I know you have gone over and over and over everything 1000 times but if just one person listens and does what they’re supposed to do, you have saved one more person. Thank you, Luke for everything you do.
After 60+ years of backpacking, I realized my physical capabilities and stamina were diminished. It was time to hang up my trekking poles. Going out in my physical condition and getting injured would put others at risk attempting to rescue me. That was my choice. These two men being ill-prepared put others at risk in a rescue attempt. Lack of common sense and poor judgment brought sorrow and pain upon their loved ones. Luke, information like this you have expressed is vital to our outdoor community to remind them that nature has no empathy for those who are not properly trained, experienced, and ill-prepared. Keep up the excellent work and service to the outdoor community. Thank you. S&H.
You should still backpack, just dial back the difficulty. You have the experience that if something does go wrong and you need rescue, that it is a simple rescue. Again, the vast majority of use would rather give up our time to rescue you, than you not backpack. We are here to be a backstop if you need it. Yes, tragically some rescuers die in the process, but we understand the risks.
I am a scuba instructor and in my Rescue Diver Course I use the Stop- Breathe - Think-Act cycle to prevent panic if something goes wrong - Stop what you are doing, control your breathing, think about what the problem is and what you need to do to resolve it, and then act to resolve it. I emphasize to focus your thinking on identifying the problem and coming up with a solution - and not to think about what could happen if you don’t act.
I drop a pin every time I hike. Even locally. I want my wife to know where I am in case there’s any issue. My son laughs that I have so much in my daypack, but I want to be prepared in case of an emergency for myself or another. Frankly, as a relatively new hiker I learned this mostly from channels like this.
I feel that more day hikers get into trouble than backpackers simply because backpackers are already carrying what they need to spend the night. I put more in my day pack than most, and have started carrying my garmin on all hikes w/o cell service. Why not if I own it?
As a long time scout leader it breaks my heart how thoughtless people can be when it comes to nature. The mountains never lie, nor the desert or sea. Ugh...
That’s my stomping grounds. Those fellas waded into the Gifford Pinchot NF during heavy rain that was on top of a layer of snow. A recipe for trouble even for the prepared.
I'm a life long Las Vegas resident (born and raised) Mt. Charleston is 20 minutes from Las Vegas proper and some of it's peaks are well above 10,000ft. We get locals that go up there like they are headed to the grocery store. Shorts, T-shirts, Flip Flops etc. Down in the Vegas Valley its not uncommon for the beginning of Nov to early Jan for the daytime temps to be in the high 60s or even the 70s in the valley. Things change rapidly once you hit the Spring Mountain range in the Toiyabe National Forest it gets well below freezing from mid October to June. I had an encounter with a young family that went up there. I was coming down the mountain I have a very capable jeep rubicon equipped with recovery gear and a winch. As I was coming down off the mountain I saw a guy in jogger shorts, tennis shoes and a hoodie flagging me down. I stopped and he said that he and his family pulled off the road to look at the snow and he slid down into the ditch and was stuck nose in. They had been there for several hours. This was a 4 door honda civic with slick bald tires. The area they were stuck was not the main road and I was surprised they made it that far in. One thing about Mt. Charleston there is no service, very limited cell phone service, no gas stations etc. I got out my kinetic rope and soft shackles and attempted to pull him in out. I ended up having to winch him out onto to the road. The whole process took about two hours to get him out and almost got myself stuck in the process. Once he was back on the road I looked at his family. They had two young children (5-8 yr olds) wearing pajamas no shoes, no jackets etc. His wife was pregnant, she had on sweat pants a sweat shirt and fuzzy slippers. They had no food, no water and they were almost out of gas, they were relying on the car's heater to keep them warm. If I hadn't come along they surely would have froze to death that night.
