Hiking trip FAIL!

[glock21fan]

So two weeks ago I went out on a local hike with a friend, he happens to be ex marines. We started at about 2:30 pm and it's just a short hike about 3 mi in and 3 mi out. All started well until we were walking down a hill and my hiking partner went down on his tailbone, blacked out for a moment and came to in alot of pain. I got him sat up, gave him some motrin and water and about a half hour later he felt fine. we continued forward for a short time, took a lunch break and decided to head back at right around 4:30 pm. on our short uphill hike to the trail his back gave out and he was only able to rest on his side, another 20 minutes after this we lost light. We tried to signal to two other hikers as we had no cell coverage in this area and were growing worried about his chronic back pain. they finally saw the light and asked us if we were leaving or coming in. I replied leaving but my partner is injured. they reply with "that sucks" and left. We decided to move down off the small hill as best we could and use a lower trail that goes around the incline, we were able to move 100 yards before his back started to act up again luck came into play when my message tone went off on my cell (finally had service) we were able to call 911 and in about 30 minutes a helicopter was landing on our trail. It was now about 6 15 pm and getting colder and we had little spats of rain throughout the day, the flight officer approached us talked to my friend about his injury and discussed evac out of there with the pilot. They were only able to take my friend on board due to fuel and had to leave me with his pack (which is actually mine) and I was asked to hike out on my own. I began my hike and which took about a hour normally took two I was now being soaked by rain and getting very sore due to lugging two packs. I finally made it out with muscle cramps and a very pissed off look to me. due to it being very dark I had made a wrong turn about 1/4 mile off trail and quickly discovered it was the wrong way.

I'll be investing in a handheld GPS with waypoint tracking for my next hike and also some gore tex pants . My jacket was fine as it is a basspro goretex special and it kept me fairly dry minus my pants.

Be prepared my friends cause if I had only brought a bottle of water or a camelback with no flashlights I would have had to wait for S&R to get there which would of sucked

[freonr22]

wow! $25,000 heli ride for a 3 mile hike! Hope he gets better! sometimes its the little things that get us.

[glock21fan]

wow! $25,000 heli ride for a 3 mile hike! Hope he gets better! sometimes its the little things that get us.

Well not really cause it was the sheriffs helicopter that did the extraction so thats public service.

However they only flew him to the parking lot where AMR picked him up so it was probably a good 15-20 miles + to the hospital that will rape him I'm sure

[kel-tec-innovations]

Always be prepared. I try to refuse ambulance at all cost unless my life is in jeporady

[d4v0s]

some areas of the high desert are free heli rides, last three helis that have flown friends out of riding areas were free. They use them as training ops ha ha ha

And i always take my bag of tricks even if its a half mile hike, better safe than sorry

[glock21fan]

yep. I used my 3 day pack because I just changed some things, made it a bit heavier and wanted to make sure I could "hump it" before I took it on a more advanced hike. I wasn't expecting to have to carry his extra 25 pounds on top of my already 45-50 pound pack..LOL we would have drove out if they would have got me out too but there was no way once I was on my own. and man it gets freaking dark quick this time of year LOL!
I have a video on my phone of them landing and how dark it was If I can upload it i will

[SandDiegoDuner]

I wish my GF was reading this... we go on some decent hikes where cell coverage is nill. She always says I take too much junk (GPS, Ham Radio, LED Flash Light, Extra Water, and of course extra batteries for each electronic device). I should add in a few extra items like a whistle, signal mirror, compass, and first aid stuff.

Tell your friend get well soon.

[glock21fan]

I wish my GF was reading this... we go on some decent hikes where cell coverage is nill. She always says I take too much junk (GPS, Ham Radio, LED Flash Light, Extra Water, and of course extra batteries for each electronic device). I should add in a few extra items like a whistle, signal mirror, compass, and first aid stuff.

