Rangers Find Injured Man Crawling Across Desert Near Bluejohn

[shagdeuce]

From today's NPS morning report:

On Friday, September 9th, rangers in the Island in the Sky District began looking into circumstances surrounding a campsite at the Willow Flat campground, which appeared to be abandoned and unoccupied. The investigation led to a search for Amos Richards, a 64-year-old visitor from North Carolina. Details led staff to believe that he may have been in or around the park's Maze District. A search was begun for Richards two days later. He was spotted from a helicopter around 2 p.m. in the area of Little Blue John Canyon, just outside the park's boundary, and was flown to Moab Regional Hospital, where he was treated for leg fractures, internal injuries, trauma, and dehydration. Further investigation revealed that Richards attempted to hike in and out of Lower Blue John Canyon via the entry/exit route between West and Little Blue John Canyons. He fell approximately 10 feet trying to gain the wash bottom, suffering extensive leg trauma in the process. Richards couldn't bear weight on his right leg, so spend the next four days and three nights crawling across the desert in an attempt to get back to his car. He had no overnight gear, warm clothes or a map, but did have five liters of water and two power bars with him. No one knew where he was or what his plans were. It rained on him several times as he crawled across the desert. Richards is expected to fully recover. Matt Jenkins was IC for the search.
[Submitted by Denny Ziemann, Chief Ranger]

[CarpeyBiggs]

damn! i smell a movie deal!

[Iceaxe]

No one knew where he was or what his plans were.

Wow.... this guy was serious about duplicating the complete Aron Ralston experience.

[shagdeuce]

Wow.... this guy was serious about duplicating the complete Aron Ralston experience.

That is just what I was thinking. Bluejohn is either developing a curse or is becoming a magnet for the illprepared.

[Canyonbug]

Wow.... this guy was serious about duplicating the complete Aron Ralston experience.

LOL!!

I foresee there becoming a lot of restrictions from land managers in this area. I wonder if Rahlston feels any sense of responsibility for the amount of rescues that have ensued this year as a result of the movie.

[Eric Holden]

This sounds like a Joe Simpson/Aron Ralston combo... and both of them got movies deals!

[darthjenni]

He's a failure. He's still got 2 arms :)

[ilipichicuma]

He's a failure. He's still got 2 arms :)

:lol8::lol8:

[spinesnaper]

Be nice.:nono: It might happen to any of us. I am sure he is a very experienced outdoors man.

Ken

[Iceaxe]

He's a failure. He's still got 2 arms :)

47968

[Deathcricket]

He's a failure. He's still got 2 arms :)

Best comment EVA! :2thumbs:

[Jaxx]

Sounds like he had all his bases covered for another EPIC movie. Too bad the leg will survive.

[Sombeech]

damn you guys are harsh























:roflol:

[Don]

Be nice.:nono: It might happen to any of us. I am sure he is a very experienced outdoors man.

Ken

Yeah, this thread and the harsh, judgemental community make me never want to screw up anything bigger than forgetting salt and pepper. Even a misplaced beer could be catastrophic to one's canyon-rep. :haha:

[spinesnaper]

Yeah, this thread and the harsh, judgemental community make me never want to screw up anything bigger than forgetting salt and pepper. Even a misplaced beer could be catastrophic to one's canyon-rep. :haha:

Don

Thanks for coming to my defense. I do mean what I said. On the other hand, I was also being ironical as almost everyone who screws up big time in the backcountry is described as being a "very experienced outdoors man" right after they zip up the body bag.

Being accountable and using that to keep you on your toes is probably not a bad thing. Misplacing beer--that would be a big f-up. I almost did that the first night hiking in Paria this Spring while trying to cool off the beer in the river. Fortunately the bag was weighed down with enough rocks so it didn't get very far.:cry1::haha:

Ken

[Dr. Nebz]

Not to be harsh or judgmental, but the article states "He was hiking alone, and no one else was aware of his plans or his location."

