Probably called her by the wrong trail name.Quote:
Originally Posted by BCMtnHound
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Probably called her by the wrong trail name.Quote:
Originally Posted by BCMtnHound
I can only imagine how the trauma will effect sleep every other night on the trail, or even in the woods for that matter. So sad, I wish your daughter the best and sincerely hope she is able to move beyond this and continue enjoying time in the wilderness
Ha- just luck of the draw. We had several older former troop members that were military, FBI, one guy even flew for the Thunderbirds. Mike, the FBI agent, was one of the adult supervisors with us. My dumb ass led the crew. Only got us lost once. Trail had been washed out a month prior to our arrival, and I totally missed it on the initial briefing. Oh well, that's what you get letting a 16 year old be in charge. Nice to see a fellow Eagle on here. I know there are a couple.Quote:
Originally Posted by BmillsSkier
Did you guys carry bear spray? I don't even remember it being mentioned, or even thought about. Maybe the bear are worse now? We just got rid of all smelly stuff like deodorant and toothpaste, and hung our food at night. The mule deer crashing through our campsites every other night were a bigger concern. I remember hiking 3 days without seeing another person. Pretty cool experience. Oh, and my intro to European "Scouts" was eye opening too. Troop from Sweden or maybe Germany really sticks out in my mind. Very blonde, very blue eyed, and very female in all the best ways.
I remember that scene in Super Troopers. Surprisingly accurate movie, apparently.Quote:
Originally Posted by BCMtnHound
Pretty sure we are all glad that she wasn't murdered. Even though it doesn't make the news as much (because we're de-sensitized to random/planned/accidental gun deaths), we're also all glad she didn't get shot by a gun accidentally going off (lyft driver just got accidentally shot by a passenger in seattle) or shot because she was mistaken for a bear:Quote:
Originally Posted by Bobby Stainless
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle...iker-got-shot/
SIJ, if you're daughter is a writer, it would be incredible if she were to relate her experiences. It takes a lot of mental fortitude to do a thru hike while also processing that horrible incident.
Knowledge bombs being dropped 24/7...
No bear spray, like you I don’t even remember it being mentioned.Quote:
Originally Posted by warthog
Too true on the not seeing other people and euro Scouts thing. I think we went a few days without seeing another soul and got really spaced out on the trail as well, probably not smart but it was really cool. I remember coming over a ridge and just chilling in silence at the view overlooking the mountains. First group we saw after that stretch was a troop of euro explorers with two of the hottest girls my teenage ass had ever seen.
Bear rooted through our camp twice and hearing them outside the tent was pretty damned scary for a kid from the burbs.
We took the train out from Cleveland which was awesome in its own right, but a highlight of the trip was seeing Pepsi Clear for the first time in some test market along the way. I think I trekked a 6er home just to show everyone this bizzare new un-cola. :fmicon:
Our troop is going there next month. The crew was out on the AT training a couple weeks ago. I mentioned before that a large group of older teen and physically fit adult men isn't a lucrative target for a nut case to fuck with.Quote:
Originally Posted by BmillsSkier
Training for Alaska!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by SumJongGuy
If you have never been, have a blast. I am sure it is a lot different now with cell phones, but the mountains and desert can't change that much. A good thing to do to prep for the trip is to have the guys pack their entire bag the way they would for a "normal" trip. Then, have them lay everything out on a tarp next to the bag, and only pack true essentials for survival. That is what they will do there, and half the shit you guys bring will get left at base camp. Also, the guy carrying the food the first day is going to have the heaviest load. My pack must have been 75 lbs that first day. Make sure that guy is ready for that. Once you start going, the food gets lighter, with more frequent ration stops, but that first meal was a "special" one if I remember correctly. Fairly light hike to the beginning of your journey. Guy from base camp is with you that first night, most likely to assess the fitness and competency of the group as a whole. The next day, you are on your own for the duration of the trip./Threadjack
By people who never hiked the AT. Imagine that...Quote:
Originally Posted by Bobby Stainless
Missed this somehow.Quote:
Originally Posted by Marshall Tucker
I love hiking Blood Mountain from the Lake Winfield Scott side up to the AT and then summit. Coming up the Flatrock Gap side is damned-near bouldering. Never heard this story but man it’s a sad one.
Was up that way a couple weeks ago for a day hike and man the AT was packed with people on their way north.
I guess the guy killed was a vet hiking the trail to help with his ptsd and depression.
Sad.
