Current Events > just got found and rescued on a hiking trail

(+) Yeah! (+)

I hiked a washed out trail that I got lost on and called emergency services before my phone died. two hours later I was hiking down with the boys in blue. before that I was prepared to spend the night shivering in the fetal position with muddy socks at 32 degrees Fahrenheit. It turns out I had jumped trails at some point and ended up closer to a city 8 miles from where I started.

also I got a ride in the back of their dodge charger but then they responded to call of an intoxicated person passing out so that added an hour or so to it.

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What was the trail? And where is it at?

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unknownhombre posted...

What was the trail? And where is it at?

Ecola State Park near Cannon Beach, Oregon.

It was beautiful before it swallowed me in darkness, and even then the stars were prestine.

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Well, glad everything turned out well.
I hope you at least had a flashlight.
If anything I would consider this a big learning experience.
How often do you hike?

Also, I was once effectively escorted out by Rangers, but for completely different reasons.
~That was an interesting day out. >_>
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Glad youre alright man.

True wildness can get very confusing, very quickly. Everything looks the same. If you get disoriented for even just a minute, GG

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This definitely sounds like a good learning experience. Glad you're okay and were too proud and/or stupid to call for help when you realized you needed it.

I've heard too many stories about people who didn't make that call when they had the chance.

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Hikes can be scary af. I've built a habit of hiking with my cousins almost every Sunday recently since it's a covid safe activity and it seems like at least 2-3 of the trails I've went on there's been a case of someone missing, found dead or police and search helicopters around the area.

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Touch posted...

Hikes can be scary af. I've built a habit of hiking with my cousins almost every Sunday recently since it's a covid safe activity and it seems like at least 2-3 of the trails I've went on there's been a case of someone missing, found dead or police and search helicopters around the area.

There are a lot of inexperienced hikers out there.
People seem to think having an SUV or to a lesser extent, a Subaru makes you a good hiker.
Those and GPS just help you get lost in more remote locations. ((I'm half-joking there...half.))

I've had a couple of close calls but thankfully I pretty good outthere.

Anyway, I used to browse this....which they seem to have discontinued..either that or they buried it somewhere on their wedsite.

https://www.adirondackalmanack.com/2020/05/search-and-rescue-heats-up-rangers-fight-fires.html
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I always take a back pack with me with a few granola bars and some jerky, first aid kit, flash light, signaling mirror, and 2 of those space aluminum space blankets. Including the bag its only like 5 pounds. Had to use it once when I got lost in the North Cascades National Park doing back country hiking like 15 years ago.

Great to hear you made it out safe. I encourage anyone who is interested in hiking/camping to read up on the ten essentials that you should carry in the backcountry.

https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/ten-essentials.html

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SiO4 posted...

There are a lot of inexperienced hikers out there.
People seem to think having an SUV or to a lesser extent, a Subaru makes you a good hiker.
Those and GPS just help you get lost in more remote locations. ((I'm half-joking there...half.))

I've had a couple of close calls but thankfully I pretty good outthere.

Anyway, I used to browse this....which they seem to have discontinued..either that or they buried it somewhere on their wedsite.

https://www.adirondackalmanack.com/2020/05/search-and-rescue-heats-up-rangers-fight-fires.html

To be fair the hikes we went on weren't really intensive at all but yeah I can see how a little carelessness can be pretty dangerous. Kinda makes me wonder if there was any foul play at hand for those people

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Orchestrion posted...

Great to hear you made it out safe. I encourage anyone who is interested in hiking/camping to read up on the ten essentials that you should carry in the backcountry.

https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/ten-essentials.html

You can also check out Greg Ovens youtube channel, he has survival tip videos. Interesting stuff.

There are worse places to get lost, I suppose. Been lost on many a Colorado forest, but always found my way.

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Touch posted...

To be fair the hikes we went on weren't really intensive at all but yeah I can see how a little carelessness can be pretty dangerous. Kinda makes me wonder if there was any foul play at hand for those people

If you are talking about 'those people' in general, then probably not.
Most of the people that hike up there are pretty normal, that region is just far enough away that it doesn't attract every dip-shit who just wants to party in the woods. ~Though there is some of that.
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Glad you're safe. Also, oregon peeps unite!

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SiO4 posted...

If you are talking about 'those people' in general, then probably not.
Most of the people that hike up there are pretty normal, that region is just far enough away that it doesn't attract every dip-shit who just wants to party in the woods. ~Though there is some of that.

I just been watching a lot of serial killer docs lately and it just makes me paranoid about any "normal" seeming person nowadays lol

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Glad ur alive dude coulda been p bad

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Touch posted...

