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  1. #1
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    Default What would have done?

    With all the news about the "hikers" having to be rescued last week I am thinking this is a perfect opportunity to teach the Boy Scouts some techniques or skills should they ever find themselves in a dangerous position as these young men in the Smokies did.
    Yes, we know proper planning, training and proper gear are first but let's say you find yourself in one of the hikers shoes.
    Please let's not bash on them, I would like input to learn from.
    My take
    If I were to find myself in their position
    1. Call for help
    2. I assume they had three sleeping bags. I would have made a shelter out of one bag.
    3. Had everyone get out of wet clothing. Put on all dry clothing.
    4. Zipped the other two sleeping bags together and had everyone get in to share body heat.
    5. Waited for help in the shelter until morning.

    What would you do?
    Thank you for your constructive input.

  2. #2
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    Default

    I would have walked out.

  3. #3
    wookinpanub
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    Signal Mountain, TN
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    Default

    Ditto on the walking out. 4-5 inches of snow, 5 miles from trailhead, start walking (probably 3hrs). It was mostly downhill back. Movement is the key. I have never been in a situation where moving would not warm me up. If your feet are giving you trouble, put them in plastic bags and keep going. Always keep a dry sleeping bag and dry clothes for when you stop. If you have neither of those.....don't stop. I mean it....don't stop.

  4. #4

    Default

    The issue was they didn't seem to even have the gear necessary to take the basics steps to survive... You assume they had sleeping bags, but I don't know that that's founded. They burned their clothing with a blow torch for warmth...

  5. #5

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    Default

    walk out .

  6. #6
    Some days, it's not worth chewing through the restraints.
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    Default

    know when to turn around, then turn around and walk out

  7. #7
    Some days, it's not worth chewing through the restraints.
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by MDSection12 View Post
    The issue was they didn't seem to even have the gear necessary to take the basics steps to survive... You assume they had sleeping bags, but I don't know that that's founded. They burned their clothing with a blow torch for warmth...
    The major piece of gear they seemed to be missing should have been between their ears

  8. #8
    Registered User johnnybgood's Avatar
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    Default

    Keep walking . Frostbitten extremities occur when the body's core temperature drops , often associated with being immobile.
    Getting lost is a way to find yourself.

  9. #9
    Registered User 78owl's Avatar
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    Black Mountain, NC 28711
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    Default

    DugK, What a great lesson for the Boy Scouts or any of us. Let them get as much info they can about this situation and have a DO and NOT DO plan. My first thoughts were, how did they get into their situation, what did they do to not make the situation worse. Were they prepaired , I think we all no the answere.

  10. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by Malto View Post
    I would have walked out.
    ++ dont stop moving. Its the main thing keeping you alive.

    We teach the boyscouts that, unfortunately, only the ones that actually begin backpacking, which a small percentage in much of the country..

  11. #11
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    Default

    Thanks for all the input.

  12. #12

    Default

    If no one was prevented from traveling and trail was distinguishable(I think they were on the WELL BLAZED/SIGNED AT) retrace my steps walking back out(I think I read somewhere they were only 5 miles in) to the car they left at Fontana Dam(shelter/hot showers/ lodging/hot food etc)or getting back to the first lean-to(shelter) for the night and lit a fire(warmth) drying out. Then, I would have went Fight Club on myself and all the rest in my party once we got back to the car.

  13. #13

    Default

    This is one of the obstacles I would find so challenging when I watch those dual Survivor Reality TV Shows - knowing that the show wanted me to stay somewhere in a limited general area for 22 days so they could more easily film when I know a hotel/road/resort/boat/other assiatance is often so close. If I'm not hurt or lost or unable to for some reason I'm inclined to move safely in the direction of assistance in a survival situation.

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by MDSection12 View Post
    The issue was they didn't seem to even have the gear necessary to take the basics steps to survive... You assume they had sleeping bags, but I don't know that that's founded. They burned their clothing with a blow torch for warmth...
    Who carries a blowtorch into the woods?
    Todd

  15. #15
    Registered User FarmerChef's Avatar
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    I agree with everyone above. Movement is key to staying warm. If it were me, I would have turned on my headlamp and walked out (assuming they even had lights). However, as an endurance athlete and high mpd hiker I can tell you that you do eventually hit the wall as you deplete all of your glycogen (carbohydrate) reserves. Movement is still better than nothing but mental disorientation can occur as well as an overwhelming desire to stop. In their situation, they may have been exhausted from hiking through the snow/too little conditioning.

    What else...

    Assuming none of us are adequately prepared or at least not enough of us are...

    Step 1. Identify conditions are not what I expected. Reassess my plans and gear and make an educated decision on whether to proceed. If not confident, turn back now!
    Then...

