The Value of PLBs, Even During an “Organized” Outing

Or, the value of a trained Sierra Club leader who actually sticks to his training. No one on a Sierra Club trip is supposed to hike alone. They're supposed to have the rest of the group, or a subgroup if day hiking from a base camp, with them all the time. Not the first time someone from a Sierra Club led trip needed a search team to look for them…

How about the buddy system? No one was willing to either share water with her, or accompany her back to camp? She needs to find some more responsible friends.

A PLB would have been nice. This sounds like one though lady. I am glad she made it ( good thing that besides will and strength she had a whistle) . Did not complain, declined interviews, the real deal here.

"How about the buddy system?" Even if you are hiking with a 'buddy' a PLB will get you a faster rescue than your 'buddy' hiking out for help. Billy

The buddy system probably would have worked out better for her than a PLB. Another hiker could have performed first aid, brought her water, made her warm and comfortable or perhaps improvised some method of transport. A buddy could have gone for help. With a PLB, assuming she would use it right away, she's still busted up, immobile, thirsty, cold, scared, and alone. And then she might be stuck with paying for the rescue! Don't get me wrong, PLBs can be the right solution to certain situations. The leader of this outing shouldn't have allowed her to go back alone. Someone responsible should have gone with her, and lacking volunteers the right thing to do would have been to lead the whole group back to camp.

Depending on where you are when you get hurt, a buddy can take a couple of days to get to the trail head. With a PLB you push the button and within minutes the SAR is alerted. Your buddy can stay with you to make sure you are warm and comfortable until SAR arrives. Best to have both. Billy

As a member of such a group, I wouldn't have considered bringing a PLB unless I, personally, had some particular medical issue. As the leader of a group like that, I wouldn't have advised that individuals carry their own PLB, although I'd like one in the group gear (more people = more possible mishaps). Obviously, the whistle was a great thing to have. A small EDC kit (mini-Bic, button compass, small flashlight, space blanket, whistle, SAK Classic, 25 feet of 100-pound-test, map of the area) is worth its really minimal weight over all those miles the first time you need it.

As it said in multiple articles, it was a Sierra Club outing. She knew no one. But she would have signed the waiver and been screened into the trip – and been told no one would be allowed to hike alone. The leader should not be allowed to lead trips until he follows Sierra Club rules.

sounds like maybe that whistle saved her life I always carry whistle – 0.2 ounce they also mentioned she got to stream and used her water filter water filter is not really survival item – in that case, if you had no water treatment, just drink water. Chance of getting sick is small, and it will probably take a few days. By then you'll either be saved or you won;t survive.

I have a whistle attached to every one of my backpacks and day packs. I often encounter people on the trail who ask, "what's that for?" BTW… some whistles are louder than others. There have been studies of this… google it. Billy

Agreed. We've even had the opportunity to test this–getting separated while wandering around an isolate watershed. Tried calling out, and got no answer at all. Then tried the whistle, and got a response in seconds. it's hard to believe until you have experienced it, but a whistle carries SO MUCH farther than your voice. Everyone in the mountains should have a whistle.

Actually, the whistle is for continuing to make noise without shouting yourself hoarse. Neither a whistle or a voice is loud enough to be heard very far. This I have experienced. SAR had to be almost on top of her to hear it. That, too (SAR), I have experienced. It's much harder to find people than you think — monthly/bimonthly trainings in conducting SAR operations help. Kudos to Marin and Fresno SAR – and any other teams that traveled for many hours to participate. All those hours and hours of training and hundreds of dollars in gear purchased, to provide civil service and bring home the lost with no compensation other than satisfaction in a job well done.

After reading, I cannot tell circumstances of her separation from group. The group did initiate the search though.