Tragic Backpacking Mystery Finally Solved: Don’t Let This Happen to You

Series of Events that Can Affect Any One of Us

While she was an experienced hiker and had food, water and camping supplies, she also had a reputation for getting lost, disoriented and moving very slowly.  She began her hike in the company of a friend who related how she would often walk ahead and have to double back in order to keep eyes on Geraldine.  There were times when other hikers would have to guide her back on track because she lost her bearings easily. 

There came a point during the hiking trip when her friend had to go home.  Sadly, Geraldine decided to continue on the hike alone, despite the objections of her companion.  This was her first mistake, especially if she, and others knew about her tendency to get lost.

The second major tragedy was that she repeatedly tried to send text messages to her husband.  These messages detailed her concerns that she is lost, gave a general indication of her location and even advised him to contact rescuers.  However, her messages were never sent because her phone didn’t have service in that area.  Authorities recorded more than a dozen messages that never made it through, and the last one was sent more than three weeks after her initial disappearance.

Sadly, Geraldine and her husband established checkpoints along the trail to meet up.  For reasons that are not still not fully-understood, they somehow lost track of each other.  This was the second major mistake.  It’s important to have specific details in place with respect to where and when to meet.  Somehow, things didn’t connect in this particular situation.

Ultimately, Geraldine died alone, not far from safety, and nobody was able to do anything about it.  As tragic as this story is, the reality is that it was completely avoidable if better decisions were made.  It also illustrates how even the best-laid plans may have weaknesses in them that can lead to tragedy. 

How to Avoid a Similar Fate

Geraldine had gear, she had resources, she had experience, she had some planning, yet she still did not compensate for her limitations.  It is very important that you know yourself, and are aware of when it’s time to throw in the towel in order to minimize risk.  We can only speculate what her decision-making process was, but it is clear that she shouldn’t have gone alone and that she lacked skills to survive for a prolonged amount of time in the wilderness.  Examples of skills to have range from obtaining food and water to using appropriate bushcraft strategies to get oriented. 

Better situational awareness, knowledge of the area, the ability to leave markers and using a map are a few additional examples of how to add additional layers of protection while in the wilderness.  We will probably never know exactly what happened to Geraldine, and perhaps her skills were better than the report suggests.  However, it’s clear that something went horribly wrong, and chances are that this tragedy could have been completely avoidable. 

Make sure that you are specific with your plans, and never hike alone unless absolutely necessary.  Never venture out if you are not able to navigate, and keep learning and honing bushcraft skills that can help you to survive if you do get lost.  Remember, any one of us can find ourselves in a similar situation, and something as simple as a bathroom break can lead to tragedy.  Never take anything for granted, and always cover your bases before you head out in order to maximize your chances of coming home alive.