    Check my map to a. Confirm our location and b. Identify the fastest/easiest trail/direction to safety. This should be done with enough time to get back out during daylight.
    Call for help in case we can't make it all the way, specifying our direction of travel, current condition, supplies, anticipated time of arrival, etc.
    If winds are an issue, put on ponchos or windbreakers, even pack liner bags with holes cut in them, anything to protect my torso. Then I'd add ziploc food bags to my hands and feet, especially my feet since my hands can go in pockets or under my armpits.
    Keep walking.
    If someone in our party can no longer keep moving then it's time to stop and make camp.
    Quickly select a suitable site to make shelter
    Rig a shelter from available supplies, get guys zipped into two sleeping bags together if possible. If not spoon sleeping bags together. Do this after changing into dry clothes, if possible.
    Scrounge firewood and get a fire going with a reflector to reflect the heat into the shelter. Try to leave the light of the fire also visible to rescuers.
    Eat available food to stoke metabolism and help generate body heat.
    If no frostbite or hypothermia, drink warm liquids if no danger of spilling or other hazards.
    Wait for rescue, staying put.

    Just some thoughts.
    2,000 miler. Still keepin' on keepin' on.

  16. #16
    Registered User ChuckT's Avatar
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    Maybe you all should rethink.

    Firstly closest I personally came to hypothermia was on a Sept hike in Canada. Felt like I was a walking case of pneumonia. I bailed. East side of Jasper park and back to trail head and into town however many miles that was.
    However I was also up close and personal with a hiker in the Smokies that came up from Cades Cove in the rain with down jacket under rain jacket. The next morning (when I observed the event) he was walking, talking and completely out of it. Of the 3, 4 groups of hikers that met there one hiker was an EMT and was taking him to hand and back down to trail head at Cades Cove that day or trying to, definitely had his hands full.
    Understand me - he was not coherent and he was not cooperative. This is also a symptom of hypothermia.

    Easy to say I would do this or I would do that but maybe not so easy when you don't recognize your own condition.

    Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk
    Miles to go before I sleep. R. Frost

  17. #17

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    Quote Originally Posted by kunzman View Post
    Who carries a blowtorch into the woods?
    Someone intent on cooking some meth.

  18. #18

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by kunzman View Post
    Who carries a blowtorch into the woods?
    it's a hillbilly pocket rocket...pretty slick actually...boil time 1 cup water; 1min-45 seconds.
    Last edited by rocketsocks; 01-06-2014 at 20:50.

  19. #19

    Default

    what would you have done

    I guess it goes without sayin...but check the damn weather before you leave. And I agree with all that's been said by others, get something to eat, drink up, and keep moving forward on trail...on trail, no blazing.

  20. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by FarmerChef View Post
    I agree with everyone above. Movement is key to staying warm. If it were me, I would have turned on my headlamp and walked out (assuming they even had lights). However, as an endurance athlete and high mpd hiker I can tell you that you do eventually hit the wall as you deplete all of your glycogen (carbohydrate) reserves. Movement is still better than nothing but mental disorientation can occur as well as an overwhelming desire to stop. In their situation, they may have been exhausted from hiking through the snow/too little conditioning.

    What else...

    Assuming none of us are adequately prepared or at least not enough of us are...

    Step 1. Identify conditions are not what I expected. Reassess my plans and gear and make an educated decision on whether to proceed. If not confident, turn back now!
    Then...

    Check my map to a. Confirm our location and b. Identify the fastest/easiest trail/direction to safety. This should be done with enough time to get back out during daylight.
    Call for help in case we can't make it all the way, specifying our direction of travel, current condition, supplies, anticipated time of arrival, etc.
    If winds are an issue, put on ponchos or windbreakers, even pack liner bags with holes cut in them, anything to protect my torso. Then I'd add ziploc food bags to my hands and feet, especially my feet since my hands can go in pockets or under my armpits.
    Keep walking.
    If someone in our party can no longer keep moving then it's time to stop and make camp.
    Quickly select a suitable site to make shelter
    Rig a shelter from available supplies, get guys zipped into two sleeping bags together if possible. If not spoon sleeping bags together. Do this after changing into dry clothes, if possible.
    Scrounge firewood and get a fire going with a reflector to reflect the heat into the shelter. Try to leave the light of the fire also visible to rescuers.
    Eat available food to stoke metabolism and help generate body heat.
    If no frostbite or hypothermia, drink warm liquids if no danger of spilling or other hazards.
    Wait for rescue, staying put.

    Just some thoughts.
    agree with the bolded statement in general but in the case they just needed to go downhill. Even if glycogen was shot, which I doubt would happen in a six to eight mile hike, gravity would take them down possibly at a slower pace but they would get there.

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