Missing/lost hunters in CO gmu 161

[tracker12]

Several years ago (80's) we were North of Craig when a huge snow storm hit Northern CO. There were many hunters stuck in the high country and several hunters lost. The storm hit about an hour before dark and you could not see more than 20 feet in front of you. If your were not really familiar with the area or had a GPS you you had no idea how o get back to camp. The next day we were on the mountain when this guy in a panic came walking by. He had gotten lost and was bitterly on the other side of the mountain from his camp probably 10 miles away. We took him to our camp and called the sheriffs office. He had left his pack rifle and binoculars somewhere on the mountain.

 

[elkduds]

There is good technology available in these modern times for getting an accurate 24 hour forecast almost anywhere you are.

 

[tdhanses]

There is good technology available in these modern times for getting an accurate 24 hour forecast almost anywhere you are.

Yet just yesterday the east coast was unexpectedly shut down from a storm, kids stuck in schools and people stuck on roads. Crap can and does happen.

 

[Randle]

There is good technology available in these modern times for getting an EDUCATED GUESS 24 hour forecast almost anywhere you are.

Fixed it for you

 

[elkduds]

Yet just yesterday the east coast was unexpectedly shut down from a storm, kids stuck in schools and people stuck on roads. Crap can and does happen.

Irrelevant example. Those people weren't camping temporarily while hunting where severe winter conditions are inevitable. And they couldn't just leave.

1. In monitoring the weather forecast from hunting camp daily, you learn that conditions are going to exceed your level of preparation. 2. You leave. Because you are not prepared, and because you know it is irresponsible to put others @ risk to save your underprepared ass. The vast majority of hunters make this decision responsibly, and are watching the news instead of appearing on it. "Crap can and does happen," that does not mean hunters cannot be responsible for knowing the weather forecast. In fact it is exactly the reason they should.

The locals are rarely those who get stuck or stranded. They understand that genuine Rocky Mountain winter can show up and chase them down the mountain. The same information is available to all hunters. They ignore it to their own peril, and that of rescuers who may have to evacuate them. Irresponsible.

 

[tdhanses]

Irrelevant example. Those people weren't camping temporarily while hunting where severe winter conditions are inevitable. And they couldn't just leave.

1. In monitoring the weather forecast from hunting camp daily, you learn that conditions are going to exceed your level of preparation. 2. You leave. Because you are not prepared, and because you know it is irresponsible to put others @ risk to save your underprepared ass. The vast majority of hunters make this decision responsibly, and are watching the news instead of appearing on it. "Crap can and does happen," that does not mean hunters cannot be responsible for knowing the weather forecast. In fact it is exactly the reason they should.

The locals are rarely those who get stuck or stranded. They understand that genuine Rocky Mountain winter can show up and chase them down the mountain. The same information is available to all hunters. They ignore it to their own peril, and that of rescuers who may have to evacuate them. Irresponsible.

All that example showed was how the weather forecasters can be wrong.

 

[Ray]

LINK

From my viewpoint this kind of stuff happens often enough that people should generally be aware and prepared. But, people let me down all the time with their poor judgement. I've made my share of poor decisions, but nobody had to come fetch me.

 

[elkduds]

All that example showed was how the weather forecasters can be wrong.

I agree w that.

Here in CO Springs, any potential bad weather is trumpeted to cell phones via "weather alerts." TV meteoroligists make a big deal out of moderate issues, and a huge deal if there is a good chance of snow, hail, tornado, fire weather, high winds, you name it. You can't hide from weather alerts and warnings around here, if you are on electronic media.

 

[Phaseolus]

Weather forecasters be darned. If you aren’t prepared for anything that can happen then sooner or later you will be stuck and relying on strangers to fix your problem. Perhaps you should not be hunting in the west if this is the case.

 

[DenverCountryBoy]

... people let me down all the time with their poor judgement.

This.

 

[JWP58]

Winter type hunts in Colorado will teach you real quickly on what you need or what you're lacking. Vehicle and SHTF preparedness is just one of those things. Not unlike taking a 20 degree quilt on a hunt where it drops below zero. Sure.....you can "make do with what you have and go on with life"........maybe. But I doubt you'd try that again the next time.

In every non-archery season elk hunting destination I've ever gone to, chains are not optional. And even with chains, you may very well need a hi-lift jack with a tow chain or a winch. The logical thing would be to prepare for the worst before you head up there. If that takes an expedition vehicle, then so be it. But that's why experience counts for so much. When you experience these types of things, you'll be better prepared the next time. That is.....if you're a logical person. But everyone can learn from other's mistakes or shortcomings, and hopefully be prepared on their hunt.

But ya.......you can make do with whatever you have if you're not prepared, and hope that someone comes along to save you that is prepared. I'm not saying that this is what happened in this scenario, but we don't know what happened because we don't have any details.

