Runner found -- let's be careful out there

[John B]

(CNN) -- A second runner missing since Monday was found near a ravine on a rugged mountain trail in Southern California hours after her running partner was found, an Orange County Sheriff's spokesman told CNN.
Authorities and fellow runners had been looking for Maria "Gina" Natera-Armenta, 34, and her brother-in-law, Fidel Diaz, 50, since Monday.
Diaz was found about 1 p.m. ET Wednesday, but the search for Natera-Armenta continued as police questioned him.
Orange County Sheriff's officials, searching the area by helicopter, eventually spotted Natera-Armenta waving from the ravine, which was about five miles from the sheriff's command post, Orange County Sheriff spokesman Lt. Jim Amormino.
"She was lying in the shady area," Amormino said. "She did see the helicopter before, but didn't have enough energy to get up."
Natera-Armenta is in serious condition, and was severely dehydrated when she was found, Amormino said. She is currently in the intensive care unit at Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo, California.
The pair had set out at 5:30 a.m. Sunday. According to their spouses, they planned to do an eight- to 10-hour run on a remote mountain trail in the Cleveland National Forest near San Diego.
But it wasn't until Monday night that their spouses individually reported to police that the two were missing.
Natera-Armenta and Diaz are ultrarunners, devotees of an endurance sport in which it's common to trek and run for many hours over rugged terrain. Natera-Armenta is an experienced ultrarunner and was a top finisher at a 100-mile race in San Diego.

[warraghiyagey]

Hmmmmmmm. . . sounds like there's more to this story. . . .

[Pedaling Fool]

It does put a few questions in your head.

[JoeHiker]

What questions?

[beakerman]

john you assume warrawhatever has a head..

just kidding yeah it does raise and eyebrow with me.

[sbhikes]

The pair had set out at 5:30 a.m. Sunday. According to their spouses, they planned to do an eight- to 10-hour run on a remote mountain trail in the Cleveland National Forest near San Diego.
But it wasn't until Monday night that their spouses individually reported to police that the two were missing.

I believe this is the sentence that raises questions.

[Captn]

I believe this is the sentence that raises questions.

The Sheriff may require a 24 hour wait period before you can report someone missing?????

[Jonnycat]

They probably had experienced late returns before, and had wanted to not pull the lever too soon. That's my guess, anyway.

As for the ultrarunners, whenever I see them a dozen miles from nowhere with no gear and running through rocks all I can think is that they're asking for trouble. It's bad enough with a shelter and a bag and clothes and food on your back, but to be on the razors edge in the wilderness just isn't very smart from a survival perspective.

But it's what floats their collective boats.

[modiyooch]

The Sheriff may require a 24 hour wait period before you can report someone missing?????

I don't think that rule applies to a National Forest.

[The Weasel]

I know the area. It is incredibly rocky, overgrown, with a high fire risk, at about a 2,000 foot elevation. There is no - repeat no - water in San Juan Creek (this is about 10 miles east of San Juan Capistrano, of "swallows" fame) at this time of year in that area, and they should have known that. The past week or so has been incredibly hot. In other words, this was a dangerous activity, and their rescue (and need for it) are essentially equivalent to the "Eagle Scout" who got lost on Mount Washington: It should have been unnecessary, and those involved were foolhardy at best.

The Orange County Sheriff knows this too, as does the National Forest Service, both of which have jurisdiction over this area. They will scramble on a moment's notice in such cases where people are reported lost in such areas (these are really great people, by the way, the OCSD and NFS rangers, I mean) because they know the dangers.

These people meet the Gump Standard of Stupid.

TW

[GeneralLee10]

How do you know she and him were not Freaks of Nature.! I'm just say-n.

[The Weasel]

Because being stupid isn't rare. Unfortunately.

TW

[warraghiyagey]

Because being stupid isn't rare. Unfortunately.

TW

Case in point. . . .

[Reid]

It sounded like they found her like she was a child's missing toy or something.