Hiker rescued near Springer

[Wolf - 23000]

It one thing to to quit on your own the trail but really take the cake. He is having a bad day so he needs someone to come bail his butts out - costing us all thousands of dollars in tax payer money. How many times have we all had a bad day, been wet, cold? Georgia in the winter gets cold but it really not that bad and yes I have been there many times and much worst.

Wolf

[Egads]

If the guy was lost ("disoriented") in a snowstorm, cold, and wet, then it doesn't seem like such horrible judgment to call for help.

seems like a good time to set up a tent, eat lunch, and warm up inside the sleeping bag. (The dude was only 1 mile from Springer and could have backtracked on the trail he came in on. Certainly he could have followed his own footsteps in the snow back to springer if he didn't know what the blazes are)

[Two Speed]

This guy was more prepared than we realize, he was prepared to be rescued.

Panzer

Oh, that's what SPOT beacons are for. How foolish of me not to realize that.

[StarLyte]

It's guys like this that end up hurting the rest of us. People do dumb things which lead to restrictions that affect the rest of us. Not saying that will happen this time, but it sure does seem to happen a lot.

I'm not shaming the guy, but yeah, I agree.

All it takes is a thorough weather forecast investigation...but then we all know how bad weather creeps - but this time of year is sort of predictable.

[StarLyte]

When I was on Springer in 1993, several people turned back on the summit, including a chain smoker with a homemade pack, held together in places with safety pins.

Years before I had made my attempt, my cousin and her teenage son quit at Suches, after having planned and dreamed of a thru hike since camping in the Whites as a child with her parents decades earlier.

She was loaded down with a 60 pound pack containing all the gear her auto camping parents, and her police officer husband, insisted she and her son would need.

Weary

Hey Weary - 60 lb pack hikers are still out there. Packing everything in the kitchen. I just can't believe what I come across sometimes.

[RGB]

I remember a few posters (myself among them) advocating as many backpacking trips as possible before the big event. And do a trip of a week or two if possible.

You can run a marathon without having done shorter runs before....it is just unlikely.

I think these SPOT cases are gonna become more and more common....



When I posted the link for the PLB case, I found an SAR website that essentially said that (sorry, I can't find that site now). If you wouldn't do the hike, ski, climb, etc. without the PLB/Beacon/Spot/etc...then DON'T DO IT.

A shame he had to give up his dream, but maybe a little seasoning with more trips will let him come back to attempt the AT again. OTOH, the BMT is a cool trail..he may have wanted to stick to it after all.

The AT is relatively safe. I don't see the need for an emergency locator if you have good experience, gear, and knowledge of what you're doing. However, I think it is perfectly reasonable if someone has an underlying medical condition that would require a quick response to get them off the trail. Maybe that was the case with this guy..? (Not WHY he pressed it, but why he was carrying it.) Who am I kidding, haha.

Well, after bashing the use of this thing so much, my mom will probably flip out before the starting date in 2012 comes and buy me one.

[superman]

Well, part of it is bad luck that he was hit with bad weather...that he hadn't noticed coming in. I have a good friend who started the AT in 2000. He'd read an article in a mazine about hiking the AT and went to an outfitter and bought his gear. He had no idea how to put up his tent or anything when he started. He started with good weather and allowed himself some time to figure stuff out and make gear adjustments. He finished the AT and hiked a lot more since then.

[HikerRanky]

When I'm not in school, work, or out backpacking, I teach scuba diving... One of the many courses that I teach is underwater search and recovery, as well as rescue classes. I've worked with public safety dive teams on their training here in TN and conducted several in-water rescues.

I have learned through all of this that small errors in judgment usually lead to a massive problem. It is RARELY a catastrophic single event that leads to a rescue. Sure it does happen, but the majority of the time it is a series of those small errors that lead to a rescue being necessary.

People under stress experience what is referred to as perceptual narrowing. They become fixated on one thing and fail to see the big picture. This causes the person in question to make irrational decisions. Worse yet, they may make the entirely wrong decision.

I can visualize how this person could have felt that there was no other solution to their predicament except what he did. What is very clear to me is that he suffered from perceptual narrowing. A series of small errors, whatever they were, is most likely what caused him to choose the answer and press the rescue button.

