This lost hiker and SAR give a summary of what transpired after the hiker got lost and attempted to find his way out. Many mistakes made here by the hiker, luckily though he is alive to talk about it.

DesOrmeaux had been dropped off by a friend and planned on hiking from Echo Summit to Emerald Bay. A day over his projected time in Desolation Wilderness, he was off his course by miles.

“I've navigated through that area a couple times in the winter, so I figured I'd be good, but I've never done it this late in the spring when everything is melting,” he said. “I didn't even realize I was lost or off my path until a day after I was (supposed to return).”

Good link Teslin, thanks.

"“Things that you planned on aren't always going to happen, but definitely be prepared for anything,” DesOrmeaux said Wednesday during a midnight hike near Twin Peaks. For which, he didn't bring a flashlight."

Aw jeez, not this again...

Dolt.

He stopped on a granite knoll and made camp. He had the means to start a fire. He was out in the open where the fire could be seen from the air.

STOP MOVING, STUPID! Just park yourself there and wait.

But no, he had to keep moving to dig himself in deeper.

Not exactly a hiker's role model.

Sue

Pretty major navigation fail. I'm a big bug about nav for exactly this reason: a lot of problems can be stopped before they start if you can stay on course.

Weird idea though to abandon one's gear. Doesn't sound smart at all in that respect. Glad he had enough smarts to get himself out alive.

HJ

gps. Cheap, small, useful. Get one today.

classic dumb/smart. smart enough to live, dumb enought to get into a self-created life threatening scenario

I listened to this once in a conversation about navigation. no S.

HIM:"I got lost and just just started dead reckoning east towards town, so I just followed the sun all day long."

ME:"How long were you lost before (arbitrarily) following the sun?"

HIM: "About an hour. We hiked to a lake, got there late, the next morning at sunrise we walked to the other side to fish and I fell asleep. When I woke up they were gone so waited around an hour. When they didn't show up, I started following the sun east. Walked about 6 hours and right before dark I ran into a hiker who pointed me to the road. Got there, saw a ranger and took me back to the camp we had."

ME: Why didn't you just walk back around the lake to your camp?"

HIM: (long pause. Swig of beer)"In hindsite, that would have made more sense. But I still had my fishing pole, I could have caught some fish to eat?"

ME: "And cook it with what?"

HIM: "Raw man. Eat like sushi. C'mon, thats easy"

The problem today is that youngsters today haven't been given the skills to to find out where they are using a map and compass. They simply become discombobulated dudes. In my day you were shown how to perform a 3 point resection, blindfolded and put in the back of a covered flat bed truck, transported to a desolate location then told to make your way back home. This was in the days before such navigational luxuries such as GPS. We only had 3 TV channels way back then.

The link isn't working for me. Did he seriously go on a multi-day hike with no flashlight, leave his gear behind and NOT start a signal fire when he could have?

Come on now. You're pulling my leg. Right, Duuuudes?

He had a map and compass. Apparently he didn't use them or doesn't know how to use them.

Did he ever explain WHY he was on that tiny island in the first place? And if he skied onto the island, why couldn't he ski off of it but had to strip down and SWIM in ice cold water to get off the island. "In truth, he was dangerously confused." No kidding! I've heard some people loose their orientation and get a bit delirious while out in the woods but this must have happened very early in his excursion.

"Yet, having a plan, sufficient supplies, a map, compass and the will to survive were things that he did correctly, (Incident Commander) Almos added."
-- Unhuh... OK... sure.... That's why he abandoned most of his supplies? I can't agree with his assessment of the situation. That was surprisingly generous of him to say that.