Nice video, AFLM.

Looked and sounded so cold I turned down my a/c.

Beautiful country.

Yesterday I was fishing under the chin of the Devils Head with a group of buddies. It was raining hard and the cliffs were very slippery so you had to be careful getting down. We caught about 35 fish (mainly Pollock) between the five of us. But we all remained fairly warm and dry under the Devils Heads chin. So it was a good days fishing.

Even here in a not so remote part of the world, tragedy can strike as shown be the headline on the warning board 'Schoolgirl had no chance of Escape' at 1.05 into the youtube video shown here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMt215YD6TM

The cliffs are also a favorite spot for the local school kids to do their cliff jumping activities.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkjDyF1Oss4

Rather them than me is all I can say.

It's an interesting presumption on the part of the forum members that this chap didn't do a risk assessment.

I beg to differ. In fact think that it went something like this:

Map? Don't need. I'm on a trail.

Matches? Same answer.

Bug repellent? Don't need. I'm on a trail and at altitude.

Footwear? Adequate for the trail.

Head torch? Not needed, long days and expect to be back in good time.

Now it had to be said that had he stuck to the trail that assesment would have been completly correct. What he failed to appreciate is that when he chose to leave the trail the risks changed.

Any "experienced" hiker soon realizes how often and easily a hike on a trail can become an off trail excursion. My experience has been that fires are often needed when traveling along a trail. Just because you are on a trail doesn't mean that you won't be delayed.

Not all trails are easy to follow, even in good conditions, and good conditions easily fade away.

You make fires on day hikes?

What an experienced hiker has experienced depends on where they've hiked and in what conditions.

This guy's an east coast hiker. Sounds like he's experienced popular east coast hikes -- trails most likely to be well-marked, well-maintained and relatively heavily travelled.

The Pacific Northwest hiking that I've done has been an altogether different experience from hiking in Virginia. The PNW trails that I've hiked -- though popular by PNW standards and in guide books -- have been in far more remote locations and have a fraction of the foot traffic.

Heck, in the PNW the Forest Service roads to the trailheads require a degree of caution and preparation that is not an issue when the trailheads are on Skyline Drive or the Blue Ridge Parkway.

I do! I've posted my winter kit for the Appalachians on here. I suppose it's time to take some photos of the summer kit.

I also go solo and off-trail, but the latter only in my home territory. I've covered the closest 100 miles of marked trails (mostly the AT) several times in every season, and now I'm tracing out old routes and woods roads, marking new loops and connections for future trail/off-trail combo hike. Injury is my biggest concern. Lovely spouse (tm) always knows where I am, when I plan to be out, and who to call if I'm not.

I'd certainly solo alone in Maine on the AT, but not off. Too much big empty, and I don't know the land.

I've also overnighted (on purpose) with just my daypack gear, which is highly informative. If more people tried that it would not be a struggle to get anyone to carry a sufficient kit.

While, I've never made a fire on any day hike, I'm prepared to make one if ever needed. Here in the PNW, even marked trials can be pretty remote and some are not well maintained and thus do have places where it would be easy enough to fall and suffer an injury. Storms too can cause windfall that requires getting over/around and a fall could easily happen. I've been on trials in the Olympic National Park both on foot and horseback, close in to trail heads, where you can go from relatively bug free to literally swarming with mosquitoes, usually when the trail takes you into a low brush covered wet area. Lots of times those areas are also wet and can be slick in spots even in the summer. So it sure wouldn't be that hard to get into a situation where injury could happen and being prepared to spend the night is a very good idea, even on marked trials and staying well within the parameters of the location that was given to a responsible person in case you don't check in by a given time. Doing everything right you still could spend a night out, even if searchers had your exact location.

I can think of two areas fairly close to me that when you pull into the trail head parking area, different trials take off in several different directions, so even if there are a few cars, it doesn't mean others will necessarily be on the same trial.

Granted carrying a few supplies does add a little weight and bulk but it sure would make a huge comfort difference and maybe a life-saving difference. I always carry a little water even in areas where water sources are plentiful as if I were immobilized I'd have at least something while waiting to be rescued. Having a little would be better than none. Even if you're not cold to the point of getting into a dangerous situation if you're wet cold and miserable it's likely going to impact decision making. Same goes at night without a light source, panic can take over.

The only situation on a day hike where I'd go for the ultra light approach would be if I was with a decent sized group and pretty close in to the trail head. I'd still have some first aid supplies, as well as a few daily carry items, as depending on others to have anything useful can get one in trouble. Almost all of the lighter FAK's suitable for packs are lacking in adequate blood stopping supplies such as pressure pads, non-sticks, etc, so I always add a little to my kits even the AMK's. One little 2 by 2 guaze pad isn't going to do much and if you don't have some non-sticks to put next to the skin first before adding the padding it's going to be really unpleasant when you remove it.

Another thing that I do is look carefully at weather reports always before going out. Just because it's perfect when you set out doesn't mean a storm might not be coming in during the night or the next day. Granted unexpected weather events happen but at least prepare for what is in the forecast as well of knowing what night time temperatures are going to be at the location and elevation.

"Heck, in the PNW the Forest Service roads to the trail heads require a degree of caution and preparation..."

*laughing* Oh, yeah! I was just starting a day hike out of the Government Camp (OR) area and came across two women who hadn't even gotten 300 yards from their car before they were both hurt enough to turn back.

I just don't understand why so many hikers don't carry firemaking materials as a matter of routine. "I don't smoke" is NOT a good answer.

Even if he had a PLB, this guy probably would have left it in his car with the GPS that he did have.

Baxter ain't Ohio, for sure.

Sue
If you survive your bad judgment, it gives you experience; experience may even produce good judgment... eventually.

Pretty much describes my hiking in Shenandoah NP -- at least a couple of peops, sometimes several, never more than a few miles from Skyline Drive or civilization outside the park. Still, am always ready for rain. Our strategy was to get on the trail early and be done before afternoon thunderstorms -- which are a very common occurrence here during summer.

The thick underbrush makes going off those trails entirely unappealing.

Solo hiking never appealed to me and now it would be so wrong because of a bum knee and propensity for twisted ankles. I'd be reduced to crawling if those injuries recurred. Makes me shudder to think about it in Shenandoah, let alone a remote trail elsewhere.

I just watched The Edge the other night with Anthony Hopkins and Alex Baldwin. Want to carry a big 'ol PSK after watching that!

Absolutely! In the old days, as the shadows lengthened and we realized we would be returning to the car after dark, we would often build a campfire, heat a can of chili, and take a meal break. More recently, it has been easier to break out the canister or alcohol stove for a cup of tea or something warm and filling. I always have the means for making fire when out on any frolic in the woods and fields.

Doing SAR in Arizona, I saw first hand how these little short excursions can lengthen. Probably our mos common scenario involved assistance to someone who had planned to be home by dark.

One extreme case was a young woman who was on a picnic in the mountains and walked away to gather firewood. After looking for about an hour, her companions called for assistance. We started searching just at nightfall. The next morning, after walking down a steep canyon nearly all night in storm conditions, we found her some four miles away, fortunately in fairly good condition.

When we did find the young lady, I immediately worked at starting my stove and preparing something hot, while she changed into some dry clothing I was carrying.

If the only conditions a hiker has experienced involve well marked, well maintained, and heavily traveled trails, the person does not meet my definition of "experienced."

One should be careful about throwing around the "e" word, particularly if one is hiking in a different region. Not all of one's experience in dry southwestern condition will apply to the PNW, for instance. Probably it universal that trips may easily take longer than contemplated - anywhere. One should be capable of spending a night out anytime.