Even those of us that have extensive experience in something make the wrong decisions from time to time. A fellow diving instructor, full cave certified and with many years of cave diving and instructional experience, experienced some events in her life that caused her to make the ultimate wrong decision and take her own life. I'm glad that this gentleman didn't come to that conclusion out there on Springer.

Randy

[Two Speed]

I wouldn't have been happy if this guy had died. I don't even want him hurt.

Of course I'd be happier if he'd have spent the $100 the SPOT cost him on a winter survival course, or possibly a couple of books on land navigation.

Just sayin'.

[Old Hiker]

I was sittin at Springer once (next to the plaque and the 1st white blaze), when a guy came up and asked if we knew where the Appalacian trail was.

Please tell me you pointed west and said "Down thattaway."

[Jester2000]

Hey Weary - 60 lb pack hikers are still out there. Packing everything in the kitchen. I just can't believe what I come across sometimes.

I carry a 60 lb. pack. It'll be even heavier if I put a SPOT device in there.

I have learned through all of this that small errors in judgment usually lead to a massive problem. It is RARELY a catastrophic single event that leads to a rescue. Sure it does happen, but the majority of the time it is a series of those small errors that lead to a rescue being necessary.

This is definitely true. I've referred to this as a "cascading series of minor catastrophes." And it's usually the way people get themselves in trouble.

[bigmac_in]

This is definitely true. I've referred to this as a "cascading series of minor catastrophes." And it's usually the way people get themselves in trouble.

That is why you stop and assess your situation, then plan a solution. It's too darn easy to press a button and wait for "rescue". I'm telling you, there are some people that just don't belong in the woods.

Maybe this guy could take up scuba diving.

[Two Speed]

I dunno about that; not sure Yuppie 911 works underwater.

Seriously, I don't think anyone in their right mind wants this or any other person to get hurt. There are quite a few people that are concerned these type of devices will encourage people to take the easy way out when what they really need is a better skill set.

Yeah, there are times when rescue is appropriate. Based on the reports I've seen this wasn't one of them.

[HikerRanky]

That is why you stop and assess your situation, then plan a solution. It's too darn easy to press a button and wait for "rescue". I'm telling you, there are some people that just don't belong in the woods.

Again, a person that suffers from perceptual narrowing doesn't think in a rational manner... They have been told by someone that you can be rescued by simply pressing a button... Isn't marketing a wonderful thing?

Maybe this guy could take up scuba diving.

Nah, we just all need all hikers to be certified to a certain level...

[Jester2000]

Incidentally, part of the 60 lbs. in my pack includes scuba gear, for fording the Hudson.

[Snowleopard]

People under stress experience what is referred to as perceptual narrowing. They become fixated on one thing and fail to see the big picture. This causes the person in question to make irrational decisions. Worse yet, they may make the entirely wrong decision.

Randy

This is very wise and doesn't just occur in outdoor activities.
I've seen this most in friends under financial or personal stress (e.g., losing a job, divorce, etc.).

If this fellow had just started by relaxing for a while on top of Springer, this might not have happened at all.

[Egads]

... a person that suffers from perceptual narrowing doesn't think in a rational manner...

This explains yesterday's story of the Calif Toyota driver that fought his stuck accelerator pedal for 23 miles on the interstate wearing out his brakes, instead of using putting the car in Neutral &/or turning off the ignition. I had this happen when the carburetor throttle return spring broke on my 65 Plymouth Valiant. It was no big deal.

[Blissful]

Just saw the article. He may not have been prepared but he did the right thing and got out of there. At his age with the conditions and hypothermia (by the way, disorientation is the first sign of hypothermia), he might have saved his life. Why ostracize the guy or what he did? You cant put a price on a human life. I've seen money wasted on lots of stupid stuff.

Anyway, I'm sure he learned as we did with hypothermia and bad conditions. He won't make the same mistake twice. And I hope he goes back out when he's ready.

[Lone Wolf]

Why ostracize the guy or what he did? An you cant put a price on a human life. I've seen money wasted on lots of stupid stuff.

some folks are just mean-spirited plus they aren't gonna do any hiking any time soon so stupid comments make them feel good

[saimyoji]

Incidentally, part of the 60 lbs. in my pack includes scuba gear, for fording the Hudson.

you should just take the ferry.....