Crazy that the guy took his family up there basically in pajamas in that type of vehicle with his pregnant wife….smh….glad you were able to help them out of trouble…
@@marquiesriley6479 I don't know if people believe in fate or luck or both. I just so happened to just go up there, I took the day off and it had snowed the night before so I said what the heck. I decided on going down a road that is not particularly on my way back home but it's very scenic as you end up on the mesa (Harris Springs Rd, if anyone gets out this way). I still think about what would've happened to them if I didn't come along. I tell myself that eventually someone would've came by but you never know.
Huge shout out and endless thanks to all search and rescue out there!! And thank YOU for sharing these most basic but utterly vital tips for anyone adventuring. Take care, safe and wonderful travels, and all the best from Oregon 🌲
Knowing how to prepare for anything is key to coming out the other side alive. My father was an army vet. When I was young, the time he took to prepare for a road trip drove me crazy. It felt like an eternity!! That's youth for you. However, we never got stranded if we ran into issues like car trouble or finding a different route due to unforeseen closers. He knew how to fix the car if it stalled, find a new route if we had to turn around, and have food, water, and proper clothing and accessories in case we had shelter in place. Now, decades later, when venturing out, I have the same preparation no matter the weather. I'm prepared for five seasons! What is the fifth season, you ask? All the crap that you don't know will happen, of course! Thanks, Dad!!!
Side note- thousands of dollars worth of rescue equipment was stolen from Skamania county while this rescue was happening. Thieves cut a 10ft barbed wire fence and broke into a container.
This was heartbreaking. The community rallied and they raised enough funds to replace everything and make upgrades, including to the security of their storage facility.
There has been no way too substantiate that they were there looking for Big Foot. There is now an investigation into why they the sheriffsf said they were looking for big Foot there was no evidence to corroborate such a ludicrous statement. Men lost in the Forest died . Family members deny that either man was looking for a Big Foot.
Luke, thank you for this type of content. Retired fire fighter and search and rescue (old guy). People need to know and although a little sugar coating is necessary, it’s also necessary to state the facts and hopefully it will be a wake up call. Your report is on point and on the money. Stay safe
I live in Oregon and have hiked in the Columbia River Gorge and The Gif many times. Learning how to hike safely in the PNW is not something newbies realize is essential. It's incredibly sad that these two guys heading out for a fun adventure were so unprepared, and paid the ultimate price. A few years ago there were some folks lost above Multnomah Falls - also in the Gorge. They knew enough to make a fire.. and burnt their jackets to try and stay warm. Hiking is great, but nature needs to be respected and preparation needs to happen. Thank you for sharing about this. And for not shaming them for searching for bigfoot.
I was out in those woods when they recovered the bodies. Oddly enough my SOS Gps sent a non emergency support request to my family somehow. Sheriff showed up at my camp 10pm looking for me. We take it pretty seriously in those neck of the woods. Biggest issue here in the cascades is the WET! There is no way to stay dry PERIOD! Your gear needs to keep you warm WHILE WET! There are a lot more SRT stories from this area that don't make news. Like they just found 5 decapitated bodies in what we call the "berry fields" bear hunters found them.
Absolutely true about the wet. But 5 decapitated bodies? C'mon, they only found 2 or 3 skulls, only one of them in the berry fields. The other two were in the big lava bed and were identified as remains of hikers who had been missing for a decade or so.
I live in the Eatonville area. I tell tourist hikers all the time to wear wool when going into the woods. Yes it’s heavy, but it will keep your body warm when wet. People think they can get by with hand warmers and a light down jacket, but we know that won’t do you any good when you’re lost for the night. Fire starters are no good unless you have the knowledge to find dry wood. This requires getting to the middle of bigger pieces that may be dry. Sad story for sure.
Wow Luke! This episode was deep, nicely done!! You’re an amazing educator and have a great heart!! Thank you so much for sharing the breaking news with us!! Ignorance is no excuse, cause and effect is a real problem!! Love your reporting and your work!! Strength and honor my friend be well!! 👍🏽👍🏽💯💯❤️❤️ my condolences to the families!! 🙏🙏. From Washington state 🇺🇸
I grew up in ohio in the boy scouts. Each month we did long week end no matter the weather. It taught me so much. That 55 years ago and i still use that training.
