Overdue Hiker

[Fly Guy Dave]

I'm not sure that this is the best forum for this, if so, please remove this. There are a bunch of folks trying to find this avid backpacker and angler in the Sierras, so I figured the more people that might know something, the better.

http://www.nps.gov/seki/parknews/upload ... 4-2012.pdf

[wineslob]

getting a 404 error, no page.

[ycflyfisher]

Lots of discussion here:

http://www.highsierratopix.com/community/viewtopic.php?f=1&p=62207

Unfortunately, it doesn't sound promising.

[aaron]

Here's the working link to the flyer
http://www.nps.gov/seki/parknews/upload/FLYER-LAWRENCE-CONN-OVERDUE-HIKER-Oct-24-2012.pdf
Hoping for the best, wouldn't want to be out that storm.

[Fly Guy Dave]

Thanks Aaron for fixing that link. I was trying to put my original post together just before I had a meeting, so since I was rushing, I'm not surprised I screwed something up. I was cutting and pasting the link from the HST site.

I hope that the guy in question took a different way out or that he's found soon.

[Chet Troutpuncher]

Lots of discussion here:

http://www.highsierratopix.com/community/viewtopic.php?f=1&p=62207

Unfortunately, it doesn't sound promising.

You never know. I went out on search yesterday in Desolation Wilderness for an overdue backpacker. He went out Friday and was due to return Tuesday. He had no idea about the approaching storm and was wearing running shoes. He had extra fuel and food, a good head on his shoulders, hunkered down and waited it out.
Hopefully they can get a few helos in the air and lots of boots on the ground. Inyo County SAR is one of the best around.

[Jed Peters]

FYI, they found this dude this afternoon, he was looking good as he had extra food and fuel.

[Fly Guy Dave]

Hey Jed-

Are you sure it was the guy down in SEKI? I heard about a guy they found up in Desolation. Can you tell me where you heard this bit of info? I'm monitoring things over on the HST board and no one seems to have heard anything about it yet. Thanks!

--F.G. Dave

[JohnD]

Sure it was the same guy? Someone was found in desolation today, but I think the guy in SEKI is still missing.

[ycflyfisher]

Chet,

Believe me I certainly hope they find this guy alive, but that thread unfortunately reads like a horror novel. A PLS from last Friday and uncertain itinerary, leads to a huge search area. Snow on the ground for the last three days yet the groundpounders have seen no sign. Temps that could drive someone hypothermic on the first night. All the bad elements are there.

I hope he's in their grid and they find him alive.

Also for whatever it may be worth I think that anyone that has ever made the "drop everything" and time sacrifices of participating in SAR to provide assistance when the need for assistance is extremely critical should be sainted. It's a service that most outdoors afficiandos think they'll never need and we often take for granted just how much time, money and impact to the personal lives and careers of the participants is given up so that volunteer SAR organizations can do what they do.

[Ed Wahl]

Dave, thanks for putting this up.

Ed

[Larry S]

Saw this today in the LA Times; think it was yesterday's news.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/10/searches-continue-sierra-nevada-hikers.html
Best,
Larry S

[Chet Troutpuncher]

I hear what you're saying ycflyfisher. I agree all the bad elements are there but on your initial post it sounded like you were already writing this guy off which seemed premature. It seems like he's a very experienced backcountry traveler and was three/four days overdue at the time. Hoping for the best.

[amoeba]

I'm with yc on this one:

No sign, footprints, smoke, of any kind + severe conditions = survival not likely. If he had proper winter/survival gear, then maybe - but the minimalist packing traditions of most backpackers suggests otherwise.

[DFrink]

Hope they found him. Lot's of lost people over last weekend. El Dorado County participated in 11 SAR callouts in 5 days.

Chet, you sound like a EDC SAR member, Tahoe team? I'm on the West Slope Ground team. I was out on the Alpine County Mutual Aid last Tuesday, any chance you were there? I went out twice on Monday, both times subject was found before I got on site. Busy week, now back to work (and I wonder why I never have time to fish!).

People seem to have underestimated the weather we had coming in.

Dan Frink

[DFrink]

Chet,

Believe me I certainly hope they find this guy alive, but that thread unfortunately reads like a horror novel. A PLS from last Friday and uncertain itinerary, leads to a huge search area. Snow on the ground for the last three days yet the groundpounders have seen no sign. Temps that could drive someone hypothermic on the first night. All the bad elements are there.

