Lost hiker lights backpack, hat on fire to keep warm in Gorge
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COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE, Ore. – A hiker without a flashlight got lost on a trail on Horsetail Falls Thursday night, according to the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office. He was found cold but safe at about 1:40 a.m. Friday.
The hiker, 43-year-old Scott Morrison from Beaverton, was able to call 911 at about 6:30 p.m. and searchers deployed to the area at about 8:30 p.m.
Search and rescue personnel said a rain/snow mix was falling at the time Morrison was found and he was not prepared to be out overnight in the cold conditions. They said he had some water but no food with him and was wearing jeans, a light shirt, light jacket, hat and a backpack.
Morrison used a lighter to burn his backpack and it's contents as well as his hat to stay warm while waiting for rescuers, search team members said.
Rescuers said they found Morrison in good spirits and he was "very happy to be found" but was cold and "shaken up by the experience." They said Morrison told them he did the same hike seven years ago but did not recall it being so long.
"I just want to thank the Multnomah County Sheriff;s Department and the search and rescue guys that came and got me, they were just awesome," an emotional Morrison said Friday morning. "From beginning to end, I just can't tell ya how grateful I am to them."
Search and rescue team member Jonas Benoit said he was excited to participate when he got the call to search for Morrison. "I love doing this," he said. About the weather, Benoit said "it was actually really nice until we got up on top, then a little bit of hail, but other than that the weather was great." He also said that many search and rescue members are teenagers in high school.
Deputies said they had intermittent phone contact with Morrison during the search. They said he got lost because he could no longer see the trails when it got dark and got turned around.
Rescuers said once Morrison made contact by phone, he stayed in one place which made it easier for them to locate him quickly.
Morrison was at about 3,000 feet in elevation and temperatures were in the low 30s overnight in the area.
He was expecting to only be on a day hike. Horsetail Falls is just east of Multnomah Falls.
Deputies said after Morrison made his way back to the trailhead with rescuers at about 6 a.m., he rested a bit and then drove himself home to Beaverton.
The Multnomah County Sheriff's Office urges all hikers to be prepared:
The Multnomah County Sheriff's Office would like to remind anyone contemplating a hike or outing on hiking trails within the Columbia Gorge and other scenic areas to carry the proper equipment when setting out including a map, compass, flashlight, extra food and water, extra clothing, fire starter, knife, first aid kit and signaling device, a GPS device and a cell phone with extra battery.
If you do become lost in the woods, preserve your body heat. Don't lie directly on the ground make a mattress of pine boughs or leaves. Try to find a place out of the rain and wind, but be visible. Staying in place helps searchers locate you as they are searching the area. Carry bright colored clothing you can hang on a tree to attract attention. Let someone know your plan and when you expect to return so someone knows if you are overdue.
As the winter approaches, low temperatures in the higher elevations can bring snow and hail. Be prepared for bad weather.
Also, burning your hat is the last thing you should do. 25% of heat loss is from the head.Â
You should always carry the 10 Essentials. Always. These include fire, light (headlamp), first aid kit, pocket knife, map, compass, whistle, extra warm clothing and water. Food is optional - you can live for a week without food. Sunglasses and sunscreen are optional depending on terrain and conditions. In the NW, a space blanket or bivvy bag is recommended anytime of year, but esp in cold /wet seasons.   The most important essential is common sense. And how do you get lost hiking a trail to Horsetail Falls?
Obviously, he was not prepared. Really, how much does a flashlight or headlight weigh?
Wool pants and wool shirt are good clothing to wear when hiking this time of year because wool will keep you warm even when wet. Always go to spend the night even if you get back during daylight. Carry some high protien food like trailmix or energy bars. Firestarter and some form of ignition like windproof and waterproof matches. They are lightweight and easy to carry in your pocket as is the food.
@Bdou Although not the same esthetic as wool microfiber /microfleece has similar properties and is lighter but also flamable
Wow, I can barely get a signal at home. Who was his carrier that he could get reception in the woods?
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 @portlandborn83 That's a stupid comment.  I always keep a lighter in my hiking backpack.  It's better than smacking rocks together to get a fire started if you get lost. Â
Well, I'm glad he was found before something worse happened. Hopefully, he will take this lesson to heart and be better prepared next time. And even more hopefully, others will learn by his experience and be a little more prepared when going out into the wilderness.
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Kudos to MCSD!
A fanny pack with a couple of garbage bags, one to sit on, one to poke a hole for head and arms for a rain coat. A small flashlight, and a solid fuel hand warmer are very minimum gear to take. A disposable solar blanket is only about $3 too.