Sad, people underestimate how cruel "mother" nature can be. My basic rule, if I'm leaving sight of the parking lot I'm taking basic survival gear. 100 yards in dense woods is as good as 100 miles.
I’ve learned so much watching your videos and recommend your channel to people I know who go on hiking adventures. My hiking days are over due to hip issues, but it makes my heart hurt when I hear these stories that could have been avoided. Thanks for the advice you provide!
Boy Scout motto: BE PREPARED. Luke, you have a global audience. You are respected and looked up to for gear attention and advice. You are organized, educated and understand the importance of outdoors preparation; therefore, you have an excellent opportunity to educate your audience. Thank you…from an old fan, retired in the foothills of the Smokies.
I'm not even a camper, or hiker. I don't like hardship and I stay home. I'll soon be 79 and am in poor health and have never been oudoorsy and knew it. When we were younger, we liked fishing, but when we went fishing, we would stay in a cabin, over night to get in two days of fishing. I'm not ashamed to let anyone know this as we were wise and honest with ourselves about our own limits. Not everyone is born to be a camper/hiker.
I'm around 3 hours or so from where this happened, and it happens a lot in this area. The only reason it got to be known is because they were looking for bigfoot. A few people die every year in summer the Cascades because they under estimate the quick weather changes we have here and go hiking in shorts and t-shirts. In the winter, most are better prepared but it still happens, even to people who are accomplished outdoors people. I almost lost a friend of mine on Mt. Raine1r who was prepared. It was supposed to be a day hike that ended up being two nights in a blizzard in a snow cave. No one was looking for her because she was too low to register with the ranger's station and she didn't tell anyone she was going because it was a day trip. She check the weather with the ranger's but it wasn't accurate and she got lost on a route she knew well because of the snow. 4 or 5 other people died in that same storm.
On a recent hike I came across a crashed ATV, at the time I couldn't locate anyone, but was worried that someone was injured nearby. I contacted emergency services for assistance, I didn't have cell service at the location and had to trek back to contact them. Even with a general location and giving coordinates emergency services couldn't locate me; I eventually dropped a google maps pin in the general area and still had to talk to the sheriff several times. Thankfully after going back to the crash it appeared to have been recent, but abandoned. Thank god that no one (appeared) to have been actively injured. It really brought to light the need to have self-rescue gear and skills...especially as I was hiking back to my truck in the dark after having planned to be back several hours earlier!
I've lived in Oregon my whole life and can say the terrain and weather are no joke. The area in and around the cascade mountains is often steep with canyon walls covered in dense foliage and random marshes with thick undergrowth in areas you wouldn't expect to find it. On top of that the weather in the winter can be unforgiving, I'd honestly choose 20 degrees and snowing over 40 degrees and raining most days, at least in the snow you have a chance to stay dry. But much of the winter in the valley as well as the foothills of the cascades is just cold and wet, and the coast range isn't much different and may in fact be wetter. I was sorry to hear about the loss of these to people, it's not uncommon to hear about missing hikers and the news isn't always good when they are found, I just hope some people can learn from their mistakes and avoid a similar situation in the future.
Luke: Great report. In the Army we had to do a Risk Assessment as part of our planning for an exercise, operation, or event. These Risk Assessments were filled out on a document that included the listing of the risks, and the risk mitigation measures against those risks. We even had to do this as part of our combat operational planning in Iraq as well as our training events. If the risk was high enough, a commander had to approve the operation or training event after being briefed on the Risk Managment plan. People going out on outdoor adventures should do something similar before heading into the woodline. Thanks for sharing! Love your video editing techniques. Keep up the great work.
