WA WA - Laura Macke, Hiking Alone @ Enchanted Valley, Camping at Pyrites Creek, 30. Oct 2022

[RickshawFan]

Okay, I’ve so far refrained from commenting here because it’s way out of my depth but I’m trying hard to understand her situation. Can anyone comment as to whether it would be likely that a hiker such as Laura would carry flares or some other signaling device on a three day hike? I mean in an area/time of year such as this where you might not be around many people, shelter,etc.

I ask this because my outdoor experience tends to be on the water, and it’s SOP to always have signaling capability on a boat: Every boat has flares at the very least (or should have.) Would Laura have been carrying something like that?

It sounds like LM was very light-weight focused as far as pack content, so this particular trip was exceptionally high risk for the Olympics, especially for a winter-onset solo backpacker with no wilderness experience (some hiking in VT, but there’s no wilderness there, and storms are avoidable).
A PLB would have summoned help on Day 1, so, no PLB. But these days, it would definitely be expected. InReach or zoleo are recommended these days, but there are plenty to choose from.

I don’t know any hikers who carry flares, maybe because they’re one-time use, but a strobe light might be helpful here.

But, top of my list of must-haves for this trip in benign weather: standard backcountry water bottle and not single-use recycled; a second sturdy, lidded, water receptacle (could be Camelbak); stove, pot, and fuel; water filter; Goretex jacket and pants; tent and footprint or tarp; 10 essentials; EN-rated 20-degree sleeping bag; extra paracord to lash the tent down in wind; some sort of bear strategy; Tyvek map and compass and knowing how to use them; lug-soled boots; spare batteries and headlamp; phone and re-charger; 2 sets of base layers, top and bottom; mid-layer like fleece; insulated jacket; thick socks at least up to calf; hat and gloves, food for every meal and several meals spare; alot of hot drink options, e.g. dried soup powder and herbal tea bags; pack cover….. PLB

Yowza, I knocked that list out in 5 seconds lol.

From what I know now, I’d probably also carry some bright tape pieces to mark my route if I have a nature call.
I also always wear an AppleWatch for fall detection (it will automatically get your cell phone to dial 911). Saving up for iphone 14, which has satellite communication.

 

[RickshawFan]

The WEA alerts use the cell tower system, as I understand it. Here is the gov site which explains that system:

Wireless Emergency Alerts - What are they and how do they work?

www.weather.gov

Instead, the military grade ping that is being sent to LM does not require cell service. So I think it is different from WEA.

I am thinking satellite ping because how else could a signal arrive to a phone if not from a cell tower? That is just my inexpert guess.

Thoughts?

I see what you mean, looking at NOAA’s description.

Smart phones have built-in GPS, so the locator element is readily available, no prob.
The new iphone has satellite communication built in, but I doubt we’re looking at that model here.

I would speculate there’s a way to communicate if the national cell infrastructure is sabotaged, but we can’t read up about it. There are also communication signallers that can be airborne, including wifi, where there’s no service. I understood these were mounted on drones or something. This came up during the current Ukraine war. SAR might just have one of these on the helicopter they’re using. They often use a Coast Guard helicopter in the Olympics, AFAIK, and no doubt the CG can ping folks overboard, clinging to ocean cliffs, etc. There are frequent sea accidents associated with the mouth of the Columbia River, which is nearby. Coast Guard is out of Astoria IIRC.

 

[cenazoic]

I had three thoughts about the ‘military-grade ping’.

1 - as a former servicemember of the USAF, ‘military-grade’ anything has been a long-running joke for ‘cheap crap’.
2 - like others have mentioned, some sort of satellite ping, like Garmin’s Inreach.
3 - Stingray technology.

Curious to see if they provide more details about it.

 

[Tower]

Oh, no. I was afraid of that. I was exactly afraid of the "ultralight" thing that a Long Trail hiker would get into. "Ultralight" only has any kind of safety if there are plenty of other people around who can get your back if you don't bring enough.
Ironically, you can take a lot lighter and less bulky food (and get the calories you need) if you have a stove.
I will dig out my stove, weigh it, and report! I will weigh some cold food for you and compare it with cookable food (by that I mean the kind you "cook" by pouring boiling water on it).

Just my own experience, but in that type of weather, the ONLY way I can eat enough calories and stay warm is to have hot beverages and cooked food. I personally cannot stomach enough cold protein bars on a multi-day backpack to eat properly and stay warm. I start to lose weight very quickly, making me weak. So a stove is essential for me to be safe. I almost hate to check in on this thread because I’m afraid of what we may hear one of these days. I sure hope you’re safe, Ms. Amanda.

 

[Tower]

Okay, I’ve so far refrained from commenting here because it’s way out of my depth but I’m trying hard to understand her situation. Can anyone comment as to whether it would be likely that a hiker such as Laura would carry flares or some other signaling device on a three day hike? I mean in an area/time of year such as this where you might not be around many people, shelter,etc.

