Grand Canyon National Park (AZ)
Hikers Evacuated After Three SPOT Activations In Three Days
On the evening of September 23rd, rangers began a search for hikers who repeatedly activated their rented SPOT satellite tracking device. The GEOS Emergency Response Center in Houston reported that someone in the group of four hikers – two men and their two teenaged sons – had pressed the "help" button on their SPOT unit. The coordinates for the signal placed the group in a remote section of the park, most likely on the challenging Royal Arch loop. Due to darkness and the remoteness of the location, rangers were unable to reach them via helicopter until the following morning. When found, they'd moved about a mile and a half to a water source. They declined rescue, as they'd activated the device due to their lack of water. Later that same evening, the same SPOT device was again activated, this time using the "911" button. Coordinates placed them less than a quarter mile from the spot where searchers had found them that morning. Once again, nightfall prevented a response by park helicopter, so an Arizona DPS helicopter whose crew utilized night vision goggles was brought in. They found that the members of the group were concerned about possible dehydration because the water they'd found tasted salty, but no actual emergency existed. The helicopter crew declined their request for a night evacuation, but provided them with water before departing. On the following morning, another SPOT "help" activation came in from the group. This time they were flown out by park helicopter. All four refused medical assessment or treatment. The group's leader had reportedly hiked once at the Grand Canyon; the other adult had no Grand Canyon and very little backpacking experience. When asked what they would have done without the SPOT device, the leader stated, "We would have never attempted this hike." The group leader was issued a citation for creating a hazardous condition (36 CFR 2.34(a)(4)).
Beauty is skin deep, but stupid goes to the bone...
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hikeazGuides: 6 | Official Routes: 0Triplogs Last: 1,010 d | RS: 0Water Reports 1Y: 0 | Last: 1,010 d
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Beauty is skin deep, but stupid goes to the bone...
"The censorship method ... is that of handing the job over to some frail and erring mortal man, and making him omnipotent on the assumption that his official status will make him infallible and omniscient."
George Bernard Shaw
George Bernard Shaw
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big_loadGuides: 0 | Official Routes: 1Triplogs Last: 594 d | RS: 3Water Reports 1Y: 0 | Last: 2,483 d
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Re: Beauty is skin deep, but stupid goes to the bone...
I think it was a hoax question.
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chumleyGuides: 94 | Official Routes: 241Triplogs Last: 5 d | RS: 65Water Reports 1Y: 78 | Last: 7 d
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Re: Beauty is skin deep, but stupid goes to the bone...
Sorry Elizabeth ... i had considered copy/paste but its a rather long article and due to its absolutely non-hiking related content about stupid goes to the bone, I decided not to. But Google did cache the page (which may not last forever either) here http://74.125.95.132/search?q=cache:UGY ... us&strip=0
and I'll add a PDF file to the thread for your guaranteed accessibility forever and ever.
and I'll add a PDF file to the thread for your guaranteed accessibility forever and ever.

I'm not sure what my spirit animal is, but I'm confident it has rabies.
contribute to this member driven resource
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