[at-l] Plan B - the rest of the story

[spiriteagle99@hotmail.com (Jim and/or Ginny Owen)]

>Mike Aken wrote:
>
>>From our sister list pct-l
>Marge is in her early 70's
>She was well prepared
>
>Mike
>
>http://www.fastpack.com/adz2000/IMAGE003.jpg
>
>Subject: [pct-l] Marge "The Old Gal"
>     From: "Gene Baune" <gbaune@hotmail.com>
>     Date: Sat, 06 May 2000 22:09:54 PDT
>
>The Riverside Mountain Rescue Unit was called to perform a rescue near 
>Antsell Rock (Idyllwild) on the PCT last Thursday Night.  Marge "The Old 
>Gal" fell while trying to scramble over a rock pile on Tuesday and broke 
>herleg, she was found two days later by hikers who contacted the RMRU.  She 
>was
>in good spirits and not too much worse for the experience (she had run out 
>of water and was very thursty).  The RMRU wishes her the best of  luck and 
>a speedy recovery.



Mike -
Marge was about a week behind us - she went to ADZPCTKO but then jumped 100 
miles or more ahead of the pack (she's a section hiker).  The place she fell 
was at a wash-out on a narrow (18 inch) section of trail with a couple 
hundred foot drop on the right and a 60 degree slope (uphill) on the left.  
There's no analog on the AT - there's nothing to compare it to, even on 
Katahdin or in the Whites.

It was a couple who found her - one of them stayed with her while the other 
went into town to get help.  She'd been there for almost two days when they 
found her and it took another day to get her out.  The good news was that 
she didn't actually break her leg, just sprained it very badly.  This 
happened two summers ago - I think she was back on the trail last summer, 
but was carrying a cell phone at the insistence of her children.

Lessons?  For some people it would be to carry a cell phone.  For those who 
intend to hike the PCT, it should be to carry enough water - and to learn 
water discipline.  If you don't know what that is, you need to learn.  A lot 
of PCT hikers carry very little water in order to maintain their "ultralite" 
status - it works if you don't get hurt, it doesn't if you do.

Staying ON the Trail is a real good idea, too - at least if you want to be 
found.  In "thruhiker" season on the AT, you'd probably be found within 
hours - but there are places and times on the AT that aren't nearly that 
busy and you "could" wait a couple days.  Be prepared, but don't go 
overboard about it.  Carrying a 5 pound First Aid kit on the AT is overkill, 
but we've seen people do just that.  Taking a Wilderness First Aid course is 
something I'd recommend - they're expensive, but you'd learn some basic 
common sense survival techniques that aren't obvious to the average hiker.  
How much is your life worth?  Or someone else's life?

Anyway, Marge is doing what she wants with her life - can you say the same 
about yourself?  :-))

Walk softly,
Jim

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