3 hikers (2 are kids) missing in Zion NP on Fat Man's Misery

[izzy]

Huge thanks to Bo, Paul, Dan and the other SAR guys. Sounds like you have a great reputation for a reason.

[Bo_Beck]

So were they at the Crawford Wash pouroff or further east?

Did you all have to retrace your steps or were you able to continue on thru Pweap?

No, they were further east. We had a map that only showed as far west as Labyrinth or a bit further. I'll have to get the GPS coords. so I can see exactly where they were. I know that we had to hike at maybe 6 more miles to get to Trees Ranch from where the incident took place?

[Bo_Beck]

A canyon story with a happy ending !

Way to go Bo and everyone else involved with the rescue!

Planning to do Fat Man's on June 29th

Just make sure that you head east after rounding the southern tip of Checkerboard Mesa and cross several small drainages. I always say to look for the large "White Whales Back" formation, and steer for the top of this ridge. The West Fork of Misery is the canyon far below (to the east) of this North-South running formation. Cheers!

[ratagonia]

No, they were further east. We had a map that only showed as far west as Labyrinth or a bit further. I'll have to get the GPS coords. so I can see exactly where they were. I know that we had to hike at maybe 6 more miles to get to Trees Ranch from where the incident took place?

From the details presented here, AND sketchy notes I have received from someone else, sounds like they followed the drainage out the south side of Checkerboard Pass, which leads to a canyon, then a BIG dropoff.

Tom

[hank moon]

ZNP Press release attached

[Iceaxe]

The incident highlights the importance of notifying someone of your hiking plans and expected return time.

I'll roger that....

[ratagonia]

The incident highlights the importance of notifying someone of your hiking plans and expected return time.

I'll roger that....

Uh, yeah, whatever! Knowing how to read a map, bringing a map, and reading the map before you are lost work even better.

Tom

[rcwild]

Uh, yeah, whatever! Knowing how to read a map, bringing a map, and reading the map before you are lost work even better.

Tom

Here's a crazy thought -- How about advising people to learn to use a map AND to tell someone where they are going and when they expect to return.

[tanya]

Good Job Bo and SAR Guys!

[erial]

I was thinking it might have been a double plus day for Bo. The search had a good outcome and he got to go thru P-weap. Of course, he probably had 60 lbs on his back and the last stretch was probably blazing hot, but still he got to go thru P-weap.

[Bo_Beck]

I was thinking it might have been a double plus day for Bo. The search had a good outcome and he got to go thru P-weap. Of course, he probably had 60 lbs on his back and the last stretch was probably blazing hot, but still he got to go thru P-weap.

Well? Sort of! The big plus was spotting the hikers for sure, but as far as going thru Parunuweap? We stayed at the bottom (below the ledged up hikers until voice contact was made from the rescuers above) until around 3PM'ish. We still had a long way to go to get out to Springdale with chance of thunderstorms...anyhow, once we started moving we stepped up the pace to a speed that afforded little time to stop and smell the roses, then the Deer Flies began their evening forage. We did get out in good time, just in time to have some fresh Pizza supplied by the park for the folks involved. No..my pack wasn't too bad at all. I think Dan carried the most? We took only a 120' rope and some personal gear with us, so packs weren't horrendously heavy. The temps were IDEAL though. The clouds kept the temps quite tolerable.

[Bo_Beck]

Good Job Bo and SAR Guys!

Thanks Tanya!
Hey...Labyrinth Falls was flowing a lot more than the time we went together! It was beautiful. I hiked back under the falls after we rappelled, and it was cool from below as well! If a kayaker were to consider trying to run the falls I would only suggest that they not try. The falls drop into a scoop at the bottom and then shoot out of a funnel into a big pond at the end. Would be a disaster waiting to happen. Below the Falls to Springdale is over-rated. Imagine 3 miles of the routefinding/boulder hopping similar to lower pine creek followed by 6 miles of creekbed/routefinding similar to lower Left Fork of North Creek with out the trails and thicker vegetation. Certainly a beautiful area, but relentless and unforgiving.

[tanya]

Perhaps overrated, but your kind of fun.

[Cirrus2000]

Thanks Tanya!
Hey...Labyrinth Falls was flowing a lot more than the time we went together! It was beautiful. I hiked back under the falls after we rappelled, and it was cool from below as well! If a kayaker were to consider trying to run the falls I would only suggest that they not try. The falls drop into a scoop at the bottom and then shoot out of a funnel into a big pond at the end. Would be a disaster waiting to happen. Below the Falls to Springdale is over-rated. Imagine 3 miles of the routefinding/boulder hopping similar to lower pine creek followed by 6 miles of creekbed/routefinding similar to lower Left Fork of North Creek with out the trails and thicker vegetation. Certainly a beautiful area, but relentless and unforgiving.

Huh - interesting stuff! This turned into a kind of Trip Report on something many of us may never get a chance to do...

Way to go, SAR - and Bo! Glad everyone is OK.

[Bo_Beck]

Get onto Google Earth and locate the coordinates: 37.11.055 N. Lat, and 112.52.737 W. Lon. and this will put you where the lost hikers were located. (Coord. system Deg-Decimal Minutes). They had rappelled an initial 50' and then had downclimbed 3 8'-12' high obstacles to arrive at the ledge that they spent 2 nights. From their perch it was between 500'-600' vertical feet to the talus slope below.

[Iceaxe]

Uh, yeah, whatever! Knowing how to read a map, bringing a map, and reading the map before you are lost work even better.

Tom

There are always a lot of "coulda, woulda, shoulda" in something like this..... but how about we at least give them credit for doing something right that eventually saved their butts???

[thedesertnomad]

they didn't make it out last night (Friday) and their vehicle is still at the trailhead. SAR has just started searching.

Glad that all are well, but what I am curious about is where they were parked... they shouldn't have been allowed to park at the typical trailhead on a Friday during the construction. Crews have been sweeping everyone out of the park by 9ish am every weekday.

[Bo_Beck]

Glad that all are well, but what I am curious about is where they were parked... they shouldn't have been allowed to park at the typical trailhead on a Friday during the construction. Crews have been sweeping everyone out of the park by 9ish am every weekday.

Outside the East Entrance, and walked in.

[Bo_Beck]

there are always a lot of "coulda, woulda, shoulda" in something like this..... But how about we at least give them credit for doing something right that eventually saved their butts???

for sure!

[Bo_Beck]

Huh - interesting stuff! This turned into a kind of Trip Report on something many of us may never get a chance to do...

Way to go, SAR - and Bo! Glad everyone is OK.

Hey, you are right! It certainly wasn't a hike for pleasure this time, but when I hiked from Mineral Gulch, down Parunuweap and out to Springdale back in 1991 with a group of Boy Scouts I kept up a fast pace as well and really didn't get to see a lot that time either. We started the hike at 5AM and finished at 9:30PM! One day it would be nice if this route could be opened back up to the public again!? You do know that it is legal to hike into the Park as far as Labyrinth Falls though (but not beyond the top of the Falls)...don't you? Labyrinth Falls is really beautiful from the top, and not so interesting looking up from the bottom anyway.