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Lost Hiker Rescued near Horse Lake by SAR

MEDIA RELEASE
Lost Hiker Rescued
Date: 06/29/12
Location: Horse Lake area west of Pacific Crest Trail
Lost Hiker: Fitzgerald, Francis
47 year old male
Walnut Creek, CA
Reporting Person/Wife: Fitzgerald, Monica
45 year old female
Walnut Creek, CA
On 06/28/12 at about 1500 hours, Deschutes County 911 received a cell phone call from a hiker, Monica Fitzgerald, who advised that her husband, Francis Fitzgerald, called her to report he was lost near Horse Lake. Monica reported that she had earlier been hiking with Francis, on what they believed was the Pacific Crest Trail, having begun at the trail head near Elk Lake.

Monica and two other hikers, unnamed, decided to turn around on the trail after about a four mile distance. Monica said Francis wanted to continue for 10 more minutes, thinking he would then be able to see Horse Lake. After about 10 minutes, Monica was called by Francis, who said he was then lost. Monica advised Francis was not prepared to spend the night.

Monica said she then called 911 to report that Francis was going to turn his cell phone off to conserve his battery and he would periodically turn the phone off and on. Monica then began the hike back to the trail head at Elk Lake with the two other hikers. One Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Forest Patrol Deputy made contact with Monica after her arrival at the trail head where more details were obtained as to where
Francis may be located.

Attempts to call or text Francis’ phone were unsuccessful. Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue personnel were dispatched to the location to begin the search, which consisted of 16 members, forming 6 different teams to include one hasty team, two tracking teams and three ground search teams. A search management team composed of 11 SAR members and 1 Assistant SAR coordinator managed the search from the Deschutes County Special Services building. Dispatch was able to provide two possible locations of Francis’ location based on cell phone pings after Francis called 911. An Airlink helicopter flew over the area of the GPS coordinates without success. According to dispatch, Francis attempted to call 911 numerous other times, but the cell reception was not adequate enough to obtain a good location.

At about 2330 hours, one of the tracking teams was able to locate a single set of foot prints heading west leaving the Pacific Crest trail which appeared to belong to Francis. The footprints led the trackers through patches of snow consisting of 2-5 foot snowdrifts and downed trees. A ground team was sent ahead in the direction the trackers were proceeding in the attempt to cut for Francis’ tracks.

At about 0115 hours, Francis was located in good condition by this ground team, about 5.3 miles NW of the trail head. Francis was escorted back to the trail head by SAR personnel, arriving at about 0345 hours, where he was met by Monica who had been waiting in the company of a SAR member.
Prepared by: Deputy Jim Whitcomb, Assistant SAR Coordinator

http://www.dcsarinc.org/downloads/2012_29_06_Lost-hiker-rescued.pdf

Here are some Basic suggestions for all backcountry travelers

1. Practice the Four Basic Responsibilities of the Backcountry Traveler. They work!  Basic Responsibilities

2. Carry the new Ten Essential Systems, sized for the forecast weather and the adventure in a light day pack. This includes a map, compass and GPS and the skills to use them. In the winter, this includes enough extra insulation and waterproof clothing to keep you dry and warm if you become stranded. In snow, you must have a shovel and insulating pad and the skills to make a shelter in the snow to avoid hypothermia and frost bite damage. It works!  Ten Essential Systems

A suggested minimum standard news advisory for all backcountry travelers!

"We would like to take this opportunity to ask our visitors to the backcountry of Oregon to Plan for the unexpected. Each person should dress for the forecast weather and take minimum extra clothing to provide protection from a drop in temperature and possible rain or snow storm or an unexpected cold wet night out. Each person should carry high carbohydrate snacks, two quarts of water or Gatorade, a topo map and declination adjusted base plate compass and an optional inexpensive GPS (and the skills to use them together). Each person who has a cell phone should carry their ordinary charged cell phone (from a service provider that has the best local backcountry coverage). An inexpensive SPOT-2 GPS Satellite Communicator is a good additional option for some. Each person should carry their selected items from the new 'Ten Essentials Systems' in a day pack sized for the individual, the trip, the season and the forecast weather."

"Visitors are reminded to tell a Responsible Person where they are going, where they plan to park, when they will be back and to make sure that person understands that they are relied upon to call 911 at a certain time if the backcountry traveler has not returned. Call 911 as soon as you become lost or stranded. You will not be charged. Do not try to find your way until you are benighted, exhausted, or worse yet - wet. Your ordinary cell phone call to 911 can take the 'Search' out of Search and Rescue."

THE MISSION of TraditionalMountaineering.org

"To provide information and instruction about world-wide basic to advanced alpine mountain climbing safety skills and gear, on and off trail hiking, scrambling and light and fast Leave No Trace backpacking techniques based on the foundation of an appreciation for the Stewardship of the Land, all illustrated through photographs and accounts of actual shared mountaineering adventures."

TraditionalMountaineering is founded on the premise that "He who knows naught, knows not that he knows naught", that exploring the hills and summitting peaks have dangers that are hidden to the un-informed and that these inherent risks can be in part, identified and mitigated by mentoring: information, training, wonderful gear, and knowledge gained through the experiences of others.

The value of TraditionalMountaineering to our Friends and Subscribers is the selectivity of the information we provide, and its relevance to introducing folks to informed hiking on the trail, exploring off the trail, mountain travel and Leave-no-Trace light-weight bivy and backpacking, technical travel over steep snow, rock and ice, technical glacier travel and a little technical rock climbing on the way to the summit. Whatever your capabilities and interests, there is a place for everyone in traditional alpine mountaineering.

    WARNING - *DISCLAIMER!*
Mountain climbing has inherent dangers that can, only in part, be mitigated