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This Guy had a backpack so those things would have been no problem.
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Even a sweatshirt should have fit in that backpack.
Watch those solar blankets. I thought they were a good idea so that I could lighten my load. I was following a small herd of elk and before I knew it, I was furhter in the woods then I thought. stayed over night. I took out the solar blanket (if its the thin reflective ones) and wrapped it around me. One gust of wind and a corner caught on a limb. After that it started ripping from that hole out and ended up with a rip right across the middle. Last time I used one.  Luckily I also had a space blanket.
I keep hoping that sooner or later people will come to accept that there is no such thing as 'planning only for a day hike'. EVERY time you go out into the elements, be it hiking or other recreational outing, or driving, you simply don't know what will come. To borrow an old adage.... People don't plan to fail, they fail to plan.Â
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Since you're going to carry a backpack anyway, why not throw a few items in just in case? Included in that pack should ALWAYS be a flashlight, warm covering (jacket/blanket), lighter/waterproof matches, food & water.Â
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>"IÂ just want to thank the Multnomah County Sheriff;s Department and the search and rescue guys that came and got me, they were just awesome,"Â an emotional Morrison said Friday morning. "From beginning to end, IÂ just can't tell ya how grateful I am to them."
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..as well you should, Mr Morrison. Experience is the best educator, here's hoping that you'll retain the knowledge you've gained.
My rucksack will carry a lot, and I use it for day hikes if going to the mountains. Shovel, fire starting supplies, plenty of water, poncho, poncho liner, first aid stuff, Some munchies also. Gloves. Plus flashlight and headlamp as a minimum. It can turn nasty real quick especially in the Cascades up near Mt Jefferson.
a blanket? In the rainy northwest? A bulky blanket in a daypack? Think it will fit? Here we go with the armchair quarterbacking again  Â
 @usa2swimpattycrabbyÂ
I hike every week somewhere. Yesterday my wife and I hiked into a canyon in a tropical rainforest and carried RAINGEAR. It was 85 out and the rain is almost always warm.
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But if the rain keeps falling at 60 degrees it will eventually cause hypothermia. The body has to maintain at least 96 to be efficient using the Krebs cycle. We also carried a flashlight because near the equator the sun set s lot faster than outside the Topic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. It can go from light to dark in a matter of minutes.
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No armchairing here. We live it on a weekly basis and are always well prepared. Even on a day hike we can last a week with what we carry. Most of it is very light weight with modern technology and one would have to like Top Ramen to stay alive but it will sustain us.
"The app is called "Personal Responsibility'....8-}"
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Now that is an app everyone needs to download and use!!!
 @usa2swimpattycrabbyÂ
You really don't get it. Warm and wet is much better than cold and wet. I lived in the tropics for many years and know what it's like to be cold and wet. And with todays modern fabrics it isn't the issue it was decades ago.
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When I worked in the woods I wore that heavy rubber rain gear cause I was too cheap to buy the new high tech stuff. One of my coworkers would laugh at me and tell me how much better the new rain gear was. I bought some and never went back.
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It's clear that you don't like me. I am okay with that. But at least have something credible to say instead of making idiotic comments, which by the way are not based on any facts or experience.
Just a little problem with this one too raphy. anyone that has really hiked or walked anywhere in a tropical rainforest knows that rain gear is almost worthless in that enviornment . You see if it really is tropical the humidity will have you wetter inside if you don rain gear then outside. However, keep throwing them out there raphy. Whatever your smoking, I want some
 @MarkKpic  @usa2swimpattycrabbyÂ
The app is called "Personal Responsibility'....8-}
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Sodium is not a bad thing in areas where there is easy access to water. No salt with lots of water can lead to hyponatremia (water intoxication) and death. Of course too much salt without water can lead to faster dehydration and hypernatremia.
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Use of salt on the west side of the cascades isn't a big issue unless there isn't any access to water.
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I also carry oatmeal. Both can be consumed without water is very light.
 @RalphCramden  @usa2swimpattycrabby RC- You mean you expect hikers to think about the environment when they go out in it???? Isn't there an 'app for that'?
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What kind of madness are you proposing here, Ralph?