Excellent job. I'm a former SAR guy and I can echo what you and some of the commenters have mentioned. And yeah, ultralight backpackers are incredibly short-sighted and ultimately selfish for falling back on dedicated people willing to give up their own time to haul them out.
Back in the late 1970's and 1980's, regardless of the season in question, regardless of the ambient air temperature at the time that the day hike/overnight trip/multi-day backpacking trip began, and regardless of what the predicted weather for the foreseeable future beyond the anticipated end of the trip was supposed to be; I *ALWAYS* had a couple of quart ZipLoc freezer bags stashed in my pack that contained a pair of polypropylene long johns, a polypropylene long-sleeved shirt, a polypropylene balaclava, one pair each of knee-high and 8" high polypropylene socks, a pair of ragg wool socks, and one pair each of polypropylene gloves and mittens. Along with a tiny bottle of water purification tablets, fire starting materials, a tiny chunk of candle, a 30' long hank of paracord, and a lock-back folding knife. All of the above items fit easily inside of a 1-gallon ZipLoc freezer bag with room to spare. On two separate occasions, that emergency stash saved someone else's life because I chose to be prepared, and they were not. In addition to multiple occasions, where I helped either someone else or myself when the weather took a turn for the worse, wasn't life threatening, but they/I were less than properly prepared for the new, wetter, colder weather conditions. *That ZipLoc emergency stash bag was the end result of many miserable nights spent as a Boy Scout, as a young teenaged and early 20-somethings new backpacker, and three years in the military at Ft. Lewis, Washington; one-half of which was spent sleeping on the ground.* *NOTE* Most of my time spent outdoors as an adult was spent in the Cascades of Washington and Oregon, as well as the Alaska Range in Alaska.
His name was David VanBuskirk with LVMPD. He was repelling to attempt rescue. Very tragic and an incredible person. I can’t count how many times we have rescued person who needed just a little bit more gear. I can’t tell you how many times ultralight backpackers have needed our assistance. My wife refuses to ultralight as well as myself for these reasons.
Ultra light is a fad. The smugness about pack weight belies their ignorance. I encourage anyone who wants to to get into camping backpacking and outdoors activities. Know your limits and prepare as if your life depends on it. It does.
My first ultralight trip we were too early and unprepared for deeper snow. Though my son and I were excited to finish the hike I knew we had to turn back or take unwarranted risk. It isn't defeat to be smart and stay alive.
I have been hiking and camping and canoeing most of my entire life. Every time I go out I have a backpack with gear that will keep me alive no matter what happens. I believe the biggest problem is people do not think ahead and also don't believe anything will happen to them. Murphy's law applies here.
Thanks Luke, appreciate the detail and clarity. I got skewered on comments I made elsewhere about these gentlemen being wholly unprepared with not only knowledge but in clothing and footwear. In the initial reports searches were videoed using ladders on the ground to cross small streams to get to the areas where the men were eventually found. Odds are they got their boots and clothing wet, sucking the heat out of their bodies very rapidly. It wasn't reported but I highly suspect alcohol played a big role in their decision making and made them more susceptible to hypothermia as well. I feel sorry for those men and their families, hopefully their demise will help others like you educate the inexperienced.
Love your videos. Sad story. FLIR is an acronym that stands for "Forward Looking InfaRed" and is pronounced "fleer." The company is FLIR Systems and is located in Wilsonville just south of Portland Oregon. Their technology has saved a lot of lives and helped SAR, law enforcement and the military.
Glad you pointed out that Luke butchered the pronunciation of FLIR (rhymes with “deer” 🦌, not “fur”)!😅 My former MCCES (Marine Corps Communications-Electronics School) room/classmate works for FLIR Systems and has visited me a few times here in Japan. I’m sure that Luke’s version of the name would be like fingernails on a chalkboard😵 to my friend! 🤣
@@BushidoDevilDog What words do you mispronounce? When it comes to American military acronyms--It's hard to determine what they mean, unless you've learned them. Same with Aviation acronyms.
