A geocacher would never get lost...Christmas Tree

[+johninvandergrift]

A geocacher would never get lost looking for a Christmas Tree. Refering to news story about father and children lost while looking for a Christmas tree.

 

I was wondering whether others have the same opinion. Geocaching has given me a better sense of direction and preparedness in traveling wooded areas. Even without taking the GPS along, which no Geocacher would have ever done, outdoor experience would have served this family well.

[+BlueDeuce]

I wouldn't put too must trust in a gps. If you rely on it to take you back out and dies, you're just as worse off as if you never used it.

 

Be prepared. Tell people where you are going and carry the basic supplies.

[+EraSeek]

Certainly a gps would have helped. Certainly outdoor experience helps. But haveing the benefit of both, I know that anyone can get lost. With or without a GPS.

 

Examples; a few years ago climbers on Mt Rainier lost their lives. The one who tried to downclimb fell off a huge cliff. Not only did the temps overwhelm his batteries, they exceeded the limits of the GPS itself.

I have been in a situation where I could not move far enough or fast enough to find direction on my GPS. The track looked like spagettii.

 

There are times when a simple magnetic compass is more usefull than a GPS. Anyone who relies on just a electronic gadget is gullible and vulnerable. It's a great tool if you understand that.

[+BBWolf+3Pigs]

Last week the family and I went Christmas tree "hunting" at local tree farms. As I did last year, I brought the GPSr so we could mark the trees we liked at first look, and could go back to to pick the best one. One of the guys working at the farm thought it was a great idea!

 

After the story in California broke, I told my wife "See..aren't you glad I brought my GOS!" She of course dampened my enthusiasm by reminding me we were on a handful of acres and getting lost was quite remote. Killjoy .

[+sbell111]

When I heard the story, I turned to my wife and told her that they would have been able to find the car if they had set a waypoint for it.

[+johninvandergrift]

I wouldn't put too must trust in a gps. If you rely on it to take you back out and dies, you're just as worse off as if you never used it.

 

Be prepared. Tell people where you are going and carry the basic supplies.

 

 

"Be prepared. Tell people where you are going and carry the basic supplies."

 

Learned by many thru geocaching. That's the point I'm trying to make.

Edited December 20, 2007 by johninvandergrift

[+Renegade Knight]

I might go as far as a geocacher is less likely to get lost... But things can happen to anyone.

 

Geocachers do get to learn from their mistakes, but they have to make them first. "Doh! Why didn't I mark the car as a waypoint!"

[O-Mega]

You would like to think that no geocacher would get lost like that, but I remember an instance where a cacher was one of the people lost (two ladies I think). It just goes to show you that you can never be over prepared. Basic supplies, extra batteries and a backup compass couldn't hurt.

 

v/r

O-Mega

[+sbell111]

Several years ago, a geocacher had to be rescued because he was lost in a swamp. He had a working GPSr, as I recall.

 

Here's the old thread.

Edited December 20, 2007 by sbell111

[+StarBrand]

rule #1. Mark the car on your GPS

rule #2. Take the GPS with you

rule #3. Have spare batteries for your GPS

rule #4. Tell somebody where you are going and when you expect to get back

rule #5. Stick to the area defined in rule 4

rule #6. Carry equipment, clothing and supplies appropriate for terrain, weather, time of year

rule #7. Carry a local map and compass

 

Follow all of the above and it won't matter as much if you do get a bit turned around in the woods.

[+bettsbugs]

We are all human. How many of you have NEVER gone out caching without bringing a something you needed along? The list of things forgotten by my husband and I include such things as mosquito repellant, sun screen, writing implements, extra batteries, and our GPS.

 

I know cachers who have gotten stuck in a mudhole miles from anywhere in a large cell phone deadspot. They didn't realize the hole was as deep as it was.

 

Yes, outdoor experience would have been helpful to this family, but how many of us do things that could possibly end up in disaster without thinking about it? I believe that many of us take risks without even thinking about it.

 

I guess what I am saying is that a similar circumstance could happen to any one of us at any time. All we can do is try to minimize the probability as best as humanly possible.

[Uberquandary]

If anything, I'd expect a GPS-reliant outdoorsman to be more likely to get lost than one who relies solely on a map and compass. Using a GPS it's easy to just follow the silly arrow to your DOOM!

[magellan315]

The father did more thnigs right than wrong. Everyone was dressed in warm winter clothing even though they thought it would be a short trip, they found a shelter, and they kept their spirits up by singing songs and playing games. Stomping out the word "help" in the snow was truly inspired. All of these things improved their survival and made a rescue possible.

[+StarBrand]

If anything, I'd expect a GPS-reliant outdoorsman to be more likely to get lost than one who relies solely on a map and compass. Using a GPS it's easy to just follow the silly arrow to your DOOM!

If anything, I'd expect a GPS-reliant compass - reliant outdoorsman to be more likely to get lost than one who relies solely on a map and compass sextant. Using a GPS compass it's easy to just follow the silly arrow to your DOOM!

 

Sorry - I can't help re-writing some things. Nothing wrong with technology. A compass is fancy technology compared to a sextant.

[+eagletrek]

If anything, I'd expect a GPS-reliant outdoorsman to be more likely to get lost than one who relies solely on a map and compass. Using a GPS it's easy to just follow the silly arrow to your DOOM!

 

Amen, to that!!!!!! GPS is very nice but I don't leave home without a map and compass, as back-up. It's a "Be Prepared" kinda' thang!!!!! Can anyone tell who the Eagle Scouts are in the crowd????