This is breaking the "golden rule." As did Mr. Ralston. No matter how skilled you think you are, if you are by yourself and sustain a major injury, you are playing with death if you tell no one your plans of where you are going and when you plan to return. :crazycobasa:

I have a contingency plan every time I go on walkabout solo or not. My wife or mom gets a map, days leaving and day returning, with strict instructions that if I do not contact by a certain time on the day I am supposed to return, to call the local authorities of the area that I am in who can initiate a S&R in a jiffy. This is a good idea because I know if I was injured, and it had past that time of return, mentally I can prepare to sit it out until help arrives. It truly is a mental game to survive in a situation like this, so knowing you will get help lets you overcome the anxiety and focus on the essentials to make it out.

[BruteForce]

"He was inspired" by the other unprepared guy so went out alone and also unprepared.

While I'm glad he survived the ordeal, I have to wonder if he was looking for his 15 minutes of fame.

[canyoncaver]

Get ready to get in line for your Blue John permits.... No chairs or sleeping bags!

[John Peterson]

CNN video interview. (http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2011/09/22/utah-man-canyon-rescue.wbtv?&hpt=hp_c2)

:roll:

[ratagonia]

Not to be harsh or judgmental, but the article states "He was hiking alone, and no one else was aware of his plans or his location."

This is breaking the "golden rule." As did Mr. Ralston. No matter how skilled you think you are, if you are by yourself and sustain a major injury, you are playing with death if you tell no one your plans of where you are going and when you plan to return. :crazycobasa:

I have a contingency plan every time I go on walkabout solo or not. My wife or mom gets a map, days leaving and day returning, with strict instructions that if I do not contact by a certain time on the day I am supposed to return, to call the local authorities of the area that I am in who can initiate a S&R in a jiffy. This is a good idea because I know if I was injured, and it had past that time of return, mentally I can prepare to sit it out until help arrives. It truly is a mental game to survive in a situation like this, so knowing you will get help lets you overcome the anxiety and focus on the essentials to make it out.

The golden rule is "Don't Frak up and Die".

Many, MANY people go out by themselves without informing mommy.

I am so happy you have a great backup plan. My backup plan is to take care of myself.

You are always playing with Death. putting various plans in place might make you feel more responsible. I'm not against it, I'm just saying - it is an illusion of safety.


Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.

Tom

[Iceaxe]

Many, MANY people go out by themselves without informing mommy.

You can't fix stupid....

[ratagonia]

You can't fix stupid....

Especially when it don't need fixing.

T

[Alex]

CNN had a special on this dude.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2011/09/22/utah-man-canyon-rescue.wbtv?&hpt=hp_c2

[BruteForce]

Despite the many dramatized news stories, I still think he went into that canyon TRYING to get his moment on TV (15 minutes of fame).

[Dr. Nebz]

The golden rule is "Don't Frak up and Die".

Many, MANY people go out by themselves without informing mommy.

I am so happy you have a great backup plan. My backup plan is to take care of myself.

You are always playing with Death. putting various plans in place might make you feel more responsible. I'm not against it, I'm just saying - it is an illusion of safety.



Tom

I never said there were any guarantees. I said that the golden rule is you always let someone know where you are going and when you plan to return. Unless you have no one in your life that you care about, this is the right thing to do. Because if you come home in a body bag, it does not hurt you, it hurts the people who love you. So do what you want, it makes no difference to me, but respect is respect, and putting sorrow on someone because you wanna act like you have big ass balls is stupid and disrespectful IMO.

And stop with your insinuation that I was using the word "mommy." I used the word "Mom," (reading is fundamental) and that is only when me and the wife head out together.

[Dr. Nebz]

You can't fix stupid....

Yes you can, its called birth control. :haha:

[wasatchghost]

Despite the many dramatized news stories, I still think he went into that canyon TRYING to get his moment on TV (15 minutes of fame).
My thoughts exactly. The main message I got from 127h was "don't be an idiot and wander off into the desert alone." If that movie really is what inspired this guy to go to bluejohn, he would have had to make a conscious decision not to tell anyone.