I ask this because my outdoor experience tends to be on the water, and it’s SOP to always have signaling capability on a boat: Every boat has flares at the very least (or should have.) Would Laura have been carrying something like that?

From my own experience only, I have brightly colored neon clothing and emergency blanket items, a mirror, a whistle, bright flashing LED lights including a headlamp and “taillight,” as a bicyclist would use, in my pack at all times. I do not carry flares like you describe.

 

[TwinkieDefense]

Nov 9, 2022 update. Uhoh…green tent. I suspect that would increase difficulty of search.

UPDATE: Crews still searching for missing hiker | Peninsula Daily News

Numerous agencies assisting park

www.peninsuladailynews.com

[…] from article …

Her family, members of whom traveled from New Hampshire to Washington state to be closer to the search, speculate that Macke holed up in her green Nemo tent an so is difficult to spot.

[…]

My opinion: Also there are a lot of different search groups involved. Is NPS ISB usually involved? I have no knowledge.

and article continues …

[…]

The number of agencies involved in the search continues to grow, Huff said.

[…]

The park also has been working closely with the National Park Service’s Investigative Services Branch (ISB), Huff said.

[…]

 

[cenazoic]

green tent.

I have a stupid (but real!) and probably off-topic question.

I’m a new camper in search of a tent. Because my feeble mind has been corrupted by too much true crime, I’m stuck on color choice:

- black/green/camo, so the inevitable random wandering serial killers can’t spot me, or

- a brightly colored one, for when I inevitably go mysteriously missing?

 

[Breezie]

Announcement was just made on her fb search page that the search is winding down as family has been told it is unlikely that she could survive this long. Searches will continue on a limited basis with conditions and weather permitting.

 

[TwinkieDefense]

Thank you for the update @Breezie. Those dedicated searchers sure put forth their all. Hopefully the missing will be found soon. Our best to the family.

 

[Hexe]

I have a stupid (but real!) and probably off-topic question.

I’m a new camper in search of a tent. Because my feeble mind has been corrupted by too much true crime, I’m stuck on color choice:

- black/green/camo, so the inevitable random wandering serial killers can’t spot me, or

- a brightly colored one, for when I inevitably go mysteriously missing?

I'd say the probability of getting lost/in trouble while on trail is much MUCH bigger than the probability of bumping into a serial killer, so go for a brightly coloured tent.

 

[deadfoot13]

I have a stupid (but real!) and probably off-topic question.

I’m a new camper in search of a tent. Because my feeble mind has been corrupted by too much true crime, I’m stuck on color choice:

- black/green/camo, so the inevitable random wandering serial killers can’t spot me, or

- a brightly colored one, for when I inevitably go mysteriously missing?

The correct answer is to pick the one that best suits your needs for things like weight, size, assembly, etc.

In 40+ years of camping/hiking, the scariest thing I've seen while camping was a black bear drinking a rum & coke left out by my idiot brother, and snacking on his container of worms/bait. Haven't run into any random serial killers yet, but I do hate to ski or snowmobile in the dark because I'm just positive some maniac is waiting in the snowy woods to grab me...

 

[kae27]

The bear issue seems to have pretty much passed for the season, per NPS, but a single hiker might be too much temptation, too easy a target. I believe they have bear poles at the riverside campgrounds, so carrying a bear canister wouldn't be absolutely necessary. On the other hand, camping riverside hasn't been a survivable option for the last 10 days, so yep, you'd be right that bear protection would take some thought.

Sorry I'm coming to this late, but I'm a local and an avid hiker. Bear canisters are required in ONP. You don't hang your food.

And I know there is a lot of talk of bears in this thread, but as a hiker in this area I do not concern myself at all with bears. Sure, you have to be bear-aware, but these are black bears, generally very timid, and on the Olympic peninsula smaller in size than other areas. I've seen them many times and I'm always thrilled, not scared. (That said, of course I act with caution when I encounter them.) No person has ever been killed by a black bear in ONP in history.

On the other hand, mountain lions are terrifying and are quite large in stature in that area. They can be very aggressive, and unfortunately you usually don't know one is there until they alert your ferociously to their presence. And they are a real concern for solo hikers. I've seen evidence of them on hikes but have not come face-to-face with one, thank goodness.

 

[kae27]

The correct answer is to pick the one that best suits your needs for things like weight, size, assembly, etc.

Yes, this.

Also, like others I've never known a hiker/backpacker to carry flares.

 

[RickshawFan]

Nov 9, 2022 update. Uhoh…green tent. I suspect that would increase difficulty of search.

UPDATE: Crews still searching for missing hiker | Peninsula Daily News

Numerous agencies assisting park

www.peninsuladailynews.com

[…] from article …

Her family, members of whom traveled from New Hampshire to Washington state to be closer to the search, speculate that Macke holed up in her green Nemo tent an so is difficult to spot.

