Before we just relegate ths story to the dustbin of history, why don't we consider what we can learn, what if anything these women did right.

I have not researched the story beynd what I have read on this thread, but it suggests to me some positives:

they stayed together
they avoided fatal hypothermia or dehydration
they used their communication gear
they did not panic
they kept their morale up

What other things can we detect from their story that we should acknowledge are part of a good reaction to finding yourself lost?

O.K. pink SAK jokes aside, there are now two wiser hikers out there who will be making some improvements in gear and knowledge. And, like a person who 'gets religion' or a customer with a good/bad retail experience they will share it with at least 10 more hikers. Personally,I'm going to make another fruitcake for the BOB.

Going way up the thread to Russ' comment "I'm not a fan of using a GPS electronic compass (Geko 301) because they use a lot of battery.":

A while back someone at Groundspeak forums** did some power consumption measurements (in mAmps) using a Garmin eTrex Vista HCX with fresh alkaline batteries. Here are some of the results:

backlight off, WAAS off, electronic compass off: 69 mAmps
backlight off, WAAS on, electronic compass off: 70 mAmps
backlight off, WAAS on, electronic compass on: 70 mAmps
everything off - including GPS receiver: 98 mAmps (??)
everything off, backlight on: 235 mAmps (!!!!)

So from his measurements the use of the electronic compass made measureable difference in current draw. Pretty much the same for WAAS The backlight is the big battery killer.

Another person on Groundspeak did the same measurements with an eTrex Venture CX w/ fully charged rechargable batteries and found similar results - but couldn't measure an electronic compass since it didn't have one:

backlight off: 77.4 mAmps
backlight medium: 144 mAmps
backlight high: 220 mAmps
no measureable difference w/ WAAS on/off

I found this very enlightening.



**From http://forums.groundspeak.com/GC/index.p...p;#entry3123403

Actually that lodge is operated by Princess Cruises, which brings masses of group tours through Alaska in the summer.

Some details appear in a story in the Anchorage Daily News, at
http://www.adn.com/outdoors/story/441825.html