Posted on 05/26/2016 1:18:25 PM PDT by DUMBGRUNT
Geraldine Largay knew she was doomed.
It had been two weeks since she left the Appalachian Trail to go to the bathroom and lost her way; two weeks since she had wandered deeper and deeper into the woods of northwest Maine in search of a cellphone signal to message for help; two weeks since she had pitched her tent underneath a copse of hemlock trees atop a ridge; two weeks since she was supposed to meet her husband, waiting for her in his SUV on Route 27.
Largay’s food was running low. Her water, too.
So the 66-year-old retired nurse sat down and wrote a note to whoever might find her — after she was dead.
“When you find my body, please call my husband George and my daughter Kerry,”
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Exactly. Plus there is an art to it. Plus some math. And batteries are not required. Just a little brain power.
She must have wanted to have privacy in case others came along the trail. Ok, fine, take 10 paces north, in the bushes, then 10 paces south right back.
Amazing (to me) the level of smartassery hereabouts.
“That is my question. Why did she go high instead of following a stream or valley to go low until she ran into something? “
The question being how long is “eventually”. If you have water that should be at least three or four days before you start really losing strength.
Bars for her cell were more important to her than water or life itself. But, but she was soooo experienced!!! Not. Some people are just that dumb. Bet she voted for Obama.
Once upon a time, about the time my Father died, I decided to take one last walk around the old farm before Mom sold it and (no doubt) p*****d the money away.
I was taking the old ‘shortcut’ through a wooded area between two fields when I suddenly realized that in his later years, my Dad hadn’t had the energy to travel the trails and keep the vegetation beaten down. In short, I was surrounded by thick vegetation and thoroughly confused.
Thankfully, it was in the afternoon, and once I figured out where the sun was, all I had to do is walk toward it, and a couple of minutes later, I found my way out of the brush. I resolved never to place myself in that position again.
Poor lady. It’s easy to criticize the dead, but when you’re on the spot and every tree looks alike, it’s a whole other matter.
As for me, you won’t find me in the woods again without a group, and ... a compass.
I didn’t know she didn’t have a compass. Whoa, that makes it a lot harder. I assumed she had a compass and since she knew she was N of the trail, just head south. She would have come upon the trail.
Exactly! If you have all kinds of modesty issues, perhaps this kind of hiking is not for you.
"“This is some of the worst country in Maine,” Palman said. “It’s hard to understand how logistically difficult this area was. On any given day, by the time a searcher would get close to where Largay was found, they’d have to turn around to make it back to their vehicles by nightfall.”
All hikers should be prepared to save themselves, and that means having a compass and topo maps, and at least basic knowledge of how to either find the original trail or walk out to safety. And even though many people are trained to sit still if they are lost, that's not a good strategy if the search teams you are relying on don't stay overnight in the woods to search areas more than 1/2 day walk from the road.
Also, hikers need to be prepared to act boldly. Starting a small signal fire is a very good idea in the circumstances Mrs. Largay found herself in. As the situation grew more desperate she should have started a much larger signal fire, and at some point starting a large enough signal fire to get anyone within 50 miles' attention might have been warranted. Needless to say anyone hiking in the woods should be carrying the supplies necessary to start a fire - big or small.
But the most important skill is to be able to navigate with a compass - even if you can't see ten feet in front of you in the brush.
I don’t think we are mocking her. It’s just that I’ve read lots of hiking stories and there was usually a GOOD REASON why the people were stuck or lost. She doesn’t seem to have had one. She wrote her experiences down so we know she didn’t have a broken leg or fever or whatever.
And apparently no compass or couldn’t start a fire. It’s like she is one of those dumb kids who have never hiked and think they can. But she was supposed to be experienced.
“Sad. But really how far off trail do you have to go to tinkle to get lost?
If it was that thick I wouldn’t think too far. And if it wasn’t thick seems like you could retrace yourself. I don’t know, just sad.”
I read the complete article. She was supposedly a veteran, highly skilled hiker who had been to numerous classes on survival and such. Also, she had a compass, matches with her so to build a fire if needed. I’m thinking she had a case of dementia or maybe she wanted to die for some reason. Call it suicide by faking being lost?
“I can get to high ground”
Go down not up. Following water will get you somewhere.
You might not be able to see beyond the trees. You’d have to not only be “up” but be in a bald spot or above the tree line AND be able to see into a direction where there’s something. You might just wind up looking over at the next ridge on the wilderness side.
If conditions are right (and you can see as above), you can spot distant streams/rivers by a ribbon of cloud above them. Warmer water in a cool morning will show itself in the sky.
I only day hiker occasionally. I take 2 flashlights, rain gear, survival knife and fire starter, GPS with extra batteries, paper topo map, regular compass, compass on my watch, twice the water I expect to use, food, cell phone, altimeter on watch, whistle, small first aid kit.
I am not an experienced hiker, but I think I have some common sense.
This is a sad story. One, because a woman needlessly died, but two because it was so senseless.
Did she never watch “Survivorman”? How about “Dual Survival”?
“Gerry was no beginner. She had spent years attending hiking courses and camping in the Smoky Mountains. Fellow hikers described her as experienced and level-headed.”
Who, other liberals? This woman was neither experienced and level-headed. At least not experienced in the wilderness.
She died because she didn’t know “what” to do and did stupid things. First she is in the wilderness and is relying on modern technology. She relied on a smart phone to save her.
“She had also tried to make fires using the matches and lighters she kept in her backpack.”
She TRIED? What, and failed? She had matches and lighters (plural) and she couldn’t get or keep a fire going? You should be able to make a fire WITHOUT those things.
After reading the rest of the article, it says she had a compass and a map. Sounds like suicide to me. She didn’t even try to self rescue. She had a tent, a water source, fire making materials and a compass and a map.
I’m sure, suicide. Or suicide by God. I’ll just wait here fasting until God rescues me or die. Really Sad.
“Sad. But really how far off trail do you have to go to tinkle to get lost?
If it was that thick I wouldn’t think too far. And if it wasn’t thick seems like you could retrace yourself. I don’t know, just sad.”
I read the complete article. She was supposedly a veteran, highly skilled hiker who had been to numerous classes on survival and such. Also, she had a compass, matches with her so to build a fire if needed. I’m thinking she had a case of dementia or maybe she wanted to die for some reason. Call it suicide by faking being lost?
One of the many things I carry in my grab bags is a roll of orange survey flag tape. Very useful stuff when going off the trail and you don’t have to cut on a tree.
It is not “smartassery” to want people to know how to stay alive if they choose to wander away from roads and motels. It did not require much knowledge to survive the situation she found herself in, but unfortunately she lacked that little bit of knowledge even though she was said to be an “experienced” hiker.
She had plenty of gear. Had she just pulled out a hank of rope or cordage, tied it to a tree and held onto it until she was far enough away to do her business she could have simply followed the rope back to the trail. No map, no compass, no sense of direction needed.
Sounds like a tough lady but NO ONE should be out alone, really. Unless you are way more seasoned.
When one leaves a trail, it is best to take an azimuth of the new side trip. Then one merely has to take the back-azimuth to return to the starting point. Having a compass in the pack is a far cry from actually making use of it.
Very sad story........
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