Lost in the mountains

[CLT65]

my bottom line and biggest question is why would anybody driving the mountain roads in winter conditions not stop and ask a person sitting off the road if they were OK. no vehicle in sight & obvious foot tracks ,,,,,some people?

I think you have at least part of your answer in some of the posts on this thread: some people just can't be bothered to help another human being in trouble.



On another note, I heard a story of a couple Portland hunters lost out in the woods one fall. They got turned around and mixed up, miles from nowhere. They decide to try the universal signal for lost hunters, and they shoot into the air three times.

Nobody comes. They wait and wait. They shoot into the air three more times.

An hour passes, still nothing. They shoot into the air another three times.

Another hour passes. It's getting dark and cold. The one guy turns to the other and says "I'm getting worried. I think I'll shoot into the air again, but it doesn't seem that anyone is out there to notice."

The other guy replies, "Yeah, I'm worried too. We're down to our last three arrows!"

 

[Andy54Hawken]

A few years ago I was out late grouse season...which means around here...wet and cold.

I came across a group of mushroom hunters who were a bit turned around and some were approaching the beginning stages of hypothermina.
They followed me back to my camp...and I started a fire...as well as getting them some hot coffee , tea and soup.
After they were warmed up and more functioning...I got 'em back to their vehicles.

While I was thanked for my help...a couple expressed surprise that a hunter would be so nice and helpful....
Andy

 

[Tlock]

A few years ago I out late grouse season...which means around here...wet and cold.

I came across a group of mushroom hunters who were a bit turned around and some were approaching the beginning stages of hypothermina.
They followed me back to my camp...and I started a fire...as well as getting them some hot coffee , tea and soup.
After they were warmed up and more functioning...I got 'em back to their vehicles.

While I was thanked for my help...a couple expressed surprise that a hunter would be so nice and helpful....
Andy

Hunters get a bad rap....i came across a older man who had killed a elk and was all alone. Our group stopped our hunting day and helped him get it packed out. He was completely blown away that we where willing to do that. It actually brought the old boy to tears and the rest of his camp was very thankful. I just always look at it as if that was my dad our grandpa.....treat folks the way you wanna be treated

 

[ilikegunspdx]

…
Maybe just plain ignorant " oh look ,mortimer, a fellow merry-maker enjoying his day" .

Having not seen the vehicle or the people I would guess this is the most likely scenario.

Either that or possibly they were from a place where there are huge numbers of people begging, etc and they were conditioned to ignore people. They may have previously seen homeless in the woods also. But like you say could be any of those.

 

[357 MAX]

Coupla elk in that area sittin' around sayin',

"Remember that dude we ditched last week? Yeah, man, I hear he's comin' back for more!"

damn elk they will do it every time. I'll show em next time laugh at me wilya

 

[orygun]

No FAK???

FAK? What's that?

 

[P7M13]

FAK? What's that?

First aid kit

 

[Bobbygun]

FAK? What's that?

Don't you know anything? (Thanks for asking. I didn't want to look foolish.)

 

[Member 24198]

FAK? What's that?

bubblegum Around Kid.

 

[po18guy]

recently spent a cold night in the mountains.got turned around while trying to head off 2 elk I made several mistakes, no water (I have always eaten snow while hiking) forgot to check my fire making kit.( in the other pack) no food . 2 things saved me from serious harm, insulated boots frostbreaker gloves, good coat etc. I violated all the rules that I know well. but made it through the night by camping under a tree. about an hour after daylight 2 people came by in a side by side, I tried to flag them down, they waved and motored on. I cussed them for about an hour or more until I decided hey if I don't save myself nobody will. so started walking until 2 trucks came by and gave me a ride back to my truck. I did a very stupid thing I know so please no lectures i have hunted alone for many years, and prefer to. my bottom line and biggest question is why would anybody driving the mountain roads in winter conditions not stop and ask a person sitting off the road if they were OK. no vehicle in sight & obvious foot tracks ,,,,,some people? so please please always engage any walkers or sitters you see in the winter Backcountry!

As the others, glad to see that all was eventually well. Is there such a thing as a 'black box' for hikers and hunters? Rescue would cost something but not one's life. Maybe Musk is cooking something up with StarLink?

 

[Spitpatch]

FAK? What's that?

It's what ya do with a chick from Wisconsin.