I just been watching a lot of serial killer docs lately and it just makes me paranoid about any "normal" seeming person nowadays lol

Oh ya, that'll do it.
Generally, I assume if I'm dead I'm dead...but I reflect on the fact that a night at the bar or my drive up was probably more dangerous.
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TC, do you carry any kind of external battery back with you when you go on these hikes? If not, that would be a handy item to keep your phone charged up.

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CableZL posted...

TC, do you carry any kind of external battery back with you when you go on these hikes? If not, that would be a handy item to keep your phone charged up.

I've got a decent little solar panel with a USB out on it.
It does a good job and really didn't cost that much.
Having said that, there is no service in the mountains here.
Still, it's a good thing to have in general...plus I'm kind of a Solar nerd.
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Whenever you hike, carry a tarp, filled spirit stove, lighter, whistle and headtorch.
If the worst happens, pitch the tarp as shelter and light spirit stove for heat, blow whistle to get attention and use light from head torch to guide others to you.

Be safe out there.

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DravenRainrix posted...

Whenever you hike, carry a tarp, filled spirit stove, lighter, whistle and headtorch.
If the worst happens, pitch the tarp as shelter and light spirit stove for heat, blow whistle to get attention and use light from head torch to guide others to you.

Be safe out there.

One of my backpacks actually has a whistle built into the chest clip.
I thought that was a cool touch.
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I did this mountain biking once on a large trail Id never done before. I was riding a little too close to darkness and when I tried to find my way out I realized I had no idea where I was. I spent about an hour walking the trails in the dusk and didnt have my phone with me. I was preparers to spend the night out there and wasnt that worried about myself but my family would have lost it so I was worried about them. Right before I was about to give up I happened to walk by a distinct flower bed I remember seeing and was able to guess my way out of the darkness from there

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Thanks for the concern, everyone! I got to my car at 1:30 AM on Tuesday morning so I slept in my car. I drove to Idaho for the next part of my trip (8 hours), got a hotel and took a hot shower. I was going to get dinner but I fell asleep hard around 8pm yesterday after my therapy session.

SiO4 posted...

Well, glad everything turned out well.
I hope you at least had a flashlight.
If anything I would consider this a big learning experience.
How often do you hike?

Also, I was once effectively escorted out by Rangers, but for completely different reasons.
~That was an interesting day out. >_>

It's definitely a learning experience. The things I could have used most were a light and a blanket that can stand up to freezing temps. I also left my charging pack in my car. This was maybe my second hike in a few years. I wanted to pack in as much as I could after being cooped up in my apartment without a car the past few years and basically decided to go on this one on a whim. In the past I've gone in groups, mostly with people experienced on the trails. I went on one last week in Southern Oregon where there was a clear loop with plenty of markers. Not as much the case here.

lww99 posted...

Glad youre alright man.

True wildness can get very confusing, very quickly. Everything looks the same. If you get disoriented for even just a minute, GG

This is basically what happened. I was doing fine until I took a side path to a loop instead of retracing my steps when I came to a fork. After that there was clearly a designed path but no markets or signs. Eventually I got to a point where it was very muddy and covered with branches and logs which I had to climb over. When I realized how far I was from the trail head I started running to try to beat the darkness. Alas, it caught me and all around me were logs and branches.

CanuckCowboy posted...

This definitely sounds like a good learning experience. Glad you're okay and werent too proud and/or stupid to call for help when you realized you needed it.

I've heard too many stories about people who didn't make that call when they had the chance.

I had about 50 percent on my phone and when I started trying to use my GPS out there and occasionally my phone flashlight, it rapidly drained to 10 percent. I would have tried a bit longer but my phone running out of battery was the deciding factor. I doubt I would have done much better even if I had a flashlight by myself at that point. Also, I'd have ended up 10 miles away from the start covered in mud on my own in the middle of the night.

I kept thinking how the worst of it would be that I was embarrassed versus possible hypothermia and hoping only that they wouldn't need to deploy a helicopter. They were able to use my coordinates when I called 911. The only other thing is that I was worried I might get billed for it but they told me that they don't do that, lol.

Touch posted...

Hikes can be scary af. I've built a habit of hiking with my cousins almost every Sunday recently since it's a covid safe activity and it seems like at least 2-3 of the trails I've went on there's been a case of someone missing, found dead or police and search helicopters around the area.

I just looked up "hiker lost" in the area I was in and there are plenty of reports of people getting lost or injured and the coast guard had to get them. Luckily that wasn't necessary for me.

The_Critic posted...

