Red hair may have saved this hiker...

Posted by: TeacherRO

Red hair may have saved this hiker... - 03/04/15 06:20 PM



So, besides red hair, what lessons can we glean from this?

hiker rescue story.
Posted by: hikermor

Re: Red hair may have saved this hiker... - 03/04/15 06:50 PM

IMHO, long blonde hair would have worked just as well (my wife is blonde).

Inexperience and lack of preparation - that is what gets people in trouble. Carry a cell phone, especially in an area like that around Santa Barbara, where coverage is pretty decent.It helps to carry the Ten Essentials,including some sort of FAK, but that gets back to the original problem.

In addition to responding to emergencies, my unit carried out a fairly extensive public outreach/education campaign in an attempt to raise awareness
Posted by: MDinana

Re: Red hair may have saved this hiker... - 03/05/15 07:17 PM

don't jump off rocks.

Basic preps are basic. Seriously, the ability to start a fire may have saved their life, or a cell phone (or PLB), or just telling their mom where they were hiking.

Buddy system for a reason ... sad her friend died.
Posted by: hikermor

Re: Red hair may have saved this hiker... - 03/06/15 04:12 PM

Bright color played an important role in this lady's survival and that is important because some people claim that one should dress in dull pastels and eschew bright colors in backpack and tents, etc.I have spent far too much time searching for victims wearing faded blue jeans and tan T shirts. I like hot, bright colors. If you dress in subdued shades,at least have something bright that will help get you noticed, to say nothing of a whistle or mirror.

The caption in the picture accompanying the article identified the trail as the Cold Springs Trail. My tattered guide book described this trail as "popular, well maintained" and "moderately easy" (in the lower stretches). Without knowledge, even easy country is hazardous.
Posted by: AKSAR

Re: Red hair may have saved this hiker... - 03/06/15 07:10 PM

Originally Posted By: hikermor
Bright color played an important role in this lady's survival and that is important because some people claim that one should dress in dull pastels and eschew bright colors in backpack and tents, etc.I have spent far too much time searching for victims wearing faded blue jeans and tan T shirts. I like hot, bright colors. If you dress in subdued shades,at least have something bright that will help get you noticed, to say nothing of a whistle or mirror.

Amen to that, Bro!

Picture an early morning briefing at the IncIdent Command Post. The Ops Section Chief is briefing search teams on the mission. "When last seen, the subject was wearing brown Carhart pants, a camo Cabelas jacket, and a camo baseball hat with a Jack Daniels logo on it." At that point a collective sigh is heard from the assembled volunteer SAR personnel.......

Sadly this happens all too often. It's one reason why I avoid the "Tacticool" look.
Posted by: Tjin

Re: Red hair may have saved this hiker... - 03/06/15 10:47 PM

Originally Posted By: AKSAR
Originally Posted By: hikermor
Bright color played an important role in this lady's survival and that is important because some people claim that one should dress in dull pastels and eschew bright colors in backpack and tents, etc.I have spent far too much time searching for victims wearing faded blue jeans and tan T shirts. I like hot, bright colors. If you dress in subdued shades,at least have something bright that will help get you noticed, to say nothing of a whistle or mirror.

Amen to that, Bro!

Picture an early morning briefing at the IncIdent Command Post. The Ops Section Chief is briefing search teams on the mission. "When last seen, the subject was wearing brown Carhart pants, a camo Cabelas jacket, and a camo baseball hat with a Jack Daniels logo on it." At that point a collective sigh is heard from the assembled volunteer SAR personnel.......

Sadly this happens all too often. It's one reason why I avoid the "Tacticool" look.


It's not just to be found more easily by rescue personell. It's also handy to see your buddy in front of you in bad weather (especially when belaying, during climbing). And ever put subdued coloured things down, walked away and then walk back and try to find it? Often you can find them, other moments are like having staring contests with a small patch of ground. It must be here, somewhere....
Posted by: AKSAR

Re: Red hair may have saved this hiker... - 03/07/15 12:31 AM

Originally Posted By: Tjin
It's also handy to see your buddy in front of you in bad weather (especially when belaying, during climbing). And ever put subdued coloured things down, walked away and then walk back and try to find it? Often you can find them, other moments are like having staring contests with a small patch of ground. It must be here, somewhere....

