Great video, thank you! A girlfriend and I thought we would take a short afternoon walk up a mountain path with our 2 dogs. Well....we got lost for several hours. It was hot, we had no water, no food. We didn't know which trail to take to get back. We were worried for the dogs not having water as well as ourselves. One of the dogs was a German Shepherd (my dog) and all of a sudden she starts walking down a different trail waiting for us to follow. It was a pretty rough trail she chose but she got us down the mountain and safe. My German Shepherd had a very special dinner that night. Be safe out there everyone!
I don't know if Steve Olshansky was "experienced" but he certainly wasn't the smartest. I could only shake my head in disbelief. Hiking in NOVEMBER, and not having warm clothing or blanket, not checking the weather report, not taking a hiking map, no satellite phone, no GPS tracker, and continuing in spite of being ill. For god's sake, I take more precautions when I go shopping !!
From other videos, he knew he screwed up. He noted he was smoking pot early in the trip, which he regretted, and which helped him make “meh….it will be fine” decisions. He had also done past Winter hikes no issue, but the storm and snow made the going much harder just as his he had some sudden health issue that made even just normal walking hard. And as the video said, a sat phone or rescue beacon was a bit too pricey for his finances. But we all dumb things and for most, it’s not a fatal mistake. And yeah, he burned the shed and good for him…..it was Winter and no risk of a huge fire, and a shed that can be easily rebuilt is worth a chance at getting rescued and living.
I bet Geraldine's friend feels horrible for not staying with her till the end of the trip. Now adays I recommend bringing a satellite text message device like the Garmin InReach. They are $150-$300 but well worth the piece of mind. Plus its nice to be able to communicate with friends. They have one that creates a hot spot for your phone and you can send normal text messages along with status updates to social media. like a GPS Pin.
she had one. She just never bothered to learn use it and it stayed in the back of her husband's car. This channel is leaving a lot out of these stories to keep them nice and short. There's a lot more to her story that makes her sound even worse. The head of the search party wrote a whole book on it and she literally did every single worst possible thing to do including setting up her camp in an area that was almost invisible unless you walked into it.
@@spacerat111 Thanks for that! I get so tired of all these whiners offering prayers and sympathy to doofus hikers who bring problems to themselves, then their families expect SAR to save them. I live in Seattle and people climbing Mt. Rainier have caused the deaths of mountain rangers trying to bring their bodies down for the relatives. I say, leave them where they fell, just like Everest.
From other videos, the guy knew he screwed up, and noted he had been smoking pot as he set off, which made him make “whatever…it will be fine” decisions, and which he deeply regretted. And he could have brought more food, but not like he was going to carry enough for 3 months, plus his main problem was that he had a sudden health issue that meant he could barely walk, with the snow making the going even harder. Normally he had a shot at hiking out, even with the snow, but just couldn’t hike and the rescuers just couldn’t find spot in the huge wilderness, same as Geraldine from the other story.
FYI- I live near the corkscrew canyons around Page, Arizona (Lake Powell/Lechee AZ). If you ever decide you want to visit these canyons, check 3-4 miles distance for rain clouds with down pour tales before entering the canyon. If you see rain activity 3-4 miles out, DON'T go into any canyons during the rainy days. If you're down in the canyon, you feel a sudden change of temperature or change of sunlight, get out of the canyon ASAP. Since this incident of the 11 lives lost, the people in the community have set up rope ladders and grab bars/chains in clefts of these canyons (these rope ladders/chains/grab bars are regularly checked for wear & rainy seasons). The best time to visit these canyons are in the winter, spring and early summer. Welcome and enjoy the Grand Canyon or the canyon lands!
People will always hike alone, but there are risks. Always take a PLB (Personal Locator Beacon). They can be purchased for under $100 and you don't need cell reception.
This video is visually stunning and has that "being there" gift. So real and I truly enjoyed going through these ventures with these people. Thank you for all of your hard work and dedication - this should win some awards.
He can't of been that experienced if he hadn't checked weather reports for bad weather, nor having any gear to keep warm with in that weather. It isn't like it was July, it was december
He had hiked several of the main long distance hikes including this one, thats experienced. Now his judgement being poor this particular time certainly isnt questioned
Those are good back ups too. The phone is the best option because you can communicate your exact situation for the best rescue efforts. They do price gouge the phone or the monthly plans but it’s basically the price of safety.
@@757Princess For clarity. On the iPhone 15 the SOS is part of the phone, no extra charge to use the SOS (as of early 2024). The only issue then becomes if the battery dies. A Garmin In Reach Mini has a long battery life. It will last a couple weeks before running low. The basic satellite plan (Iridium) is about $15 a month, and can bet turned on/off at any time, no contract is needed. But almost any of these similar units Spot, Bivy Stick, etc. will do pretty much the same. While not a substitute, some clothing, such as a few shell jackets by Patagonia have a built in device called a Recco. This is a passive unit that requires no power. Basically how it works is if search and rescue look for it, it will "reflect" pings back. But it only works from about 250' away. So a plane flying 1000' overhead isn't going to get a signal. It's often used in snowy terrain, as it will penetrate snow. However, it's not as powerful as an avalanche transceiver. Never the less, this new technology is promising. Keep in mind WHERE you need help can matter a lot. If you're on a frequented trail not too far from a trailhead, or out in a flat field on a clear, windless day, help could be just a couple hours away. If you're trapped in a crevasse on a steep, jagged slope in the Pamir mountains in Tadjikistan it could take quite some time.
I learned alot. I learned that "Search" parties will search far, but not wide. Whenever someone finds remains, they always insist they searched that spot, "thoroughly".
As usual this was an awesome video my dude! I’m always so stoked when I see that you have decided to bestow upon us another amazing collection of stories man!😉👍
I am a avid hiker and today I bought a device that will save my life should the same circumstances befall me like Stephen Olshanky. I bought a $112 Defy Satellite Link device - Rugged Handheld GPS Communicator, Two-Way Global SMS Text Messenger, Emergency SOS Alerting for 1 year for free- $4.99 a month afterward-Android iOS Compatible, Black. It works in all weather. I'll make sure this sad situation never happens to me.
I like my all weather durable tent that came with a 9 inch circular LED Warning Strobe Light device screwed into the top of my tent, Red Warning Emergency Led Strobe Beacon Lights with Magnetic Base, equipped with a 3.0Ah EGO 56V Lithium Ion 3000mah capacity Battery. I ran mine nonstop for 4 days before it died. Saved my life.
@xaviercast970. "I'll make sure this sad situation never happens to me." Your famous last words are to be engraved on your tombstone. Devices always tend not to work when you need them the most!
@@redblade8160 I always make sure all my devices are fully charged and tested before every hiking expedition is started. I'll be okay but thanks for your concern.
I've heard that freezing to death can feel like your skin in burning. But that you'll lose consciousness and die pretty much painlessly. I guess you are proof that's not accurate. But I'm glad you are here, nonetheless! That must've been a very scary experience. It sounds awful if you prefer burning than hypothermia. To me burning of the worst in my mind on ways to die
I don't know why he didn't stay with it? I'm not experienced at all but my small mind says stay with the burn sight where there's chances a plane can spot you. Rip
What he shouldn't have done is burn it at all. There were far more resources, as well as a better ability to stay warm in the shed rather than an outhouse. Since he had the ability to make fire, he should have used the shed as shelter, ration the food that was in it, and light your fires outside of it using Pine boughs. very smokey, and lasts a long time. @@scottlytton5328
Did he eat the outhouse he stayed in? The point is there were more resources to survive in the shed rather than the outhouse. Additionally, the story said he got a bag of oats from the shed, I wonder what else was there that he torched. But if you are in a survival situation, you benefit nothing by burning down a structure you can shelter in. There was plenty of wood to build a fire without torching a livable structure. If we were together in a survival situation, the first thing I'd do is separate from you.@@kangarht
Shelter wasn't his probem. He still had the bathroom which was just as good a shelter as the shed. He starved to death. An empty shed wasn't going to help him with that.
