Hypothermia prevention…horrible story on Ozark trail

[Dean F.]

@mox "It is interesting, though, that the father was deceased but the two kids were able to be attended to for two hours. Perhaps they did have a crude shelter — maybe that shelter was the father himself, shielding his kids. Maybe he stripped down to cover the kids with his clothes to increase their own chances."

More likely SAR just did chest compressions on two child corpses for two hours. No one likes to give up on a kid- sometimes the guys in the field hate to call it and make efforts until they can get a victim to the hospital so someone else can. Or they delude themselves into thinking they felt a pulse at one point, or somesuch.

No one likes to call it on a kid.

[Michael Ray]

from the article: “They were last seen by a passer-by at about 2 p.m. (Saturday) on top of Sutton’s Bluff,” Volner said. “At the time it was raining, and the passer-by asked if they needed a ride. David told the gentleman they could make it back.”

never be too proud to accept help when someone offers it. it's easy to be the big tough outdoorsman, whether alone or with your kids, to prove you can conquer and survive. this story wouldn't have been in the news if they had just climbed into the car and gotten a ride back to the cabin.

i'm adding this thought to my own checklist of mental preparedness.

[Steven McAllister]

Re: "it's easy to be the big tough outdoorsman, whether alone or with your kids"

It could also be that hypothermia was setting in. I have witnessed people becoming grumpy, hardheaded and irrational when they get hypothermia.

[Diana Nevins]

God, what a horrible story. And a very tragic reminder that there is no such thing as a day hike. We're always just one missed turn or one sprained ankle from having to spend the night out there, quite possibly in foul weather.

I've always made it a point to carry a fire-starting kit, an extra layer of synthetic clothing, rain gear (even if just a cheap poncho) and a cheap tarp on my day hikes just in case. I've not done much hiking recently (stupid work!), and now I think for future day hikes I'll swap the cheap tarp out in favor of the Skyscape X I bought last summer. It only weighs a pound, folds up to the size of a Nalgene bottle, pitches in minutes using trekking poles (which I always hike with) and four stakes, and offers excellent wind and moisture protection. What possible excuse could I have for not taking it along?

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