 

[orygun]

First aid kit

Yes. I wondered after I posted. Not extensive, but I have that in the pack, too.

Is there such a thing as a 'black box' for hikers and hunters? Rescue would cost something but not one's life. Maybe Musk is cooking something up with StarLink?

There is, known as a locator beacon. My family bought one for me called a ResQLink. I have never activated it, because I quit hunting the wilderness alone.

ResQLink Personal Locator Beacon Series - ACR Electronics, Inc

Learn why a personal locator beacon is your best chance at being rescued anywhere in the world. This subscription free device is a life saver

www.acrartex.com

 

[Mikej]

I have one of the last copies of the official TSF map, it baffles me why it went out of production and so far there is no printed alternative thats worth relying on.
However, the free Caltopo map layer on their GPS phone app is accurate and all I use now to navigate out there.

I've been running the backroads on the south side of hwy 6 in The Tillamook since I moved to potland in '83. Those old maps were great, back 20 years ago. Now you couldn't depend on them. Gates, and roads that have been decommissioned are all over the place.

 

[orygun]

I've been running the backroads on the south side of hwy 6 in The Tillamook since I moved to potland in '83. Those old maps were great, back 20 years ago. Now you couldn't depend on them. Gates, and roads that have been decommissioned are all over the place.

Possibly 30 years ago the Estacada Ranger Station was giving out the firefighters map at Christmas Tree cutting time. It has all of the little spur roads that had already been wiped off of the regular Mt. Hood NF map. I cherish it.

 

[Mikej]

Possibly 30 years ago the Estacada Ranger Station was giving out the firefighters map at Christmas Tree cutting time. It has all of the little spur roads that had already been wiped off of the regular Mt. Hood NF map. I cherish it.

After the fires a bunch of those roads are a real sight I'm guessing? Took a drive up Hillock Burn road a few weeks ago. First time I've been up there since the fires. What a mess. From talking to a forest worker that was pulling some limbs to the side of the road, the Mt Hood forest won't be planting trees. But that the timber company leased land would likely get planted by the leaser. What a F'ing travesty that it looks like the FS isn't going to salvage those trees and replant.

 

[Member 24198]

After the fires a bunch of those roads are a real sight I'm guessing? Took a drive up Hillock Burn road a few weeks ago. First time I've been up there since the fires. What a mess. From talking to a forest worker that was pulling some limbs to the side of the road, the Mt Hood forest won't be planting trees. But that the timber company leased land would likely get planted by the leaser. What a F'ing travesty that it looks like the FS isn't going to salvage those trees and replant.

I'm not entirely sure what they do with their money.

 

[JRuby]

I am a diabetic type 2 - going into the woods with out additional carbohydrates and a glucose meter is my achilles heel. Even if I am going hunting for a couple of hours I always pack a days worth of food. I always have a bag of hard candy in my pack. I love hunting but I have to plan for things to go wrong. Good thing I am a fatalist.

 

[Koda]

I've been running the backroads on the south side of hwy 6 in The Tillamook since I moved to potland in '83. Those old maps were great, back 20 years ago. Now you couldn't depend on them. Gates, and roads that have been decommissioned are all over the place.

The only paper printed map Ive seen thats reliable is the Oregon State Forestry map. If you can find one of these keep it, but I haven't seen one for sale in years. I grew up using those older Pittmons maps etc. from Bimart and those were a joke back then but they were all we had.

The Caltopo phone app maps work out there, free.

About 15ish years ago the state bermed off all the "tertiary" roads in the forest for habitat conservation so driving is limited to mainlines and most secondary (connector) roads.

 

[RVTECH]

I grew up using those older Pittmons maps etc. from Bimart and those were a joke back then but they were all we had.

Yes they were but along with the STATE forest maps you mentioned did you ever use NATIONAL forest maps?

Those are all I ever used and I still have a zipper pouch full of at least two from every Nat Forest in Oregon and some from the 70's.

 

[Koda]

Yes they were but along with the STATE forest maps you mentioned did you ever use NATIONAL forest maps?

Those are all I ever used and I still have a zipper pouch full of at least two from every Nat Forest in Oregon and some from the 70's.

View attachment 1993061

I have used plenty of national forest maps, those did work good for me back then but I also invested in federal published Ranger District maps were the single most accurate maps and I think still are. IIRC most of todays new maps that are actually worth using are based on Ranger District map data (dont quote me on that but its my guess).