Tell your friend get well soon.

thanks. and yep the wife says I carry too much i say NEVER! lol.... I have a MSR small stove too. keep some food water, extra water, signal mirror, whistle, etc. also I'll take a few surefire g2 and 6 p's with me and a SC1 spares carrier with 6 batteries and a spare bulb. and i'm glad I do cause he had no light in his pack even though we put them together at the same time (oh it wont be nighttime when we go back) LOL!

I will be getting a GPS soon cause it would have saved my trail in and I would have not made that wrong turn. also thinking about getting the ELD that they have at big 5 since we are going to go to the sierras next year and a few other mountaineering trips...

BUY goretex outerwear though! best bunch of money you could spend. and always carry spare wool socks I may take a pic of my pack items and post it this coming up week. alot of posts for packs is SHTF not so much just hiking.

[bubbagump]

If you spend a lot of time in the woods...you may want to consider a SPOT GPS.

[Ratman12]

When I am training for a big hike, I usually load it with all my normal day gear ( includes LED headlamp and spaceblanket) and then just add water jugs for weight to get it up to my estimated pack weight for the trip ( or more).. train hard makes game day easy
Training for Grand Canyon rim to rim in a day I did hill repeats on a 3 mile uphill ( Cowels Mtn) with my brother each carrying about 30 pound mid day in the summer,, I was so proud of the fact I melted my brother on the second trip up.. put him in the bushes after dumping his water all over him...( he was bonking pretty good but not close to heat stroke and had a third guy hang out with him while I got my hike done.. got him to the truck got a gatoraid down him then went out for a carne asada burrito (on him)

Sometimes even if you dont have cell signal try to send a text message..has worked for me a couple times but never for an emergency.. not sure if it just keeps tryiing to send it until it gets enough of a signal or if text dont need much of signal and I haven't done it in a couple years, so could have been due to an analog band width thing ( talking out my butt on why it worked)

[glock21fan]

When I am training for a big hike, I usually load it with all my normal day gear ( includes LED headlamp and spaceblanket) and then just add water jugs for weight to get it up to my estimated pack weight for the trip ( or more).. train hard makes game day easy
Training for Grand Canyon rim to rim in a day I did hill repeats on a 3 mile uphill ( Cowels Mtn) with my brother each carrying about 30 pound mid day in the summer,, I was so proud of the fact I melted my brother on the second trip up.. put him in the bushes after dumping his water all over him...( he was bonking pretty good but not close to heat stroke and had a third guy hang out with him while I got my hike done.. got him to the truck got a gatoraid down him then went out for a carne asada burrito (on him)

Sometimes even if you dont have cell signal try to send a text message..has worked for me a couple times but never for an emergency.. not sure if it just keeps tryiing to send it until it gets enough of a signal or if text dont need much of signal and I haven't done it in a couple years, so could have been due to an analog band width thing ( talking out my butt on why it worked)

I actually have heard that if you keep a go phone (even with no minutes) it will get a call to 911. but with smartphones its not that way (not a validated source but a good idea)

on your training idea thanks for sharing man, I'm going to do that for my trail walks from now on after all you cant beat training hard any day.

on the subject of the space blankets, those things are awesome! I recently picked up a few that are sleeping bags if anyone is interested I can get them for $5.50. they are made by rothco.

[Ratman12]

Yeah, when I had the time, I really used to try and hurt myself,, I have ran a few marathons and such and always kept the mylar sheets (space blanket-ish) they give you at the finish..
The next life saver ( for me) is my trekking poles,, really save your knees and when you learn how to use them properly you really can move pretty dang quick and securely while wearing a big weight on your back, great when crossing a stream/ice patch or big step ups or downs or herding the errant little rattler off the trail.. I use Leki with the suspension ( I have blown my knee and leg out a couple different times so I use them pretty much anytime when hiking) ...
I have plently of stories of the knuckleheads I have met in the back country that could have been a statistic for SAR

[paul0660]

So........it's been two weeks, how is your friend?

[problemchild]

REI has some small packable rain gear that is breathable and light.

[glock21fan]

So........it's been two weeks, how is your friend?

hes alright. now I'm going to buy him one of those rubber doughnuts to sit on for christmas.