hiker caught in last week's snowstorm

[SSSdave]

Example of just what not to do in October as recently discussed on other threads. With weather resources today there is no reason people ought get caught so...if they take time to prepare. Predictable one will continue to find such stories in the news each fall when such storms hit.

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[AlmostThere]

I'm sorry, the weatherman is still not always on track. If I waited til the NOAA site gave me the all clear in October, I'd never go hiking til next summer.

He made some mistakes, clearly - I don't think I would go alone, or really high elevation, when the forecast starts to trend that direction, and I take a lot of care to keep at least the insulative gear dry - but he also did some things right, like not going over the pass anyway, leaving signs in the snow, having an escape route. I wonder why he did not turn around - but perhaps he had set up his car at an exit point and been dropped off.

Judging from the many backpackers I encountered on the Mist Trail on Monday as they were coming down ... he was most assuredly not the only person out there, or the only one in snow. A large group with cheap sleeping bags and cheap tents strapped on their external frames said they were out there a week and got snowed on, too. But I doubt they were as high or in as much snow.

[rlown]

he didn't really do anything wrong. There's not enough info in the SAR report to conclude that. I think we have all been caught in weather.. Not sure i'd want to pay for that helo ride out..

Personally, I tell my wife not to bother calling until two days after i'm due out.. I don't want a search for me, because after 2 days, i'm either out after some sort of delay, or then it's a recovery issue. I tend to not go alone.

you do what you do and go prepared..

not sure why he went towards McCabe.. kinda sucks (my opinion).

AT, lay off the external frame pack.. I love it..

[SSSdave]

If one reads the NWS forecast discussions, that storm was forecast as a possibility before he even left. As has been noted on the other thread, if one backpacks during October, they ought to pay careful attention to forecasts especially when going out for more than a day or two and bring appropriate gear. Last year we had the big storm during the second week of October that was also well forecast. After that storm news stories came in of groups caught out in the storm and recall one person in the Tahoe zone was a fatality.

[AlmostThere]

he didn't really do anything wrong. There's not enough info in the SAR report to conclude that. I think we have all been caught in weather.. Not sure i'd want to pay for that helo ride out..

Personally, I tell my wife not to bother calling until two days after i'm due out.. I don't want a search for me, because after 2 days, i'm either out after some sort of delay, or then it's a recovery issue. I tend to not go alone.

you do what you do and go prepared..

not sure why he went towards McCabe.. kinda sucks (my opinion).

AT, lay off the external frame pack.. I love it..

I don't have a problem with the external frames... just the cheap sleeping bags. Saw one guy who couldn't get his monster bag in the pack, he carried it on his arm - hope there were no stream crossings or rain storms in his future! You know, I saw a whole wall of external frames yesterday at the local outfitter? I bet hunters love 'em.

I don't know what the "lost" guy checked, and neither does the reporter, but I don't think he was entirely unprepared - he made it okay and would have likely walked on out on his own if SAR hadn't shown up. I'm sure he was making it out of the backcountry on his own, maybe wishing he had more food but surviving - not an unusual thing, we were called out on a couple of searches only to be sent home again before we even got dropped off by the heli. Hikers get delayed for reasons other than weather, too, nothing strange about it.

And the weather does turn. It's happened to me this year. I check the NOAA site religiously, two days later a backcountry ranger says oh, snow might be falling... uh huh. It's better than it used to be, but it's not perfect yet. It's just a good thing I have a good layering system.

[rlown]

I bet hunters love 'em.

I don't know what the "lost" guy checked, and neither does the reporter, but I don't think he was entirely unprepared - he made it okay and would have likely walked on out on his own if SAR hadn't shown up. I'm sure he was making it out of the backcountry on his own, maybe wishing he had more food but surviving - not an unusual thing, we were called out on a couple of searches only to be sent home again before we even got dropped off by the heli. Hikers get delayed for reasons other than weather, too, nothing strange about it.

And the weather does turn. It's happened to me this year. I check the NOAA site religiously, two days later a backcountry ranger says oh, snow might be falling... uh huh. It's better than it used to be, but it's not perfect yet. It's just a good thing I have a good layering system.

Hunters do love'em (external frames). I too check the weather, but, things change. Looks like we have a bit of a trough coming through this weekend.. should make it interesting.. still going..

[oldranger]

I think the only problem with the hikers decision making was heading for high passes rather than escaping to Tuolumne Meadows.

mike

[maverick]

Have a safe one Rlown!

[Wandering Daisy]

Regarding bailing out to Tuolumne, I think if you start at Virginia Lake, you have "head for the passes" (at least one to get to the head of Virginia Canyon) to get to Tuolumne Meadow. I agree with previous posts - if I were to stay home in every "chance" of weather in October, I would never go out. He did make it out on his own OK. I too, add a day to my estimated time when I come out, so my family does not panic and send in the rescue crew.

[bheiser1]

I don't have a problem with the external frames... just the cheap sleeping bags. Saw one guy who couldn't get his monster bag in the pack, he carried it on his arm - hope there were no stream crossings or rain storms in his future! You know, I saw a whole wall of external frames yesterday at the local outfitter? I bet hunters love 'em.

Just reading between the lines ... it sounds like you infer those who use external frame packs (the way you mentioned them along with the "cheap sleeping bags") are inexperienced (or something).

I'm not arguing with, or criticizing, your comment ... but really am curious about your comment.

I've been using a Kelty D4 frame pack since I was a kid (long ago). I'm not defensive of it, but just haven't been able to convince myself to make the switch. I've been debating an internal frame pack, but have held off because of issues such as the increased back-sweat... and that it adds weight (the ones I'd be interested in are heavier than my D4).

So I'm curious about the your view of frame packs, and why only "hunters" would like them

Enquiring minds want to know