[denaliguide]

The golden rule is "Don't Frak up and Die".

Many, MANY people go out by themselves without informing mommy.

I am so happy you have a great backup plan. My backup plan is to take care of myself.

You are always playing with Death. putting various plans in place might make you feel more responsible. I'm not against it, I'm just saying - it is an illusion of safety.



Tom

x2

i do solo trips and often don't tell anyone where i am going because even i don't know exactly where i will be from one day to the next. would be kind of pointless to put in a hiking plan if i can't stick to it. and my mom doesn't really want to know what i am doing anyway. she will look at the photos after though.

just like tom said "don't frak up and die". that's not just the golden rule, it's the only rule. forget the spot, forget the "ten essentials", forget to register at the trailhead and take a chance. personal responsibility is one of the things that is lacking these days. in the past it was common for someone to go off for month at a time without knowing what was over the next hill. sometimes they came back and sometimes they did not. that's just how life was.

i just enjoy running through the woods without that safety net that some can't leave home without. i chose to rely on experience and judgment (not always good by the way) if i die in the woods do i worry about how everyone will feel that i have left? not really, after all i'll be dead.

[Don]

Too much 'do it my way' in the world (and on this board). Some may feel it's safer to leave detailed trip plans (I usually do), but it's not a 'rule', golden or any other color.
I totally get the appeal of heading out without a plan. It's the best way to experience something you weren't expecting.
Go out and explore and have fun. Do it your way. And understand that if you f*ck it up you'll probably catch hell on the boards. But then again, how much does the website effect your real life? So maybe f*ck it up anyway and enjoy the show... :naughty:

[ghawk]

how much does the website effect your real life? So maybe f*ck it up anyway and enjoy the show... :naughty:

Amid your not so so cleverly disguised profanity you also used effect improperly. You affect something but have an effect on something. That said, you do have the right to do what you will but realize that every time one of these highly publicized rescues happen more restrictions can and eventually will be placed on our access and that does have an effect on the canyoneering community :nod:

[jwurst]

I normally leave a plan when going out without the kids. I have certain responsibilities with regard to them until they become independent and I can't fulfill those obligations if I'm dead in a canyon. I usually have a pretty long list of options for where we might be. First step to rescue: find the car.

But when we all go out together I tend to be a bit more cavalier. If we all get trapped and die together then I don't have any more obligations. :wink:

[Iceaxe]

I just find it interesting that someone who preaches helmets to the extent of ridiculous, doesn't also preach having a check-in.... it seems hypercritical to me. :ne_nau:

In the great world of safety I'd rate having a check-in as more important than wearing a helmet.... YMMV

As to how much safety a person wishes to execute I consider that a personal thing....

[Cirrus2000]

But when we all go out together I tend to be a bit more cavalier. If we all get trapped and die together then I don't have any more obligations. :wink:

:roflol:

Love me some dark humor.

I also do a lot of solo trips. I'm very careful when I'm solo, but I love the feel of being out there on my own. I always leave details on where I am, what I'm doing, and when I'll be in touch. But I totally get the appeal in not doing so. (Yes, I know that the last 'sentence' I wrote was actually a sentence fragment, being only a subordinate clause, but it was used for effect.)

There can be repercussions when someone doing their own thing screws up, but as a society we have to find a balance between a mollycoddling, helicopter parent type of government interference, and personal freedoms and responsibilities. The guy in this story messed up, and it could have cost him dearly, but I totally defend his right to do what he did. The big dummy.

[ratagonia]

I just find it interesting that someone who preaches helmets to the extent of ridiculous, doesn't also preach having a check-in.... it seems hypercritical to me. :ne_nau:

In the great world of safety I'd rate having a check-in as more important than wearing a helmet.... YMMV

As to how much safety a person wishes to execute I consider that a personal thing....

A check-in plan makes you safer? Seems like the opposite - people think a check-in plan makes them safer, rather than taking responsibility for keeping themselves safe when out there - like, wearing a helmet, and knowing what you are doing.

Jus' sayin'.