[+Cpt.Blackbeard]

I've spent many years finding my way into the woods and back again, at night, with nothing but the light on my hat. Before every excursiuon I would do several things, one: note wind direction and watch the forcast in case they expect it to switch. If you know the wind is from the south just drop some grass clippings or similar and see which way they fall, very seldom is the wind totally calm

Two, note where the roads in the area are and how the run. If you parked on a road the runs east/west and you walked north away from it, walk south to find the road again.

three, look for major landmarks that can't be missed, and don't forget to include major highways, railroads and airports in that list. If you can't see a ground based landmark you may still hear a train whistle, traffic or see planes approaching, leaving from the airport. Knowing where you WERE in relation to these things will tell you where you are.

Four, note how the streams in your area run, and if you didn't cross that river before you got lost, don't cross it now.

At night in the woods it can be tough to see anything, so look for open areas. Turning my light off made fields easy to spot as they are much brighter lit than the woods, and once in the open you can check the wind, stars and landmarks much easier.

ALWAYS carry the means to start a fire, not only for warmth but because smoke in the daytime and the light at night are much easier to see and from much farther away.

 

All things considered though this guy did good after he discovered he was lost, and I doubt he will ever do it again. A gps maring his car would have saved him alot of trouble though.

 

On a related note, my dog loves to take his bones out with him where he drops them and forgets aboutr them. When he comes in without it I'll say "get your bone" and he'll run straight to it and bring it in.

So from now on I'll take his bone and make him leave it at the truck, and if I get lost I'll just say "get your bone" ands he'll make a beeline to the truck with me following. Foolproof.

[+Confucius' Cat]

I think my GPS actually helps me get lost.

 

I mean, how in the world can you get lost on a state park trail?

 

Well... you get within 200 feet of a cache then bushwhack, do the bumblebee dance for a half hour. You aint been looking at nothing but fallen trees, rootballs, and piles of sticks for the last half hour- you coulda been within 2 feet of the trail a dozen times and not knowed it.

 

You find the cache, then try to follow the breadcrumb trail back. You cross a park trail, then look at the GPS... there is breadcrumb trail on both sides... hmmm? Is it the SAME trail you came in on? Which way do you go?

 

Usually park trails run in circles so it doesn't make much difference. But sometimes you go deeper into the park and further from your car.

 

Lost? Not by the "survival" definition, but it is embarrassing to be holding a GPS, walking down a park road, and not knowing whether you are going toward your car or away.

 

Settle in for a LONG walk... or, well, you DO have a thumb.

 

OBTW, I really intended to take a thorough WALKING tour of the park! REALLY!

[+tabulator32]

One of my favorites is when I am driving up to a cache and it looks close so I park, get my stuff, make sure I have a pen, lock up the car, start walking, and...realize I had my scale set out to "_" equals "2 miles" and not "200 feet" like I thought it was.

 

(Of course, I am talking about neighborhood caches, not actual "out in the wilderness, hike a trail" caches. I would EXPECT to hike a mile or so for that.)

 

[+fairyhoney]

I went with a group to this cache : GCJ7VH The Bloated Festering Head of My First Victim And if it weren't for cell phones, who knows cuz we Really got turned around even following the gps bird-crumbs

[+simpjkee]

i wouldn't know. In my area we just go to the nearest commercial nursery (The Home Depot or otherwise) to find "Christmas" Trees. Finding a real Christmas tree is at least a 75 mile drive.

[+BlueDeuce]

i wouldn't know. In my area we just go to the nearest commercial nursery (The Home Depot or otherwise) to find "Christmas" Trees. Finding a real Christmas tree is at least a 75 mile drive.

 

I've never found a Christmas tree in the woods. If I did I would leave it there. It doesn't seem very nice to take one after someone obviously went through all the trouble of decorating it.

[+johninvandergrift]

i wouldn't know. In my area we just go to the nearest commercial nursery (The Home Depot or otherwise) to find "Christmas" Trees. Finding a real Christmas tree is at least a 75 mile drive.

 

I've never found a Christmas tree in the woods. If I did I would leave it there. It doesn't seem very nice to take one after someone obviously went through all the trouble of decorating it.

 

Now that's funny. I don't care who you are, that's funny.

 

You were kidding? Right?

[+BlueDeuce]

You were kidding? Right?

 

Certainly not!

Edited December 21, 2007 by BlueDeuce

[+Renegade Knight]

If anything, I'd expect a GPS-reliant outdoorsman to be more likely to get lost than one who relies solely on a map and compass. Using a GPS it's easy to just follow the silly arrow to your DOOM!

If anything, I'd expect a GPS-reliant compass - reliant outdoorsman to be more likely to get lost than one who relies solely on a map and compass sextant. Using a GPS compass it's easy to just follow the silly arrow to your DOOM!

 

Sorry - I can't help re-writing some things. Nothing wrong with technology. A compass is fancy technology compared to a sextant.

 

I'll take it one step further and say that an avid outdoorsman is more likely to get lost in the great outdoors than an urbanite just because they are out there more.

 

Whenver I see guys missing fingers it always seems they are carpenters more than not...

[CacheNCarryMA]

 

On the way to one of my caches.

[+The Jester]

You were kidding? Right?

 

Certainly not!

Check out this cache.

[+joranda]

All I can say is that the guy must of really got backwards while heading in. Why would you go to far if you knew you had to drag it back out again.