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Lost Prineville hunter avoids hypothermia! What did he do right?
Prineville Hunter Rescued After Four Days In Forest
By Kim Tobin, KTVZ.COM
December 1, 2010
A Prineville man survived four days and three nights, hurt and stranded .
On Thanksgiving, 48-year-old Alan Hewitt was elk hunting in the forest. He left
the camp on horseback, but he and his horse were injured after the snow caused a
big fall.
Enduring days of freezing temperatures, missing Thanksgiving and living off of a
small bag of beef jerky, he was trying to find the main road on foot. He did not
make it.
Days later, Darrell Hover of Bend and his father saw what looked like a red
backpack, piled under the snow.
"He was shivering, disoriented, almost catatonic and in need of help," Hover
said Wednesday.
Crook County sheriff's deputies say if Hover did not find Hewitt, there is a
good chance he would not have made it through another night.
Hover said he was meant to find Hewitt.
"It just worked out, where we made all these lefts and these rights and the one
at the timing was perfect," Hover said. "Alan was off to the side of the road,
we saw the little object that looked like a backpack and it turns out it was a
human being that really needed help. "
Sheriff's deputies believe Hewitt's experience as a Marine helped save his life
in the wilderness. The department put together a team, rescued the two horses
and returned them to their home in Prineville.
Hover and his father said they took Hewitt to the hospital in Prineville, then
he was transported to Bend. Hewitt is currently listed in serious condition.
Hover said Hewitt promised to take him out for a drink to repay him for his
kindness.
http://www.ktvz.com/news/25979336/detail.html
Lost Prineville Hunter Recounts Four-Day Ordeal
Thankful For Rescuer -- And For Faith in 'Higher Power'
By Nina Mehlhaf, KTVZ.COM
December 2, 2010
A Prineville hunter who spent four days and three nights lost deep in the woods,
injured and starving, got out of the hospital Thursday, thankful to be alive, to
his rescuer, to his Marine training -- and to the "higher power" that helped him
survive the frigid ordeal.
"The last day was pretty -- it was getting pretty rough," said Alan Hewitt. "I
wasn't delirious, but all things weren't kosher, I know that."
It was a harrowing Thanksgiving weekend for Hewitt, in which he questioned at
times whether he'd make it out of the woods at all after his week-long hunting
trip went awry.
Hewitt, 48, said from his bed at St. Charles Medical Center-Bend, shortly before
his discharge, what he felt kept him alive after his horse, Vegas, slipped on a
log while he was out hunting on Thanksgiving Day in the Ochoco National Forest
southeast of Walton Lake.
The fall slammed them both into a tree, knocking Hewitt unconscious.
When he came to, in nearly two feet of snow and below-freezing temperatures,
hours had gone by. He had no food, and a GPS unit that was dying.
"I was cold -- extremely cold," Hewitt said. "During the daylight hours, I tried
to get as much movement as I could. I hunkered down in a fetal position, and
just make nursery rhymes in my head, like, 'Wiggle your nose, wiggle your toes
-- wiggle your nose, wiggle your knees,' to keep your body moving.'
Hewitt said he chewed on pine needle seeds, and was able to pop his shoulder
back into its socket to keep trudging on, trying to find the forest road where
hunters come and go, and maybe a shot at getting home.
"Walking during the day, and during the night, I'd make bivys (shelters)," he
recalled. "I'd just find a group of trees that were blocking the wind so I could
cove the horse in there, so she'd be protected from the wind.:
Thanksgiving went by, then Friday too, and Saturday, then nightfall once more.
Finally, late Sunday, he made it to the hunting road, and collapsed.
Just 45 minutes later, Hewitt believes, hunter Darrell Hover of Bend and his
father were driving by, making one last look for elk, when he spotted what
looked like a red piece of clothing.
They stopped to see what it was.
Hover later recalled, "I saw his (Hewitt's) eyes, and they were just staring
straight ahead -- looked like he was catatonic. And I realized then that he was
hurt, and needed help. I said, 'You need help?' And he said, 'I need help.'
