Broken leg, 6 days alone and rescued

He is lucky to be alive. Some broken long bones (femur) can definitely be deadly if you go into shock.

Most rescues are for solo hikers or people who get separated from their companions, so it's an easy correlation to make. In five years volunteering for SAR there were only a couple of searches for groups in my region. We went on mutual aid searches in the parks and it was rare to search for a group.

In hiking the trails for fun, I have come across many people frantically searching for their friends out there.

You do increase risk by hiking alone – there is no one around to notice you if you do get dehydrated or hypothermic and start doing really stupid things. Since I've experienced the ease with which that can happen, I would never go off trail when hiking solo.

Soloing cross-country will always be more risky than a trail in the middle if tourist season (summer). That said, I know of a few acquaintances who might have made that climb more risky ("hey, this boulder looks fun to boulder without a pad"…)

Textbook example of why to carry a PLB.
he could easily have died from this.

Solo and off-trail definitely add to the risk, especially once you start climbing lots of talus in the Sierra. Things can definitely happen. Those big rocks can definitely move.

A detailed route map (on trail and off trail) and itinerary left behind with someone responsible is always critical.

And yep, I just bought a PLB for this exact situation. ACR is running a rebate program right now, so my ResQLink was $200 after rebate. With multiple days before anyway he would consider him overdue, a PLB might have been the actual difference between life and death in this situation.

Six days with a broken leg would be a LONG time out in the woods. Kudos on him for dealing with that.

“A detailed route map (on trail and off trail) and itinerary left behind with someone responsible is always critical.”

Agreed. I’ve been trying to be better about this recently, especially for trips including off trail travel. I noticed the form on http://reconn.org/ being promoted on High Sierra Topix and it seems like a pretty good template.

A very interesting piece. Thanks.

–B.G.–

I can imagine there are more solo hikers or small parties than there are groups. I don't think it is fair to conclude group hiking is safer, if that is what you mean. It is more complex than that.

Risk asessment is so much better quality when solo. You have the best chances of not doing stupid things when you are on your own. Group pressure is a well known source of risk.

In any case, this is not the point I was trying to make. The most important lesson here is that the main factor in play is not being alone or with more people but acting correctly. It is really unlikely to die out there if we do the right things. This is a very powerful statement because it helps to keep calm which in turn is key for good decision making.

The writer states "The next time Hein treks into the wilderness — which he says will "definitely" happen again — he plans to be "more cautious about my own life." In the future, Hein plans to carry a reflective mirror, which can be used to signal rescue aircraft; a satellite-linked device, which can be used to alert rescuers about a location; and more medical supplies and gear."

This thread is not atypical. "I will be more cautious about my own life"

No recognition that they aren't just putting their own lives in danger with poor planning, they are jeopardizing the lives of many dedicated men and women who can easily die trying just to find a lost or injured soul, let alone effecting a rescue.

I applaud this man for realizing his mistake and planning corrective action, but he also demonstrates a lack of understanding that this isn't just about him. Its one thing to decide to risk your own life, more power to ya, but its another to do so without regard to those whom you will rely on to try and help you when your risk goes bad.

There are many widows and orphaned children who's spouse or parent were lost trying trying to effect a rescue of an unprepared individual and yet they get no mention….

Each year here in the PNW lives are lost on the highest peaks in Or. and Wa. by people who went into the wilderness with no means of communicating and completely unprepared, sometimes without so much as a jacket. The rescue attempts not only run to the hundreds of thousands of dollars, but also put many lives at stake and in many cases a multi-day SAR attempt could be completed in hours with the proper means of communicating their position.

I urge everyone to carry a PLB to at least give a rescue organization a fighting chance to out maneuver the weather and other hazards when you need them.

"This thread is not atypical. "I will be more cautious about my own life"

No recognition that they aren't just putting their own lives in danger with poor planning, they are jeopardizing the lives of many dedicated men and women who can easily die trying just to find a lost or injured soul, let alone effecting a rescue."

I'm not sure what your point is?

Is he not being grateful enough to the SAR personnel for you? Are you maybe being a bit judgmental based on a newspaper interview who may have misquoted him, quoted him out of context or is not giving a representative view of his opinions? This right after he has just survived 6 days alone injured!!! Really?

Would staying home in the future be a better choice for him? or maybe just not going out alone? Should none of us go out alone for the convenience of SAR crews, maybe we should all just stay home? Or are you advocating for mandatory PLBs

Maybe I'm misunderstanding?

Are SAR crews typically staffed by people who are being forced to risk their lives? I'm grateful to anyone who goes out looking for strangers but AFAIK no one is holding a gun to their head. If they are not happy risking their lives in the process they should stay home and not burden victims with this pointless guilt. Look for another job, another hobby. Service is a choice in this country.

Everyone has a responsibility to go out prepared and I support both mandatory rescue insurance fees added to permit fees and fee for rescue for unprepared idiots getting in over their heads. But from what I've gathered this guy was nether unprepared nor an idiot.

That could easily be me, and if it is I'll be real grateful to be rescued but I don't want to have to deal with any self righteousness by the people doing it, check it at the trailhead please.

"But from what I've gathered this guy was nether unprepared nor an idiot."

My view is that if you're going solo, off trial, and climbing peaks then you are indeed unprepared if you don't pack a PLB.

It's REALLY dumb to not pack a PLB in those circumstances. He could have pushed the button an been out withing 24 hours… or possible less.