Always have a bright piece of clothing, tarp, quilt, ect. A cheap little whistle compass, sawyer mini water filter or life straw, and extra food. Depending on where you are, you can typically find a trail or road if you hike one direction for 10, 20, maybe 30 miles.
The best is usually to follow downstream moving water, whether a trickle or moving creek or river. Down, not up. It may take as you say quite a few miles but water usually leads to homes.
In Otter's case a PLB (personal locator beacon) could also have saved him.. they are kinda cheap and you register them yourself and they send a satellite call for help. I had to use one in the Canadian Rockies and the Canadian armed forced rescued me,
Whenever you go hiking never tell anyone where you are going, if something happens, people will be able to find you if you do. Never take food and water with you, it will only weigh you down. Do not bring your phone, hiking is to get back to nature and if you bring your phone it will only get you back to civilization. Never check the weather and always hike in the winter. Maps are for google, are you google maps? Above all, take risks, and bring a video camera to record your last moments.
Definitely cannot go into canyons where you have sudden rain, flash flooding in places like Antelope Canyon and Canyon De Chelly in Chinle, AZ on the Navajo reservation.
Cases like these make it obvious how important just staying the fuck put is when you're lost. The worst case of this is the Russian? girl who got lost in a cave and was found months later by a group of hikers. She was melted into the floor of the cave, crawling until she gave up.
Always: Tell people where you are going and when you are expected back. Check the weather and bring gear to survive the worst. Have a map and compass, know how to use it. Bring extra food. Have reduntant ways to start a fire even if you cook on a gas stove. With awareness and preparation you can turn a certain death into an merely an uncomfortable hike. Take care and enjoy nature!
I’m a solo hiker and explorer. It’s so so easy for shit to go tits up. That’s why I’m always over prepared and carrying about 5kg more gear than I really need to accommodate damn near every single thing that can go wrong. I’m not ignorant and I know I can still die out there but hey I’ll die knowing I was as prepared as I could be. If you carry nothing else carry these 4 things 1. Water purification tablets (make water taste like shit but also drinkable) 2. A Life saving Bivvy Bag AND Mylar blanket (keeps you warm and dry) 3. Sharp full tang knife (full tang means a blade and handle is 1 piece of metal) 4. Ferrous rod and striker to start fire (and know how to use it prior to needing it)
I duly concur. I'm of the same mindset as well, being overly prepared going out. Better that than being under prepared. There are things I'll bring out with me that are categorized as, "better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it."
@@niteshades_promise so when you need to split wood for a fire, attach it to the end of a long stick for spear fishing or simply slip while chopping. If your blade breaks then it’s a massive massive negative. Pay the extra £15 for a full tang blade and you’ll have a lot more diversity out of your knife. It’s the one thing we can not cheap out on if exploring alone
Always take an alternate dress code. Any garbage will help with a fire. If you have water you can melt snow. (Snow will burn without water). Take a lighter/waterproof matches, knife and rope. I wear extra Long shoe laces so I can use them for other reasons. Know how to use your gear for multiple reasons. Be careful what plants you eat. Some look the same. There's alot more but I'll let others write.
The Norwegian hiking/mountain code: 1: plan your trip and inform others about the route you have selected. 2: Adapt the planned routes according to ability and conditions. 3: Pay attention to the weather and avalanche warnings. 4: Be prepared for bad weather and frost, even on short trips. 5: Bring the necessary equipment so you can help yourself and others 6: Choose safe routes. Recognize avalanche terrain and unsafe ice. 7: Use a map and a compass. Always know where you are. 8: Don’t be ashamed to turn around. 9: Conserve your energy and seek shelter if necessary.
Stay hydrated, take a hat, if the route your'e on turns out to be more difficult than you expected, head back to safer routes. Remember, if something is difficult to ascend, it will be even more difficult to descend.
Know your limitations… and leave yourself some room. Many of these people stretch their boundaries and leave themselves no reserve. “Otter” (Steven Olshansky ) was not a hero in this particular incident- he had many other other impressive achievements but this time he made some serious mistakes. One thing that he recorded was that he regretted getting high (“just” marijuana) before starting out. Getting high or drinking at all can really cost you- you can get forgetful and lose important things (like a lighter) or be lagging when you really need to get through while you still can. All I will say is that he himself regretted it- I have no condemnation and I will be the first to admit that I have made my own mistakes that I have barely survived. However, I do believe that he would want us to benefit from his misfortune so that’s why I brought it up. I am well aware that many people consider cannabis harmless in the age of fentanyl and meth but you are literally taking your life in your hands when you set out on this level of trekking. Otter had hiked the AT, the CDT and the PCT. He was no amateur. As for GPS devices they may save your life but they may not be enough. They may just help searchers to find your body. It would have probably saved his but he didn’t think that he needed one. What else would that apply to for the rest of us? Weight is a challenge on the trail but when the SHTF it is better to be over prepared than under prepared. People tend to believe that it will never happen to them. Over-prepare (within reason) and then underestimate your abilities. People have died on day hikes just because they were under-dressed and the weather suddenly changed. Respect the Power of the Wilderness.
Know your limitations… and leave yourself some room. Many of these people stretch their boundaries and leave themselves no reserve. Unfortunately, “Otter” (Steven Olshansky ) was not a hero in this particular incident- he had many other other impressive achievements but this time he made some serious mistakes. One thing that he recorded was that he regretted getting high (“just” marijuana) before starting out. Getting high or drinking at all can really cost you- you can get forgetful and lose important things (like a lighter) or be lagging when you really need to get through while you still can. All I will say is that he himself regretted it- I have no condemnation and I will be the first to admit that I have made my own mistakes that I have barely survived. However, I do believe that he would want us to benefit from his misfortune so that’s why I brought it up. I am well aware that many people consider cannabis harmless in the age of fentanyl and meth but you are literally taking your life in your hands when you set out on this level of trekking. Otter had successfully hiked the AT, the CDT and the PCT- there are not many that can say that. He was no amateur. As for GPS devices, they may save your life but they may not be enough. They may just help searchers to find your body. It would have probably saved his life but he didn’t think that he needed one. What else would that apply to for the rest of us? Weight is a challenge on the trail but when the SHTF it is better to be over prepared than under prepared. People tend to believe that it will never happen to them. Over-prepare (within reason) and then underestimate your abilities so you can still do more than you plan to… when you have to. People have died on simple day hikes just because they were under-dressed and the weather suddenly changed. Respect the Power of the Wilderness.
Hiking is a dangerous activity. It is coming up to a year ago that I fell and broke my spine. It was just a morning walk. Then it all went wrong. Just one mistake in the wrong place. That is how it can go. I have had an operation and a lot of rehab. It is very life changing. It is what it is.
I hope you continue to recover. I went through septic shock and almost died. I also had to have my leg amputated. Whenever I have a bad day, I remind myself that I’m very lucky to have any days at all.