Tom :moses:

[ghawk]

A check-in plan makes you safer? Seems like the opposite - people think a check-in plan makes them safer, rather than taking responsibility for keeping themselves safe when out there - like, wearing a helmet, and knowing what you are doing.

Jus' sayin'.

Tom :moses:

Really? I do whatever I can to make sure I am in the safest situation possible. I'm putting myself in an unpredictable environment that can change very quickly, so I will make sure those things I can control are taken care of. That includes wearing a helmet, not going alone, letting someone know my plan in case the unexpected occurs and I'm stuck, having good beta and keeping up with current canyon conditions, checking my gear regularly and replacing old worn out stuff, learning and practicing new techniques and using new tools effectively, and not being stupid. I think all of those are important and ensure a safer experience. I respect the right of people to use less safety measures if they choose, but I feel that having a check in plan is one of the many things I do to be safe and is not a way to get out of "taking responsibility for keeping.. [myself] safe when out there".

[mattandersao]

I just find it interesting that someone who preaches helmets to the extent of ridiculous, doesn't also preach having a check-in.... it seems hypercritical to me. :ne_nau:

In the great world of safety I'd rate having a check-in as more important than wearing a helmet.... YMMV

As to how much safety a person wishes to execute I consider that a personal thing....


ZZZZZING! Hold on to your seats folks I feel this thread may turn into the next one to be locked or deleted by the moderators! :)

[ratagonia]

Really? I do whatever I can to make sure I am in the safest situation possible. I'm putting myself in an unpredictable environment that can change very quickly, so I will make sure those things I can control are taken care of. That includes wearing a helmet, not going alone, letting someone know my plan in case the unexpected occurs and I'm stuck, having good beta and keeping up with current canyon conditions, checking my gear regularly and replacing old worn out stuff, learning and practicing new techniques and using new tools effectively, and not being stupid. I think all of those are important and ensure a safer experience. I respect the right of people to use less safety measures if they choose, but I feel that having a check in plan is one of the many things I do to be safe and is not a way to get out of "taking responsibility for keeping.. [myself] safe when out there".

For you, Gavin, I am sure it is not.

For some, the way to make themselves "safer", they think, is to carry a "SPOT". That chunk of money would be better spent taking a course, learning skills by instruction, but this is rarely in the running. Carrying "more gear" makes us safer. The noobs in Larry carried 600 feet of rope and webbing for 4 x 100 foot rappels. In their case, carrying a SPOT may have saved a life, or at least a limb, but carrying less gear, and knowing what they were doing, would have been a better choice.

And for me, I live alone, so there is no natural person for me to inform where I am. I also go out with many options, rarely with a well-defined schedule or objective. So I do not think it is a good idea for me to set up a program that I cannot keep.

Tom :moses:

[ratagonia]

I just find it interesting that someone who preaches helmets to the extent of ridiculous, doesn't also preach having a check-in.... it seems hypercritical to me. :ne_nau:


Perhaps you meant hypocritical? http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/hypocrite

I am hypercritical about people wearing helmets.

Tom :moses:

[mattandersao]

And for me, I live alone, so there is no natural person for me to inform where I am. I also go out with many options, rarely with a well-defined schedule or objective. So I do not think it is a good idea for me to set up a program that I cannot keep.
Tom :moses:

I think all of us deviate depending on the circumstances but wouldnt it be in everyone's best interest of letting someone know the general area you intend to be exploring? I mean lets say that some hardcore adventurer named, I dont know "Tom" on one of his adventures gets pinned by a boulder hiking solo. Eventually a coworker notices his absence and calls the police. Everyone knows "Tom" is the "emperor of canyoneering" and guess he is in a canyon somewhere. SAR gets involved and searches half the state for his vehicle at a trailhead. Eventually after countless hours they find his vehicle near say blue john. Then a week later SAR finds him armless with a tourniquet keeping him from bleeding out...and.... what if "Tom" had just told one person that "Tom" would be in that general area, maybe that saves hours and hours of time and "Tom's" arm?? No??