Ok. Before I head out on the next trip I'll be sure to buy and install two winches(front/rear), front/rear lockers, recovery kit with snatch blocks, chains, straps, two extra spare tires, plug kit, high lift jack, because you know, to not would be irresponsible. Lol. Those Colorado winter type hunts must be way crazier than Wyoming winter type hunts, cause 4x4, a tow strap, and brain matter usually keep me out of trouble.

By all means if you have a bottomless bank account and want all the gear you could bolt onto a rig, do so. But to infer not having an expedition vehicle is foolish, is negligent, or is an absolute necessity is a bit out there.

 

[Gatorgrizz27]

I wish their story included a list of "lessons learned" so it could be a teaching moment for them. I will assume they had no winch or hi-lift jack or even chains?????? They never said "how" they were stuck. On the other hand we never heard from her boyfriend. Men's and women's accounts of these types of things are usually told much differently. I'm more concerned with the logical aspects than the emotional.

Reminds me of a hiking trip with the wife. Plan was to go in on one trail, cut across on another, and make a loop back to the truck. We get in to the spot where trail #2 should be, find an intersection, but the trail just disappears. Come back and try a few times, can’t pick it up. She starts freaking out that we are lost, going to die out here, etc, I explain that I know exactly where we are on the map and we may just have to go back out the way we came as the other trail doesn’t seem to exist. To prevent a panic attack we just ended up bushwhacking a few hundred yards and picked up another trail, all was well.

His recap might have been “Yeah, we slid off in a corner and got stuck. I figured we could get cell signal from that ridge over there but it looked like a bitch of a climb so we just hung out for a bit hoping someone would drive by to pull us out.”

 

[cnelk]

I guess if everyone was responsible and prepared, we wouldnt have that little extra SAR charge on our licenses now would we?

Even the best prepared and responsible still have to pay it

 

[5MilesBack]

By all means if you have a bottomless bank account and want all the gear you could bolt onto a rig, do so. But to infer not having an expedition vehicle is foolish, is negligent, or is an absolute necessity is a bit out there.

Hey, you were the one that brought up "expedition vehicle". Some may need that, and it still won't help them. But a lot of people don't need that because they are experienced in and prepared for adverse weather and/or bad conditions. Getting "stuck" is normally temporary because they're prepared for that or find a way to overcome it. Sure.......things happen at times that can't be overcome on your own, but minimizing those with experience and preparedness is the key.

Back in the early 90's in November, my buddy and I hunted about 30 miles away from camp one day. We took his Pathfinder. The weather was great, warm and sunny.......but there had been about 10" of snow on the ground. By the end of the day, he couldn't get his Pathfinder up the hill to get out this hole because of all the melted snow and muck. He didn't have any chains. We spent the night there without any sleeping bags, just kept a fire going all night. We had food and water in the vehicle, and I knew it would be easier to get out in the morning after everything was frozen. We made the best of what could have been a bad situation, and after it was all frozen we got out. Had he had chains, we would have been out the evening before without incident. He didn't need an expedition vehicle......just chains.

And there's a reason why you see so many Jeeps with a Hi-lift jack strapped to them. It's not for looks, it's because they know it can come in real handy when you've put your vehicle in a bad spot. You can pick one up for well under $100, that's a pretty good price for cheap insurance. Again, no expedition vehicle needed.........just some tools and knowing how to use them.

Here's my "expedition vehicle"......stock 1989 Toyota WITH CHAINS, and a Hi-lift jack with tow chains and a recovery strap in the back. This was 1990, and my buddy and I were the only ones in this area.......because no one else seemed to have chains, even back then when you needed them every year. When we first got to the intersection of the main road and this spur road, there was a Suburban (with PA plates IIRC) sliding down the hill sideways. And there were a few other vehicles parked there watching. The next to try the hill was a truck pulling a small pop-up camper trailer. His efforts didn't go any better than the Suburban's......and jack-knifed on the way back down while sliding backwards. It's pretty obvious that "being prepared" and "using your head" isn't a generational thing. LOL. With chains.......the Toyota didn't even flinch going up that hill. I still use that Toyota every hunting season, but rarely ever need the chains or Hi-lift during archery. But I still take them.

 

[Phaseolus]

Not too many vehicles still have a bumper that will hold up when you jack it up with a Highlift jack...

 

[5MilesBack]

Not too many vehicles still have a bumper that will hold up when you jack it up with a Highlift jack...

You can use the jack as a winch or come-along to pull your vehicle free.

 

[Gatorgrizz27]

Not too many vehicles still have a bumper that will hold up when you jack it up with a Highlift jack...

They fit pretty well in a 2” receiver though, which also hold it tight enough to avoid the common jack slipping around everywhere situations.

 

[Phaseolus]

I agree the handyman is a great tool that I would not be without. .

 

[Ray]

5milesback has it right. Real tire chains for off highway traction are all most people would ever need for winter hunting. Then a rope-a-long and 100 feet of amsteel rope and a strap. and a shovel.