I hope he's in their grid and they find him alive.

Also for whatever it may be worth I think that anyone that has ever made the "drop everything" and time sacrifices of participating in SAR to provide assistance when the need for assistance is extremely critical should be sainted. It's a service that most outdoors afficiandos think they'll never need and we often take for granted just how much time, money and impact to the personal lives and careers of the participants is given up so that volunteer SAR organizations can do what they do.

Yup, just ask my wife:), but I love it (she likes that I do it too).

[k.hanley]

Say hey Dan F,

I know you don't want to make this thread about you....but.....

You are an angel. Every team member of an SAR Unit is an angel. You guys don't hear it enough. I just wanted to tip my cap to you man and say thanks.

Cheers, Ken

[Chet Troutpuncher]

Hope they found him. Lot's of lost people over last weekend. El Dorado County participated in 11 SAR callouts in 5 days.

Chet, you sound like a EDC SAR member, Tahoe team? I'm on the West Slope Ground team. I was out on the Alpine County Mutual Aid last Tuesday, any chance you were there? I went out twice on Monday, both times subject was found before I got on site. Busy week, now back to work (and I wonder why I never have time to fish!).

People seem to have underestimated the weather we had coming in.

Dan Frink

Dan...I'm actually on the Tahoe Nordic SAR team. I didn't make it out on the Alpine County search but talked to a couple guys from my team who did. Sounded like an ordeal. Nine hours to drive there in the storm and ten hours of searching (starting at 7PM).

[Dustin Revel]

not to get to off topic here but I was recently thinking about trying to get involved in SAR as a volunteer anybody have any info on how to do this? I haven't done much research but as I spend more time in the back country I see how easily things can go wrong

[aaron]

Google your local fire/sheriff and they should have a link to their volly page. Most places ask for a decent commitment to make it worthwhile for training.

[ycflyfisher]

Things you’ll need:

1-An employer who is going to let you “drop everything” and leave work at a moments notice for a few days at a time, potentially 20+ times per year.

2-You’ll have to pass a background check.

3-Willingness to shell out a few hundred bucks for uniforms and the gear you don’t have. And you’ll likely pay as you go further.


I’d attend a general meeting of the SAR unit you’re thinking about joining. Find out how many of search callouts they typically have per year. Then have that conversation with your employer before you progress any further.

I actually was going to join the local SAR and read a ton of books on SAR operations/search planning, lost person behavior (simply bizarre, irrational stuff), and attended general meetings of 2 different SAR groups. Unfortunately once I fully understood what I was getting myself into and had a rudimentary understanding of SAR and decided I thought I could do it, my employer unfortunately was not very supportive. Have that conversation as soon as you know what you’re getting yourself into in terms of time commitments.

I had absolutely no idea how many search callouts a typical Norcal SAR responds to in a typical year until going to a general meeting. Nor just how much of their own money most SAR personnel spend on gear and training. The folks that participate are all uber dedicated (massive understatement).

The one thing I did definitely learn in the process is that I was a prime candidate for needing a search callout for decades past even though back then I wouldn’t have envisioned myself in that category.

[ycflyfisher]

This was an eye opening read for me:

http://www.smcmsar.org/downloads/Lost%20Person%20Behavior.pdf

This one also:

http://husky1.stmarys.ca/~khill/psychologyoflost.pdf

[DFrink]

Good suggestions here. Number 1 is talk to your employer and be SURE your family understands what you are comitting to. I consider my wife a volunteer as well since most call outs come in the middle of the night, and then I don't know when I will return home. Also worth noting, since it is volunteer most agencies only ask that you are able to participate in approximately 50% to 75% of the callouts / training. You get out of it what you put into it. It's very rewarding and a great way to help the community.

[amoeba]

Search for the still missing hiker was called off a week ago; with no news following. My guess based on the elements of this case is some kind of debilitating injury en route followed by certain death from exposure. One would have expected some sign to be found by now but it did not. Let us know if anyone finds different.

[Larry S]

Well, we're getting showers this morning in Sun Diego. Started about 3 AM. You can imagine what that means for
the Sierra. Many thanks to the S & R folks. Out surf fishing Tuesday morning, we had a front row seat to a cliff
rescue at Blacks Beach (Glider Port.) Somehow, somebody was stuck on a ledge about 50 feet down. The Fire
Dept's copter lowered a guy on a cable; then lifted the two to the top. Very impressive.
Best,
Larry S