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[Ksatterwhite]

Me and my brother in law are backpacking segments 7-9 next week. Is there a phone number/organization I should tell my wife to call if we don’t show up when we are supposed to?


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[MuddyWaters]

Well, best would be the local law enforcement of the counties you will hike thru. They will have jurisdiction for any search.

But heres reality, if your wife calls even your local police, eventually it will get passed to the right place. So dont sweat it. As long as knows where you went. Roughly.

And dont let her worry. Trail is a superhighway, fair amt of traffic, road crossings frequently (20 mi). Id have to be 1-2 weeks overdue before my wife would even start to wonder.

[Slo-go'en]

Headline in local paper this week : "Hiker who turned up at hotel gives donation".

Apparently, his wife called 911 the morning after he didn't get home from a day hike. Turns out he had checked into the Mt Washington hotel at 1 am. For some reason his wife didn't get the message. This was a late April day hike on Mt Washington (which still had lots of snow), he is 70, so there was reason for concern. It wasn't until after a wide area search was started that the family found out he was at the hotel and the search called off. Knowing he could be fined, the hiker donated $2,500 to the state to help cover expenses. The state said "close enough".

Anyway, the moral of the story is don't jump the gun. Or if your running late, confirm that the message was received.

[Venchka]

Colorado Search & Rescue Card.
$3 for a worthy cause.
Scroll way down to the CORSAR information.
https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/dol...nd-rescue-fund

Wayne

[DuneElliot]

I always leave info for the Sheriff's Office of the county or counties I'll be hiking through or in. I also leave info for the closest National Forest rangers district office as often there are several in an area. I gave info for the Leadville office when I was attempting the Collegiate Loop even thought the loop is in the Leadville and Salida districts...keep it simple.

[Ksatterwhite]

Thanks for the responses. I will look up the Sheriffs office number for Leadville. I carry a Spot GPS transmitter, so that helps. I wanted to provide her a number just in case.

I do plan on leaving her a sheet with flight numbers, hostel phone number, sheriffs office number and an approximate hiking itinerary.


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[nsherry61]

Thanks for the responses. I will look up the Sheriffs office number for Leadville. I carry a Spot GPS transmitter, so that helps. I wanted to provide her a number just in case.

I do plan on leaving her a sheet with flight numbers, hostel phone number, sheriffs office number and an approximate hiking itinerary.

Wow. I generally just leave a photocopy of a map with my planned route highlighted, my expected camping spots and my estimated return time. Then, I leave the rest up to my wife. No Spot or other GPS tracker, no other communication plans. I do try to call her with an estimated time of return when I get off the trail and back into cell phone range so she can either quit worrying, not start worrying, or kick all her boy friends out of the house on time.

I think she figures that worrying about me when I'm out backpacking, climbing, skiing or whatever is my problem and not something she wants to own. She'll be there if there is reason to step in and help out, but worrying before you have to is for the birds. I figure that either she has an irresponsible level of confidence in me, or she got tired of worrying a couple decades ago and just doesn't do it any more. Admittedly, I've been doing this stuff since before we met when she was 17. So, it certainly isn't anything new.

[DuneElliot]

Thanks for the responses. I will look up the Sheriffs office number for Leadville. I carry a Spot GPS transmitter, so that helps. I wanted to provide her a number just in case.

I do plan on leaving her a sheet with flight numbers, hostel phone number, sheriffs office number and an approximate hiking itinerary.


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Leadville was just an example as they were in my area. Segments 7-9 are further north in the Copper Mountain/Breckenridge area. Find out which counties they go through and look up the correct numbers for those Sheriff's Departments and the corresponding ranger districts for the NF