Sock is easy and cheap, bandana fits better though..
Make sure you use a new copy of your boots each time, the tread changes with use..
though you could just make a unique mark in the tred (remove one tread or file one in half or something) if you didn't mind doing that to your boot that might make it even easier to track you...

Hi Harley!

I'm a SAR volunteer myself.

Realistically speaking, I think people might fill out such a form when going out on longs trips, but not on dayhikes. Such a form might be of use to someone that has few friends or relatives that don't know their whereabouts. Most people simply tell their friends or work collegues where they're going, or even better, then bring them along! :-)

I'd rather take the time it takes to fill out the form to double-check my gear and make sure i'm not forgetting something important. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

My 0.02$.

According to my wife, she could track me with one of my socks <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

Good stuff.

But, being from the land of auth theft, and with todays identity theft problem, I would really think twice about leaving copy of something like my drivers license in the vehicle, even in a sealed envelope. When I leave my car parked in the boonies I even take my insurance and registration papers out of it. Call me paranoid...

Hey, Bee.

I'm not actually involved in SAR.....just trying to think from SAR perspective. And, selfishly........would love to have myself found, in the event of trouble. <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I don't leave any indicators in my vehicle about my intent....other than it's parked at a trail head. Any thief would get the same things that he/she would get if it were parked at a mall, basically.

Harley

I'M CALLING YOU PARANOID!!

No, really..

A recent photo and your name would work almost as good... Mostly it would be for when you retrieve the package from someone who may not have ever seen you before (the guy you gave it to at the USFS may not be the guy you see to get it back from) so that they don't give it to anybody that is NOT you. (yah, with the things my estranged wife has pulled, I'm a bit paranoid too)

It may be of limited use knowing what you look like and your name in a SAR situation, I think mostly it would be a psychological benefit on my part (they know what I look like and who I am), though it might help personify you to the rescuers somewhat as well, which may be of some use too.

Or to identify your body if SAR takes a while? but that wouldn't happen to us 'cuz we're smart enough to signal our position. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

See, there I went assumeing (assume = make an a** out of you and me) that if you were reading this and they needed to ID your body, you would be so messed up that they would need to resort to DNA testing because visual/dental/fingerprint ID would be impossible..

Ok, so I actually felt I was morbid enough telling you to write the letter to your family and friends and didn't want you thinking 'at least they can ID my body' instead of 'at least they know what I look like'..

Bah! Keep the morbid coming? Morbidity = Motivation to Prepare! <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

I do have to say that your instructions were quite thorough and definitely inspire some thought about what all information can and should be available to rescuers. The "let someone know where you're going" idea seems much more significant with how you broke it down!

Nice tactic, I like that.