Great video. Always be prepared. You always do right by people and make sure they are informed, even if you have to say it a million times. You rock, Luke.
I appreciate this video and your messaging. My fear is that nobody cares about any first responder or frontline worker ( this hostility has exploded since 2020) … many people think since we “ chose” the job our lives are meaningless or expendable. This ideology needs to change!
What do you mean? You are paid extra for the risk. You should be the most prepared person in the area. You dont even need to buy the stuff. It's all Gucci gear from uncle Sam and tax payers 🙂
Yes it does need to change. This is the, "Entitlement," generations' attitude toward anyone who isn't them. Isn't it a shameful thing! It saddens me so.
@@Justmekpc I pray for all first responders all the time. The first thing I did when covid came along was to pray for the safety and health of all first responders and I've kept on doing so. I wonder if the entitled generations ever think about what it would be like if there were no people to respond to rescues when they are needed. Probably not.
Year's ago I brought a inexperienced team of rock climbers to a remote part of the Superstition Wilderness Area to climb Weavers Needle (AZ), we had plenty of gear, just not winter gear. The forecast was for a slight chance of a storm. We hiked in about 15-20 miles to the base of this tower of rock, made camp and awoke around 3am to heavy snowfall, a early winter storm had blown in. Over the next 2 day's we sat around waiting for good weather to come, so we could safely climb. This was made possible because I had brought in a field tested liquid fuel stove, and a titanium pot/cup. This allowed us to boil water and heat ourselves with our water bottles The Superstition Wilderness is a barren mostly cacti filled area with little to no wood to scavenge to burn. Having this stove not only kept us alive it allowed us to wait out the storm until we could climb up, and later hike out. Bottom line don't count on mother earth to provide you with wood to burn, bring a stove, and one that is reliable and tested, and one that can be maintained in the field, I prefer MSR or Primus. Best of luck in your adventures.
I've looked at Weaver's Needle numerous times, always from the overlook atop the Peralta trail took photos at times when others were in the process of climbing Weaver's Needle in spring or early fall. Warm Regards from Reno, Nevada.
Gifford Pinchot forest is heavily wooded and rough terrain. It tends to be wet and gets snow early. There are just a couple of very small towns inthat area. It's easy to get lost and not a place to play around.
As a female single camper/hiker, safety is my #1 concern. I camp only in Texas State Parks. I check in with the office before I go camping. I leave a note of where I’m going and when I’ll return. I carry a g u n, and an emergency beacon locator. But most importantly, I STAY ON THE TRAIL. If I have to take a pee brake, it’s on the trail. Gross? Nope. People have lost their lives leaving the trail to go on a bathroom brake.
Very sad for the hikers and their families, glad that none of the responders were hurt. As a Bigfooter and an outdoorsman I am shocked at the number of Bigfooters I bump into that have bad clothing, gear, and no outdoor skills whatsoever, but carry thousands of dollars in night vision, thermal cameras, and audio recording equipment.
Thank you for your messaging on being prepared during adventures. In addition to preparedness being responsible it also makes the adventure more fun, gives a piece of mind and during the process of assessing a level of preparedness comes an assessment of ability.
Great video thanks for sharing. I live in Scotland UK, just north of the Cairngorm mountains. Every year we have the same, hikers going into the mountains unprepared. Every year our mountain rescue heroes go out in horrendous conditions to carry people off the mountains, every year people die on the mountains. People just don’t realise how bad it can get
I love the reality that there are infrared cameras that can search for people but somehow these cameras wouldn’t work on a large hairy Sasquatch! They must have advanced primitive cloaking technology brought to them by alien creators.
Have you ever seen thermal imagery of an animal adapted to cold environments such as a husky dog or a polar bear? Basically you can only see their faces. Their double insulation coats "cloak" their body heat almost perfectly.