"And I said, 'How long have you been here?' And I thought he'd say '15 minutes'
or '20 minutes.' But he said, 'Four days.'
Hewitt also remembers that moment, and besides thinking of his wife and five
kids, he said he thought: "There's warmth. There is hope."
"I made it. That's all I could think -- I made it.'
Now, Hewitt said, "I'm very thankful for Darrell. I'm very thankful for the
knowledge I learned in the Marine Corps, and the faith I have in what I call my
higher power."
Hewitt was treated at the Bend hospital for dehydration and a dislocated
shoulder. His horses were rescued later by the Crook County Sheriff's Office and
are back home in good shape.
Hewitt said the frightful experience won't change his outlook on the wilderness
-- and won't stop him from hunting in the future.
http://www.ktvz.com/news/26005166/detail.html
Hunter recounts 4 days of peril in Ochoco
By Lauren Dake / The Bulletin
December 3. 2010
On Thanksgiving Day, Alan Hewitt set out on his horse, Vegas, to hunt for elk from the high ridges in the Ochoco National Forest. He grabbed an extra pair of gloves but left most of his survival kit, like the fire starting equipment, at his camp. It was too bulky, and he was only planning to be away from his camp during the day.
But it would be three nights and four days before Hewitt made it back to shelter. He was rescued Sunday afternoon. He was scheduled to leave the hospital last night.
Hewitt got to the forest on Monday, Nov. 22. At his camp he had a horse trailer for the two horses he had with him. There was also a camper, his truck, feed for the animals and food for him. He planned to spend a week at the camp hunting elk during the day. His wife wasn't expecting him home until Sunday.
On Thursday afternoon, Hewitt's horse lost her footing and slipped on a log. A branch smacked into the back of Hewitt's neck. The horse eventually crashed to the ground, pinning Hewitt underneath her.
“I got her up in an upright position and freed myself of her,” Hewitt said. The horse's leg was injured, and Hewitt couldn't backtrack up the steep cliff and get back to his camp without abandoning her. Leaving the animal, Hewitt said, wasn't an option. Hewitt had a dislocated shoulder and was sore, but he was able to hike. The animal could walk, but Hewitt said she wouldn't make it up the cliff on her bum leg.
“I couldn't leave her there helpless,” he said of Vegas. “If we were going, we were both going down. We went up there together, we were coming down together.”
Hewitt used a tree to help him force his dislocated shoulder back into place. He had water, but it was already frozen.
His pack of beef jerky was too hard to eat. He was wearing several layers of clothing, two pairs of long johns, jeans and pants over those. On top, he was also dressed in layers; underneath it all was a black T-shirt that read, “Grandpa rocks.”
The 48-year-old retired Marine had one goal: reach the main forest service road. There, he figured, other hunters would be leaving the forest before the season ended and they would spot him.
After his horse slipped, the howling wind picked up and his map blew away. He'd been trained in mountaineering survival techniques in the Marines, even winning the award of “most likely to survive,” he said, and he had a mental map.
“Sunday night was my deadline,” he said. “After that, every hunter would be off the mountain.” During the day, he would walk as much as he could. It was slow going. He would wet his mouth with snow periodically. He would give himself little goals — make it to this point and take a break. He would reach the point, rest his head against his horse and then set another goal. At night, he didn't sleep.
“The nights were long, and it was cold,” he said. “Every muscle in my body would shake.”
He would go through rhymes in his head, “wiggle your nose, wiggle your toes” and he would keep moving, making small movements. He would shadow box through the night and force himself to breathe slowly. Then he would do it again, repeating it over and over.
The first night was bad. Temperatures dropped to
about 20 degrees overnight in Prineville while Hewitt was in the forest,
according to information from the National Weather Service in Pendleton. It
would have
been colder in the mountains. He found a large tree and logs and fashioned a
shelter. He stayed close to Vegas for heat and would brush the snow and ice off
the animal throughout the night.
Hewitt didn't think about dying. He did not factor it in. He thought about his wife, his five children and two grandchildren. “Being able to see them again is where I drew my strength,” he said.