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(sarcasm intended)
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Sidebar: Careful with the ramen as sustinence. The 'flavor packets' contain a lot of sodium. Dehydration can be deadly in survival situations.Â
I don't know what your problem is, but I (and my wife) do a lot of hiking and always take my wool blanket (even in the summer) because she won't sit on the ground when we stop to have a snack. It only weighs a couple pounds and if we ever get stuck out all night (and, yes it has happened) it sure makes a difference. NEVER make fun of someone being prepared! Getting lost is fun if you have warmth, food and your wife for company. Sometimes we do it on purpose. Only problem is, it is hard to be lost more than a couple days, you always end up comming across someone.
MarkKpic,
Thank you for the link, it is interesting. All good information to learn from
 @usa2swimpattycrabbyÂ
I was licensed to do that. Was licensed for over a decade. You really need to read up on emergency medicine.
You"re an idiot
"I also carried a nice first aid kit with narcotics for pain for those who had broken limbs or bad sprains. I was very popular with those who were injured and other SAR folks would always be hustling me along to the patient when they were found....8-}"
Really raphy, you dispensed narcotics without a license? And the unit coammander was alright with that?  raphy you got more bull then a cow pasture.Â
usa2swimpattycrabby: Are you smoking too much crack? Of course I know what I am talking about. I am talking about what I have been doing for years. I carry the same blanket I carried in the military.  "No true day hiker, weekender or weeks at a time hiker carries a blanket" What the hell? I hiked the PCT and did not see a single hiker up there without a blanket or bag. I hiked the north east corner of Yellowstone close to Big Horn pass; I did not see a single hiker without sleeping gear. In my 56 years I have probably hiked more miles in the wilderness than you have walked in town. Getting lost IS fun, if you are ready for it. Oh, never mind, go back to your pipe, it doesn't matter.
 @RalphCramden  @iamtroglodite Snow camping is not for the faint of heart. Fun as heck, but definately not for everyone.Â
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I, for one, am thankful that there are others out there who come prepared for all contingencies. I've only had to be 'rescued' once, and it was because I stopped to aid an injured hiker. Thankfully, it was in good weather, only meant an overnight stay, and I was prepared.Â
 @iamtrogloditeÂ
When I was on SAR I carried a lot of stuff. My pack was about 40 pounds. I could support 2 people for a week. Granted the food would have to be rationed but it was enough to keep from losing weight with low metabolic demands.
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I had a tent fit for the weather and terrain and sleeping bags for the same situation. If I was in very cold and snow country I carried shelter and sleeping bags for that including a shovel for snow caves. Other things like a small backpack stove with plenty of fuel, food, water container and filter so that I could use creek water, compass, map, flashlight, radio,Â
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I also carried a nice first aid kit with narcotics for pain for those who had broken limbs or bad sprains. I was very popular with those who were injured and other SAR folks would always be hustling me along to the patient when they were found....8-}
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One of my rescues put me in a snow cave with a guy with a busted femur for 3 days. He was so hypothermic I didn't think he would survive. I kept waking up every hour to check on him (I expected a dead body) and call out to see when we were going to be extracted. He did survive and ended up with about 8-9 surgeries to repair his leg.
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I loved doing it but finally the politics got to me and I quit. There are always so many folks who want to be in charge of everything. Those that end up in charge often are the ones who know nothing.
It's very obvious that you only have slight idea of what your talking about. No true day hiker, weekender or weeks at a time hiker carries a blanket unless they are space blanket (s) or of that type. No sar group that I know of would carries blankets in their packs. Then you say, "getting lost is fun". You do not have any idea of what your talking about. My worst problem (and fear) is that people like the guy, who these comments are about, will listen to people like you.  Â
 @iamtroglodite A website I found while attempting to answer my sons response of 'I don't know. What DO they carry in those packs.'
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http://www.1srg.org/Contributed-Materials/PackLists/Walter.htm
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Now, in all honesty, I can't say that I go THAT prepared every time I venture out, but the website does present some pretty sound questions and statements of factual self evaluation.Â
I have never seen what all they have in the backpacks, but I bet you could live out of them for a week! I know they carry shelter and blankets, but I bet the have a grip of food and fire making materials as well as first aid stuff. Hell, they probably carry an oven even! (just kidding)
 @iamtroglodite The same people who make fun of those of us who come prepared are the ones who look to us for aid of when the inevitable happens.Â
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I've asked my son a couple of times when he comments on the 'bulky, heavy backpacks the S&R guys wear'....
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"What do you suppose they have in those packs? Why do you think they carry them?"
 @usa2swimpattycrabby There are such things as a space blanket (also known as a Mylar blanket, first aid blanket, emergency blanket, thermal blanket or weather blanket) that can be used in emergencies to reduce heat loss in a person's body caused by thermal radiation, water evaporation and convection. And the weigh next-to-nothing.