I always take a back pack with me with a few granola bars and some jerky, first aid kit, flash light, signaling mirror, and 2 of those space aluminum space blankets. Including the bag its only like 5 pounds. Had to use it once when I got lost in the North Cascades National Park doing back country hiking like 15 years ago.

I will definitely be more intentional and prepared next time. I literally just started walking on the path and I almost didn't bring my jacket.

SquirtleSkwad posted...

There are worse places to get lost, I suppose. Been lost on many a Colorado forest, but always found my way.

Yeah, it was getting down to freezing. Luckily it wasn't raining that night. It was pretty, though!

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SiO4 posted...

One of my backpacks actually has a whistle built into the chest clip.
I thought that was a cool touch.

Is it an osprey pack? Some of them do that I think. I have a little clip one I carry on my EDC pack. Useful for hailing cabs... I can't whistle with my mouth hole..

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SiO4 posted...

I've got a decent little solar panel with a USB out on it.
It does a good job and really didn't cost that much.
Having said that, there is no service in the mountains here.
Still, it's a good thing to have in general...plus I'm kind of a Solar nerd.

The battery pack I have charges via USB and solar

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gunplagirl posted...

Glad you're safe. Also, oregon peeps unite!

Thanks! I used to live in Portland but now I'm a filthy Seattlite.

DespondentDeity posted...

Glad ur alive dude coulda been p bad

Yeah, I was mentally preparing myself for spending the night and thinking of how I would get through it, e.g. whether I would try to sleep or if I would walk back and forth the whole time to stay warm. I found two side-by-side trees to wedge myself between and had my feet (wet from mud) in the trunk to try to keep them warm. I was texting the state policeman in-between keeping my hands to my chest under my shirt/stuffing them down my pants. There was no way to get comfortable and keep my torso warm.

My phone was steadily ticking off battery percentages even after I put it in battery saver mode. I didn't have the wherewithal to figure out how to turn off all my app notifications so people were messaging me on Hinge and Facebook. That was kind of surreal but it was nice to know that I had both internet and phone service where I was.

CableZL posted...

TC, do you carry any kind of external battery back with you when you go on these hikes? If not, that would be a handy item to keep your phone charged up.

I bought one for camping and driving specifically for this trip but I didn't anticipate that this trail would be more than an easy little jaunt so I left it in my car.

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DyingPancake posted...

I did this mountain biking once on a large trail Id never done before. I was riding a little too close to darkness and when I tried to find my way out I realized I had no idea where I was. I spent about an hour walking the trails in the dusk and didnt have my phone with me. I was preparers to spend the night out there and wasnt that worried about myself but my family would have lost it so I was worried about them. Right before I was about to give up I happened to walk by a distinct flower bed I remember seeing and was able to guess my way out of the darkness from there

Haha, awesome I had a similar experience.
I was on the bushwack half of my hike. I made it to the outcrop...which I still want to camp is...
But decided to go a bit further.
Long story short, I found myself stuck behind some ledges it wasn't until I found a downed bit of Birch Tree that I recognized that I was able to figure out how I got up there.
I had an exit strategy but it would have sucked. ((I know how the glaciers sculpted the Mountains here.))

That was one of my closest calls. Maybe my closest really.
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DravenRainrix posted...

Is it an osprey pack? Some of them do that I think. I have a little clip one I carry on my EDC pack. Useful for hailing cabs... I can't whistle with my mouth hole..

Yes, and I love them!! They do as much correct as you can expect.
That has totally been my go-to lately.
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DravenRainrix posted...

Is it an osprey pack? Some of them do that I think. I have a little clip one I carry on my EDC pack. Useful for hailing cabs... I can't whistle with my mouth hole..

I tried whistling with my mouth but I can't do the loud high-pitched one where you stick your fingers in your mouth. I just yelled as loud as I could when I heard their whistles and saw their flashlights.

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Did you skip hiking 101?
Always carry water, a map, a compass and count your fucking steps

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AdmiralStiff posted...

Did you skip hiking 101?
Always carry water, a map, a compass and count your fucking steps

Don't be a dick.

berlyman101 posted...

Ecola State Park near Cannon Beach, Oregon.

i don't want to say my exact location but i live about 10-15 miles away from that city.
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Good thing you didn't die of exposure. It can still get cold at night.

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ZannoL posted...

Don't be a dick.

Dude made use of emergency staff (here we just entered a zero sum game, mind you) cuz he went hiking unprepared

Don't expect me to give OP a cookie and a choccy

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SiO4 posted...