Finally, on the fourth day, he could ride his horse for a short while. He was able to cover more territory. Earlier, he'd been slowly wading through knee-deep snow. He was getting closer. He said his horse also seemed to know the direction. But when the duo hit a creek, the animal could not be persuaded to cross. Hewitt had to leave her. He made it to the road that afternoon and spotted fresh-looking tire tracks. His brain was scrambled, and he could barely speak.
That's when Darrell Hover, of Bend, saw what he thought was a red backpack in the snow. Hover had been out hunting with his father on back roads and was driving back to Prineville.
Hover said he'd had to make a lot of choices on his trek: Should I go left or right, should I take the main road or go back on the forest service road? He said he almost went another way. But when he saw that speck of red, which turned out to be Hewitt's hat, he got out of his pickup and walked toward the man about 40 yards away.
Hewitt could barely speak, but eventually he got out, “I need help.”
Hover walked him back to his truck and stripped him of his wet clothes, cranked up the heat, gave him coffee and drove to the hospital in Prineville.
Hewitt, who is 5 feet 10 inches tall and usually weighs 150 pounds, was down to about 108 pounds when he checked into the hospital. Hover said Hewitt was about eight miles from his camp. He hadn't had anything to eat or drink for four days.
He still can't feel the fingers of his left hand. But on Thursday afternoon, he was hoping to go home from St. Charles Bend, where he'd been transferred.
“I'm very thankful,” he said.
Next winter, if he draws a hunting tag, the experienced hunter will go out again. This time, he will leave a detailed plan with his wife and let her know when he plans to check in. That way, if she doesn't hear from him, she will know he's in trouble.
But, he said, he would tell other people not to do what he did.
“You don't want to be a lone hunter,” he said. “This has turned out fortunately because I had the knowledge and training. ... Follow the general rule: Have a partner.”
The Crook County Search and Rescue team rescued both of Hewitt's horses.
http://www.bendbulletin.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20101203/NEWS01/12030408/-...
12/3/2010
What can be learned from this interesting incident?
We have been unable to talk to Alan Hewett. Federal HIPPA privacy laws prevent medical personnel, including SAR Units, from providing contact information for patients. If Alan Hewitt will contact us, we will correct any inaccuracies in our analysis. This is not a 'could-a, would-a, should-a exercise, but a traditional effort to help others learn valuable lessons from the experiences of others.
Experience tells us that Mr. Hewitt owes his life to his warm
horse:
Q. Heat is lost in five simple ways:
1. Conduction: Heat loss from direct contact between a warm body and with a
cold one, i.e. sitting or lying on the snow without an insulating pad.
Mr.
Hewitt used his saddle to insulate him from the snow and wrapped up in the horse blanket.
2. Convection: Heat lost to moving air or water, i.e. the wind strips
heat from you, i.e. "the cold find goes right through my sweater".
Mr. Hewitt
"hunkered down" with the horses in the trees, out of the wind wearing clothing
designed for sitting on the horse in wind and rain while the animal "earns his
turns".
3. Evaporation: Heat lost from the evaporation of water from your skin,
i.e. an evaporative cooler, i.e. "my clothes are drying but I am freezing cold".
Mr. Hewitt at first, did not get wet from sweat, rain or
melting snow. When the horse balked at crossing the stream, Mr. Hewitt got wet
from the knees down, soon became hypothermic and was warmed in a vehicle after
rescue by removing his wet clothing. He was very fortunate to have been found
soon after he became wet and had lost contact with Vegas.
4. Respiration: Heat lost in the process of breathing in cold air and
exhaling warm moist air, i.e. "I must breathe easily through my wool scarf".
Mr. Hewitt must not have over-heated producing heavy sweat as he led his horses
through the new fallen snow. "He would keep moving, making small movements.
He would shadow box through the night and force himself to breathe slowly."
5. Radiation: Heat is lost by the radiation of warmth to the cold air
i.e. "when I stop hiking, I get really cold". Wear hats and gloves and change them
with the weather and exertion.
Hr. Hewitt kept the snow off his horse and
picked up the substantial radiated heat from "Vegas".
