Missing in DV
- Thread starter craig333
- Start date
If they had car trouble near Willow Springs then it may have looked like a temptingly short horizontal distance from the car to the highway below. They may have been able to see cars passing by. The walk back to Greenwater Road may have seemed a long, tedious slog for many miles across bleak terrain. We may never know why they took the route they did.
I have many times had to fight off the temptation to 'just head over to that point', or to 'drop down into this valley and pop up the other side'.
But then I learned early, beginning as an early teen on a deer hunting trip in the Wasatch Mountains, how quickly and easily you can make an error and get into impassable terrain. Fortunately I was able to back track, wind around, come out onto a dirt track and eventually, just after sunset, come onto a gravel road, which I followed downhill. I was in a completely different drainage. Got a ride a few minutes later.
Since that experience, and a couple of others, I remain extremely respectful of even short stretches of difficult, possibly impassable terrain, no matter how close I am to 'where I want to be'. I have turned around at times when only a hundred feet or so from a well trodden path due to hazardous obstacles. A friend of mine had a saying, which seems true: "Don't let a moment's courage screw you up!"
How to convey this sort of respect and caution to younger folks is difficult without seeming like a whinging old grandpappy.
Foy is right. A knowledge of your topographical and 3-D situation is all important. Flat maps are no substitute for reading the terrain.
I have many times had to fight off the temptation to 'just head over to that point', or to 'drop down into this valley and pop up the other side'.
But then I learned early, beginning as an early teen on a deer hunting trip in the Wasatch Mountains, how quickly and easily you can make an error and get into impassable terrain. Fortunately I was able to back track, wind around, come out onto a dirt track and eventually, just after sunset, come onto a gravel road, which I followed downhill. I was in a completely different drainage. Got a ride a few minutes later.
Since that experience, and a couple of others, I remain extremely respectful of even short stretches of difficult, possibly impassable terrain, no matter how close I am to 'where I want to be'. I have turned around at times when only a hundred feet or so from a well trodden path due to hazardous obstacles. A friend of mine had a saying, which seems true: "Don't let a moment's courage screw you up!"
How to convey this sort of respect and caution to younger folks is difficult without seeming like a whinging old grandpappy.
Foy is right. A knowledge of your topographical and 3-D situation is all important. Flat maps are no substitute for reading the terrain.
Thanks Ski very sad story for sure.ski3pin said:
Frank
Foy
Resident Geologist
I just spent my "lunchtime at my desk" break scrolling some DV hiking trail descriptions and the big shaded relief map on the NPS website. Obviously, for you fellows who know the terrain from more than a few minutes of map study, the farther out Gold Valley Road they lost their tires, the more seductive seeking assistance via the comparatively short and absolutely direct route to Mormon Point had to have been.
Mr. Lofgren's background as a combat engineer and his experience as a backcountry camper make this even more tragic. He was the age of my younger son.
Foy
Mr. Lofgren's background as a combat engineer and his experience as a backcountry camper make this even more tragic. He was the age of my younger son.
Foy
Julie and I taught outdoor skills for the California Department of Fish & Wildlife for 25 years. For the state's advanced hunter education program we taught a weekend in the field clinic on land navigation and survival.
We often surprised our students by stressing that survival skills were really quite simple, while many of our students came thinking survival was learning what bugs to eat. Our perspective was nipping problems in the bud before conditions spiraled into primitive survival skills.
It's our habits that save our lives.
Always carry the ten essentials.
Tell somebody your plans.
Stick to your itinerary.
If problems strike, stay put. Big things are easier to find, like your vehicle or camp.
Turn around. The terrain you know is better than the terrain you don't.
Our perspective was honed by over 30 years of picking up the pieces after things went wrong. Those are days we do not miss.
Unfortunately this tragedy is yet another example how a string of bad decisions led to an awful outcome. Adventures are meant to be fun. Let's keep them fun.
And our best to all the people who responded to and handled this incident.
We often surprised our students by stressing that survival skills were really quite simple, while many of our students came thinking survival was learning what bugs to eat. Our perspective was nipping problems in the bud before conditions spiraled into primitive survival skills.
It's our habits that save our lives.
Always carry the ten essentials.
Tell somebody your plans.
Stick to your itinerary.
If problems strike, stay put. Big things are easier to find, like your vehicle or camp.
Turn around. The terrain you know is better than the terrain you don't.
Our perspective was honed by over 30 years of picking up the pieces after things went wrong. Those are days we do not miss.
Unfortunately this tragedy is yet another example how a string of bad decisions led to an awful outcome. Adventures are meant to be fun. Let's keep them fun.
And our best to all the people who responded to and handled this incident.
DavidGraves
Senior Member
- Joined
- Mar 24, 2016
- Messages
- 1,270
Sad event without question...
After SAR experience here and supporting Forest Deputies as a Reserve I come back to an essential question.
At what point is the enormous increase in visitor promotion responsible for these tradgidies ?
Enormous promotion of winter storm watching here....
Young family rents cliff side tourist cabin....for a weekend.