I nearly fell off a cliff as well. Mostly covered by tall trees, so I didn't realize I was walking close to the edge. Slipped and caught my balance just before I went over. Broke my new IPhone, so couldn't take pictures for the rest of my trip. What's scary is, if I had fallen, it would've taken a while for people to realize I was missing since I had gone on vacation alone. Hiking can be dangerous
What did people do way back in the day of horses and trails and tents ? Kind of gives you an idea of how rough it must have been way way back in the day
I've looked at where Olshansky was trapped, and it was one of the most inhospitable, remote places to be in winter. If he had the strength his best bet was to head ESE to get to BLM road 87, about a mile away, then start making his way ENE another 3.5 miles to Cruces Basin Campground and hope snowmobilers visited the area, and he could find/make shelter. This would have been difficult, but not impossible in the snow, and he would have lost a little elevation. But the reality is this area is almost as remote as where he was stuck - he had at least another 10 miles to go, maybe 15, to get another 2,000' down, and to possible snowmobile or other traffic and better weather. Even this was not guaranteed, and it's another 10 miles beyond there to highway 285, which sees light traffic. I don't know of many people on the planet who could have done this in his condition, in that weather, and survived. Heading either back north where he came, or south along the CDT were impossible. Both would have required significant elevation gain/loss over rugged, wild terrain.
@@AnjaSchulz-v3c That's a valid point. In one of his early videos he talks about walking out to the east, which would have been a good 20 miles, at least. In snow. But even if he had followed the forest roads, he would have had to have known exactly what turns to make, or he could have walked 30, 40 miles to get to any civilization.
Brazos River Ranch is barely a mile from that campground from what I see on Google Maps. I wonder if it was there back when this incident occurred? If so, it's a shame Otter didn't simply explore the nearby roads in at least a mile in each direction. Also nearly every backcountry campground I've been to has a small kiosk with a map of the sites, basic rules, and usually an overview of the surrounding area. Is this one different for some reason? To have enough energy and ability to camp out and survive in that outhouse for so long, and yet not enough energy to explore the area amazes me. Brazos River Ranch has some pretty large buildings that would have been in direct view from Waterton Valley Rd there near the campground too. 😞
@@romella_karmey lols the entirety of the hiking community would disagree. Great views, pushing my fitness to its limits and being in relaxing nature vs at my job/in the city. It's a great time. I have vlogs all about my hiking experiences. I did 60 last year alone. If anything it's keeping me fit and healthy so I can live a longer more fulfilled life doing what I love. 🫠
Arizona is WELL known for our abrupt floods. Those tourists should’ve educated themselves further on local weather before trekking this desert. It snows here, goes 2-3 years with no rain, get hailstorms, etc. Arizona isn’t a state you can be careless in.
Fluorescent flagging tape to mark one's way is cheap and lightweight, but I don’t stray further than eyesight from trails. I’ve been in mid pee and had someone come down the trail and I hollered out “hold on a sec please.” As someone else said, better someone see a flash of that, than to be another missing person.
It never ceases to amaze me how many people look at the weather forcast of the area they are planning to go to and see that it's going to be horrendous, then they go anyway. WTF?
60 plus yr olds and wanting to do dangerous things that you need to be extremely physically fit to do needs to be studied. I see so many old ppl die and I’m like who let them do this.
Unless you could prove an actual medical issue like dementia, how is one supposed to stop them? If they want to do something foolish, they have as much right as any other adult age group to do so!
Always, always, check the weather and plan accordingly, for the worst. Anything can and will happen. Better to be overly prepared out in the wild than under prepared.
I get lost in the woods all the damn time. One day I got lost before I had to go to work and before leaving the place I came up on a cemetery that I never knew was there. I didn’t like that at all. Luckily I found my way out.
I would say the actor who perished on a hike--Julian something--is a prime example of hiking gone wrong. The woman who was a 1000 feet from safety but chose to stay in one place and perish, is another.
He'd been backcountry hiking for 40 years and had completed the Triple Crown of hiking, which is completing the AT, PCT, and CDT, so yeah, I can't say that's not an experienced hiker! It just proves that experience doesn't necessarily always mean good decision making.
Its kinda revolting that the man was trapped there for months and nobody at any point with machines and prepared thought to make the whole trail and check the sheds they know are there. Idk anything about skow, we dont have snow, but I'm sure people had the resources to do that trail and get to him.
The inability to turn back when it is advisable to, is one of the biggest perils of hiking. We tend to encourage "never quitting" in many walks of life but in hiking that attitude can be fatal.
This video just goes to show how far we've regressed as a species. The first two people got lost and died in some of the most hospitable resource rich environments in the country with civilization no more than a few days walk away.
I have decided - that one of the big draws to going on these ventures is to feel omnipotent. That no matter what happens YOU will get through it and have quite a survivor story to tell. But nature is stronger than all of our whims.
To all hikers here please be prepared before you set out on even a day hike.. food water good safety gear and protection for any weather. God speed for you.
No, it was his own fault. The moment he felt he was sick, he should have turned around and go back where he started. He went hiking in the middle of November without proper clothes. He was clearly underprepared. No matter how experienced he was, his lack of preparation cost him the most precious thing, his life.
When I go into any wilderness situation I always carry a hand gun, machete or KBAR knife, a small Victorinox pen knife with the scissors, toothpick, tweezers, a small sharpener, A Bic lighter, a firestick, a lifeline filter straw, a water bag, Paracord, compass, a telescopic aluminum boat hook as a walking stick, a shammy towel, a fishing handline wit bait, high calorie snacks such as candy bars, 3 or 4 fried chicken legs, quart zip lock freezer bags, and a topographical map. All this easily fits in a small pack. I'm an expert backpacker, which requires more equipment, and went every late Nov. with my brother to hike and camp on the Blue Ridge parkway. Always check in, if required to hike, and always let family know where you are going. We always packed ours and other's trash out with us. If you are planning a trip and you want my advice, just reply to my comment and I will tell you how I would pack. Remember, it's only fun if you make it home safe.
This set of individuals, and their stories have convinced me all the more that I MUST FOLLOW THROUGH, on a long determined, deeply imagined journey. It's simple, both in scope, and intent.An epic hike, through the most challenging stretch of wilderness I know, its length, difficult. The date of my destiny? The journey of a lifetime? Never. Not in a million years. Not in a thousand lifetimes. There. I've said it. Its out there for all to know.
Geraldine lost the trail while taking a poop??? In the middle of nowhere with nobody else around, how far from the trail does one have to be while poopping?
She was known for having a bad sense of direction, but also, it is pretty easy to get lost in thick forest or jungle environments once you walk off the trail and past a few trees and vegetation. If you weren’t orienting yourself or leaving marks and turn around to do your business, once you get your pack back on etc, it wouldn’t be hard to get confused. The woods there are EXTREMELY thick in many places, even right off the main trail.
He should have turned back the moment he started feeling sick. Having the flu is already energy-depleting as it is, and he had neither the energy, nor the supplies for it.
Some of these tragedies could have been avoided by knowledge of how to use a compass and read a map, i never go hiking wirhout a compass, you can't always rely on electronic devices.
NEVER leave the trail. If u have to pee do it ON the trail or a foot to the side and NO MORE. Getting lost and dying isn't as bad as a fellow hiker seeing ur bare behind 😉
even a short hike close-by can get you killed. I foolishly hiked a 1.5 mile loop up into the hills @ a MO state park. I was alone, with my hiking sticks. Ice & snow made the hills dangerous. I had to be careful with every step. If I fell and broke my leg back there alone, I would have died of hypothermia. bad decision.
I'm happy that channels and Tv programmes like this exist, after soaking up survival stories and the tragic ones too, it will serve me well in future should i take up hiking because if you even half a brain and some self awareness you'll learn that from these stories there is big difference between, walking in the park and going into the wilderness, hiking is serious stuff so often underestimated while individuals overestimate their ability...Ego is a killer and mother nature it does not take kindly to those who are careless.... it was shocking to see Geraldine Largay wander off 3km of a trail and died, we don't know if she had compass and map but....jeeez if you going anywhere that does not have good or any mobile phone reception for hiking, you should at least know how to navigate using the basic's and be able to read topographic maps, at least then she could estimated the amount of time she'd been off the trail, which direction she'd walked off it and the rough direction she'd been heading and been able effectively search for trail. Plan to succeed and plan for the worst.