Experience tells us Mr. Hewitt prevented hypothermia by
wearing heavy insulating clothing:
"He was wearing several layers of clothing, two pairs of long johns, jeans
and pants over those. On top, he was also dressed in layers; underneath it all
was a black T-shirt that read, Grandpa rocks."
Q. We wear special synthetic clothing layers chosen for the
forecast weather and the specific adventure and carry extra clothing for a
change in the weather and/or a forced overnight stop:
Synthetic clothing fibers are adsorbent: synthetic fibers like
polypropylene, fleece and pile do not absorb water. Cotton clothing fibers can
absorb up to 70 times their weight in water! Wet clothing conducts cold
25 times faster than still air!
a. We wear a non-cotton, wicking, loosely fitting, light and thin Capeline or
polypropylene base layer.
b. We add or remove insulating, loose-fitting mid-layers.
c. As necessary, we add a top and bottom wind proof and/or
windproof/waterproof/breathable outer layer.
We add or remove layers to adjust the venting of excess body
heat to avoid sweat-wetness during strenuous exercise and to protect us from the
wetness of rain, and snow and the cooling effect of wind. The layers must be
loose to ease friction and allow air to circulate.
What do you
wear for a backcountry adventure in the winter?
We stay dry:
We guard against loss of heat by the evaporation of water and sweat. Wind
refrigerates (sweat or rain) wet skin or clothing by evaporating the moisture!
We don an outer layer of jacket and pants constructed of modern
waterproof-breathable fabric such as Gore-Tex. We avoid the cooling effect of
wind by donning outer layers. Some polypropylene garments are designed to be
wind resistant, perhaps at speeds up to 30 mph.
We wear special synthetic clothing layers
chosen for the forecast weather and the specific adventure and carry extra
clothing for a change in the weather and/or a forced overnight stop:
Synthetic clothing fibers are adsorbent: synthetic fibers
like polypropylene, fleece and pile do not absorb water. Cotton clothing fibers
can absorb up to 70 times their weight in water! Wet clothing conducts cold 25
times faster than still air!
a. We wear a non-cotton, wicking, loosely fitting, light and thin Capeline or
polypropylene base layer.
b. We add or remove insulating, loose-fitting mid-layers.
c. As necessary, we add a top and bottom
wind proof and/or windproof/waterproof/breathable outer layer.
Experience tells us Mr. Hewitt prevented hypothermia by
keeping moving:
Q. We produce body heat in one major way: by the contraction of our large muscles! We can control our production of heat and sweat by adjusting our pace and elevation
gain, limited by the capacity of the least able in the group.
One of the first symptoms of hypothermia is uncontrollable shivering. “The nights were long, and it was cold,” he said. “Every muscle in my body would shake.”
Alan Hewitt did it just right! He saved his fingers, toes and nose.". I was cold -- extremely cold," Hewitt said. "During the daylight hours, I tried to get as much movement as I could. I hunkered down in a fetal position, and just make nursery rhymes in my head, like, 'Wiggle your nose, wiggle your toes -- wiggle your nose, wiggle your knees,' to keep your body moving.'
A third important way to avoid hypothermia is by eating and drinking
knowledgably.
Note: We know that jerky is a traditional trail food for hunters in Oregon.
However . . .
Alan did not do so well in this department. "He had water, but it was
already frozen. . . .His pack of beef jerky was too hard to eat."
Q. As we hike and climb, we must eat simple
carbohydrates (such as ClifBars) and we must stay hydrated.
To refuel our muscles as we hike and climb hard, we must snack hourly, on
easily digested convenient foods that are high in carbohydrates (sugar) and low
in fat and with moderate protean. ClifBars meet this requirement. Endurance
athletes know that our human muscles burn 30% glycogen
to help our bodies efficiently burn fat, our main muscle fuel. Muscles "burn" fat
(70%), with stored glycogen, in the presence of Oxygen (hiking at an aerobic
pace, talking and not gasping for breath). Fat is stored in almost infinite
amounts, easily seen on some of us; Glycogen is stored in finite amounts, unseen
inside our muscles.
What
should we know about "Carboration and Hydration" in aerobic mountaineering?