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damn sad
OP glad liberty missed the worst of it
ive been on the AT and the Philmont back in the day....deer dung fights, pee in bags thrown on fires, big rocks stuck in jerks packs, nvr root beer again, 1st urinal seen with TX state's outline painted in it, got in a metal trough of cold river water for a can of spam, pukd mex on side of bus while enroute, overall very memorable experiences...
article about the deceased.
https://www.outsideonline.com/239660...sMR7k5cskoTrp0
"When Ron Sanchez returned from his third tour in Iraq, he was in a self-described “dark place.” Growing up in Garden Grove, California, the 35-year-old combat engineer viewed the Army as a way to a better life. But while in Iraq, Sanchez suffered debilitating injuries to his knees and back. He witnessed casualties in his unit, including some of his close friends. Sanchez told the Oklahoman, for an October 2018 story about a VA recreational-therapy program, that he was discharged with PTSD and major depression in 2011, after 17 years in the military.
eacclimating to life in Oklahoma City proved harder than he could imagine. Sanchez worried about interacting with other people. Unexpected noises frightened him. He began holing up in his apartment for days at a stretch. The only time he’d go out was for groceries, and he’d do so just late at night, when there was less risk of having to interact with anyone.
...
Sanchez became an enthusiastic regular, leading trips and geeking out over gear with other members on their online forum. He’d alert them when he found good deals in local discount shops. If it seemed like a campground might fill up, he’d offer to head there a couple days early and claim a space. “He was one of the most wonderful, caring, helpful people out there,” says Megan Crocker, the group’s coordinator. “He was always positive and always the sweetest person to talk to—especially on a grueling hike. Ron was the one who always cheered the rest of us on.”
wow
Double wow.
Its a loss for all when someone like that is taken.
I only hope his friends and family can soldier on.
Terrible for anyone to meet their end like this, but for this guy? Already with those issues?
God is a joke.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SB
Well his sacrifice did finally put an end to this maniac's mayhem. He lived the life of a hero and died a hero.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cono Este
I do this too, but I like to go first thing in the morning.Quote:
Originally Posted by east or bust
Tears for this good guy lost.
Sucks that such a story of service, sacrifice, suffering, and endurance would end in a bizarre and needless way.
RIP
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I spent lots of time doing fire and forestry around Philmont and Vermejo (north of there) and surrounding wildlands. We had zero bear issues.Quote:
Originally Posted by warthog
Woke up once with mtn lion tracks everywhere, on the truck, next to my head (!)....that was chilling. We had a shitload of elk (or horses, I don't know) sprint through our camp in the middle of the night once. That was also scary.
No bear issues....our house in Valle Escondido on the other side of the Moreno valley from Philmont had constant issues with bears hanging around. It wasn't a big deal, because they're black bears, totally afraid of people and dogs.
There aren't supposed to be grizzly bears in that country, but on hwy 555 going up into Vermejo from Raton I saw what was either a grizzly bear or The Biggest Brownest black bear in the history of black bears. There's a lot of room back there, and it's healthy land, so if a few of those guys were having a go of it in there it wouldn't shock me.
A humble Scots offering for Engineer Sanchez
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkLXOWimMY8
Yeah, I have to wonder if Grizzlies have made their way in there. That would be much different than the occasional Black Bear we saw.Quote:
Originally Posted by ill-advised strategy
One of our stops was a burro racing camp. We got to gear them up and do some sort of race. I can't really remember what it was. I do remember the hike in was mostly high desert after coming off a big elevation, so we were hot and tired, but still felt incredibly energetic due to the air down low.
Part of the camp event was letting us put the burro up for the night. After we got them all set, we were able to chill for a while on the upper deck. At some point near dusk, the rangers told us it was time to go. Right about that time, something like 5 or 6 large black bear came out of the woods heading our way. Apparently they came down every night to fuck with the burro. We got the hell out of there quickly.
Mtn lion were also never mentioned, that I remember, but this was probably 1990. Not sure they were much of an issue at that time. Again, we had a guy carrying a .40 or a 9mm- not sure what the FBI used in 1990, so maybe it was just never mentioned to us kids.
The guy who got killed was a 3 tour Iraq vet. I missed that the first time around. The story just got even sadder, if that's possible. If anyone was deserving of peace . . .
We’re psyched to get our daughter home. She flew in yesterday.
Family friends knew she was only 17 when all this went down. It was touchy there for a while on the legal side of things as she wa as minor alone. I envisioned the nightmare of having to explain this to some doughnut eater in the South, but never had to.
Solo hike AT @ 17: Check. She looks great and is super happy.
The murderer was found to be incompetent to stand trail.
Attachment 293298
Damn congrats