I doubt she would have been able to follow all the steps you described. She wasn't even able to find her way back to the trail after stepping out to pee ! Which was maybe 15 - 50 yards away from the trail. Maybe reduced brain function due to old age ?
these people put themselves into the most precarious and dangerous situations and then expect a 100.000 dollar rescue operations to save them. I would prefer the government focus on feeding children and providing housing for people. than searching for some idiot who wanted to test his ability against the wrath of mother nature. These people put their own lives in danger and then expect the local community to spend untold tax dollars on rescue missions that usually result in finding a dead body or nothing at all. I have no sympathy for those who challenge death and lose, however, I understand the appeal. I have a bit of adventure in me as well, but I know my limit and don't expect a savior for being a moron.
Where's our tax money going now? Ukraine? Foreign countries and corporations? I'd much rather we spent 100k to rescue these lost stranded hikers then where it's going now.
Death Valley Germans (1996) is one of the saddest cases I know of. Trying to hike out of Death Valley after their van gets stuck. Death by dehydration is a bad way to go. Read the book "Last Breath". Also read the story of "Lady Be Good", the B-24 bomber that went down in the Libyan desert.
When a person is lost. You check everywhere including restricted areas. BECAUSE IF SOMEBODY'S LOST. They're not going to know if it's restricted or not.
I would advise against putting in an ad every couple of mins - you'll end up with a subscriber base that almost exclusively uses adblock, and the only revenue you'll get will be from the odd youtube premium user.
I fell alone in the woods shattered hip and shattered pelvis broken right shoulder 10 broken ribs bruised femur and bruised lungs severe hypothermia 60 second walk to my truck took hours then climbed in it called for my medivac. BEYOND BRUTUAL
I'm struck by the fact that it's "usually" guides, and rangers, and other experienced outdoors people who make that final call to do it alone!!!!! Now I'm no survivalist and I'd last about 15 minutes but I'm no dummy either. And when the story goes.... "Experienced hiker dies alone in gorge......" I halfta think "experienced??? " Perhaps that word needs to be redefined.
Experienced people can make bad decusions and unpreductable weather. You are leaving out the inheirent statistocal bias that those people are exposed to those chances at a much higher rate, as its exactly why they are experienced. The same as few people die in national forest from thier couch 🤷♂️
The woman that walked 2 miles off trail to “use the bathroom” committed suicide in my opinion. Who walks 2 miles into the bush to use the bathroom? And then she didn’t even try to get out.
Oh i wonder why nobody survived in his group, but him!!?? 🤷🏼♀️🤷🏼♀️🤦🏼♀️🤦🏼♀️🤦🏼♀️ Because he knew what to do for the most part to survive and probably never told any of them what to try and do before they went out. "just in case".
where the fuck do these people search ? how can you just search the normal route if it was the normal route the person would be found within hours jesus christ and in that case technically they would be lost
The dirty little secret is that a lot of these "search" missions involve a lot of people that are attracted to the theatre of "the search". In some cases it gets all F*cked up like it's a church social. Lot's of the volunteers, are not capable of actually helping anyone, so they stick together, talk about the areas they searched, which by and large was pointless. They are often way out of shape, and already fattened up by the free hot dogs and donuts being served for all the volunteers. They stay on the trails, and frankly, if the lost person was on the trail, they wouldn't be lost would they? Then if the body is ever found, it's always "Oh we covered that area extensively". Ya ok, have another donut.
Great video, thank you! A girlfriend and I thought we would take a short afternoon walk up a mountain path with our 2 dogs. Well....we got lost for several hours. It was hot, we had no water, no food. We didn't know which trail to take to get back. We were worried for the dogs not having water as well as ourselves. One of the dogs was a German Shepherd (my dog) and all of a sudden she starts walking down a different trail waiting for us to follow. It was a pretty rough trail she chose but she got us down the mountain and safe. My German Shepherd had a very special dinner that night. Be safe out there everyone!
Some smart people invented two useful things: Map. Compass.
I've got chills. Thanks for sharing, stay safe
My hiking/camping companion is also a pure bred German Shepard. Best piece of kit you can have.
I've def trusted my dogs to lead me out of areas where I was lost hiking before. Usually works out well. I think many times they are better navigators
looks like i’ll be getting myself a german Shepard 😂 glad y’all got back safe
I don't know if Steve Olshansky was "experienced" but he certainly wasn't the smartest. I could only shake my head in disbelief.
Hiking in NOVEMBER, and not having warm clothing or blanket, not checking the weather report, not taking a hiking map, no satellite phone, no GPS tracker, and continuing in spite of being ill. For god's sake, I take more precautions when I go shopping !!
I would say that’s what we call nature taking its course. Nature said “come f around, and I’ll help you find out.”
I don’t even believe it. Then he gets stranded for three months? And makes skis out of plates? And burns down shelter?
From other videos, he knew he screwed up. He noted he was smoking pot early in the trip, which he regretted, and which helped him make “meh….it will be fine” decisions. He had also done past Winter hikes no issue, but the storm and snow made the going much harder just as his he had some sudden health issue that made even just normal walking hard. And as the video said, a sat phone or rescue beacon was a bit too pricey for his finances.
But we all dumb things and for most, it’s not a fatal mistake. And yeah, he burned the shed and good for him…..it was Winter and no risk of a huge fire, and a shed that can be easily rebuilt is worth a chance at getting rescued and living.
..yepp. and saying good bye when he knows he can survive for weeks and weeks🤣...super pro
@@JustMe-zu6tn yeah exactly. Sends out this awful hopeless last message and then goes on to sit around for 90 days. A WHOLE SEASON?!?
I bet Geraldine's friend feels horrible for not staying with her till the end of the trip. Now adays I recommend bringing a satellite text message device like the Garmin InReach. They are $150-$300 but well worth the piece of mind. Plus its nice to be able to communicate with friends. They have one that creates a hot spot for your phone and you can send normal text messages along with status updates to social media. like a GPS Pin.
Thats true. I still don't get why People walk alone without any backup. Easy to prevent the first case
I don't understand why a person would go out in the wild, especially in inclement weather without a radio walkie talkie thing.
she had one. She just never bothered to learn use it and it stayed in the back of her husband's car. This channel is leaving a lot out of these stories to keep them nice and short. There's a lot more to her story that makes her sound even worse. The head of the search party wrote a whole book on it and she literally did every single worst possible thing to do including setting up her camp in an area that was almost invisible unless you walked into it.
@@spacerat111 Thanks for that! I get so tired of all these whiners offering prayers and sympathy to doofus hikers who bring problems to themselves, then their families expect SAR to save them. I live in Seattle and people climbing Mt. Rainier have caused the deaths of mountain rangers trying to bring their bodies down for the relatives. I say, leave them where they fell, just like Everest.
The man was a real pro hiker, poor clothing, no map, stes out in November with little food. The man was a disaster waiting to happen.
Yep that actually exactly what happens. The most experienced ppl lose that healthy fear, they are prone to oversite and underestimating circumstances.
From other videos, the guy knew he screwed up, and noted he had been smoking pot as he set off, which made him make “whatever…it will be fine” decisions, and which he deeply regretted.
And he could have brought more food, but not like he was going to carry enough for 3 months, plus his main problem was that he had a sudden health issue that meant he could barely walk, with the snow making the going even harder.