However, when we shelter we can benefit from ingesting fatty foods such as GORP, because the more difficult chemical digestion of fats can help warm our bodies. GORP
We must drink water (with the high carbohydrate snack food, every hour) to keep our blood thin and circulating properly. If you allow yourself to become dehydrated, your thickened blood can not circulate as efficiently to your fingers, nose and toes. Keep your water from freezing by carrying it in a Nalgene or Platypus bag, inside your clothing. Carry a small hiking stove in your winter essentials. The horse won't notice it, (or hide it in your buddy's pack).
If you eat without drinking water with the food, fluid will be drawn from your blood and sent to your stomach to liquefy the food so it can be sent where it is needed by the blood stream.
Alan did not plan for an accident away from his camp. He left his
Essential
Be Prepared gear at camp for the day.
"On Thanksgiving Day, Alan Hewitt set out on his horse, Vegas, to hunt for elk
from the high ridges in the Ochoco National Forest. He grabbed an extra pair of
gloves but left most of his survival kit, like the fire starting equipment, at
his camp. It was too bulky, and he was only planning to be away from his camp
during the day." Note that the Ten Essential Systems, carried in a small Be
Prepared pack,
can weigh only five pounds in summer and little more in winter.
The Ten Essential Systems.
In The Bulletin on Thursday, January 20, 2011, writer Gary Lewis tells us about an elk hunter who was stranded in the Ochocos when his gear was stolen while he was away from base. He phoned for help. Of note here, was the information that this accomplished bow hunter was only able to start a fire on two of the six nights he was in the woods.
Alan had left a Responsible Person but had no way to call for
help for seven days before he was expected home.
"He planned to spend a week at the camp hunting elk during the day. His wife
wasn't expecting him home until Sunday." He was rescued by pure lucky chance, or
Divine Intervention.
Alan should gave carried a cell phone and arranged to check in with
his wife, more
often.
In The Bulletin on Thursday, January 20, 2011, writer Gary Lewis tells us
about a bow hunter who was stranded in the Ochocos when his gear was stolen
while he was away from base. He phoned for help:
"Jeremy Johnson, on a solo hunt in the Eagle Cap Wilderness,
had left his gear under a tarp, and spike-camped in his bivy sack (sleeping bag
cover) overlooking an alpine basin. Mindful of bears, he had cached his food in
a tree a few hundred yards from the gear.
On opening day, he glassed two rams and a small herd of elk. That was when the
weather turned. By midday, a freak late-summer storm held the mountains in an
icy grip.
'The high winds and sideways snow chilled my soaking-wet body to the bone. I
arrived at my gear stash at 9 p.m. and was really looking forward to setting up
that tent, building a fire and getting into some dry
clothes.'
Something didn’t look right.
“I flipped the tarp back to find nothing there but my bow target, and the
Wilderness Athlete hat I wore in the day before.”
Some 10 miles from the nearest road, thieves had stolen his tent, stove,
bedding, clothes and spare bow. With the light all but gone from the western
sky, and snow that blew on 40 mph winds, he needed to make shelter fast.
From the top of the ridge, he found he had cell reception. He made a call to
Barry and left the message that his camp had been stolen, but that he was going
to stay and hunt."
--Gary Lewis
Cell phones have increasing coverage. Check your favorite areas.
Hunters and others who adventure into the backcountry, should carry a
$149.00 SPOT-2 GPS Satellite Messenger. This new device will send a message
home, "I'm OK and having fun exactly here on this map"; or message friends "I could use a
little help, exactly here"; or send a message to 911 "I need help exactly here,
right now - see the map attached," (taking the Search out of Search and Rescue)!
Mr. Hewett was about eight miles from his camp when found:
Q. Navigation back to camp:
"He had no food, and a GPS unit that was dying." Note that it is not
necessary to leave a GPS on all the time! Most GPS receivers have at least 14
hours of life on two new batteries. Extra AA batteries can be carried in a warm
pants pocket to change out batteries weakened by cold. Lithium batteries
withstand the cold much better than "regular" AA batteries.
