Here's the narrative:

Rio Grande Wild & Scenic River (TX)
Overdue Canoeist Rescued From Lower Canyons

On February 15th, rangers Greg Drum and Beau Bracken began a search for a 68-year-old man from Albuquerque who had departed on January 30th to canoe the remote Lower Canyons portion the Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River.

When his permit revealed to rangers that he was overdue, a request for assistance was put in to the U.S. Customs Air and Marine Branch out of Alpine, Texas. Drum joined the pilot to assist him with the aerial search.

The man was spotted on the Mexican side of the river near Upper Madison Falls, a Class III/IV rapid. He’d attempted to portage the rapid, but became stranded due to his physical condition and diminished supplies. He said that he’d flipped his canoe several times earlier in the trip and had lost a bag filled with essential medication. Without his medication, he had begun to succumb to extreme lethargy and was unable to continue his trip. He said he hadn’t seen another human during his entire time on the river and therefore believed his chance of rescue was miniscule.

Drum was dropped off nearby and hiked to the man’s location. Using his canoe, Drum helped him back across the Rio Grande. The pilot waited on the Texas shore, then flew him to park headquarters in Panther Junction. He was transported to Big Bend Regional Medical Center, treated there, and released with no lasting injuries.

The remote Lower Canyons of the Rio Grande Wild and Scenic are among the most rugged and desolate locations in the Lower 48. Rangers are the only people who patrol the river along this stretch of international border

A couple of points:

1) The bureaucratic permit system one endures in many areas can sometimes be quite beneficial, even if it is a PITA.

2) Essential meds - how to deal with them when away from civilization? Keep them in a waterproof container with coffe and chocolate and other critical items?

If you have essential meds, then you shouldn't be traveling alone. And you should have two stashes of meds in different places--possibly one in your supplies and one in a companion's supplies. And in such remote areas, you should have a PLB. IMHO

Novel thought, but I don't quite grasp the logic. Traveling solo has its challenges, as well as its rewards. How does taking pills figure in?

How I would treat essential meds would depend on how many & what size are required and how critical it is. A month's supply of my blood pressure pill will fit in a container the size of a 35mm film can. A week is smaller than a AAA flashlight. I keep a month back-up in rotation and about two weeks in pocket when traveling. I couldn't do this if it was bigger. For a river trip and a larger volume med, I'd be thinking something like a Pelican box that would stay attached to my PFD.

I think it if you need it to survive you better have it on your body. As Mr. Ritter says of survival gear, "If it's not on you it can't save you."

Absolutely right. 3 to 4 days worth. Put it an Alosak and [i]make certain it is tethered to you./i]

Is my choise for the essentials that must not be lost.

Ribz pack! I have one in black.

There are a number of PFD that have pockets for essentials.

If you are taking life maintenance drugs such as for diabetes, and you take too much or not enough, you can become confused and black out or go into a coma. Without a travelling companion, you are at great risk. They can help you when you can't help yourself.

There are drug regimens without such dire consequences. I am following one such myself. The drug issue should be one additional factor in the decision to venture out solo or not. It is a good idea to consult with your physician about the potential consequences and suitable countermeasures, like taking partial doses.

If you are dealing with mandatory meds, the issue is really how to keep a secure backup stash available and ready. I am inclined towards a waterproof capsule on a neck lanyard

CountyComm Waterproof Delrin® Pico Pull would be one option -- small & lightweight. It serves a mostly redundant function as a zipper-pull, but might work well on a neck lanyard containing meds or whatever...

just a couple things from a canoe tripper.
it sounds like he bit off more than he could chew.i don't anything about this fellow and he may be a very experienced canoe hand but it does sound like he made a big mistake making this a solo trip in what would be bad water.dumping once could just be bad luck but twice is a disaster in the making and not attaching everything to the canoe is just plain foolish in a river filled with rapids.
not letting someone know where you are going and when you should be back is a bad move.he was lucky the rangers were on the ball about the permit.
good to hear that it turned out ok but people need to realize that wilderness style canoeing alone is just not like a fun filled Boy Scout trip.
"a man needs to know his limits"

I go a little heavier when I am Canoeing



I like to have enough Critical Items when I have swam ashore to Survive Well. if you are interested I write an Article on my Lifejacket a few years ago you may find interesting.

Good kit, made me think about my aviation survival vest which is no longer being used. The vest is based on a Switlik modular aviation flotation vest. It is heavy on signaling gear (ACR ResQLink PLB, strobes, mirrors, flashlight, chem lights and laser flare), small AMK FAK, Spyderco Atlantic Salt folding knife and a Marine VHF radio for Ch.16. I fully expected the USCG helo to be alerted before I activated my PLB; the plane had an ELT so mine was redundant until the airplane sank -- which I expect would have happened if it floated at all.

Since I've stopped flying, I'll probably adapt the kit to be more useful in a land/shore type scenario. Keep all of the signaling gear, trade the radio and wasted space in that pocket for gear similar to that in BruceZed's kit (not all, but some). Maybe add a small nylon tarp and more para-cord. I won't need to have a saltwater proof kit and won't need a knife designed with saltwater in mind which means there are lots of good knives available. Definitely add a fire kit. Radio goes back in the box.

All Small Survival Kits (i.e. those we can actually carry) Require Individual Choices, depending on: use, environment, conditions, cost, weight, and personal preference. No realistically thought out Survival Kit will be the same as another Kit.

BruceZ..question..what do you think the time would be between setting off your PLB and rescue?
i see your up in Canada where the canoe tripping is more remote than here in Minnesota or just over the border in Quetico Park.
you have quite a bit of gear in the ditch vest so i'm thinking you expect a long wait.

That is very dependent on the location and SAR Resources available. In Alaska rescue took 24 hours after a bear attack.

You need to activate the system, SAR needs to have a resource in the area, and then the weather has to be good enough to fly, boat, quad to the location. With good luck and weather you might get rescues in 1-day, with Bad luck and bad weather it would be 3 or 4 days. I figure I will spend the night at least until rescue, unless I am very lucky.