Normally he had a shot at hiking out, even with the snow, but just couldn’t hike and the rescuers just couldn’t find spot in the huge wilderness, same as Geraldine from the other story.
FYI- I live near the corkscrew canyons around Page, Arizona (Lake Powell/Lechee AZ). If you ever decide you want to visit these canyons, check 3-4 miles distance for rain clouds with down pour tales before entering the canyon. If you see rain activity 3-4 miles out, DON'T go into any canyons during the rainy days. If you're down in the canyon, you feel a sudden change of temperature or change of sunlight, get out of the canyon ASAP. Since this incident of the 11 lives lost, the people in the community have set up rope ladders and grab bars/chains in clefts of these canyons (these rope ladders/chains/grab bars are regularly checked for wear & rainy seasons). The best time to visit these canyons are in the winter, spring and early summer. Welcome and enjoy the Grand Canyon or the canyon lands!
Never go alone.
Just never go is your best bet tbf .
True that!
Hiking is healthy. Fine. Just need to be prepared since you're away from Any resources @MUFC1933
Yeah then two or more die
People will always hike alone, but there are risks. Always take a PLB (Personal Locator Beacon). They can be purchased for under $100 and you don't need cell reception.
This video is visually stunning and has that "being there" gift. So real and I truly enjoyed going through these ventures with these people. Thank you for all of your hard work and dedication - this should win some awards.
He can't of been that experienced if he hadn't checked weather reports for bad weather, nor having any gear to keep warm with in that weather. It isn't like it was July, it was december
It wasn't mentioned here..
But he blaimed excessive Mary Jane use prior to leaving .thus messing up his judgments
@@jonjacobjingleheimerschmid3798 ridiculous
@jonjacobjingleheimerschmid3798 where did you find that information?
He had hiked several of the main long distance hikes including this one, thats experienced. Now his judgement being poor this particular time certainly isnt questioned
@@brittanynicole1106 I really don't remember...as this happened so long ago and his case has been covered many times
Crazy that a simple Satellite Phone would be a savior in many cases...
I researched a satellite phone for travel work. They’re about $3k but if you’re always out in the wilderness it’s absolutely worth it.
I bought a PLB for $80. Signals for help by satellite. Help can find you anywhere in the world in a small number of hours.
A PLB. Some are under $100. The new iPhone 15 has sat SOS capability.
Those are good back ups too. The phone is the best option because you can communicate your exact situation for the best rescue efforts. They do price gouge the phone or the monthly plans but it’s basically the price of safety.
@@757Princess For clarity. On the iPhone 15 the SOS is part of the phone, no extra charge to use the SOS (as of early 2024). The only issue then becomes if the battery dies.
A Garmin In Reach Mini has a long battery life. It will last a couple weeks before running low. The basic satellite plan (Iridium) is about $15 a month, and can bet turned on/off at any time, no contract is needed. But almost any of these similar units Spot, Bivy Stick, etc. will do pretty much the same.
While not a substitute, some clothing, such as a few shell jackets by Patagonia have a built in device called a Recco. This is a passive unit that requires no power. Basically how it works is if search and rescue look for it, it will "reflect" pings back. But it only works from about 250' away. So a plane flying 1000' overhead isn't going to get a signal. It's often used in snowy terrain, as it will penetrate snow. However, it's not as powerful as an avalanche transceiver. Never the less, this new technology is promising.
Keep in mind WHERE you need help can matter a lot. If you're on a frequented trail not too far from a trailhead, or out in a flat field on a clear, windless day, help could be just a couple hours away. If you're trapped in a crevasse on a steep, jagged slope in the Pamir mountains in Tadjikistan it could take quite some time.
Im so addicted to these videos 🥹
I love outdoor activities myself. Gonna try to be more safe this year 🙏
Me too😢
I learned alot. I learned that "Search" parties will search far, but not wide. Whenever someone finds remains, they always insist they searched that spot, "thoroughly".
Ya, it doesn't sound like you learned anything....
@@peatmoss4415
Sounds to me you know nothing at all, yourself.
go join search parties and see if u can find lost persons
@@t84t748748t6
Going by this vid, I'd have more luck if I didn't join one.
Hello haystack, let’s find the needle. Earth is big, we are small. It’s not easy.
As usual this was an awesome video my dude! I’m always so stoked when I see that you have decided to bestow upon us another amazing collection of stories man!😉👍
Thanks
I am a avid hiker and today I bought a device that will save my life should the same circumstances befall me like Stephen Olshanky. I bought a $112 Defy Satellite Link device - Rugged Handheld GPS Communicator, Two-Way Global SMS Text Messenger, Emergency SOS Alerting for 1 year for free- $4.99 a month afterward-Android iOS Compatible, Black. It works in all weather. I'll make sure this sad situation never happens to me.
I like my all weather durable tent that came with a 9 inch circular LED Warning Strobe Light device screwed into the top of my tent, Red Warning Emergency Led Strobe Beacon Lights with Magnetic Base, equipped with a 3.0Ah EGO 56V Lithium Ion 3000mah capacity Battery. I ran mine nonstop for 4 days before it died. Saved my life.
@xaviercast970.
"I'll make sure this sad situation never happens to me." Your famous last words are to be engraved on your tombstone. Devices always tend not to work when you need them the most!
@@redblade8160 I always make sure all my devices are fully charged and tested before every hiking expedition is started. I'll be okay but thanks for your concern.
I've almost died of hypothermia in 6 ft of snow. 8 hours of agony, I would rather burn or drown to death.
Wow. Never thought of that.
I've heard that freezing to death can feel like your skin in burning. But that you'll lose consciousness and die pretty much painlessly. I guess you are proof that's not accurate. But I'm glad you are here, nonetheless! That must've been a very scary experience. It sounds awful if you prefer burning than hypothermia. To me burning of the worst in my mind on ways to die
I kept thinking of actor Julian sands who died doing the same thing last year.
When Otter burned that shed, he burned his best chance to survive.
I don't know why he didn't stay with it? I'm not experienced at all but my small mind says stay with the burn sight where there's chances a plane can spot you. Rip
What he shouldn't have done is burn it at all. There were far more resources, as well as a better ability to stay warm in the shed rather than an outhouse. Since he had the ability to make fire, he should have used the shed as shelter, ration the food that was in it, and light your fires outside of it using Pine boughs. very smokey, and lasts a long time.
@@scottlytton5328
he starved to death, do you think he could eat that shed ?
Did he eat the outhouse he stayed in? The point is there were more resources to survive in the shed rather than the outhouse. Additionally, the story said he got a bag of oats from the shed, I wonder what else was there that he torched. But if you are in a survival situation, you benefit nothing by burning down a structure you can shelter in. There was plenty of wood to build a fire without torching a livable structure. If we were together in a survival situation, the first thing I'd do is separate from you.@@kangarht
Shelter wasn't his probem. He still had the bathroom which was just as good a shelter as the shed.
He starved to death. An empty shed wasn't going to help him with that.
Always have a bright piece of clothing, tarp, quilt, ect. A cheap little whistle compass, sawyer mini water filter or life straw, and extra food. Depending on where you are, you can typically find a trail or road if you hike one direction for 10, 20, maybe 30 miles.
The best is usually to follow downstream moving water, whether a trickle or moving creek or river. Down, not up. It may take as you say quite a few miles but water usually leads to homes.
Going downhill or following streams or rivers downstream works too.
So many of these stories boil down to pure hubris.
With a little stupidity sprinkled in
First 2 were under equipped and had no GPS. 3rd didn't check weather reports before entering a box canyon. Fatal errors.