[…]

My opinion: Also there are a lot of different search groups involved. Is NPS ISB usually involved? I have no knowledge.

and article continues …

[…]

The number of agencies involved in the search continues to grow, Huff said.

[…]

The park also has been working closely with the National Park Service’s Investigative Services Branch (ISB), Huff said.

[…]

I would guess they had to call more agencies because the first ones burnt out, had to go back to jobs and family, and back to school. At least one search group was Explorer Scouts, i.e. teens.

 

[AzPistonsGirl]

avid hiker here. We do carry flares. Never used them, but there is one in my pack. Just sayin...

 

[RickshawFan]

Nov 9, 2022 update. Uhoh…green tent. I suspect that would increase difficulty of search.

UPDATE: Crews still searching for missing hiker | Peninsula Daily News

Numerous agencies assisting park

www.peninsuladailynews.com

[…] from article …

Her family, members of whom traveled from New Hampshire to Washington state to be closer to the search, speculate that Macke holed up in her green Nemo tent an so is difficult to spot.

[…]

My opinion: Also there are a lot of different search groups involved. Is NPS ISB usually involved? I have no knowledge.

and article continues …

[…]

The number of agencies involved in the search continues to grow, Huff said.

[…]

The park also has been working closely with the National Park Service’s Investigative Services Branch (ISB), Huff said.

[…]

It's possible ISB is involved because SAR is a homeland security kind of thing. "Lost person behavior" is an LE thing (e.g. Alzheimer's runaways). Also, a whole lot of rangers might be out of the park right now because the season has ended. There are a lot of "seasonal" rangers in the NPS. So they might be running out of staff to "run" this search.
Olympics might not even have a dedicated on-site SAR team the way Rainier does (with highly technical rescues), and may just count on volunteer teams from outside the park. Certain volunteer SAR teams are known for high angle rescues (e.g. Crag Rats) and maybe there are some other specialized teams....
This is all my way of saying, I would think it's not unusual for ISB to be involved.
The "Lost Person Behavior App" is owned and developed by Dept. of Homeland Security... It has special protocols for lost adult hikers.

 

[RickshawFan]

avid hiker here. We do carry flares. Never used them, but there is one in my pack. Just sayin...

I'm not sure I even know what they look like. Post a photo!

 

[TwinkieDefense]

It's possible ISB is involved because SAR is a homeland security kind of thing. "Lost person behavior" is an LE thing (e.g. Alzheimer's runaways). Also, a whole lot of rangers might be out of the park right now because the season has ended. There are a lot of "seasonal" rangers in the NPS. So they might be running out of staff to "run" this search.
Olympics might not even have a dedicated on-site SAR team the way Rainier does (with highly technical rescues), and may just count on volunteer teams from outside the park. Certain volunteer SAR teams are known for high angle rescues (e.g. Crag Rats) and maybe there are some other specialized teams....
This is all my way of saying, I would think it's not unusual for ISB to be involved.
The "Lost Person Behavior App" is owned and developed by Dept. of Homeland Security... It has special protocols for lost adult hikers.

Thanks for the explanation @RickshawFan! That makes sense.

 

[j_in_c]

I have a stupid (but real!) and probably off-topic question.

I’m a new camper in search of a tent. Because my feeble mind has been corrupted by too much true crime, I’m stuck on color choice:

- black/green/camo, so the inevitable random wandering serial killers can’t spot me, or

- a brightly colored one, for when I inevitably go mysteriously missing?

The nemo tents I have seen are a bright lime green. That said, the PNW is not an easy place to spot anything without walking right up to it. I'm a bit shocked by not bringing a stove as a way to cut weight. The best way to fight the PNW's pervasive chill is with a hot beverage or meal and stoves weigh next to nothing. I'm saddened to hear it has shifted to recovery, but that also seems to be the reality of the situation with the weather and temps in the area. All the best to her family and friends and especially those still out searching.

 

[Skigirl]

I see what you mean, looking at NOAA’s description.

Smart phones have built-in GPS, so the locator element is readily available, no prob.
The new iphone has satellite communication built in, but I doubt we’re looking at that model here.

I would speculate there’s a way to communicate if the national cell infrastructure is sabotaged, but we can’t read up about it. There are also communication signallers that can be airborne, including wifi, where there’s no service. I understood these were mounted on drones or something. This came up during the current Ukraine war. SAR might just have one of these on the helicopter they’re using. They often use a Coast Guard helicopter in the Olympics, AFAIK, and no doubt the CG can ping folks overboard, clinging to ocean cliffs, etc. There are frequent sea accidents associated with the mouth of the Columbia River, which is nearby. Coast Guard is out of Astoria IIRC.

I'm learning a lot from you, RickshawFan