[ghawk]

For you, Gavin, I am sure it is not.

For some, the way to make themselves "safer", they think, is to carry a "SPOT". That chunk of money would be better spent taking a course, learning skills by instruction, but this is rarely in the running. Carrying "more gear" makes us safer. The noobs in Larry carried 600 feet of rope and webbing for 4 x 100 foot rappels. In their case, carrying a SPOT may have saved a life, or at least a limb, but carrying less gear, and knowing what they were doing, would have been a better choice.

And for me, I live alone, so there is no natural person for me to inform where I am. I also go out with many options, rarely with a well-defined schedule or objective. So I do not think it is a good idea for me to set up a program that I cannot keep.

Tom :moses:

Fair enough. I think being as safe as possible is the way to be. What that means to each person and each situation is different based on experience, skills, location, length of trip, type of trip etc... I just want to make sure that having various emergency plans, including a person to call SAR at an arranged upon time, isn't seen negatively by the community. It shouldn't be a crutch for less experienced canyoneers to lean on as they attempt out-of-their-league canyons, but I believe it should be part of all of our plans when possible.

[wasatchghost]

No matter how careful we are, unpredictable things happen. That's why you either need to tell someone where you're going, or avoid everything that has even the slightest potential to be a problem. Which, in a canyon, is everything.

[ratagonia]

No matter how careful we are, unpredictable things happen. That's why you either need to tell someone where you're going, or avoid everything that has even the slightest potential to be a problem. Which, in a canyon, is everything.

Or be capable of dealing. Which, I rave, is a better long-term solution.

Tom :moses:

[ratagonia]

Fair enough. I think being as safe as possible is the way to be. What that means to each person and each situation is different based on experience, skills, location, length of trip, type of trip etc... I just want to make sure that having various emergency plans, including a person to call SAR at an arranged upon time, isn't seen negatively by the community. It shouldn't be a crutch for less experienced canyoneers to lean on as they attempt out-of-their-league canyons, but I believe it should be part of all of our plans when possible.

Excellent. I agree it is a good thing to do.

Tom :moses:

[Iceaxe]

Or be capable of dealing. Which, I rave, is a better long-term solution.

Tom :moses:

So you are trained and capable of dealing with all unforeseen circumstances?

WOW!!! I don't know why you even bother to pack a wet suit as you can obviously walk on water.

[ratagonia]

So you are trained and capable of dealing with all unforeseen circumstances?

WOW!!! I don't know why you even bother to pack a wet suit as you can obviously walk on water.

You otta try that sometime, Ice. The being capable part, not the walking on water part.

I can turn wine into water as well. Easier with beer.

Tom

[denaliguide]

i love it when you are filling out a permit request and they ask for an emergency number. i always put down 911. i mean what good is going to do to call my mom? she doesn't know squat about first aid.

[RedRoxx]

Geez, how much hand holding do people need. Do what is right for you, carry a spot, a sat phone whatever. Wear body armor if you want. I don't carry any of that crap but a fair amount of camera gear. Years ago I put on a very light pack and went out into the desert without a map, without researching the area, without supplies. I stayed a few days. I looked at the sun and moon for my guidance and looked at the lay of the land for my travel and water. Ya know what, I am still here today. And so did our ancestors, who had none of this stuff and still stayed around to pass on the genes to all of us. I hope they had more common sense than we seem to.

[skiclimb3287]

i love it when you are filling out a permit request and they ask for an emergency number. i always put down 911. i mean what good is going to do to call my mom? she doesn't know squat about first aid.
:haha:

[skiclimb3287]

I have always been of the opinion that someone should know where I intend to be to the best of my ability. While I may not know my exact itinerary, I can usually, at the very least, give an area, day of entry, and the planned day of exit. I will only leave this plan with someone who I trust to not call the cavalry out when I am 2 hours late or even 12 hours late. I certainly have made the decision many times to enjoy where I was for an additional day. Generally, my rule is don't call anyone until I don't show up for work. That may be 3 days after my planned return, but this is where I agree fully with Tom. My golden rule is to not go somewhere where I can get myself into a situation I can not get myself out of. If I break an ankle (been there), a leg, or other bone, can I make it out without SAR needing to be called? Yes. Will I go explore an area I have never been and know nothing about? Certainly, but at this point that would not be a technical slot. I have enough skills to get myself through a well-beta'd canyon, but I definitely don't know enough to decend blindly. Sure, crap happens, but I do everything I can to stack the odds in my favor. The worst thing I could dream of happening to me in the backcountry is having to call SAR to pick up my sorry ass.

