HikeArizona.COM

I am looking for specific information about a place in Rough Canyon of the Superstitions.

If you can help, please PM me ASAP.

Thanks for your help....

Thanks for reading the post but the need is already over and the injured backpacker has already been recovered. Another successful SAR operation for Superstition Search & Rescue.

Here is where you can read an article about the SSAR/DPS rescue in Rough Canyon earlier this week. This man was prepared for the ordeal he experienced.

Would you be in similar circumstances?

Take care and be careful out there.

http://www.azcentral.com/community/scot ... 19-ON.html

SuperstitionGuy wrote:http://www.azcentral.com/community/scot ... 19-ON.html

Six days is great, certainly more than I would expect. The story doesn't describe his water situation, which is what I most wanted to know. Is there any info available on that?

It says he busted his water bag when he fell. So he had to find water somehow, somewhere.

Wish he had a camcorder with him, would have made a great episode on one of those survivor shows. I would have paid for a copy

I'm glad he was found alright. Smart fella.

If you really want to know what Lon experienced (besides whats in the news article) you can contact him directly and also view his website.

It is lonmacadamphotography.com.

Perhaps someone could convince him to logon to HAZ and tell us more about what he did after he was injured to stay alive and ultimately be rescued.

Then we could all benefit from his experience.

I sent Lon an e-mail, and this was his reply. If anyone has any questions post them here and if he doesn't reply soon I'll e-mail them. I sent him links to the forum, and I think a direct link to this thread:

Hello Randy,
I'm pleased to hear from you. I will provide all the information
that I
can for you and our fellow hikers. I'm grounded right now until my knee
heals up a bit. The news reports weren't accurate on some accounts. My
hydration pack didn't break and soak my phone, in my haste after
breaking my
knee I neglected to put the phone back in the baggie when I put it in
my day
pack. When I put my hydration packs in the day pack the bite valve of
the
pack with some water in it was pulled off which then soaked my phone.
Getting down to my water source was very difficult and I had to crawl
and
lower myself down to it three times during the 7 days I waited. I broke
my
knee at 2PM on Monday April 9 and was sited by the helicopter at 2:45
PM on
Monday April 16.( 7 days ) I'm just getting organized again here at
home.
Until I can meet with you maybe I could answer any questions your
members
may have for me on your website. I'll check out your website some more
and
most likely sign up.

djui5 wrote:I sent Lon an e-mail, and this was his reply.

Thanks for following up. Having suffered a knee injury on the trail, this kind of accident is what I fear most when hiking solo. Being within crawling distance of a water source was fortunate.

I have since learned that it was Sheriff Joe's helicopter (Maricopa County) that found Lon but they could not put down to retrieve him. The Phoenix DPS helicopter was down for repairs and they called in the Flagstaff DPS helicopter for the short haul pickup. They extracted him on a long line and brought him to the Rogers Trough trailhead where Superstition Search & Rescue had set up their base camp. SSAR was preparing to helicopter in ground searchers from the trailhead when Lon was sighted. I don't know how they transported Lon back to the valley but I hope it wasn't in a ground vehicle as that road can be very rough.

For those of you preparing to hike and backpack the Superstitions remember that both Maricopa and Pinal Counties share that wilderness. It helps to contact the proper County depending upon the route your overdue, injured or lost party is taking. If in doubt call the Pinal County first as they can respond faster with more experienced resources and properly evualate if Maricopa County needs to be involved. Of course I am biased having been a past member of SSAR.

Hello Hikers,
I'm logged in and looking forward to discussing topics that are brought up by fellow hikers. I'll do my best to provide any Arizona backcountry information that I posess. I'll also provide some albums of Rough Canyon and other backcountry adventures that I've experienced. Please check out my website, there are many beautiful places that I've visited in Arizona without breaking any bones. Just as a close friends always writes to me "Walk in Beauty". http://www.lonmcadamphotography.com

Hello Lon,

Glad you joined the site, good luck with your recovery. It was nice to see someone that was actually prepared for their situation and handled it quite well from everything I have read. Get tired of hearing about SAR getting called out for the unprepared lost hiker that had no business being there.

Great pictures on your website as well!

-TIM-

Lon-

Welcome Aboard!!

Hey Lon!, this is Randy, glad you made it.

Please tell us about your 7 day ordeal

Great site btw.

KneeCap wrote:friends always writes to me "Walk in Beauty".

sounds like Mary.

thats a humdinger of a situation you were involved in Lon. Good to have you alive.

I really enjoyed the photography on your website. I would be fascinated to see an album from you trip to rough canyon.

Hello Friends,
Been seeing doctors and stayed away from the virtual world lately. Tired I am. I miss walking, it's the physical pleasure I miss the most. I will share more of my days in Rough Canyon over our conversations. I can tell you this, I'm happy to share my experience and thoughts with friends that can identify with my appreciation of our natural world.
Peace,
KneeCap

Welcome to the site, hope you will recover soon and be able to return to the field. It was very nice what the school posted on the sign after your injury. I use to work next door but we relocated to US 60.

My brother broke his foot the same week you had your injury. While loading his vehicle for a camping trip he fell off the stirs and broke his foot. No activity for him until late June.