Emergency Whistles

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maverick
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Emergency Whistles

Post by maverick »

After the incident with the hiker in the Sierra National Forest, thought I would ask, how many of you carry whistles as part of your basic essentials? Which on do you have?
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I don't give out specific route information, my belief is that it takes away from the whole adventure spirit of a trip, if you need every inch planned out, you'll have to get that from someone else.

Have a safer backcountry experience by using the HST ReConn Form 2.0, named after Larry Conn, a HST member: http://reconn.org
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rayfound
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Re: Emergency Whistles

Post by rayfound »

I don't have one. I probably should have one. Will try to pick one up.
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rlown
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Re: Emergency Whistles

Post by rlown »

Had one. Gave it to a friend who hiked out solo 2 days early because he couldn't sleep at altitude. Never got it back. They are a good idea.
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maverick
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Re: Emergency Whistles

Post by maverick »

Still have my Storm Safety Whistle, that thing is loud.
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I don't give out specific route information, my belief is that it takes away from the whole adventure spirit of a trip, if you need every inch planned out, you'll have to get that from someone else.

Have a safer backcountry experience by using the HST ReConn Form 2.0, named after Larry Conn, a HST member: http://reconn.org
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markskor
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Re: Emergency Whistles

Post by markskor »

Actually carry two -
One REI clipped to my pack shoulder strap,
and another, attached to my headlamp strap (BTW, always worn around my neck at night.)
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longri
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Re: Emergency Whistles

Post by longri »

rlown wrote:Had one. Gave it to a friend who hiked out solo 2 days early because he couldn't sleep at altitude.
I wonder if 125mg tablets of acetazolamide might have worked better. That's what I take when I'm having trouble sleeping at altitude and it works like a charm.
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longri
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Re: Emergency Whistles

Post by longri »

No whistle for me. I had one of those orange whistle/buckle things on my sternum strap. But I don't like sternum straps so I removed it.

I played a part in a rescue that was initiated when I heard someone blowing their whistle. Would we have heard them screaming help instead? I'll never know since they had that whistle.
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rlown
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Re: Emergency Whistles

Post by rlown »

longri wrote:
rlown wrote:Had one. Gave it to a friend who hiked out solo 2 days early because he couldn't sleep at altitude.
I wonder if 125mg tablets of acetazolamide might have worked better. That's what I take when I'm having trouble sleeping at altitude and it works like a charm.


I made him go to the doctor and they prescribed Xanax. I found that 151 made him sleep better :) Still has my whistle though.
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maverick
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Re: Emergency Whistles

Post by maverick »

Longri wrote:
Would we have heard them screaming help instead? I
A whistle is much easier to blow than to yell, and the sound travels much further, even up to a mile away.
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I don't give out specific route information, my belief is that it takes away from the whole adventure spirit of a trip, if you need every inch planned out, you'll have to get that from someone else.

Have a safer backcountry experience by using the HST ReConn Form 2.0, named after Larry Conn, a HST member: http://reconn.org
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Re: Emergency Whistles

Post by WarrenFork »

One of the features of my Aquilo pack from Elemental Horizons is a built-in whistle attached to the sternum strap. I also carry a small Liberty Mountain aluminum whistle like this, attached to my light shell jacket as a zipper pull. The shell goes with me whenever I wander away from camp.
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