A close call and lessons learned

[MarkQ]

I am posting this report for the sake of passing on advice and lessons learned the hard way. I feel stupid in retrospect for what happened but maybe I can help others from my experience. I got lost big time in the snow coming down Nick Eaton Ridge from Green Point Mountain. My day started out at the Herman Creek trailhead at 8am. I ended up at the Noble Campsite just past Cedar Swamp where the snow started covering the trail. I took a break here then headed back down the way I came. When I got to Casey Creek I decided to head up the Casey Creek cutoff trail to Nick Eaton Ridge since I still had plenty of time before darkness set in. The trail was snow free all the way up but as I started heading down Nick Eaton ridge deep snow covered the trail making it impossible to follow. I had a trail map on my phone but the tree cover was interfering with the GPS so it wasn't showing exactly where I was. I thought if I just stay on top of the ridge and follow it down I should pick up the trail again. Well that didn't happen and I got completely turned around in the dense trees and deep snow. After a long time of thrashing around getting super pissed off I was running out of daylight. I came within an inch of pressing the button on my emergency locator beacon. My feet were wet, it was raining and I wasn't sure if I would get hypothermic spending the night up here. I knew activating the beacon would inconvenience a lot people so I held off. I backtracked up the steep slope to find where I had been. By now I was nearly exhausted and starting to panic a little bit. I tried the GPS on my phone one last time and after several minutes it worked! I couldn’t believe where it showed my location, my sense of direction had been completely turned around. I found the Casey Creek cutoff trail and raced back down trying to beat the darkness. I didn’t want to be on this steep wet trail in the dark. I did have a headlamp with me. I made it back to the Herman Creek trail and raced back to my car in the darkness and rain by headlamp. The whole experience has left me a little frazzled as it was totally my own fault. So now I just want to pass on some advice to other hikers. Always pack enough emergency items (the ten essentials and more) in your backpack in case you have to spend an unexpected night in the woods. I recommend extra food and warm clothes. Tell people where you’re going and when you expect to get back. If things feel wrong or unexpected just turn around and go back. I kept pressing on expecting things to get better and it just made the situation worse. If anyone else has some tips to add please feel free to post them here.

[Webfoot]

I appreciate your humility in posting this. Thank you.

[Aimless]

Thank you again for telling your story. Hikers need to hear about what can happen out there and how a few small mistakes can compound themselves into a rescue situation.

In case anyone didn't get the message:

Always pack enough emergency items (the ten essentials and more) in your backpack in case you have to spend an unexpected night in the woods. I recommend extra food and warm clothes. Tell people where you’re going and when you expect to get back. If things feel wrong or unexpected just turn around and go back.

These are not just suggestions by nice people who are probably being much too careful. These are the rules to follow to ensure (as much as possible) that we all make it back from every hike alive. These rules apply in spades to solo hikes.

[Bosterson]

Thanks for posting the story, glad it turned out ok in the end. I wouldn't beat yourself up too badly - navigation in snow is really hard sometimes, and it's always harder going down broad ridges than going up them, because very slight topographical changes can send you off course, translating into really large differences in your actual location from where you think you are. (This has happened to me multiple times going off trail in the Gorge.)

If things feel wrong or unexpected just turn around and go back. I kept pressing on expecting things to get better and it just made the situation worse.

I think this is a super important lesson in general, one that's not always emphasized as much as the 10 essentials or leaving an itinerary. If you start to worry you're not going in the right direction, backtrack to a known location and think it through. (Luckily, following your own trail is easier in snow!) Even if it's a long backtrack, it should generally be a safer plan than continuing in a direction you're unsure about. Always better to have a long slog out and a story about how you didn't get lost.

[pablo]

I've no doubt you had a memorable experience thx for sharing.

I knew activating the beacon would inconvenience a lot people so I held off.

Inconveniencing people should not be a consideration. Good that it all worked out.

--Paul

[retired jerry]

nice story, thanks

I think it's a good experience to "get lost" like this. Maintain calm. Continue revising your plan as needed. Type 2 fun maybe.

[markesc]

Wow! Thanks for posting! I think it's prob happened to the best of us, but few talk about it. Do we have a "lost, and what you did" thread? Seems like it would be interesting to hear other stories as well. I bet there's going to be a lot of accidents this year because of the big snow drifts + cabin fever from the long winter. Glad you got outta there!!

[Crusak]

Thanks for sharing your close call with nearly having a SAR meet and greet. Pushing the button and calling for help is something that I think Lurch could advise us all on better than most.

All kidding aside, I'm glad you made it out with only wet feet and a good scare. I'm sure that being by yourself heightened your anxiety a bit more than otherwise.

Good advice for everyone all around, especially about being prepared and carrying emergency gear.

[Don Nelsen]

Thanks for a cautionary tale and glad it ended well. I know well how easy it is to get turned around in conditions and terrain like that and only luck and a lot of extra work got me out in one piece. The few things I carried those times came in very handy as well!

Let's hope your story saves a few from trouble in the future.

dn

[RobinB]

Oh man, thanks for posting! I think it's really valuable for this stuff to be out there. And a lot of us have been in that position. It seems to happen to me in the Gorge at least once a year.