I did something stupid

[BobVP]

Yep....the title is correct and hopefully my admitting it here will keep me from doing it again and maybe, just maybe keep someone else form doing this:

After being in Portland for a few days I had a day to fish on the way home to Fort Bragg. Decided to stop overnight in Dunsmuir and fish the next morning/day on the Upper Sacramento. I had never fished Ney Springs area so I thought to go there...the first mistake: I did not tell anyone where I was going! Not my spouse; No note for the motel to find...no one.

I go there as excited as always to get on the water. What a beautiful place... I worked my way downstream for quite a while then decided to rock-hop past one hole and fish it coming back up. Standing, with wet felt-soled boots on one large rock and going to move to another boulder two feet over, standing about three feet above earth, I concentrated too much on the landing and not the push off...back foot slipped, no purchase with the leading foot, back foot sliding down to get wedged between two rocks, right knee bending sharply, left hand, wrist, side of head heading toward solid rock, left leg stretched to the limit trying to get my foot down on something solid and cursing unintelligible words over a period of time that seemed like ten seconds and was much closer to one!

Ouch! The first thought was: Yes, I can move my right leg and foot...Second: Yes, I can get my foot free....Third: Where the heck is this blood from (not too much and it was from my hand being ripped by the rock). Over all those thoughts was: No one will ever find me here! No one knows I am here, specifically Ney Springs or even the Upper Sac! It is a weekday too so no one will be here for a few days anyway. No one will ever hear me call for help or see me in the little "rock hole" above the river. All I had to do was leave a message for Kerin but I didn't want to disturb her so early...

I am lucky. Swollen wrist, scratches on my left leg, some abrasions, picked a few small stones from under my skin, sore leg, very sore right ankle and a small bump on my head. Nothing that kept me from driving up to my house around 1am this morning.

I grew up in what was essentially wilderness and have spend weeks at a time out there and have been very, very lucky to have never broken any bones (out there...) or fallen into some other predicament that needed assistance. I have been a Scout leader and have given back-country safety talks dozens of times. I am a little ashamed of myself and very happy to have another chance to go fishing again. I will never go to another place like that (certainly not the most remote place on the map) without some word to someone where I am headed.

By the way, the fishing was, as it always is, Great. One strike in more than four hours...saw four or five fish. No hatches to be of significance. Not one fish was threatened by my being there! I tried everything from nymphs only to dry/dropper to two nymphs...One strike! Oh well, it was still great.

[David Lee]

Glad you didn't wind-up as scavenger food , Bob !

At 48 years old now .... I've reached the point where I DO take into account the sad fact that I am NOT 25 years old - the chances I used to take with the body I used to have are things of the past now . I can still out walk most people , but my balance is just starting to slip , so I stop and think about what I'm about to do before doing it . The last thing I want (aside from a preventable injury , of course) is for someone to have to come fetch my dumb Ass out of a situation that I should have known better than to get into in the first place .

Kind of a hard thing to face , but I guess that's part of growing up .....

D.~

[Scott V]

There is a reason I carry a SPOT with me. Came too close too many times of being stuck in the back country with no one knowing where I was. Lesson learned, carry something that can get you out of trouble. I can survive, but the trick is getting out.

Glad you made it out safe!

[steveg137]

Jeez glad worked out ok for you.

I was up @ Ney Springs at dawn last Sunday and realized I hadn't told anyone where I was going and how easy it would be to get snakebite, turn an ankle etc.

BTW I also found the fishing tough there, i had lots better luck further down below Dunsmuir.

Scott, what is SPOT - GPS location or something? Sounds like good investment.

Cheers Steve

[SHigSpeed]

Wow, crazy...

And I just watched "127 Hours" last night too.

Glad you didn't have to resort to cutting your own arm off with a dull Leatherman!

_SHig

[Larry S]

Bob,
Glad you made it out safely. I imagine we've all had moments when we deserve a
big "dope slap!"
Best,
Larry S

[JasonB]

Bob,
Thanks for sharing this, it's an important reminder to us all. I would bet that most (all?) of us here have fished solo plenty, and it's funny how small of error can quickly turn into a serious situation. Had a very similar moment just recently, and severely twisted my ankle on a slip. As I lay on my back hoping I hadn't broken anything the thoughts that occurred to me were: how long might it take to get someone's attention by yelling and screaming (not good odds there), and how long might it take me to crawl/drag myself the half mile or so back to the car. Did anyone know where I was? Nope, I had foolishly not bothered to tell anyone what river I was headed to, and once there I had no cell reception.
Makes you think,
JB

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I never go alone anymore at 68, plus short, fat and slow.

Thanks for the heads up.

[jbird]

Boy, this made my heart skip a beat. I am always way out there, many times I dont know exactly where Im gonna go so its hard to tell anyone. I have found some of the harriest wading Ive ever faced lately. Not a great idea. Thanks for the reminder and im glad you made it back in one piece. Hope your bumps & bruises dont slow ya down

[roywest]

http://www.findmespot.com/en/

Cool.