Using a $7.00 USGS topo map and a $30.00 base plate declination-adjusted compass, it is simple to draw a line back to camp (where you have
surely input a waypoint). Leaving your GPS "on" so you can "track back" is not
recommended and very inefficient. Learn to use your topo map, adjusted base plate compass
and adjusted GPS together!
Note: I would be happy to give Alan and his Prineville hunter friends a FREE
class if they would call.
Here are some Basic suggestions for hunters and climbers
1. Practice the Four Basic Responsibilities of the Backcountry Traveler. They work! Basic Responsibilities
2. Carry the new Ten Essential Systems, sized for the forecast weather and the adventure in a light day pack. This includes a map, compass and GPS and the skills to use them. In the winter, this includes enough extra insulation and waterproof clothing to keep you dry and warm if you become stranded. In snow, you must have a shovel and insulating pad and the skills to make a shelter in the snow to avoid hypothermia and frost bite damage. It works! Essential Systems
3. Carry a fully charged digital cell phone and periodically check where it can communicate with any cell towers to assist authorities to triangulate your position from cell tower pings. (Most cell providers do not use cell phone GPS signals to locate customers under FCC E911 regulations - they use triangulation). Cold disables batteries. If the weather is cold, carry the cell phone in a pants pocket near the femoral artery. Report your UTM NAD27 coordinates, your condition, the conditions where you are and discuss your plans with SAR. Ordinary Cell Phones If you may be out of cell tower range, carry a SPOT. SPOT-2 Satellite Messenger
4. Always stay found on your topo map and be aware of major land features. If visibility starts to wane, reconfirm your bearings with your map, compass and GPS and quickly return to a known location. A GPS is the only practical way for a trained individual to navigate in a whiteout or blowing snow. Lost Mt Hood Climbers
5. Always hunt with others unless you are very fit and experienced and have hunted here before.
A suggested minimum standard news advisory for all backcountry travelers!
"We would like to take this opportunity to ask our visitors to the backcountry of Oregon to plan for the unexpected. Each person should dress for the forecast weather and take minimum extra clothing protection from a drop in temperature and possible rain or snow storm or an unexpected cold wet night out, insulation from the wet ground or snow, high carbohydrate snacks, two quarts of water or Gatorade, a map and compass and optional inexpensive GPS and the skills to use them, and a charged cell phone from a Provider that has the best coverage of the area and possibly, a SPOT-2 GPS Satellite Communicator. Each person should carry the traditional personal "Ten Essentials Systems" in a day pack sized for the individual, the trip, the season and the forecast weather.
Visitors are reminded to tell a Responsible Person where they are going, where they plan to park, when they will be back and to make sure that person understands that they are relied upon to call 911 at a certain time if the backcountry traveler has not returned. If you become lost or stranded, mark your location and stay still or move around your marked location to stay warm. Do not try to find your way until you are exhausted, or worse yet - wet. Wait for rescuers.
THE MISSION of TraditionalMountaineering.org
"To provide information and instruction about world-wide basic to advanced alpine mountain climbing safety skills and gear, on and off trail hiking, scrambling and light and fast Leave No Trace backpacking techniques based on the foundation of an appreciation for the Stewardship of the Land, all illustrated through photographs and accounts of actual shared mountaineering adventures."
TraditionalMountaineering is founded on the premise that "He who knows naught, knows not that he knows naught", that exploring the hills and summitting peaks have dangers that are hidden to the un-informed and that these inherent risks can be in part, identified and mitigated by mentoring: information, training, wonderful gear, and knowledge gained through the experiences of others.
The value of TraditionalMountaineering to our Friends and Subscribers is the selectivity of the information we provide, and its relevance to introducing folks to informed hiking on the trail, exploring off the trail, mountain travel and Leave-no-Trace light-weight bivy and backpacking, technical travel over steep snow, rock and ice, technical glacier travel and a little technical rock climbing on the way to the summit. Whatever your capabilities and interests, there is a place for everyone in traditional alpine mountaineering.
WARNING - *DISCLAIMER!*
Mountain climbing has inherent dangers that can, only in part, be mitigated
Read more . . .
