High Sierra Topix

All these extraordinary measure are great (sutures, survival skills and associated gear, fire building) but I want to emphasize that in my years in search and rescue, it's getting noticed and found that's most critical. It's incredibly rare that the ability to build a fire for warmth was a determinant in survival of a person in the Sierra (though I know of two cases where a large fire was sighted by the search helicopter). So, again, signalling devices and satellite gizmos.One of the long-time YOSAR people has an outstanding presentation on survival of people where the search has been scaled back or is about to be. Several are depressingly tragic. In every one, though, friends or relatives knowing an accurate itinerary and/or the subject's ability to signal SAR during the active search could have been definitive. In these cases, the people were surviving well past the initial trauma, but lacked the ability or imagination to signal across distance (e.g. light a whole tree on fire if possible!).

PS: I'm not sure I would close a wound in the field under non-sterile conditions. The risk of infection in a closed wound would increase the danger of a worse outcome. I would think an open and draining wound is preferable though might later require cosmetic surgery if a scar is a concern. An ER won't suture a wound after about 8 hours, thus there's usually no point in sending someone out with a significant laceration since it'll take that long to get out, usually. (Well, not quite true since it can be cleaned professionally, just not sutured).

Yes, on the whole wound thing, but you don't suture it all the way. As I have no sterile drain tube on a fishing trip You don't tighten them all the way. I like the whole tree on fire thing. One would be noticed.. Zero qualms on that in an emergency..

rlown wrote:I like the whole tree on fire thing. One would be noticed.. Zero qualms on that in an emergency..

Or, you know, a field. Some of us are too short to light a tree.
http://wildfiretoday.com/2009/05/04/los ... gnal-fire/

gdurkee wrote:So, again, signalling devices and satellite gizmos.One of the long-time YOSAR people has an outstanding presentation on survival of people where the search has been scaled back or is about to be. Several are depressingly tragic. In every one, though, friends or relatives knowing an accurate itinerary and/or the subject's ability to signal SAR during the active search could have been definitive. In these cases, the people were surviving well past the initial trauma, but lacked the ability or imagination to signal across distance (e.g. light a whole tree on fire if possible!).

With a two-way communication device like the Inreach, can SAR send and receive messages with the person sending the distress signal? I've wondered where if I was in a situation where I came across another person who had, say, a broken leg and needed rescuing, would I just want to hit the distress signal on my Inreach? Can I communicate with SAR in any way to let them know the situation?

One good attribute is the ability to think outside of the box. When I was in Tehipite Valley and overdue, I saw a helicopter moving down the Middle Fork Kings looking for us. He was coming straight at us, so I moved to the side a bit so he had a chance of seeing me. There was no way he would see me if I was right under the copter. I was waving a red flannel shirt. I could see the pilot through the open side door. He was so close I could have hit him with a rock, but he did not see me. This is how insignificant we are in the wilderness. Too much going on and even highly trained SAR are subject to the brain smoothing over detail to bring in the big picture.

When Sheriff arrived, he notified me that we had not been seen. I told him what I had done. I had also gathered large, dark rocks and made an arrow within lighter rocks pointing to our camp, but that wasn't seen either. The sheriff looked around at my camp and noticed a big, blue painters tarp I used as a ground cloth under my tent. He said that would have been a good thing to rock down in the open below our camp. It was then I realized how small I was thinking with respect to a signal. I had the means to be seen in a big way, but didn't realize it. He said it didn't really matter because nothing would have happened until a ground crew arrived, but I don't agree. If the helicopter had seen us, he could have reported back that we were located and seemed intact. That would have been tremendous news to my family who were at the TH.

I guess this thread has moved away from basic 24 hour survival gear, but it is what it is and I think a good discussion. If I were new to hiking and read this thread, there is much food for thought that may not otherwise enter my mind. Especially in today's world where wilderness is often seen as just an extension of a playground rather than the real deal.

SirBC wrote:

gdurkee wrote:So, again, signalling devices and satellite gizmos.One of the long-time YOSAR people has an outstanding presentation on survival of people where the search has been scaled back or is about to be. Several are depressingly tragic. In every one, though, friends or relatives knowing an accurate itinerary and/or the subject's ability to signal SAR during the active search could have been definitive. In these cases, the people were surviving well past the initial trauma, but lacked the ability or imagination to signal across distance (e.g. light a whole tree on fire if possible!).

With a two-way communication device like the Inreach, can SAR send and receive messages with the person sending the distress signal? I've wondered where if I was in a situation where I came across another person who had, say, a broken leg and needed rescuing, would I just want to hit the distress signal on my Inreach? Can I communicate with SAR in any way to let them know the situation?

Not exactly. You can communicate with someone, in the case of the InReach something called the GEOS team, who relays information to the appropriate jurisdiction.

With the InReach you can do two way texting to anyone with an email address, another InReach or, I'm pretty sure, a text message to a phone (hmmm. Some or all of that anyway). The reply email needs to be done through their web interface. Also, when the emergency button is activated, InReach can then text directly to that unit and get details on the problem as well, of course, as notifying the responsible agency.

The older SPOTs had no texting capability. Some new models have outgoing texting when paired (????) with a phone.

Both have the ability to send canned messages you've programmed beforehand though the InReach allows, I think, any number of messages and the SPOT only 3. In both cases, the messages are stored on their server and all you have to do is enter the number of the message (InReach) or press the "OK" button to the number of times representing the message (SPOT).

It's been awhile since I've used either but I think that close... .

George

gdurkee wrote:With the InReach you can do two way texting to anyone with an email address, another InReach or, I'm pretty sure, a text message to a phone (hmmm. Some or all of that anyway). The reply email needs to be done through their web interface. Also, when the emergency button is activated, InReach can then text directly to that unit and get details on the problem as well, of course, as notifying the responsible agency.

George

Thanks, that answers my question. Being able to text with the InReach folks, who can then pass along that into to SAR, sounds like it could be very helpful.

gdurkee wrote:The older SPOTs had no texting capability. Some new models have outgoing texting when paired (????) with a phone.

Aside from the pairing issue with a cell phone with no coverage, can SPOT be activated from inside a tent? In other words, will it work or does it really need to be set up in clear sight of the sky for 20 mins w/o weather?

From my experience, the SPOT does not work from inside the tent. One needs a clear view of the sky. I have had it work when there is a clear view up and it's raining since even with the rain, it can lock onto the satellite.