Very good points! Keeping track of companions is a good reason to wear easily visible colors. This is especially true if you take small children on outdoors trips. Obviously it is good to be able to to see your kids. It is also reassuring to them when they can easily see you.

Regarding gear, we once lost a perfectly good set of trekking poles ( dark colored). My wife had collapsed them to the storage size when we got down onto an easy trail, and was carrying them in her hands. At one of our rest stops at a nice grassy spot we sat down and she laid them on the ground, while we had a snack. When we got up to move on she forgot to pick them up, and we walked several miles before we realized we did't have them. Since then I've marked most dark or small items with bright orange tape or cord etc. It makes it much easier to spot them with a quick scan around the area when you move on.
Posted by: GoatRider

Re: Red hair may have saved this hiker... - 03/07/15 03:00 AM

Originally Posted By: AKSAR
Regarding gear, we once lost a perfectly good set of trekking poles ( dark colored). My wife had collapsed them to the storage size when we got down onto an easy trail, and was carrying them in her hands. At one of our rest stops at a nice grassy spot we sat down and she laid them on the ground, while we had a snack. When we got up to move on she forgot to pick them up, and we walked several miles before we realized we did't have them. Since then I've marked most dark or small items with bright orange tape or cord etc. It makes it much easier to spot them with a quick scan around the area when you move on.

I left a hiking stick on a trail in the BWCA. It had my address on it, and some good samaritan mailed it to me a few weeks later. The hiking stick was more expensive than my labeler, so that paid for the labeler right there.
Posted by: hikermor

Re: Red hair may have saved this hiker... - 03/07/15 04:40 AM

I find myself leading groups on short excursions and I have found that people can find me in a crowd much more easily when I wear vivid colors. Of course,I am a shy quiet sort of person, but I will make the sacrifice for the general good (What a guy!) grin
Posted by: Phaedrus

Re: Red hair may have saved this hiker... - 03/07/15 07:54 AM

Excellent points re bright colors. I will admit to a preference for grey, black and muted colors but I when I hike or camp I'm always sure to have some bright stuff along, too. I definitely have learned my lesson when it comes to knives and stuff- bright is better! I have an obnoxious looking ESSE that's green and orange; folks have given me jibes about the knife at home but the first time I lay it down while in the woods they understand! It's hard to lose a Toxic Green and Orange knife! grin I've been meaning to get on yellow Surefire for just the same reason.
Posted by: hikermor

Re: Red hair may have saved this hiker... - 03/07/15 05:17 PM

Originally Posted By: AKSAR


Picture an early morning briefing at the IncIdent Command Post. The Ops Section Chief is briefing search teams on the mission. "When last seen, the subject was wearing brown Carhart pants, a camo Cabelas jacket, and a camo baseball hat with a Jack Daniels logo on it." At that point a collective sigh is heard from the assembled volunteer SAR personnel.......


In contrast, a murmur of excitement ran through our group when we heard this description "female, 5'7", 105 lb, blonde over blue."- Quite a contrast to the usual male zit-faced teenagers that were our usual quarry. We did have a description of her foot print and about 10 PM I spotted it, heading down a trail in the longest canyon in the Catalinas (S.Arizona). About 4:30AM, we caught up with her - "You hiked all night to find me?" she asked, fluttering those blue eyes. Be still, my heart!

We had a much better time of it than the folks in base camp, where her husband had been creating problems all night. Incidentally, I have no recollection of the color of her clothing, but she definitely was blonde over blue.
Posted by: JerryFountain

Re: Red hair may have saved this hiker... - 03/09/15 01:04 PM

Although I like orange, sometimes I feel that lots of it is too shocking to the senses in the wilderness. Often my preference is for colors that are out of place in nature but not shocking. My favorite is a light royal blue that Kelty used back in the early 70's. It has come and gone many times (although the day pack I bought back then is still in my closet - and still is in useable shape for all its travels). Blue, particularly bright blue, is an uncommon color in the back country and is easy to locate but does not jar the eye as much.