Haha, awesome I had a similar experience.
I was on the bushwack half of my hike. I made it to the outcrop...which I still want to camp is...
But decided to go a bit further.
Long story short, I found myself stuck behind some ledges it wasn't until I found a downed bit of Birch Tree that I recognized that I was able to figure out how I got up there.
I had an exit strategy but it would have sucked. ((I know how the glaciers sculpted the Mountains here.))

That was one of my closest calls. Maybe my closest really.

At the very least they now make good stories!

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berlyman101 posted...

It's definitely a learning experience. The things I could have used most were a light and a blanket that can stand up to freezing temps. I also left my charging pack in my car. This was maybe my second hike in a few years. I wanted to pack in as much as I could after being cooped up in my apartment without a car the past few years and basically decided to go on this one on a whim. In the past I've gone in groups, mostly with people experienced on the trails. I went on one last week in Southern Oregon where there was a clear loop with plenty of markers. Not as much the case here.

Oh well, then that explains it.
First, you knew you could potentially have to deal with Freezing Temps.
That right there puts you out of the realm of a simple day hike.
Especially if you are out of practice.

So, take it as, Ya cool, you made it.

Next no Cotton!!!!

I'm still wondering how your socks go muddy?
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AdmiralStiff posted...

Did you skip hiking 101?
Always carry water, a map, a compass and count your fucking steps

you forgot the trail mix

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DyingPancake posted...

At the very least they now make good stories!

Ya, I actually logged out a bunch of my trips in a journal but I think that one might pre-date my journal...which would make it pretty old school. I know it was pre-9/11

ModLogic posted...

you forgot the trail mix

I find cheerios can be a great basic thing to have.
They weigh nothing have energy, and your body will burn w/e fat you have going on.
Hard Bloiled Eggs are also good to have around.

Also some kind of kindling.
I usually at least have some braided-up Birtchbark with me.

For anyone who hasn't burnt Birchbark, it's amazing.
It burns like a fuse and smells like Birch!
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Sounds like a fun day.

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SiO4 posted...

Ya, I actually logged out a bunch of my trips in a journal but I think that one might pre-date my journal...which would make it pretty old school. I know it was pre-9/11

I find cheerios can be a great basic thing to have.
They weigh nothing have energy, and your body will burn w/e fat you have going on.
Hard Bloiled Eggs are also good to have around.

Also some kind of kindling.
I usually at least have some braided-up Birtchbark with me.

For anyone who hasn't burnt Birchbark, it's amazing.
It burns like a fuse and smells like Birch!

Ive always been an avid hiker but until a few years ago where I really started to make quality videos and edits of my hikes I never wrote anything down and Ive always regretted that

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DyingPancake posted...

Ive always been an avid hiker but until a few years ago where I really started to make quality videos and edits of my hikes I never wrote anything down and Ive always regretted that

Ya, do it.
It's totally worth it.

Maybe I'll take a pic of one of my pages.
It can be made simply.

I 100% suggest doing it.
But to your point, I haven't as much lately.
Though I still take a ton of pics.
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I would definitely invest in a GPS and compass to bring with you when you go out into the wilderness.

As well you should always bring a proper map that you know how to read.

Getting ready to go out on a trail here in Idaho. Gonna bring a bag with cashews, sardines, fully charged phone and my charger pack, and I'm gonna try to fit in my sleeping bag. Also I'll be wearing boots and will pick one that's rated as easy, am going in the middle of the day and will take a picture of the trail map.

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berlyman101 posted...

Getting ready to go out on a trail here in Idaho. Gonna bring a bag with cashews, sardines, fully charged phone and my charger pack, and I'm gonna try to fit in my sleeping bag. Also I'll be wearing boots and will pick one that's rated as easy, am going in the middle of the day and will take a picture of the trail map.

Doo Eeet!!
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lmao this trail is covered in ice

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berlyman101 posted...

lmao this trail is covered in ice

Are you at higher elevation?

I'm north west of Idaho and I'd have to go pretty high up into the mountains before ice or snow became an issue.

Well reasonably high.

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1. Navigation: map, compass, altimeter, GPS device, personal locator beacon (PLB) or satellite messenger
2. Headlamp: plus extra batteries
3. Sun protection: sunglasses, sun-protective clothes and sunscreen
4. First aid: including foot care and insect repellent (as needed)
5. Knife: plus a gear repair kit
6. Fire: matches, lighter, tinder and/or stove
7. Shelter: carried at all times (can be a light emergency bivy)
8. Extra food: Beyond the minimum expectation
9. Extra water: Beyond the minimum expectation
10. Extra clothes: Beyond the minimum expectation

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