Cool story and a promo for SPOT.

[+Roman!]

Even though it happened 2 weeks ago and a mere few miles from my house I just saw it now.

 

An 80-year-old hiker injured in the backcountry is convalescing, thanks to his use of satellite technology.

 

Members of North Shore Rescue, North Vancouver RCMP and District of North Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services all responded to a sparsely travelled portion of lower Mount Seymour Tuesday afternoon, after RCMP received a notification from an American call centre that a Spot Satellite emergency locator beacon had activated in the bush.

 

NSR members used the GPS device to pinpoint the location about 200 metres off Mount Seymour Road near the Baden Powell Trail crossing.

 

"What they found there was an 80-year-old hiker who had injured his ankle and deployed the beacon when he couldn't get out on his own," said Doug Pope, North Shore Rescue search manager.

 

NSR volunteers and police members carried the man out to the road via stretcher where ambulance paramedics were waiting.

 

Typically, North Shore Rescue members find themselves responding to subjects who have gotten lost or injured in the backcountry after making some amateur mistakes. That's not the case with the octogenarian geocacher from Burnaby, Pope said.

 

"It's hard for any member of North Shore rescue to really criticize this guy. He was doing what we all aspire to do when we retire - continue to tromp around in the North Shore forest," Pope said. "He was very well prepared. Ideally, you should travel with a friend, but he was well equipped with his satellite emergency beacon."

 

With cellular reception spotty in many areas of the backcountry, Pope said anyone who ventures past the treeline should consider getting a GPS beacon, and not relying on their smartphone alone.

 

"I carry one myself.

 

They're becoming a lot more prevalent for backcountry users, especially in areas where there isn't cell reception. It's a good way to both check in with your friends and family that you're OK or you can send an SOS," he said.

 

© North Shore News

 

- See more at: http://www.nsnews.com/news/gps-saves-80-yr-old-geocacher-1.1072357#sthash.SrW2Hr7I.dpuf

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

Good description... I actually located the trail crossing where (I think) they found him. Distances seem about right. There are a couple of caches there that he could've been after. I see too, they even referred to him as a geocacher (earlier citing him as a hiker).

 

Must have found them and was on his way out... no DNF logs filed lately.

[+Roman!]

This is the last cache he found before his accident and he's posted his log.

 

His name is Allenmcd

 

Those are not the easiest of trails, they are on the side of a mountain, I can only hope I am going that strong at 80.

Edited June 9, 2014 by Roman!

[Mr.Yuck]

Surprised there isn't more interest in this thread. SPOT makes some cool devices. If you remember, it was just about 1 year ago that Stormgren-X kept us up to date on his epic 8 day canoe trip to find the world's oldest unfound cache via a SPOT device.

[+Roman!]

Surprised there isn't more interest in this thread. SPOT makes some cool devices. If you remember, it was just about 1 year ago that Stormgren-X kept us up to date on his epic 8 day canoe trip to find the world's oldest unfound cache via a SPOT device.

 

Yes, that trip made me interested in the product, maybe in a few years.

[+Dread_Pirate_Bruce]

I opted to get a ResQLink for my adventures into the wilderness. Based on my research, it is more reliable in an emergency. It is a true emergency beacon, not a satellite messages.

[Mr.Yuck]

I opted to get a ResQLink for my adventures into the wilderness. Based on my research, it is more reliable in an emergency. It is a true emergency beacon, not a satellite messages.

 

Interesting device. Although DeLorme has abandoned Geocachers (as has Magellan), they're not out of the GPS business yet, seeing as they have realeased the Inreach. Delorme Website

[+popokiiti]

A friend of ours was knocked from his kayak and spent a lot of time in the water before being found by search and rescue. He was wearing all the right gear, had a radio and a cell phone. The radio went to the bottom, the cell phone was useless after being soaked. It was a long 5+ hours for him (and his wife.) Fortunately, he'd filed a float plan with the store where he had rented the kayak, and a member of staff went looking for him to no avail, so called the police.

The cell phone has now been replaced with a floating waterproof one, and he is looking into a SPOT type device. He doesn't want to repeat a few days in the hospital, with cardiac enzymes out of whack due to becoming so badly hypothermic.

These things happen so quickly, but the devices are pricey, so it can be prohibitive. Saw a flyer for a device I wasn't aware of, which seems pretty good - if only I could remember the name, I would post the link. Time to Google....

[+6NoisyHikers]

My dad is a member of the SAR team out of 100 Mile House. He swears by his SPOT unit. His model sends three possible messages: A check in email to people on a list, a "hey, I'm not hurt, I'm just having technical difficulties and need assistance email to the same list, and an emergency call directly to a 911 service -all with coordinates.

[+popokiiti]

Finally found what I was looking for, marine only so not in the same class as SPOT or ARC, but for those on the ocean a lot, here is the link to Nautilus Lifeline

[+Michaelcycle]

A friend of ours was knocked from his kayak and spent a lot of time in the water before being found by search and rescue. He was wearing all the right gear, had a radio and a cell phone. The radio went to the bottom, the cell phone was useless after being soaked. It was a long 5+ hours for him (and his wife.) Fortunately, he'd filed a float plan with the store where he had rented the kayak, and a member of staff went looking for him to no avail, so called the police.

The cell phone has now been replaced with a floating waterproof one, and he is looking into a SPOT type device. He doesn't want to repeat a few days in the hospital, with cardiac enzymes out of whack due to becoming so badly hypothermic.

These things happen so quickly, but the devices are pricey, so it can be prohibitive. Saw a flyer for a device I wasn't aware of, which seems pretty good - if only I could remember the name, I would post the link. Time to Google....

 

When I am in my kayak my cellphone travels inside a waterproof case allows me to still use it. That case is inside my dry bag. My waterproof GPSr floats so I can pinpoint my location if need be. Oh, and I do not kayak alone.

[+Corfman Clan]

My dad is a member of the SAR team out of 100 Mile House. He swears by his SPOT unit. His model sends three possible messages: A check in email to people on a list, a "hey, I'm not hurt, I'm just having technical difficulties and need assistance email to the same list, and an emergency call directly to a 911 service -all with coordinates.

I have a SPOT too. I've had to use the "hey, I'm not hurt, I'm just having technical difficulties..." button once. Cedar Basin North

[+Cissy PSP]

I use a SPOT. Fortunately, not as an emergency. I love it

[+The_Incredibles_]

Glad to hear things worked out so well for him. I would love to be that fit and active at 80.

I hike alone, but only with my phone and in areas with cell reception. Maybe one day I'll get a SPOT.