Have a plan:

[Grand58742]

In reference to this article:

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/04/04/teen-hiker-found-alive-after-3-days-lost-in-california-canyon-female-companion/

I tend to over pack when hiking, even for a simple day trip turns into far more than most would carry. It appears these two did not really think out what could happen and prepare accordingly. Weather changes, you get lost, injured, etc so best to have a plan for the worst case rather than think everything is hunky dory and will go well.

Hard lessons learned for these folks, but I am glad they made it through alive. Hopefully they take the lessons learned and apply them.

[whiskey lake]

You got to wonder sometimes.... No shoes? Something weird going on. I cannot imagine a scenario where I am stranded on the side of a cliff without my shoes.

[HES]

In addition if you have a plan, publish it, stick to it. When we had our boat I never once I never once put it in the gulf with out having a float plan. It laid out where we were putting in at, where we were going, our route, and return time. I would send multiple copies out to my folks, my sister, and a buddy who wasn't going. They knew that if I did not call them by X hour to let them know I was back to call the USCG and launch a rescue.

[pilotguyo540]

That guy looks like a piece of work. It looks like they found his mug shot to put on the news.

[Tortuga]

I would love to see an accurate AAR on this one. I've learned long ago that by the time a story is printed, it's very much different than what really happened or what any interviewee said.

Neither having shoes, odd for lost person behavior, but not for other behaviors.

As a SAR ground searcher myself, the part that really makes my eye twitch is two volunteers getting lost and having to be airlifted out! Kudos on good accountability and not leaving them out there, but bummer that two non-advanced searchers got deployed on their own like that.

Good suggestions from all on this thread. Good to see common sense and self-preservation isn't dead.

[TacCommE21]

Something similar out this morning:

http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/06/us/florida-lost-family-rescued/index.html?iref=allsearch

I have to question the extent of Dad's "avid"ness considering he was so poorly prepared. If not for the tools required to be on the boat by law, this may have turned out quite differently.

Good on him though for recognizing early on that they were going to be in the Glades overnight and fashioning a crude shelter.

[TomMcC]

I would love to see an accurate AAR on this one. I've learned long ago that by the time a story is printed, it's very much different than what really happened or what any interviewee said.

Neither having shoes, odd for lost person behavior, but not for other behaviors.

As a SAR ground searcher myself, the part that really makes my eye twitch is two volunteers getting lost and having to be airlifted out! Kudos on good accountability and not leaving them out there, but bummer that two non-advanced searchers got deployed on their own like that.

Good suggestions from all on this thread. Good to see common sense and self-preservation isn't dead.

I'm also itchin' to hear the AAR. I live 30 min form the hospitals they wound up in. Have been wondering about the whole shoe thing also. If you look at the winching her up to the helo pictures I believe she was wearing shoes. Him on the other hand, was he hiking in flip flops or something? It's really good it was late March early April, if this had happen in Jan. they would have been toast.