I agree, but the reason they don't show up on camera is that they are so dirty and stinky that the fumes from them obscure all hope of getting a clear shot of to prove they exist. Two things you could bet a million dollars on: They either do, or they don't exist.
people will be surprised how deadly cold will be ( I tried winter camping in my back yard ) in conditions of -25 C light wind and snow ( -13 F ) ...my takeaway...it is much colder and deadly then we think...even with proper clothes and boots...my hands became numb in 1 hour...starting fire...difficult the lighter gave up the ghost used matches and candle...even with winter boots and fire feet began to freeze at 2 1/2 hours went inside house...imagine if this happened in the woods...in 3 hours...near dead
God Bless you luck for telling everyone how to be prepared if going out on a long trip.You are totally right if your going out you should always let someone know where you are going.
It's not as cut and dry regarding leaving info of your intended route. If you choose to change your plans outside of cell service due to a million different reasons (blow downs, changing conditions, floods, anything), then telling someone where you originally intended to go will actually hamper s+r as they will be looking in the entirely wrong place. I've been involved in many mountain rescue searches in the Scottish Highlands and that piece of advice just isn't 100% solid all the time. Be good enough to cope with any conditions, and know your limits, is the best way to come home safely.
@@hokuotaku9027you opt into a cc... No one wad asked about flock, they just started installing them across the country. It's a violation of our constitutional rights.
Thank you for covering this heartbreaking story so folks can hopefully learn. Don’t be scared of nature. Respect it. I camp in this area often and this story hits home. Damp and cold = hypothermia without the right prep.
It's a pretty huge moneymaking hoax on YT, there's loads of channels about strange noises in the woods or whatever, and they get way more views than most survival channels that teach actual skills. Notice how most channels like this are scared to point out that there's no evidence of any "bigfoot" anywhere.
@@tattooninja Not a single bone, not a tooth, not a hair, no scat, no identifiable sign of anything even remotely real, yet romance and adventure, or the money that they can potentially make from these shows, TH-cam Channels, and various other mediums keep them "searching". The dense forests of this part of the world, the other-worldly look of our moss clad, mushroom filled, dense forests and temperate rain forest, all look spooky enough to be a credible place to find something mysterious. They conceal countless animals that make odd sounds, such as the Marbled Murrelet, a night dwelling forest seabird, countless owls, various weasels, bears; all having voices to hear. it is a beautiful but sometimes deadly environment. The biggest danger to humans are ourselves. This is a tragedy that should remind anyone who ventures into our forests to be aware of the dangers and to use good judgment.
I can't tell you everything about FLIR. Not only did I experience it in the Navy, I also worked with it in the civilian world. There's a lot of capabilities
My son belongs to Portland Mountain Rescue and he tells me about some rescues. Something that hits home to me is not just the right equipment, but also someone’s weight. You can be too big to get carried out. There is an amazing amount of people involved in rescuing someone. Just be safe and responsible
Thank you for this video. It is a shame that these two fellows made such serious mistakes. Many years ago, I developed a healthy streak of cowardice with respect to Mother Nature. I never hesitate to pull the plug if things look the least bit dicey. My pack always has sufficient gear and supplies to enable me to handle two nights in the woods. My family always knows exactly where I am going, how long I am staying, and when I am coming home. I leave map printouts showing my route with my wife. This has worked for me for fifty years. There is no such thing as "too careful."
Hi Luke, great words of advice. But I think the problem is that some TH-camrs. making these sort of videos and not fully explained the dangers of camping out in subzero temperatures or strong winds not being fully prepared . Especially to novices who think it looks so easy to do so they copy them. And get them self in to trouble.. with the explosion of camping in the UK and across the world I think it’s imperative that anybody who’s just started camping should watch this video and take stock of what could happen. And I think that the TH-camrs should take more responsibility in giving good sound advice and stop making videos for views .