In Otter's case a PLB (personal locator beacon) could also have saved him.. they are kinda cheap and you register them yourself and they send a satellite call for help. I had to use one in the Canadian Rockies and the Canadian armed forced rescued me,
Whenever you go hiking never tell anyone where you are going, if something happens, people will be able to find you if you do. Never take food and water with you, it will only weigh you down. Do not bring your phone, hiking is to get back to nature and if you bring your phone it will only get you back to civilization. Never check the weather and always hike in the winter. Maps are for google, are you google maps? Above all, take risks, and bring a video camera to record your last moments.
"He was a pro hiker"
Hilarious.😆
Definitely cannot go into canyons where you have sudden rain, flash flooding in places like Antelope Canyon and Canyon De Chelly in Chinle, AZ on the Navajo reservation.
Cases like these make it obvious how important just staying the fuck put is when you're lost. The worst case of this is the Russian? girl who got lost in a cave and was found months later by a group of hikers. She was melted into the floor of the cave, crawling until she gave up.
Always:
Tell people where you are going and when you are expected back.
Check the weather and bring gear to survive the worst.
Have a map and compass, know how to use it.
Bring extra food.
Have reduntant ways to start a fire even if you cook on a gas stove.
With awareness and preparation you can turn a certain death into an merely an uncomfortable hike.
Take care and enjoy nature!
So love how you start of with this great story of hope and perseverance. I love that! Thank you before terrifying me and breaking my heart.
I’m a solo hiker and explorer. It’s so so easy for shit to go tits up. That’s why I’m always over prepared and carrying about 5kg more gear than I really need to accommodate damn near every single thing that can go wrong. I’m not ignorant and I know I can still die out there but hey I’ll die knowing I was as prepared as I could be. If you carry nothing else carry these 4 things
1. Water purification tablets (make water taste like shit but also drinkable)
2. A Life saving Bivvy Bag AND Mylar blanket (keeps you warm and dry)
3. Sharp full tang knife (full tang means a blade and handle is 1 piece of metal)
4. Ferrous rod and striker to start fire (and know how to use it prior to needing it)
But why a full tang?🤔🍻
@@niteshades_promise So you can baton it without breaking it.
I duly concur. I'm of the same mindset as well, being overly prepared going out. Better that than being under prepared. There are things I'll bring out with me that are categorized as, "better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it."
@@niteshades_promise so when you need to split wood for a fire, attach it to the end of a long stick for spear fishing or simply slip while chopping. If your blade breaks then it’s a massive massive negative. Pay the extra £15 for a full tang blade and you’ll have a lot more diversity out of your knife. It’s the one thing we can not cheap out on if exploring alone
Do you hike? Could you share some useful hiking tips?
Always take an alternate dress code. Any garbage will help with a fire. If you have water you can melt snow. (Snow will burn without water). Take a lighter/waterproof matches, knife and rope. I wear extra Long shoe laces so I can use them for other reasons. Know how to use your gear for multiple reasons. Be careful what plants you eat. Some look the same. There's alot more but I'll let others write.
The Norwegian hiking/mountain code:
1: plan your trip and inform others about the route you have selected.
2: Adapt the planned routes according to ability and conditions.
3: Pay attention to the weather and avalanche warnings.
4: Be prepared for bad weather and frost, even on short trips.
5: Bring the necessary equipment so you can help yourself and others
6: Choose safe routes. Recognize avalanche terrain and unsafe ice.
7: Use a map and a compass. Always know where you are.
8: Don’t be ashamed to turn around.
9: Conserve your energy and seek shelter if necessary.
Stay hydrated, take a hat, if the route your'e on turns out to be more difficult than you expected, head back to safer routes. Remember, if something is difficult to ascend, it will be even more difficult to descend.
Know your limitations…
and leave yourself some room.
Many of these people stretch their boundaries and leave themselves
no reserve.
“Otter”
(Steven Olshansky )
was not a hero in this particular incident-
he had many other other impressive achievements but this time he made some serious mistakes.
One thing that he recorded was that he regretted getting high
(“just” marijuana) before starting out.
Getting high or drinking at all can really cost you-
you can get forgetful and lose important things
(like a lighter) or be lagging when you really need to get through while you still can.
All I will say is that he himself regretted it-
I have no condemnation and
I will be the first to admit that I have made my own mistakes that I have barely survived.
However,
I do believe that he would want us to benefit from his misfortune so that’s why I brought it up.
I am well aware that many people consider cannabis harmless in the age of fentanyl and meth but
you are literally taking your life in your hands when you set out on this level of trekking.
Otter had hiked the AT, the CDT and the PCT.
He was no amateur.
As for GPS devices they may save your life but they may not be enough.
They may just help searchers to find your body.
It would have probably saved his but he didn’t think that he needed one.
What else would that apply to for the rest of us?
Weight is a challenge on the trail but when the SHTF it is better to be over prepared than under prepared.
People tend to believe that it will never happen to them.
Over-prepare
(within reason) and then underestimate your abilities.
People have died on day hikes just because they were under-dressed and the weather suddenly changed.
Respect the Power of the Wilderness.
Know your limitations…
and leave yourself some room.
Many of these people stretch their boundaries and leave themselves
no reserve.
Unfortunately,
“Otter”
(Steven Olshansky )
was not a hero in this particular incident-
he had many other other impressive achievements but this time he made some serious mistakes.
One thing that he recorded was that he regretted getting high
(“just” marijuana) before starting out.
Getting high or drinking at all can really cost you-
you can get forgetful and lose important things
(like a lighter) or be lagging when you really need to get through while you still can.
All I will say is that he himself regretted it-
I have no condemnation and
I will be the first to admit that I have made my own mistakes that I have barely survived.
However,
I do believe that he would want us to benefit from his misfortune so that’s why I brought it up.
I am well aware that many people consider cannabis harmless in the age of fentanyl and meth but
you are literally taking your life in your hands when you set out on this level of trekking.
Otter had successfully hiked the AT, the CDT and the PCT-
there are not many that can say that.
He was no amateur.
As for GPS devices,
they may save your life but they may not be enough.
They may just help searchers to find your body.
It would have probably saved his life but he didn’t think that he needed one.
What else would that apply to for the rest of us?
Weight is a challenge on the trail but when the SHTF it is better to be over prepared than
under prepared.
People tend to believe that it will never happen to them.
Over-prepare
(within reason) and then underestimate your abilities so you can still do more than you plan to…
when you have to.
People have died on simple day hikes just because they were under-dressed and the weather suddenly changed.
Respect the Power of the Wilderness.
The Last Summer was an incredible book about the life and death of Randy Morgenson.
Hiking is a dangerous activity. It is coming up to a year ago that I fell and broke my spine. It was just a morning walk. Then it all went wrong. Just one mistake in the wrong place. That is how it can go. I have had an operation and a lot of rehab. It is very life changing. It is what it is.
I hope you continue to recover. I went through septic shock and almost died. I also had to have my leg amputated. Whenever I have a bad day, I remind myself that I’m very lucky to have any days at all.
I nearly fell off a cliff as well. Mostly covered by tall trees, so I didn't realize I was walking close to the edge. Slipped and caught my balance just before I went over. Broke my new IPhone, so couldn't take pictures for the rest of my trip. What's scary is, if I had fallen, it would've taken a while for people to realize I was missing since I had gone on vacation alone. Hiking can be dangerous
Can't imagine willingly putting yourself in a situation where you would need a miracle to survive.
experienced doesnt always equate to intelligence
He should have fashioned a sled and gone down the mountain out of the snow, catch a tree on fire not your cabin
Iv'e seen Geraldine's story 4 times now. It still spins me out how she got just off the track, and it must have been horrifying for her.
I'm familiar with the first two stories. However, it's refreshing to hear them with your delivery.
