HikeArizona.COM

On July 1, about an hour before sunset, a wilderness law enforcement ranger on a routine backcountry patrol encountered three separate parties, seven hikers total, all lost while facing oncoming darkness. They were in the Sunrise Pass area south of Tioga Road, in the general area of Tuolumne Meadows.

http://www.sierrastar.com/news/local/ar ... 55624.html

It is nearly impossible to follow a trail under snow cover. There's no way I'd attempt to get to Clouds Rest without a GPS track to follow and ALWAYS with a headlamp in my pack!

Glad everybody got out ok.

I don't understand the Ranger's Reasoning here.... It's Obvious that the Hiker's were Unprepared at the Outset, why would he/she take them to the Destination and keep them out there like that? Just get them down and out and tell them to go back when they are properly prepared for Conditions including Darkness and Cold....

I also don't understand why a ranger would lead 3 groups of lost hikers through the snow to the top of Clouds Rest at 11pm, then leave them there. That's why I'm assuming the author's use of "destination" is just a poor choice of words (or maybe since the 3 groups didn't all need to go to the same place, so a general use of "destination" was more accurate), and in fact the ranger led them back to safety.

It says they were "going to Clouds Rest and back" so I suppose that by the time the ranger found them, the hikers were on their way "back" to their cars, and that would be the "destination" the article refers to. It does not sound as if they were prepared to spend the night out.

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