hiked on 2 trails and attemped to hike on a third one but we were told not to attmept it due to the lateness of the day and the trail was not marked. The 2 trails we hiked on were not marked either. One trail was suppost to lead to a waterfall. We never found the waterfall and there were trail leading all over the place that were not the map. I told my wife the day we hiked the two trail. I never knew why people got lost hiking. All you have to due is follow the blazes. I now understand how easy it is to get lost in unfamilliar woods especially where there are no blazes and several trails that are not on a map.
gsingjane
11-27-2008, 19:42
MM, thank you for posting that! I love to hike the AT but since it's over 1.5 hours of driving for me, I happily "make do" with some of CT's close to 400 miles of blue-blazed trails in the meantime. And let me tell you! an awful lot of these trails are NOT well blazed, and it is NOT easy to figure out the right way, even with a map, compass, etc. etc. This is why, no matter what, when I am taking out a group, I pre-hike the trail first. I cannot trust the terrain and maps not to lead me astray and it is super-embarrassing to have it happen in front of a bunch of people. I am totally not faulting the maintainers or whomever, but gosh I've been on some hikes that felt more like treasure hunts!
Anybody who claims to never have gotten lost on any trail at any time either hasn't hiked very many trails, or has a truth issue!
Jane in CT
Bare Bear
11-28-2008, 01:36
I go prepared. More ofton than most folks and I go real slow so most hikers get to camp hours before me. Something bad can befall anyone but we still need to do what we can to minimize the chances. As they used to say on Hill Street Blues "Be careful out there."