What did people do way back in the day of horses and trails and tents ? Kind of gives you an idea of how rough it must have been way way back in the day
They are far more intelligent. Using the stars and constellation lmao
@@romella_karmey That and a lot of them died.
I've looked at where Olshansky was trapped, and it was one of the most inhospitable, remote places to be in winter. If he had the strength his best bet was to head ESE to get to BLM road 87, about a mile away, then start making his way ENE another 3.5 miles to Cruces Basin Campground and hope snowmobilers visited the area, and he could find/make shelter. This would have been difficult, but not impossible in the snow, and he would have lost a little elevation. But the reality is this area is almost as remote as where he was stuck - he had at least another 10 miles to go, maybe 15, to get another 2,000' down, and to possible snowmobile or other traffic and better weather. Even this was not guaranteed, and it's another 10 miles beyond there to highway 285, which sees light traffic. I don't know of many people on the planet who could have done this in his condition, in that weather, and survived.
Heading either back north where he came, or south along the CDT were impossible. Both would have required significant elevation gain/loss over rugged, wild terrain.
He didnt even have a map of the area, so he couldnt take an alternative route.
@@AnjaSchulz-v3c That's a valid point. In one of his early videos he talks about walking out to the east, which would have been a good 20 miles, at least. In snow.
But even if he had followed the forest roads, he would have had to have known exactly what turns to make, or he could have walked 30, 40 miles to get to any civilization.
Brazos River Ranch is barely a mile from that campground from what I see on Google Maps. I wonder if it was there back when this incident occurred? If so, it's a shame Otter didn't simply explore the nearby roads in at least a mile in each direction. Also nearly every backcountry campground I've been to has a small kiosk with a map of the sites, basic rules, and usually an overview of the surrounding area. Is this one different for some reason?
To have enough energy and ability to camp out and survive in that outhouse for so long, and yet not enough energy to explore the area amazes me. Brazos River Ranch has some pretty large buildings that would have been in direct view from Waterton Valley Rd there near the campground too. 😞
I'm never hiking anything but a small ass mountain, if that.
You're missing out then.
@@LeilaRosettemissing out on early demise?
@@romella_karmey lols the entirety of the hiking community would disagree. Great views, pushing my fitness to its limits and being in relaxing nature vs at my job/in the city. It's a great time. I have vlogs all about my hiking experiences. I did 60 last year alone. If anything it's keeping me fit and healthy so I can live a longer more fulfilled life doing what I love. 🫠
Arizona is WELL known for our abrupt floods. Those tourists should’ve educated themselves further on local weather before trekking this desert. It snows here, goes 2-3 years with no rain, get hailstorms, etc. Arizona isn’t a state you can be careless in.
Fluorescent flagging tape to mark one's way is cheap and lightweight, but I don’t stray further than eyesight from trails. I’ve been in mid pee and had someone come down the trail and I hollered out “hold on a sec please.” As someone else said, better someone see a flash of that, than to be another missing person.
It never ceases to amaze me how many people look at the weather forcast of the area they are planning to go to and see that it's going to be horrendous, then they go anyway. WTF?
It's like they think that the area will dissapear when they go a day or a few days later 🤔
60 plus yr olds and wanting to do dangerous things that you need to be extremely physically fit to do needs to be studied. I see so many old ppl die and I’m like who let them do this.
Id rather have a death by misadventure than the old folks home.
Right? What do you need a "study" for? Bro's Gonna start locking people up.@@benjaminmiller9902
Unless you could prove an actual medical issue like dementia, how is one supposed to stop them?
If they want to do something foolish, they have as much right as any other adult age group to do so!
Always, always, check the weather and plan accordingly, for the worst. Anything can and will happen. Better to be overly prepared out in the wild than under prepared.
I get lost in the woods all the damn time. One day I got lost before I had to go to work and before leaving the place I came up on a cemetery that I never knew was there. I didn’t like that at all. Luckily I found my way out.
0:34 “armed with only horse oats and hope”
I’ll tell you… hope and praying will get you a LOT further than the average person may think! ❤
🤣🤣🤣
Nature doesn't play. I'll be backpack camping this weekend, in February, in MN. I am skilled and prepared.
I would say the actor who perished on a hike--Julian something--is a prime example of hiking gone wrong. The woman who was a 1000 feet from safety but chose to stay in one place and perish, is another.
I live in the Chicago area. I must say, hiking in MN in February does not sound fun at all lol. But I hate the cold, so I’m pretty biased.
He's a "very experienced" hiker yet his "clothing and footwear were too light" for the conditions. Huh, 🤔
He'd been backcountry hiking for 40 years and had completed the Triple Crown of hiking, which is completing the AT, PCT, and CDT, so yeah, I can't say that's not an experienced hiker!
It just proves that experience doesn't necessarily always mean good decision making.
Lots of XP but -5 to wisdom for +5 cold resist.
@@sandpiperrcontradictory.
He was a victim of climate change😢
You cannot die of hunger in 26 days maybe dehydration in 3-5 days
I carry a can of water soluble paint to mark spots when I am off trail.
Its kinda revolting that the man was trapped there for months and nobody at any point with machines and prepared thought to make the whole trail and check the sheds they know are there. Idk anything about skow, we dont have snow, but I'm sure people had the resources to do that trail and get to him.
The inability to turn back when it is advisable to, is one of the biggest perils of hiking. We tend to encourage "never quitting" in many walks of life but in hiking that attitude can be fatal.
This video just goes to show how far we've regressed as a species. The first two people got lost and died in some of the most hospitable resource rich environments in the country with civilization no more than a few days walk away.
Why don’t these people turn back ? Why do they avoid signs ?
Natural selection.
I have decided - that one of the big draws to going on these ventures is to feel omnipotent. That no matter what happens YOU will get through it and have quite a survivor story to tell. But nature is stronger than all of our whims.
To all hikers here please be prepared before you set out on even a day hike.. food water good safety gear and protection for any weather. God speed for you.
First story, man shouldn’t have died. Unfortunately for him, he needed better rescue personnel and maybe better friends? RIP ❤
No, it was his own fault. The moment he felt he was sick, he should have turned around and go back where he started. He went hiking in the middle of November without proper clothes. He was clearly underprepared. No matter how experienced he was, his lack of preparation cost him the most precious thing, his life.
When I go into any wilderness situation I always carry a hand gun, machete or KBAR knife, a small Victorinox pen knife with the scissors, toothpick, tweezers, a small sharpener, A Bic lighter, a firestick, a lifeline filter straw, a water bag, Paracord, compass, a telescopic aluminum boat hook as a walking stick, a shammy towel, a fishing handline wit bait, high calorie snacks such as candy bars, 3 or 4 fried chicken legs, quart zip lock freezer bags, and a topographical map. All this easily fits in a small pack. I'm an expert backpacker, which requires more equipment, and went every late Nov. with my brother to hike and camp on the Blue Ridge parkway. Always check in, if required to hike, and always let family know where you are going. We always packed ours and other's trash out with us. If you are planning a trip and you want my advice, just reply to my comment and I will tell you how I would pack. Remember, it's only fun if you make it home safe.
This set of individuals, and their stories have convinced me all the more that I MUST FOLLOW THROUGH, on a long determined, deeply imagined journey. It's simple, both in scope, and intent.An epic hike, through the most challenging stretch of wilderness I know, its length, difficult. The date of my destiny? The journey of a lifetime? Never. Not in a million years. Not in a thousand lifetimes. There. I've said it. Its out there for all to know.
Don’t forget otter ate a bunch of pot cookies before his adventure which led to bad decision making
Geraldine lost the trail while taking a poop???
In the middle of nowhere with nobody else around, how far from the trail does one have to be while poopping?