How can I prevent, recognize and treat Hypothermia?
Op-Ed: Prepare for the worst before setting out in the winter
Lost Prineville hunter avoids hypothermia! What did he do right?
Mount Hood - Analysis of the December 2009 deaths by hypothermia, of three climbers on Reid Glacier Headwall
Climber on Mt. Rainier dies of hypothermia in brief storm. What happened
South Sister, solo hiker found unconscious near the summit
Three stranded hikers assisted from atop South Sister by SAR
Several lost hiker incidents near Sisters, resolved by SAR
Fallen solo climber on Mount Thielsen, rescued by chance encounter
Climbing South Sister: A Prospectus and a Labor Day near disaster
Man rescued from crevasse just off South Sister climber's trail
Photos of a climb of South Sister
What do you carry in your summer day pack?
Several lost hiker incidents near Sisters, Oregon, resolved by SAR
Snowshoer, "lost" near Wanoga snowpark, rescued by SAR
"Be Prepared" to be stranded on winter forest roads in Oregon
Several drivers become stranded on Oregon winter forest roads, led their new GPS' "fastest way" setting
Gear grist, an article written for The Mountaineer, the monthly newsletter of The Mountaineers
Robert Speik writes: "Use your digital cell in the backcountry" for The Mountaineer
Snowboarder lost overnight near Mount Bachelor, rescued by SAR
Woman leaves car stuck in snow near Klamath Falls, dies from exposure
Climbing South Sister: A Prospectus and a Labor Day near disaster
Trail runner survives fall on ice with cell phone call
Once again, hypothermia kills stranded Oregon driver
Lessons learned from the latest lost Mt. Hood climbers
Lessons learned from the latest lost Christmas tree hunters
FREE Clinic on Real Survival Strategies and Staying Found with Map, Compass and GPS together
What do you carry in your winter day and summit pack?
Why are "Snow Caves" dangerous?
Why are "Space Blankets" dangerous?
Why are "Emergency Kits" dangerous?
How can you avoid Hypothermia?
Missing climbers on Mount Hood, one dies of exposure, two believed killed in fall
Missing California family found, dad dies from exposure and hypothermia
Missing man survives two weeks trapped in snow-covered car
Missing snowmobile riders found, Roger Rouse dies from hypothermia
Olympic Champion Rulon Gardner lost on snowmobile!
Lost Olympic hockey player looses feet to cold injury
Expert skier lost five days near resort in North Cascades without map, compass, gps or cell phone
Mount Hood - The Episcopal School Tragedy
Mount Hood - experienced climbers rescued from snow cave
How can you learn the skills of snow camping?
Prospectus
Lost and Found
How can I prevent, recognize and treat Hypothermia?
Op-Ed: Prepare for the worst before setting out in the winter
Prineville hunter lost 4 winter days and 3 nights in the Ochoco National Forest
Several hikers lost near Sisters, rescued by SAR
Snowshoer, "lost" near Wanoga snowpark, rescued by SAR
"Be Prepared" to be stranded on winter forest roads in Oregon
Several drivers become stranded on Oregon winter forest roads, led their new GPS' "fastest way" setting
Gear grist, an article written for The Mountaineer, the monthly newsletter of The Mountaineers
Robert Speik writes: "Use your digital cell in the backcountry" for The Mountaineer
Teen girls become lost overnight returning from hike to Moraine Lake
Snowboarder lost overnight near Mount Bachelor, rescued by SAR
Woman leaves car stuck in snow near Klamath Falls, dies from exposure
Man rescued from crevasse just off South Sister climber's trail
Climbing South Sister: A Prospectus and a Labor Day near disaster
Trail runner survives fall on ice with cell phone call
Once again, hypothermia kills stranded Oregon driver
Lessons learned from the latest lost Mt. Hood climbers
Lessons learned from the latest lost Christmas tree hunters
New rescue services for all American Alpine Club Members
OpEd: Oregon requires electronic communications in the backcountry
Rescue charges in traditional alpine mountaineering
Governor establishes a Search and Rescue Task Force
Oregon Search and Rescue Statutes
Lost hiker in Oregon backcountry found with heat-sensing device in airplane
HB2509 mandates electronic locator beacons on Mt. Hood - climbers' views
Oregon HB 2509
Three hikers and a dog rescued on Mt. Hood
Motorist stuck in snow on backcountry Road 18, phones 911 for rescue
Snow stranded Utah couple leave car and die from hypothermia
Death on Mt. Hood - What happened to the three North Face climbers?
