A dog walker in BC went out with three dogs on Monday and hadn't been seen since. Teams of people have been searching since she failed to return home. After three days of cold and wet it was looking bad and them they found her. She had definitely gone off trail. She had enough sense to shelter as best she could and this afternoon she was found safe with the dogs. All were airlifted to safety.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-co...-1.4414226
https://globalnews.ca/news/3875411/missi...-and-well/
Some of those trails are pretty remote so it is fortunate that she was found alive and well. The search and rescue people are dedicated and skilled and they did an amazing job this time. I am glad they airlifted the dogs out too. They had been out there long enough and needed a good dinner and some proper rest. We can all be thankful that this time there was a happy ending.
It's so good she and the dogs were found. Two days and nights is a long time to spend in the wilderness without shelter or food. She is very lucky not to have succumbed to hypothermia. That can easily happen even with people who spend most of their time outside.
Also they were very lucky not to have caught the attention of bears etc.
It is so easy to get disoriented and lost if you wander off-trail in a large unfamiliar woodland. It happened to me once (damp and chilly yes, but not British Columbia!)
I always think how important it is for people to have basic education in wilderness survival, and to carry a little back-pack whenever on a walk, with a couple of lightweight tools like a good robust knife, some paracord, a compass, maybe a lightweight tarp, a ziplock bag with dry tinder/pine resin, a lighter, a pack of freeze dried rations....etc....and a bottle of fresh water. If that becomes an ingrained habit it is easy to do.
Even the smallest things a person can do to better their situation when lost in the wilderness can sometimes mean the difference between life and death.
You are right about how easy it is to get lost. I am sure you knew where you were when you started out.
There could have been some weather issues like fog or rain. BC is like that. A survival pack like you described would have really helped. If she could have got a smoky fire going they would have found her sooner and she would have been warmer. I think she found a sheltered spot, but this time of the year it gets cold at night and she could have developed hypothermia. The dogs would have helped, but they had no food. They were lucky they were found in time.
When I did hiking I always registered my hike, stuck to the trail and had more supplies than I needed. I made sure I had food for days longer than I planned. Because I stated when I would return, if I didn't fill out the card at the return location they would have come looking very quickly. There had wooden boxes set up at the beginning of trails. You filled out a card stating your plans. When you ended your hike even if it was from a different trail you filled out another card. I am sure there is better technology now, but it worked.
Of course they knew she was missing fairly quickly, but it is a big area to search.
I would think a phone with GPS would be good, but the battery would run out. Maybe we need solar powered phone chargers.
I know they make light weight paper thin thermal blankets. Folded up in the package they are the size of a scone, but they are water proof and hold heat in. Once opened they will never fit back into the package and they make crinkling sounds. I took one camping once and my friends were not happy. I crinkled all night long. I wouldn't know, I was toasty warm and sound asleep.
Good news, the dog walker may still be in hospital, but she had a visit from the dogs who were with her.
It turns out she didn't get lost, she slipped and hurt herself and couldn't walk.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-co...-1.4419522
I think a visit from her furry friends is probably the best medicine. They were certainly glad to see her. If she fell and couldn't walk, she survived because the dogs kept her warm. They were really lucky they found her in time.