HikeArizona.COM

I know it is kind of a late notice. But I really need to get back in the Superstitions.

I caved in and bought a PLB recently. For people who want it, ACR now allows the self-test message to be used as an "OK" message (for a monthly fee).

I carry a PLB but for tracking I use APRS via my 2 way handheld radio it gives me several options for communication thanks to Amateur Radio. However when all else fails and assuming I am able to press the buttons the PLB should get the message out send help.

This was the track broadcasted for the Pine Mountain Hike I did with Hank last week.

http://aprs.fi/#!mt=roadmap&z=17&ts=140 ... %2FW7JET-7

I have a bit of info that I found interesting from this night. While chatting with a Pinal County sheriff, he told me the best thing to do when you've found yourself long overdue and night has overtaken you, you should stay where you are and save the battery power in your headlamp. Once you've heard the rescue helicopter to turn on you headlamp and sweep the landscape slowly. He told me that the "night vision" on the helicopter can pick that up like an enormous firework.

After hearing this it make perfect sense now but it will stick with me forever ;)

Bradshaws wrote:After about noon the thermometer I had on my pack never dropped below 100' and stayed around 110' for most of the day but like Larry said the humidity was the factor that was overwhelming. So we hiked in short spurts .25 to .5 mile then would stop in shade for 15 to 20 mins to keep from overheating. I never really felt in danger but it was very uncomfortable. It just took way longer than either of us expected.

Glad to hear it all worked out well. I was curious approximately what time you guys arrived back at the First Water Park/TH area?

@Bradshaws
What helicopter?

@Grasshopper
I hard to say..... Sometime around 8:15 - 8:45pm. I went ahead and got to the TH first. While I was sitting in my car enjoying the air conditioning, I noticed flashlights checking out Larry's car my first thought was "someone is breaking into his car!" I went right into FIGHT MODE! I jumped out of my car and ran over there to flashlights and hands on guns. Turned out it was the sherifs

@Widowmaker
The helicopter never made it out there The sherifs said that the helicopter was in the air and on its way from Deer Valley airport but you walked out 10min after they said it took off so it turned around

@Bradshaws
Families worry to much

@Widowmaker
YES THEY DO!! but :roll: :roll: :roll: that's what they're supposed to do...

After the hugs and kisses were over the very next thing that happened was reactivating my SPOT

@Bradshaws
I am buying one this week. REI here I come

Getting people not to worry can be hard. On most trips, my instructions are not to take action until I'm at least a whole day late. For longer trips, I often give an itinerary that has a day built-in slack to allow for minor setbacks or general lollygagging. I've never had a major problem, so I can't be totally sure that Mrs. big_load would stick to the plan. She's been in enough minor jams to not automatically expect anything worse.

@big_load
Yes my wife was upset as so was my son. I even got a text from my exwife telling me to spot hiking.

@big_load
I always give two times - "I'll be home by" and "start calling people" time ;) My wife only hears the first but I have close friends that know when to start worrying "for real" that usually involves a sunrise after the latest time.

Instructions to my wife was to never ever call the Sheriff's office if I was overdue until 10 AM the following day.
That only happened once and I was already being helped out that morning by a group of 8 backpackers that were all fellow employees of an HMO and they were doctors, technicians and nurses.

big_load wrote:On most trips, my instructions are not to take action until I'm at least a whole day late.

On a 17.5 mile R/T in the Supes in mid-August with 100+ day/night temps and high humidity, I assume would be one of those exception ;)

One thing we should all do (which I'm guilty of not doing) and is at the bottom of every HAZ Hike Description next to the WARNING! : "Make an itinerary with your plan(s), route(s), destination(s) and expected return time. Give your itinerary to trusted family and/or friends."

Well I will just buy a Spot and let everone feel more at ease. If I really need help the Spot can get it for me.

Grasshopper wrote:

big_load wrote:On most trips, my instructions are not to take action until I'm at least a whole day late.

On a 17.5 mile R/T in the Supes in mid-August with 100+ day/night temps and high humidity, I assume would be one of those exception ;)

It actually wouldn't be. The itineraries I leave can be pretty complicated. For this route, it would be as I described a ways back: if I'm late, I probably holed up at Charlebois until the cool of the night, or even morning.

Most of my close calls have been caused by weather. Once a multi-day storm kept me from crossing passes I needed to get over. I caught up by doubling mileage on the last day. I've barely escaped being on the wrong side of sudden high water three or four times. On a group hike, one of the guys unexpectedly wanted out early, so we came out 15 miles from where my car was. That last day was memorable because the digital thermometer in my pack maxed out at 111F and we were going as fast as possible to catch a ferry. I didn't make it, so I got a six-mile bonus.

SPOT is a wonderful device, but the primary beneficiaries are the folks at home.

Sredfield wrote:SPOT is a wonderful device, but the primary beneficiaries are the folks at home.

I invested in a PLB almost three years ago for my needs, but regarding SPOT I've been curious about a standard option I believe it has:
I understand how the "I'm OK" button works, also how the added cost feature option of "Tracking" works (if you sign-up for it), and how the "Emergency?" button works, but doesn't the standard SPOT also have another button called "Help?" which can include a short edited text message that goes to your chosen family/friends and when activated does not go directly to the SPOT Dispatch Center? If so, I've often thought that this SPOT "Help" button text edit could communicate something simple to family/friends like "I'm OK but..." (if used correctly and understood correctly by all family/friends receiving the ongoing "I'm OK" messages, it could be an excellent means to communicate an unexpected temporary situation without causing undue panic due to not know what's going on?)

@Grasshopper
I have mine set up to Email and Text my GF for the
- OK message (Which I have set up to say I'm still hiking and doing just fine)
--- If I'm running late, I push this every hour past the time I told her I'd be done to let her know I'm OK
and the
- Custom message, which is set up to say "I'm done hiking for the day".

There are two buttons that you have to remove a cover to push.
- The first goes to a couple of buddies with 4 x 4 to say I'm having trouble, come and get me. (Like for car problems)
- The second is the 911 - this one sends the Helicopter