Incredible story of survival. So happy for your dad and your family. Prayers continue for his physical and emotional recovery.
Dads Rescue from GMNP
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Last: 23 days ago by Mark Fairchild
Wow. What a crazy story.
I was up there 2 weeks before. Got run off Guad peak trail by a blow up thunderstorm and damn near got hit by lightning. Not more than 150 yards behind me.
I can see getting a little turned around I the lesser used trails. If you are off the heavy use trails, a topo map is important. You basically can't get lost if you can read one and see the terrain in daylight.
I typically carry almost double the water I need on day hikes. It's extra weight but I've had to give other people water on several hikes in the past.
A tiny headlamp, can be used to flash a signal in the dark in addition to seeing. Can be seen for miles.
If your phone goes low, turn it off completely except for when you are periodically checking or sending. In remote areas if it is straining for a connection at long range, it will run down fast.
Download a good gps app. I use iHikeGPS, which lets you download all sorts of usgs and forest service maps and plots your location and heading on them.
In Guad mts, if you get lost, head south. You will eventually reach the end of the range and the more heavily used trail network along it, which is hard to miss. Also the visible landmarks are unmistakable. Granted, there are a lot of places with cliffs or very steep rock faces that you must navigate around. Going north is flatter but also nothing much that way regarding human infrastructure.
Glad it worked out OK.
I can see getting a little turned around I the lesser used trails. If you are off the heavy use trails, a topo map is important. You basically can't get lost if you can read one and see the terrain in daylight.
I typically carry almost double the water I need on day hikes. It's extra weight but I've had to give other people water on several hikes in the past.
A tiny headlamp, can be used to flash a signal in the dark in addition to seeing. Can be seen for miles.
If your phone goes low, turn it off completely except for when you are periodically checking or sending. In remote areas if it is straining for a connection at long range, it will run down fast.
Download a good gps app. I use iHikeGPS, which lets you download all sorts of usgs and forest service maps and plots your location and heading on them.
In Guad mts, if you get lost, head south. You will eventually reach the end of the range and the more heavily used trail network along it, which is hard to miss. Also the visible landmarks are unmistakable. Granted, there are a lot of places with cliffs or very steep rock faces that you must navigate around. Going north is flatter but also nothing much that way regarding human infrastructure.
Glad it worked out OK.
All us outdoor people are reminded of many things we have learned over the years. Great to here your dad is safe and going to be ok.
Your Dad and his family are incredibly blessed...Not lucky but Blessed! God obviously has some thing He wants your Dad to do yet before He takes him home. I hope he finds out what it is and Thanks God by accomplishing it. Thanks for sharing the followup story. I have been looking every for the final chapter and this was great news. You guys have a great Thanksgiving and Christmas together.. Without a lot of prayers this this could have been an obituary instead of a prayer of thanks. God's Blessings to you and your family
BlueSmoke
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Glad this turned out well. We made a small donation to Texsar .
That's wild. Thanks for sharing. Happy he made it out.
Amazing story and as is everyone here thankful this turned out the best possible way. I might have missed it but if you don't mind where does your Dad live?
I love this thread and the story of your father, his perseverance, and the love of a family. Hopefully his story can also inspire others and be a stark example of how ruthless the land can be and how you can never be too prepared.
Retired Green Beret Mike Glover has a company called Fieldcraft Survival. I bet they'd love to hear more about this once everyone is recovered.
Retired Green Beret Mike Glover has a company called Fieldcraft Survival. I bet they'd love to hear more about this once everyone is recovered.
Nobody cares. Work Harder
I'd add bring a robust external charger and cable and a separate GPS device as others have mentioned. The topo map is a great call.MouthBQ98 said:
I was up there 2 weeks before. Got run off Guad peak trail by a blow up thunderstorm and damn near got hit by lightning. Not more than 150 yards behind me.
I can see getting a little turned around I the lesser used trails. If you are off the heavy use trails, a topo map is important. You basically can't get lost if you can read one and see the terrain in daylight.
I typically carry almost double the water I need on day hikes. It's extra weight but I've had to give other people water on several hikes in the past.
A tiny headlamp, can be used to flash a signal in the dark in addition to seeing. Can be seen for miles.
If your phone goes low, turn it off completely except for when you are periodically checking or sending. In remote areas if it is straining for a connection at long range, it will run down fast.
Download a good gps app. I use iHikeGPS, which lets you download all sorts of usgs and forest service maps and plots your location and heading on them.
In Guad mts, if you get lost, head south. You will eventually reach the end of the range and the more heavily used trail network along it, which is hard to miss. Also the visible landmarks are unmistakable. Granted, there are a lot of places with cliffs or very steep rock faces that you must navigate around. Going north is flatter but also nothing much that way regarding human infrastructure.
Glad it worked out OK.
I wonder if those hydration packs are worth it?
Nobody cares. Work Harder
The little packets filled with salt? Useless if you don't have water.BlueSmoke said:
I wonder if those hydration packs are worth it?