I do put something bright on my equipment that is in dull colors, my GR1 in sand has orange ranger beads on it. Surprising how little bright color is necessary to make something stand out.

Lots of color is best though when you want to be found. An orange or chartreuse vest or shirt and hat are available when I need to be seen.

Respectfully,

Jerry
Posted by: hikermor

Re: Red hair may have saved this hiker... - 03/09/15 02:08 PM

Back in the old days (1950s) you could get any color you wanted - as long as it was Army surplus olive drab. We used to put bright ribbons so we could find them in the brush.

You are right - Kelty blue is a nice compromise. Even their early packs were ASOD,come to think of it.
Posted by: AKSAR

Re: Red hair may have saved this hiker... - 03/09/15 03:10 PM

Jerry,

As long as you have something bright and unnatural to show when you want to be found. Obviously even camo has it's place, but even military folks generally have some sort of glaringly bright aircraft recognition panel they can display when they need to be seen.

Light blue might be OK, but don't assume even somewhat darker blue is all that visible. This became clear to me a few years back when I was doing some geo field work in the northern Brooks Range foothills. We were working in two separate teams of two, and late one day my partner and I were flying back to pick up the other two guys. We knew exactly where the other guys were (where we had dropped them on a wide open gravel bar, and we also had a GPS location). The weather was good, high overcast with an occasional very light sprinkle of rain.

I was sitting in the front seat of the Long Ranger next to the pilot. We all wore bright orange field vests, and as we flew straight towards the pick up spot I could see one orange vest from literally miles away. For some reason I couldn't spot the other guy??? We got closer and closer, but I still could only see one orange vest?? I was astonished how close we got before I realized the two guys were standing side by side! The difference was that one guy had put on a blue rain jacket over his orange field vest. It was amazing how well that blue jacket blended in to the surrounding gravel bar!

While not all my clothing and gear is in bright colors, I always carry something really visible. And if I am going alone (which I sometimes do), I try to actually be wearing something really bright and visible. That way if I get knocked on the head, there might still be a chance of finding me.
Posted by: JerryFountain

Re: Red hair may have saved this hiker... - 03/09/15 04:34 PM

AKSAR,

Absolutely agree, not dark blue (except on the snow).

Hikermor,

Yes, all my '50s gear was OD as well. Lost a real nice jacket that came untied (never carried my jacket on the outside of a pack since :-( and could not be found in less than a mile of trail.

Respectfully,

Jerry
Posted by: BruceZed

Re: Red hair may have saved this hiker... - 03/11/15 09:32 PM

Bright Colours really do work Great as a Passive Signal. International Orange (Engineering) appears to be the best overall, but I always advice adding a Contrasting Colour to any of these four to ensure it works in all conditions.

Posted by: Tjin

Re: Red hair may have saved this hiker... - 03/12/15 07:58 AM

Originally Posted By: BruceZed
Bright Colours really do work Great as a Passive Signal. International Orange (Engineering) appears to be the best overall, but I always advice adding a Contrasting Colour to any of these four to ensure it works in all conditions.





I tried wearing all red once. Apparently having a red shirt/jacket and red gaiters is ok, but if you add red pants to that, it's woman repelling. Or atleast they give you *the look*. So I guess more reason to wear contrasting colours.
Posted by: JerryFountain

Re: Red hair may have saved this hiker... - 03/12/15 05:00 PM

BruceZed,

Although these colors work great in most situations there are areas, particularly in the American Southwest where red, yellow and orange disappear into the background. White is often the best there, except in winter. I have had trouble finding someone from the air several times for this reason.

Respectfully,

Jerry

AKSAR,

I had the same problem near Point Lay, but this was before GPS and the individual had done a transect but missed the pickup point. Had to fly slowly down the river at about 50 feet to see him in his navy coat.

Jerry
Posted by: TeacherRO

Re: Red hair may have saved this hiker... - 03/17/15 04:07 PM

Originally Posted By: hikermor
Bright color played an important role in this lady's survival


Which is why I carry a bright neon colored fleece scarf - hunter orange, pink or neon green. Plus I have a fleece scarf along.