Continuing Hiker Education Exercise

[KD Talbot]

Really, looking at this case, it is a textbook example of how one or two seemingly harmless mistakes can begin to multiply and take on the proverbial "snowball effect".

This one had a happy ending, but as can be seen, could have ended tragically. The right thing to do was to go and get him, rather than try to talk him out of the woods. Considering the mistakes he had already made, it might have been impossible. Also, at that point he was certainly in the early stages of hypothermia and would soon be losing any semblance of rational thought. I would not want to try to talk someone out of the woods on a cellphone that might fail at any moment, especially considering his worsening condition. This would have been as negligent as his own acts. Not an easy thing to have to live with.

Once he called 911, all the right decisions were made by SAR. Thanks for being there, guys!

[TrishandAlex]

Temps in the valley were hovering around 46 F, winds at surface gusting 20-35 mph and he was soaked to the skin, not to mention he was " Off Trail" ( bushwhacking) at that point. He knew he was lost and needed help.

I'll GUESS the "rescue" decision was made on the hypothermia possibility. He was cogent enough to make the 911 call and describe his surroundings, but he really didn't know where he was in any NSEW fashion.

Yes, he needed help at that point, and he got it.

That last wrong-way turn wasn't his first mistake, however.

Breeze

Hypothermia -- yes, should have guess that right off the bat. Rain + cotton/jeans + low temps = severe possibility of hypothermia.

[Breeze]

Ok. Throwing in the towel here. It gets discouraging sometimes from my vantage point when a car pulls in to the Auto Road at 11 AM looking for either :

the trailhead for tucks

or

the Cog.

How could I not be prejudiced in my own thinking?

Breeze