Missing Experienced Female Hiker
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May 21, 1999 |
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By Kirk Cloyd
It
was a normal Thursday night with me trying to get
my three year old to bed. It's not normal for us
to get a Mountain Rescue page out this late in
the week so when my pager went off at 9:30 PM I
expected it to be a family member or friend. I
was surprised to see the rescue number on the
display. The message reported that there was an
experienced female hiker missing on the Pacific
Crest Trail (PCT). Scarlet was a hiking
instructor for the pathfinders. With family
commitments, I was unable to respond immediately
and noted on the answering machine that I would
come out later that night.
At 10:30 PM the "74" (need additional
help) went out. I calling in nothing that I was
rolling and of course my three year old had still
not fallen asleep! He asked "Daddy, are you
going to mountain rescue?" When I responded
yes he told me to be careful, find the missing
lady, and that he loved me. With these thought
playing over and over in my mind I headed up the
mountain. When I got to Garner Valley fire
station the decision to move Ops. up the toward
the trailhead was made. The assignments were
handed out shortly after arrival with Team 1
(Debbiy Riegle, Lee Arnson & Chris Babcock)
hiking up the PCT from Morris Ranch Rd.
Trailhead. Team 2 (Rick Floquet and myself)
followed the Sheriff's Deputy and camp personnel
that knew the fire roads to an area of the PCT
that we were able to drive to. When we arrived at
the intersection we looked both down the fire
road heading to Oak Canyon and up the PCT for
tracks. The Sheriff's Deputy and camp personnel
returned to base while Team 2 proceeded down the
PCT towards Oak Springs. We traveled approx. 1.5
miles when I turned to Rick and stated that we
will probably turn one of the next three or four
corners and she will probably be snug in her
sleeping bag. I then told him that the hard part
would be waking her.
We turned the next corner and there she was snug
in her bag. After waking her & identifying
ourselves, we asked her is she would like to
accompany us back to base. We told her that we
could walk approx. 4 miles down to the road or
1.5 miles up to a vehicle and then drive out. She
opted to hike up to the truck and we drove back
to base. Other than being tired and a little sore
she was in fine health.