She was known for having a bad sense of direction, but also, it is pretty easy to get lost in thick forest or jungle environments once you walk off the trail and past a few trees and vegetation. If you weren’t orienting yourself or leaving marks and turn around to do your business, once you get your pack back on etc, it wouldn’t be hard to get confused. The woods there are EXTREMELY thick in many places, even right off the main trail.
Gosh these were awful to hear about. Thank you for the video
My idea of backpacking is bringing my PS5 to work
He should have turned back the moment he started feeling sick. Having the flu is already energy-depleting as it is, and he had neither the energy, nor the supplies for it.
Don’t know what the hell Otter was thinking but he paid the ultimate price. Nature and weather don’t suffer fools.
Some of these tragedies could have been avoided by knowledge of how to use a compass and read a map, i never go hiking wirhout a compass, you can't always rely on electronic devices.
NEVER leave the trail. If u have to pee do it ON the trail or a foot to the side and NO MORE. Getting lost and dying isn't as bad as a fellow hiker seeing ur bare behind 😉
I still don’t understand why u would EVER hike ALONE…or worse hike alone & don’t tell people where you’re going‼️🤦♀️
even a short hike close-by can get you killed. I foolishly hiked a 1.5 mile loop up into the hills @ a MO state park. I was alone, with my hiking sticks. Ice & snow made the hills dangerous. I had to be careful with every step. If I fell and broke my leg back there alone, I would have died of hypothermia. bad decision.
Worst bit is people do this for fun!!
I'm happy that channels and Tv programmes like this exist, after soaking up survival stories and the tragic ones too, it will serve me well in future should i take up hiking because if you even half a brain and some self awareness you'll learn that from these stories there is big difference between, walking in the park and going into the wilderness, hiking is serious stuff so often underestimated while individuals overestimate their ability...Ego is a killer and mother nature it does not take kindly to those who are careless....
it was shocking to see Geraldine Largay wander off 3km of a trail and died, we don't know if she had compass and map but....jeeez if you going anywhere that does not have good or any mobile phone reception for hiking, you should at least know how to navigate using the basic's and be able to read topographic maps, at least then she could estimated the amount of time she'd been off the trail, which direction she'd walked off it and the rough direction she'd been heading and been able effectively search for trail.
Plan to succeed and plan for the worst.
I doubt she would have been able to follow all the steps you described.
She wasn't even able to find her way back to the trail after stepping out to pee ! Which was maybe 15 - 50 yards away from the trail. Maybe reduced brain function due to old age ?
these people put themselves into the most precarious and dangerous situations and then expect a 100.000 dollar rescue operations to save them. I would prefer the government focus on feeding children and providing housing for people. than searching for some idiot who wanted to test his ability against the wrath of mother nature. These people put their own lives in danger and then expect the local community to spend untold tax dollars on rescue missions that usually result in finding a dead body or nothing at all. I have no sympathy for those who challenge death and lose, however, I understand the appeal. I have a bit of adventure in me as well, but I know my limit and don't expect a savior for being a moron.
Where's our tax money going now? Ukraine? Foreign countries and corporations? I'd much rather we spent 100k to rescue these lost stranded hikers then where it's going now.
Yeah like that guy said. I'd rather we send money to help hikers than send it to Ukraine or Israel.
Death Valley Germans (1996) is one of the saddest cases I know of. Trying to hike out of Death Valley after their van gets stuck. Death by dehydration is a bad way to go. Read the book "Last Breath". Also read the story of "Lady Be Good", the B-24 bomber that went down in the Libyan desert.
I’ll never for the life of me comprehend the obsession with nature and all this hiking.🤷🏾♀️🤔
You have no idea what you're missing! The wilderness is a lot safer than the city.
I go hiking to the shops, which are about 100 yards away. Should I take a map and compass with me?
I never would have went down in there.your out of your element.
When a person is lost. You check everywhere including restricted areas. BECAUSE IF SOMEBODY'S LOST. They're not going to know if it's restricted or not.
Bring a radio, satellite phone and cell phone. Bring batteries and an external antenna.
I would advise against putting in an ad every couple of mins - you'll end up with a subscriber base that almost exclusively uses adblock, and the only revenue you'll get will be from the odd youtube premium user.
The Maine woods are no joke. A 2/3 chunk of the state is uninhabited timberland.
I'm stuck on Mt Everest, y'all! Send some help, please! It is so so cold 🥶 up here and I can barely breath! 😳
You imagine going that far off the trail to take a shit? Wow
Dying of Hunger must be TERRIBLEPE......
I find the first case very bizarre.
He fell off the hillside tumbled down it lost his radio simple to figure out or he went down to the stream to get water?
I was gonna watch but the “viewer discretion is advised” disclaimer scared me off.
Said no one ever.
I fell alone in the woods shattered hip and shattered pelvis broken right shoulder 10 broken ribs bruised femur and bruised lungs severe hypothermia 60 second walk to my truck took hours then climbed in it called for my medivac. BEYOND BRUTUAL
Do not camp near Blk Hollow lake Colorado . Skinwalkers walk the shores at night .😮😮😮😮
Get attacked by a monster that can only be described as pants hahaha
Note to self: Always bring a satellite phone when going hiking. Just in case I need to call for pizza delivery to the middle of nowhere!
Less prepared people? He hiked in winter without much food and no map or communications or friend who’d call emergency services on a pre-arranged date
I'm struck by the fact that it's "usually" guides, and rangers, and other experienced outdoors people who make that final call to do it alone!!!!!
Now I'm no survivalist and I'd last about 15 minutes but I'm no dummy either. And when the story goes.... "Experienced hiker dies alone in gorge......" I halfta think "experienced??? "
Perhaps that word needs to be redefined.
Experienced people can make bad decusions and unpreductable weather.
You are leaving out the inheirent statistocal bias that those people are exposed to those chances at a much higher rate, as its
exactly why they are experienced.
The same as few people die in national forest from thier couch 🤷♂️
Having hiked hundreds of mountains I cringe when I see people out there that are woefully under prepared
God l take extra gear with me and prepare for everything but you never know what will happen
Maybe charging them for their rescues will give some pause for reflection.
How is he a hero he died in a survival situation that makes him a loser.
The woman that walked 2 miles off trail to “use the bathroom” committed suicide in my opinion. Who walks 2 miles into the bush to use the bathroom? And then she didn’t even try to get out.
you always use a gps. battery operated. you can carry a lot of AA. ,aaa batteries.
So very sad. And then a guide is revealed to be a highly wanted thief.
Oh i wonder why nobody survived in his group, but him!!?? 🤷🏼♀️🤷🏼♀️🤦🏼♀️🤦🏼♀️🤦🏼♀️ Because he knew what to do for the most part to survive and probably never told any of them what to try and do before they went out. "just in case".
where the fuck do these people search ? how can you just search the normal route if it was the normal route the person would be found within hours jesus christ and in that case technically they would be lost
The dirty little secret is that a lot of these "search" missions involve a lot of people that are attracted to the theatre of "the search". In some cases it gets all F*cked up like it's a church social. Lot's of the volunteers, are not capable of actually helping anyone, so they stick together, talk about the areas they searched, which by and large was pointless. They are often way out of shape, and already fattened up by the free hot dogs and donuts being served for all the volunteers. They stay on the trails, and frankly, if the lost person was on the trail, they wouldn't be lost would they? Then if the body is ever found, it's always "Oh we covered that area extensively". Ya ok, have another donut.
The search party searching for that woman was pretty stupid. "Oh, we're not going to search over there, that's military territory." 🙄
Always know the situation never give believe in yourself always be ready for worst case seriono and then maybe it won't be when it arrives