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These should be a part of anyone's day pack contents on hikes or other outings and trouble kits in cars. Because you just never know when something is going to happen.
 @usa2swimpattycrabby No, it didn't.
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"...warm covering (jacket/blanket)"
That post only said blanket. but your right on Mikey.I carry two space blankets. One to line the bottom of my pack and one that I can access quickly. Actually I carry two of almost everything-three ways to start a fire. I also carry two large garbage bags. As you say doesn't take up any room.
 @usa2swimpattycrabby I'd rather we go with armchair detectives, this morn.
What was this guy really doing in the woods? It's not like his family knew he was hiking and reported him missing. He called for himself. What's the real story???? Huh?
It's nice to put a face to stupid.
 @RalphCramden Not everyone's perfect, Ralph. And everyone, I daresay even YOU, have done at least one or two stupid things in their life. He was certainly unthinking in his preparations, but now he's safe and hopefully will have learned a little something from his experience. Now if he should repeat this again, then we can call him stupid.
 @MikeyÂ
Going to have to disagree with you on this one.
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In this day and age of the internet there is a massive amount of information on hiking and how to prepare, what to take and what to do in case of an emergency. The press is always talking about being prepared when going into the outback, there are warnings at the trailheads of most trails and common sense says that one should not expect to call 911 and have an warm ambulance show up within minutes.
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Yes I have made many mistakes in my life. I still make mistakes. My mistakes have put me in life threatening situations for sure. All of those were when I was much younger and against the things I was taught. Once I got to about 30 I knew what mistakes not to make and to think things through to the end before I made a decision to move forward.
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This guy had typical city dweller syndrome that precludes thinking independently of all the "what if's" when leaving the city.
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Mikey: I agree with both of you; "stupd" is a little harsh. (maybe?) but, as an adult, unless homey has been living in a cave (or L.A.) all his life, he must have heard of other people getting stuck outdoors at night unprepared. The best leson learned is the one learned from someone elses screw up. Come on, people! Cary a lighter, a jacket, hat and a couple snacks! What can it hurt? After all, it is the northwest, it can get rainy and cold any time, and it is sure a lot more fun to hike and get lost if you are warm, dry, and not hungry. It is not rocket science, learn from other peoples mistakes.
Dammit, I am smart enough to head into the woods prepared, but I can't type worth a crap! LESSON, not leson!
 @RalphCramden LOL. Kind of a stretch to call him a hiker. Everything else aside, a hiker, even lost, would not burn his hat to stay warm. Not sure anybody but this guy, would. I'm normally not so harsh on lost hik..uh, people that take walks on trails.
I have to agree. If you get a fire started, you can always put some small dead stuff around it to dry and keep cicling the dried stuff into the fire and wet stuff next to or over it till you have a good size fire going. It isn't rocket science. Hell, if you got to burn something, burn your damn underwear, not your hat! Keep your big head warm, not your little one!
Yeah, guess your right. He has already embarassed himself enough as it is!
 @iamtroglodite Hahaha! Don't embarrass the man, perhaps he doesn't wear any. eww...
"it's" contents?
its contents, please. Try for some professionalism.
 @Old29 They usually write to the reading level of the majority of their readers. So don't be alarmed.
;-)
@Old29 Professionalism is a term that is foreign to KATU and most other "news" agencies. Most write at about the fourth grade level with atrocious spelling and grammar. Don't hold your breath for something better.
All hikers know to carry a flash light, ALWAYS! It seems like you hear about lost hikers every week now. Have people today lost all brain cells? I am thankful he was rescued, but when you go hiking unprepared, remember you are not only putting your own life at risk, you are putting the lives of the people who have to rescue your sorry self!!
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 @SerenityWowz  @BlessedLifeÂ
I have flashlights in all my vehicles, in all my day and over night packs and my wife and I each have one on our keychains.
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I even have an app that allows me to use my smart phone as a flashlight.
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I carry a flashlight/cell phone charger that has a solar panel to recharge it during the day. In all my packs one of the flashlights is a solar charged one that will recharge in 8 hours of sun and last for up to 4 hours on a full charge. It drops to 25% output for another 8 hours.
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There really isn't an excuse to not have a flashlight in this day and age.
Word of caution. A GPS unit doesn't work very well to not at all under a canopy of trees, which in the northwest is hard to get out of. Even walking a logging road that is clear overhead my not get you a good fix on your position.