SPOT Satellite Messenger

[Iceaxe]

Hiker stranded in snowstorm on Mount Charleston rescued

A Canadian hiker rescued today after being stranded in a snowstorm on Mount Charleston said he called for help because he was afraid of getting lost if he tried to make it down alone.

The hiker, Gregory Rudowsky, and his dog, Tiki, were lifted off the mountain via helicopter by a Metro Police search and rescue team.

Rudowsky, an experienced hiker, said he walked up the Bonanza Trail in Lee Canyon on Wednesday with plans to camp overnight and hike out Thursday morning. But when he woke up Thursday, a winter storm had already dumped two feet of snow on the ground, he said.

Police were alerted at 8:34 a.m. Thursday that the hiker and his dog were stranded when he used an emergency locator

[maarten.1975]

Well, a lot of replies, I scanned all of them, and I think I didn't see this link yet:

http://bolty.net/2011/04/28/by-the-n...fast-find-210/

It is a review of SPOT Messenger vs ACR ResQLink vs McMurdo Fast Find 210.

The chances of Spot being able to reach outside of a slot canyon are minimal is the conclusion.
The other 2 devices (working with 460 MHz instead of 1610 MHz) will have much higher chance of doing this!

So I think the answer to your question, whether Spot can reach outside of slot canyons, sadly has to be a no...

[Cirrus2000]

I agree with Big_E! about Rule #2 and Rule #1. Tom's version of Rule #1 isn't a rule - it's The Situation. "Know your limit, play within it" is Strategy. Leaving someone watching where I'm going and knowing my plan is Tactics - the rules of engagement.

I know that my old, outdated SPOT isn't going to get the signal out from the bottom of a slot, but I always leave a track behind when I'm hiking in (that extra $50/year is a bargain, to me). And I always, before I drop below the rim, send up an "OK" signal. And another when I'm back at the car/camp/whatever. These are hard and fast rules when I'm on my own, especially. That Last Known Position thing is huge, for SAR.

[spinesnaper]

I agree with Big_E! about Rule #2 and Rule #1. Tom's version of Rule #1 isn't a rule - it's The Situation. "Know your limit, play within it" is Strategy. Leaving someone watching where I'm going and knowing my plan is Tactics - the rules of engagement.

I know that my old, outdated SPOT isn't going to get the signal out from the bottom of a slot, but I always leave a track behind when I'm hiking in (that extra $50/year is a bargain, to me). And I always, before I drop below the rim, send up an "OK" signal. And another when I'm back at the car/camp/whatever. These are hard and fast rules when I'm on my own, especially. That Last Known Position thing is huge, for SAR.

Peace of mind is knowing your device will ping out of the stone prison you are trapped in. It is one thing waiting 10 hours knowing that someone will pick up your signal. It is a whole other thing sitting in a canyon waiting rescue and not knowing if anyone will get your signal or any of your bread crumbs. It you are relying on SAR to pick up bread crumbs that means you are waiting until your loved ones let local authorities/SAR know that you are overdue. That is a profoundly different set of time windows. Unfortunately, when you need to be rescued, you often need to be rescued now. Tom's rule number one is right on. However, I believe that he has violated that rule on at least a couple of occasions. $250 for that kind of peace of mind is well worth it but it is still a chunk of change. Perhaps ZAC could consider renting these. (I know I am going to get it for making that suggestion.)

That hiker on Mt. Charleston made the right call. That is what the gear is for. We can debate if a more experienced hiker would have hiked out. Undoubtedly, the answer for some is sure of course.

[tley430]

That hiker on Mt. Charleston made the right call. That is what the gear is for. We can debate if a more experienced hiker would have hiked out. Undoubtedly, the answer for some is sure of course.

I agree that the hiker made the right call

And yes, a more experienced hiker would have been equipped with a handheld GPS unit (like a Garmin) or something he/she could use to just back-track their route!

[ratagonia]

Not being there, it is of course hard to say anything intelligent, but ... since I am an * and this is Bogley, I will say something stupid.

I have no problem using the SPOT when the person was in trouble. But he was not in trouble yet. He had a tent, sleeping bags, stove, water, food, etc. He had a SPOT for emergencies. He could have TRIED to get out, but he did not, he called for rescue before he was in trouble.

Given the story as reported, he abused the system and should be billed for the rescue.

That said, news reporters don't necessarily get the story right. "Experienced hiker" - what does that mean? He did not check the weather report where he was going. Sounds like he did not have a map or a gps. Perhaps he did not have the clothes for hiking in the snow... Perhaps he had never seen snow before and did not know how snow works (but, he IS Canadian, so unlikely). Perhaps perhaps...

I hope most people here would at least make an effort to get themselves out, before calling in the cavalry.

Tom ****

[restrac2000]

The article stated he could have lasted a week because of how prepared he was. That to me hints the SAR call was not immediately needed. If he was that prepared (according to the SAR) he could have given it a day or two for the weather to subside. SAR shouldn't be used for preventing risk to comfort but those situations that are a risk to life. IMHO

Phillip

[spinesnaper]

OK you guys are harsh.

"Experienced hiker" doesn't that almost always precede: is survived by....?

I have had two separate occasions of seeing "experienced hikers" decompensate in snowy conditions. Once in Sequoia National Park my hiking partner essential lost it after relatively heavy snow had been falling for a couple of hours. I had no trouble seeking the slight contour depression in the snow outlining the trail. Had to slap my partner out of the mind set. Another occasion was on a late November hike with a small group of Sierra club hikers on Freel Peak, an 11000 footer in the Carson range near Lake Tahoe. We were dealing with hip snow deep drifts but with the lay of the land, it would have been hard to get too lost. Again a very "experienced hiker" decided he just wanted to lay down in the snow at 3PM. Fortunately a couple of us were able to convince him it was not the best time or spot for a nap.

I could image that either of these individuals on their own really would not feel that they had any other option but to hit the panic (spot/PLB) button.

Charge them for their rescue? The good news is if you know were they are within 3 meters, they are not so hard to find. That should limit the cost of the rescue. The reality is that as more of these happen enterprising public servants will figure out how to make end users pay for these services one way or another. Perhaps the new canyoneering associations can sell us all rescue insurance as part of our membership.

Ken

[ratagonia]

Charge them for their rescue? The good news is if you know where they are within 3 meters, they are not so hard to find. That should limit the cost of the rescue. The reality is that as more of these happen, enterprising public servants will figure out how to make end users pay for these services one way or another. Perhaps the new canyoneering associations can sell us all rescue insurance as part of our membership.

Ken

The ambitious public servants HAVE figured out how to get people to pay for these rescues - advertise! Press Releases, shoot pixels for the 10 pm news: Rescue people, splash it across the headlines... Folks, we need another 50 million for the helicopter rescue squad - good news, it comes out of Homeland Security - your government deficit spending at work!!! That's Federal money - it's free!

[/rave]

[spinesnaper]

It is a great country isn't it? Soon the drones will be doing the searching. They multi-task and can be used to search for pot farms too (we have a bit of a problem with this in California parks).

Ken