I'm sure some flame artists will send some hate mail, but don't worry, I won't be reading any more of this thread…

Billy

"I'm sure some flame artists will send some hate mail, but don't worry, I won't be reading any more of this thread…"

So anyone who disagrees with you about carrying a PLB is a flame artist.

MG, Wow…..

The SAR team was based out of my boat house/ store at Florence Lake. I have had them do several searches out of there, and I have to say….they are a darn good SAR team. I volnteer with a team here in AZ, and we are nothing near the skill level they are. He was pretty lucky to have such a skilled group looking for him.

It would be interesting in a few days' time to hear Hein's views on the topic of PLBs.

EDIT: Thanks, Steven, for the nudge… He did indeed mention in the video that a PLB/Spot-type device is in his future.

I am very happy he made it out alive and is recovering.

Maybe it brings a small measure of comfort to the families of victims who don't make it out, but I never like hearing "He died doing what he loved."

Just to note, there is a video interview with Hein on the Fresno Bee link above. He seems calm by nature (something that served him well, I think) and is very aware of the dangers that his rescue put on the SAR team.

"Maybe it brings a small measure of comfort to the families of victims who don't make it out, but I never like hearing "He died doing what he loved."

I saw my grandfather on his death bed.

On his deathbed, he did not recognized me or my father.

He lapsed into the Italian dialect of his childhood and kept on calling me the name of his younger brother: "Antonio"

He was obviously in pain. Death would be a release.

As I mentioned before, seeing this man whom I loved, inspired me and was a large part of my life as a shell of himself was painful.

He fought a war and was decorated combat veteran. He raised a family. And the love he and my grandmother showed my brothers and I growing up was easily some of the best memories of my childhood.

Personally I'd rather die doing what I love than being on my own death bed many years from now, wracked with pain and not being aware of what is going on.

Talking to my wife about such a topic she agreed that it would be painful for her, but she knows in many ways it would be more appropriate for me. And perhaps better.

I doubt I'll have a choice of how I go (and I hope it is many years from now). But if is not peacefully in my sleep, I should be so lucky it is while doing something I love.

No disrespect for your experience and personal wishes, but I see no parallels at all between the two.

My father died a couple of years ago after many months suffering horrible pain and nausea from metastatic melanoma, which no drugs relieved for more than a couple of hours at a time.

However, it is one thing to die of natural causes, however painfully and slowly, after a long and fulfilling life, and quite another to be hopelessly stranded with a broken leg and slowly dying of starvation and thirst at 35 years of age with so many things left undone and so many otherwise healthy years ahead.

But we are all subject to freak accidents and carelessness and stupidity, which is why I am a registered organ donor. At least somebody might benefit from my misfortune.

"However, it is one thing to die of natural causes, however painfully and slowly, after a long and fulfilling life, and quite another to be hopelessly stranded with a broken leg and slowly dying of starvation and thirst at 35 years of age with so many things left undone and so many otherwise healthy years ahead."

I was talking about MY personal experience and MY personal feelings.

Did I once mention how it would be for *you*?

I think it is rather presumptuous to tell me how *I* should feel and what *I* should think?

You can talk about how you have a different opinion and that's cool, but when you start telling people what you think should apply to them, a rather large line was crossed.

"But we are all subject to freak accidents and carelessness and stupidity, which is why I am a registered organ donor. At least somebody might benefit from my misfortune."

Likewise. My friends call me "spare parts"…. ;)

I was talking about MY personal experience and MY personal feelings.

Did I once mention how it would be for *you*?

I think it is rather presumptuous to tell me how *I* should feel and what *I* should think?

You can talk about how you have a different opinion and that's cool, but when you start telling people what you think should apply to them, a rather large line was crossed.

"But we are all subject to freak accidents and carelessness and stupidity, which is why I am a registered organ donor. At least somebody might benefit from my misfortune."

Likewise. My friends call me "spare parts"…. ;)

Edited by PaulMags on 07/21/2014 12:10:34 MDT.

Maybe you can show me where *I* told *you* how *you* (or *anyone else*) should feel and what *you* should think.

I don't look forward to the day when you can't hike solo without some kind of electronic tether.

That guy did well. He stayed calm. He took care of his injuries. He survived.

He didn't push a button because the water tasted salty or because he went out in 100 degrees with a pint of water. Those are the people deserving of outrage, not this guy.

"Maybe it brings a small measure of comfort to the families of victims who don't make it out, but I never like hearing "He died doing what he loved.""

---

I have long felt similarly. I want to LIVE doing what I love, not die doing it. It will be absolutely no comfort to me to be asphyxiating under a layer of snow in an avalanche, or dying of exposure on a hillside with a broken leg, that I was doing something I loved just previous. So I take care with my life. I do carry a PLB, I leave a trip plan with someone I trust, and I don't deviate from my trip plan.

Back to the OP, I think this guy made a lot of correct decisions and kept his cool and his will to live, which is why he survived. And I think his plan for addressing his safety in the future is spot on.

> He didn't push a button because the water tasted salty or because he went out in 100 degrees with a pint of water. Those are the people deserving of outrage, not this guy.

Big +1. Well said.

HAHAHA so you think Norman Clyde was "unprepared" because he didn't pack a PLB? And all those other people who those peaks are named after were unprepared? But you Billy Ray are prepared? HAHAHAHA

"It's REALLY dumb to not pack a PLB in those circumstances. He could have pushed the button an been out withing 24 hours… or possible less."

You should probably stick to facebook updates. Stay off the peaks, its a little dangerous out there for you.