Thanks Luke, great advice. My parents taught these things to my siblings and myself when were youngters. AS we grew up, and our adventures became more riskier, they taught us more about being safe, being prepared and following the rules. At the time, we huffed and puffed at that, but all four us, plus our parents always had a great time, and we did some awesome stuff, and all of us survived our adventures with great memories. I think only once or twice did we have near accidents, that were scary--but because of being prepared, we made it okay. WE always made it a habit to travel with God too. I feel sorry for the families of those who have lost loved ones due to unpreparedness--especially these men, as it really made the headlines here in Oregon. Families of these men were really affected by what happened. Many of us prayed for these men, sometimes people make decisions that seal their fate and God does not interfere with our free will to make decisions of folly. This is why some decent people sometimes wind up dead. It is by their own hand. May they RIP. BE safe always Luke, and I continue to pray for Lucas, and your daughter who is in the military and for your wife, Susie, Blessings, Michelle Reed, Gresham Oregon USA
SIR, YOU TAKE RISK ALL THE TIME, AND YOU ARE BY YOURSELF. ARE YOU ARMED,DO YOU HAVE BEAR SPRAY? EVERYBODY TAKES A RISK OUT THERE. PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH!!!!!!!!!
Would it have been less sad if they had gone out for another reason? Looking for Bigfoot sounds like a metaphor, a place holder. They needed to scratch an itch, they were restless and looked for an adventure. I'm with Luke on this, the sad part is that they had to die because they were ill prepared. They didn't have the necessary gear and probably ( my assumption) also lacked the proper skill set.
What Luke has told you is all beneficial information. Being a SAR K9 handler I learned all of this and the most important thing is to be prepared for the trip and communication and don't rely just on your phone, batteries die, phones get lost and sometimes you won't be able to get connection.
I watch many mountaineering videos, and you are the first to tell people to prepare well and understand what preparedness means. Some have the attitude that if I mess up someone will come to save me. Emphasizing that the rescuers have families, and they are putting their lives at risk to save climbers, hikers, etc... because of callousness or negligence. Thank you, it needs to be stated perhaps a lot more often.
Good episode! Thank you for the warnings. People looking for Bigfoot should not be looking in the middle of winter. You have to wonder if a relative is being mean spirited by reporting that to the media.
Even on a day hike, I always carry the minimum that I need to spend the night in the conditions that I will be in. Even if you can signal that you are in trouble, you still have to survive until rescue reaches you.
It seems to be like a badge of courage to not wear a life jacket and that's always been a puzzle to me, as at least it could save your life, or help you save the lives of anyone with you. What's with people who don't do what makes sense? It's false bravado, IMO and could get you killed! What's so brave about that?
i hope that just one person can see this video and adjust for their next trip outside. you are saving lives by going over this stuff. i've had some on-trail emergencies a few times, and because i had prepared for contingencies, i was able to get by being mildly uncomfortable instead of being in real danger. test all your gear at home or in a park, somewhere you won't be in trouble if it doesn't perform. make sure your clothing is appropriate for the trip, that's the main thing on your gear list protecting you from the elements. never be embarrassed to call for help if you need it, waiting until it's more dire is raising the odds you won't make it out.
Wow. Things are different today. As a teenager in the 70s my buds and i would disappear into the National forest for days at a time with a jacknife, a fishing pole and a couple books of matches.
Last time I went winter camping. I thought I was prepared to stay in the forest more than a week. I thought I had everything I needed. But, by the third day my boots leaked and my feet about froze. I hiked back to my dorm room and took a hot shower. I left all my stuff in the woods. I was only a couple miles from my room. But, most everybody went home while the lodge was closed for winter. I chose to stay to camp in peace.
For 20 years I was a member of an elite search and rescue team in South Australia. Our team pioneered Night Search Operations, which before us had always (in the context of the Australian Bush) been considered too dangerous to conduct. We were instrumental in teaching members of the South Australian Police Department “Emergency Operations Group” (precursor to SWAT) how to safely conduct Night Search. For many years afterwards only Police E.O.G. and our team were authorised to search for missing people after sunset. Night Search now is a much more common practice, but only with specially trained search teams.