A good friend of mine runs the operations for TEXSAR. I
just texted him. Said he was there Saturday through Monday.
I kid him about being able to find someone alive. Typically they are called in to help find bodies in cold cases years after the person was missing.
Great organization.
just texted him. Said he was there Saturday through Monday.
I kid him about being able to find someone alive. Typically they are called in to help find bodies in cold cases years after the person was missing.
Great organization.
Would he happen to be from Sweetwater?
Roscoe which is a Swee****er suburb!
I assume you met him? He was the second in command of the Texas Rangers for several years. Great guy.
If I needed help burying a body he is one of the two I would call. We should all be so fortunate to have friends like him.
By the way, how old is your dad?
I assume you met him? He was the second in command of the Texas Rangers for several years. Great guy.
If I needed help burying a body he is one of the two I would call. We should all be so fortunate to have friends like him.
By the way, how old is your dad?
Ok ya he did say he was a plow boy so same guy. He spoke a bit at the final debrief with us, seemed like a great Christian man.
He's 71. And someone else asked where he's from, normally wouldn't share but this was all very public, he and mom retired to Abilene.
He's 71. And someone else asked where he's from, normally wouldn't share but this was all very public, he and mom retired to Abilene.
Amazing. So happy for your family.
This might well be the best holiday season you all have ever had.
This might well be the best holiday season you all have ever had.
Amazing stamina for that age.
And that was a life saver for him
And that was a life saver for him
Meaning would they help sustain the water you do have longer?Naveronski said:The little packets filled with salt? Useless if you don't have water.BlueSmoke said:
I wonder if those hydration packs are worth it?
Nobody cares. Work Harder
Yep, in the end it almost always comes down to physical and mental fortitude. Stay in shape everyone. It matters.SW AG80 said:
Amazing stamina for that age.
And that was a life saver for him
Nobody cares. Work Harder
Thank God for the safe rescue of your Dad.
I like to think that I'm pretty good in the back country, but I have recently bit the bullet and purchased a garmin inreach mini now that my kids are coming with me more often. The functionality is a little wonky when it comes to sending messages, but for its main function of sending an SOS and tracking your location its been really good. I especially the the month to month billing. Couple hundred bucks to start up then 30/month is cheap insurance.
I like to think that I'm pretty good in the back country, but I have recently bit the bullet and purchased a garmin inreach mini now that my kids are coming with me more often. The functionality is a little wonky when it comes to sending messages, but for its main function of sending an SOS and tracking your location its been really good. I especially the the month to month billing. Couple hundred bucks to start up then 30/month is cheap insurance.
I don't think anyone has ever accused Sweetwater of having suburbs.
The people from Roscoe would agree with you!
They are an independent bunch.
They are an independent bunch.
Prayers answered!
So glad there was a happy ending to this story.
Very scary, even as a bystander to stranger's tale.
A THANKSgiving story delivered through prayer.
Be safe everyone.
Very scary, even as a bystander to stranger's tale.
A THANKSgiving story delivered through prayer.
Be safe everyone.
Bald Eagle said:
Your Dad and his family are incredibly blessed...Not lucky but Blessed! God obviously has some thing He wants your Dad to do yet before He takes him home. I hope he finds out what it is and Thanks God by accomplishing it. Thanks for sharing the followup story. I have been looking every for the final chapter and this was great news. You guys have a great Thanksgiving and Christmas together.. Without a lot of prayers this this could have been an obituary instead of a prayer of thanks. God's Blessings to you and your family
Thanks be to God your dad and family had the Farmers Fight mentality. Gig 'em!
ThunderCougarFalconBird
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AG
Incredible story and such a blessing your dad is recovering.
One of my colleagues goes hunting deep in the public lands of Colorado every fall and carries a Zoleo. I've actually texted with him and called while he's far fr away from any other signal.
One of my colleagues goes hunting deep in the public lands of Colorado every fall and carries a Zoleo. I've actually texted with him and called while he's far fr away from any other signal.
Truly an amazing story! Thanks for sharing it with all of us. I commend you for coming here and asking all of us to pray for your Dad. God is good!
To God be the glory! So glad to be sitting here reading a happy ending.
As a long distance senior hiker, the inreach mini 2 is essential. Glad there was a good outcome.
I hike alone backcountry with a Zoleo gps/satellite unit. I can send automated or manual tracking updates, text messages, 911 messages. Costs like $100 for the unit and $20/30 a month for the service. It's about the size of a small smartphone, but twice as thick. Use it to check in when either the side or I are out of cell coverage.
Fantastic!!!!! Thank you Lord for saying yes to our prayers!!!
Thank God everything turned out ok!! Going by your description, I assume he walked all the way to New Mexico? There's a fence line at the the state line, and what looks like the 4x4 trail. The stamina that he showed is impressive!
When you're a believer you don't believe in coincidences!!canadianAg said:
Patrol special ops happened to have a training day that day scheduled so they flew in to search as training.
So glad your dad is okay. So grateful for this community of Aggies sending up prayers.
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