BOTH young children lost to sneaker wave the next morning.
Hows that for a fun day at the north Oregon coast ?
The whole Adventure Travel phenomenon if a profit fueled exercise.
David Graves
After SAR experience here and supporting Forest Deputies as a Reserve I come back to an essential question.
At what point is the enormous increase in visitor promotion responsible for these tradgidies ?
Enormous promotion of winter storm watching here....
Young family rents cliff side tourist cabin....for a weekend.
BOTH young children lost to sneaker wave the next morning.
Hows that for a fun day at the north Oregon coast ?
The whole Adventure Travel phenomenon if a profit fueled exercise.
David Graves
From reading other discussions on this there are a couple of things I have added to my essentials:ski3pin said:
- 1. Satellite communication is relatively cheap now. I carry an inReach SE.
- 2. Panel marker. Making my own version: a 3' X 3' ripstop nylon florescent orange sheet to spread out on the ground or fly.
- 3. Reflective 'emergency blanket' and strobing light. I already carry both but its use was new: a reflective sheet spread out on the ground with a pulsing light reflecting off of it is attention grabbing even in daylight.
Smokecreek1
Smokecreek1
So sad, but all it takes is one mistake whether you are Mr. super-camper or on your first trip-to make it your last trip. I still remember that story of that very experienced back packer and his dog in Colorado several years back. They took off with all the right stuff, notified the right people and all the rest, took off and came to a lake and he decided to leave hi\s trip plan and take a short cut. Half way around the lake he slipped and got his foot/leg stuck in a crack and could not pull it out, the lake was only a few feet away-but he could not reach it and died when he ran out of water-the dog survived! Yep-an in-reach or Spot seems to be part of the answer anyway-that an luck. Still that old saying is still mostly right, "Some days you eat the bear and some days the bear eats you".
Smoke
Smoke
Lighthawk
Weekend warrior
We have been Inreach users for years and carry CalStar / AirMed insurance. Camping and hiking off grid makes this backup important.
It's not only for us, in the case of emergency, but also if we encounter others in distress.
It's not only for us, in the case of emergency, but also if we encounter others in distress.
OP
OP
craig333
Riley's Human
I don't always carry the inreach when I'm going on short walks. Like Smoke points out, you never know when something is going to happen and my dog is no Lassie. I need to make it habit to carry it all times.
Craig, here's a link to information on a descent of Willow Canyon -craig333 said:
Canyoneering Willow Canyon
and these three did not want to do the loooooong shuttle so ascended the north ridge from the bottom and dropped into Willow canyon at a mid point.
Our last trip in the area was April 2012. Here's the end of Gold Valley Road at willow Springs, view up canyon.
You cannot see down into Death Valley from this area. Willow Springs is a thick riparian jungle.
You can venture down Willow Canyon for around a mile before the terrain turns technical. Of course, we have no facts on where the couple was found; everything I could offer is speculation, assumptions, and an exercise in typing.
If any here get the crazy idea to descend down into Death Valley, find a pass/saddle to the north and drop into Sheep Canyon, one of the easier canyons in the Black Mountains.
Before doing anything in Death Valley get a copy of Hiking Death Valley and read it.
Beautiful area ,but if you don't know what your doing,
as this story goes ,it can be very dangerous.
Frank
as this story goes ,it can be very dangerous.
Frank
Foy
Resident Geologist
Wow! Re: the canyoneering article Ski posted--Those folks unknowingly walked into a buzz saw. How very sad.
Foy
Foy
OP
OP
craig333
Riley's Human
I had to look up some of the terminology. https://rockclimbeveryday.com/glossary-of-climbing-terms/
Beautiful but one I'll just have to enjoy looking at the pics. I try and avoid anything over class 2. I carry a rope in the truck but I sure hope I never have to use it. I've been meaning to take a class on tying knots for years.
I wonder how much they knew about the canyon. They must have had some knowledge or they wouldn't have traveled there.
Beautiful but one I'll just have to enjoy looking at the pics. I try and avoid anything over class 2. I carry a rope in the truck but I sure hope I never have to use it. I've been meaning to take a class on tying knots for years.
I wonder how much they knew about the canyon. They must have had some knowledge or they wouldn't have traveled there.
Emily Henkel (the survivor) tells the story in a 2 hour podcast -
Emily Henkel
disclaimer: I have not listened to it.
Emily Henkel
disclaimer: I have not listened to it.
ntsqd
Custom User Title
Knots are a very useful thing to know. Which knot to use where has become one of my side interests. For instance, need a loop on the end of a laid rope; I use a bowline. Need a loop on the end of a kern-mantle rope; I use a figure eight on a bight.
There are many books on knots out there. You may have to buy more than one before you find one that works for you. The "Freedom of the Hills" outdoors reference book may also have a knots section. Been too long since I looked thru it.
There are many books on knots out there. You may have to buy more than one before you find one that works for you. The "Freedom of the Hills" outdoors reference book may also have a knots section. Been too long since I looked thru it.
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