I guess to sum that up, I agree with both sides here. Leave as best a plan you can with someone who is not trigger happy, but at the same time, ensure you have the skills that allow you to "be capable of dealing."

YMMV

[Swamp Thing]

A SOPT is essential equipment for me and has saved my life in the past. If I didn't carry one my wife would have killed me many times over!:haha:

[SRG]

A week ago while doing Little Blue John I encountered a middle aged couple in the wash before the first downclimb. They were on vacation to Utah and no one knew of their canyon plans, to top it off they thought they were in the wash before The Main Fork and had no idea that Little Blue John even existed. Neither had canyoneering experience and they had a crappy map.

Canyoneering is inherently risky and telling someone your plans or even just what canyons you are considering takes very little effort.

[ststephen]

i love it when you are filling out a permit request and they ask for an emergency number. i always put down 911. i mean what good is going to do to call my mom? she doesn't know squat about first aid.

Many years back, before cell phones were common, a daycare employee wanted to know my pager/cell # to call in case of an emergency involving my son. I had none. They were shocked that I couldn't be contacted if something life threatening came up. I told them that if they needed to call me to ask what to do when my son needed life-saving urgent care that perhaps this wasn't the best place for him to stay.

[ratagonia]

A SOPT is essential equipment for me and has saved my life in the past. If I didn't carry one my wife would have killed me many times over!:haha:

What is an SOPT? Sounds like it might be useful.

Tom

[Felicia]

What is an SOPT? Sounds like it might be useful.

Tom


Won't work for you Tom - you need to have a wife. :lol8::lol8:

[reverse_dyno]

Would you take more risks if at any time during the trip you could call in SAR? In the Swiss Alps you can, and I believe because of that people end up taking more risks. I have seen a helicopter lift a skier with a badly hurt leg off a mountain when he was surrounded by ten plus other backcountry skiers. They could have easily gotten him off as it wasn’t a difficult ski tour.


In the US we have an ethic of getting yourself off the mountain. That ethic is partly due to necessity. We often do not have cell coverage and cannot call in SAR. The cell phone revolution is the biggest threat to the self rescue ethic.

[Swamp Thing]

What is an SOPT? Sounds like it might be useful.

Tom

It does sound like something more useful than a SPOT. How about a Simple Operation Pointing Thingy.

[spinesnaper]

(to) sopt = to do smth. really great, like the best thing in the world. Like really aweful cool. Yes, I mean it. Like the superbest thing you have done so far. Or like the best thing you could imagine.

Never heard it used.

Or

SOPT Serum Glutamic Oxaloacetic Transaminase


The Spot may be good for the spouse. If you really wanted to be communicating with your spouse, would you be down in a canyon? Just saying. But let's get real, a PLB is what you need if you want actual help, IMO.

Ken

[Wasatch Rebel]

The main message I got from 127h was "don't be an idiot and wander off into the desert alone." If that movie really is what inspired this guy to go to bluejohn, he would have had to make a conscious decision not to tell anyone.


"Those who trade liberty for security deserve neither." - Benjamin Franklin.

That being said, it seems awful strange to me that he almost seemed to idolize Ralston and ended up following in his footsteps, just couldn't get a boulder to roll. Maybe he was jumping on one when he fell the ten feet. I wonder if Aron knows he has a stalker. And he should have told someone where he's going. I agree, he'd almost have had to make a conscious decision to re-enact "127 Hours".