This event took place during the weekend of 2/7-2/8 2004. Things could have been much worse. This took place in south central Idaho.

BURLEY (AP) - An Inkom man lost in the Cotterel Mountains in southeast Cassia County survived the weekend without food or water in freezing weather. John Davis, 56, an Idaho Public Television engineer, snowshoed Friday to a transmission tower to make repairs. He spent the night in a building there, according to an Idaho Public Television news release. Saturday he tried to snowshoe back to his car, near Idaho Highway 77, but got lost in a snowstorm. Members of the Mount Harrison Snowmobile Club found Davis Monday morning. He was suffering from dehydration but did not have frostbite, Cassia County Sheriff Higens said. Higens said Davis survived because he was wearing warm clothes and was in good shape. The man made several 9-1-1 cellular calls to neighboring Power Co. who in turn relayed to Cassia Co. Pomerelle Ski Area to the west of the Cotterels reported 16 inches of new snow over the weekend along with blowing and drifting snow. Searchers were hampered in their efforts to find Davis due to weather. It was just plain luck they found him at all said one searcher.

I noticed the technician was only wearing warm clothing and did not carry any provisions including water. The story does not mention anything about shelter other than the building. Temparature was between 5 and 10 degrees F. This area has an elevation of between 7,000 and 9,000 ft. There is almost always a wind (being considered for wind power generation) between 10 and 20 mph. I know of some of the rescuers. They felt certain they would never find this guy until the Spring thaw. He told me they average betrween 2-6 similar rescues each year. Simple preparations such as water should be minimally carried. I submitted this for your thoughts and comments?

Stargazer
ASAP = Always suspicious, Always prepared.