Two climbers become lost descending Mt. Hood
Missing California family found, dad dies from exposure and hypothermia
Missing man survives two weeks trapped in snow-covered car
Missing snowmobile riders found, Roger Rouse dies from hypothermia
Lost snowmobile riders found, one deceased from hypothermia
Lost climber hikes 6.5 miles from South Sister Trail to Elk Lake
Hiking couple lost three nights in San Jacinto Wilderness find abandoned gear
Expert skier lost five days in North Cascades without Essentials, map and compass
Climber disappears on the steep snow slopes of Mount McLaughlin
Hiker lost five days in freezing weather on Mount Hood
Professor and son elude search and rescue volunteers
Found person becomes lost and eludes rescuers for five days
Teens, lost on South Sister, use cell phone with Search and Rescue
Lost man walks 27 miles to the highway from Elk Lake Oregon
Snowboarder Found After Week in Wilderness
Searchers rescue hiker at Smith Rock, find lost climbers on North Sister
Girl found in Lane County after becoming lost on hiking trip
Search and rescue finds young girls lost from family group
Portland athlete lost on Mt. Hood
Rescues after the recent snows
Novice couple lost in the woods
Search called off for missing climber Corwin Osborn
Broken Top remains confirmed as missing climber
Ollalie Trail - OSU Trip - Lost, No Map, Inadequate Clothing
Your Essential Light Day Pack
What are the new Ten Essential Systems?
What does experience tell us about Light and Fast climbing?
What is the best traditional alpine mountaineering summit pack?
What is Light and Fast alpine climbing?
What do you carry in your day pack?
Photos?
What do you carry in your winter day pack?
Photos?
What should I know about "space blankets"?
Where can I get a personal and a group first aid kit?
Photos?
Carboration and Hydration
Is running the Western States 100 part of "traditional mountaineering"?
What's wrong with GORP?
Answers to the quiz!
Why do I need to count carbohydrate calories?
What should I know about having a big freeze-dried dinner?
What about carbo-ration and fluid replacement during traditional alpine climbing?
4 pages in pdf
What should I eat before a day of alpine climbing?
About Alpine Mountaineering:
The Sport of Alpine Mountaineering
Climbing Together
Following the Leader
The Mountaineers' Rope
Basic Responsibilities
Cuatro Responsabiliades Basicas de Quienes Salen al Campo
The Ten Essentials
Los Diez Sistemas Esenciales
Our Leader's Guidelines:
Our Volunteer Leader Guidelines
Sign-in Agreements, Waivers and Prospectus
This pdf form will need to be signed by you at the trail head
Sample Prospectus
Make sure every leader tells you what the group is going to do; print a copy for your "responsible person"
Participant Information Form
This pdf form can be printed and mailed or handed to the Leader if requested or required
Emergency and Incident Report Form
Copy and print this form. Carry two copies with your Essentials
Participant and Group First Aid Kit
Print this form. Make up your own first aid essentials (kits)
About our World Wide Website:
Information
Mission
Map, Compass and GPS
Map, compass and GPS navigation training Noodle in The Badlands
BLM guidelines for Geocaching on public lands
Geocaching on Federal Forest Lands
OpEd - Geocaching should not be banned in the Badlands
Winter hiking in The Badlands WSA just east of Bend
Searching for the perfect gift
Geocaching: What's the cache?
Geocaching into the Canyon of the Deschutes
Can you catch the geocache?
Z21 covers Geocaching
Tour The Badlands with ONDA
The art of not getting lost
Geocaching: the thrill of the hunt!
GPS in the news
A GPS and other outdoor gadgets make prized gifts
Wanna play? Maps show you the way
Cooking the "navigation noodle"