All that manpower for poor planning. I know we can’t put a value on human life but this kind of thing is out of hand. National Parks are becoming a haven for morons (trying to let buffalo, feed bears, doing a hike without water…).
Back during UK lockdown in 2020 a volunteer mountain rescuer was left with life changing injuries after a call out to rescue two individuals who got into trouble even though they shouldn't have been out there at the time. The volunteer can no longer do what he loved because of two selfish expletives.
This. I know some people REALLY believe in bigfoot, but there's a simple reason why I say "They do not exist". At least, not in the lower 48. It's simple, if there was such a thing, someone somewhere, would have taken a victory lap with one in the back of a pickup truck by now. Living in the mountain west, I know there are a ton of guys who comb the backcountry every year. Placing trail camera's in the most remote out of the way spots, hunting in the most remote places and honeyholes they can find. There is NOWHERE you can go, where someone else hasn't already been. If bigfoot really existed, someone would have found him already. For reals.
Big foot i feel is a way for small mountain towns to generate money. Kind of like how hotels that do poorly make up ghost stories to generate curiousity and intrigue. People love the paranormal so theres a market for it. I know in bailey colorado, theres stories from there and the town owns it and has a sasquath museum. I think its a way to generate tourism.
@@lowfat0g Not in the lower 48. If we're talking northern Canada or somewhere in the great white north, I'm more open to the idea. In CONUS? I think it's a myth perpetuated by people who think that the wilderness areas, national forests, and Bureau of land management areas are vast, limitless with areas unspoiled and untapped. It's simply not true. There is nowhere that someone else hasn't been. I've been hunting solo in the backcountry mountain west every year, for the last 12 years, and there's a ton of guys with far more experience than I doing the same. So I'm fairly confident in my assessment.
I know you have gone over and over and over everything 1000 times but if just one person listens and does what they’re supposed to do, you have saved one more person. Thank you, Luke for everything you do.
dumb
@@rs-vl2im But the cameras can identify "stickers, bumper stickers, decals..."
#NPCworld
After 60+ years of backpacking, I realized my physical capabilities and stamina were diminished. It was time to hang up my trekking poles. Going out in my physical condition and getting injured would put others at risk attempting to rescue me. That was my choice. These two men being ill-prepared put others at risk in a rescue attempt. Lack of common sense and poor judgment brought sorrow and pain upon their loved ones. Luke, information like this you have expressed is vital to our outdoor community to remind them that nature has no empathy for those who are not properly trained, experienced, and ill-prepared. Keep up the excellent work and service to the outdoor community. Thank you. S&H.
Nature doesn't care--It simply is.
You should still backpack, just dial back the difficulty. You have the experience that if something does go wrong and you need rescue, that it is a simple rescue.
Again, the vast majority of use would rather give up our time to rescue you, than you not backpack. We are here to be a backstop if you need it. Yes, tragically some rescuers die in the process, but we understand the risks.
I hear you, I've developed such a fear of falling after three bad falls my long distance hiking days are over. 😢
Yep, they were looking for bigfoot. Goes to show how much intelligence they had
I’m sure their families appreciate you pointing out their errors as they grieve their loss.
I am a scuba instructor and in my Rescue Diver Course I use the Stop- Breathe - Think-Act cycle to prevent panic if something goes wrong - Stop what you are doing, control your breathing, think about what the problem is and what you need to do to resolve it, and then act to resolve it. I emphasize to focus your thinking on identifying the problem and coming up with a solution - and not to think about what could happen if you don’t act.
Great advice……. Hard part is staying out of fight or flight mode, and focusing on being calm and breathing
I drop a pin every time I hike. Even locally. I want my wife to know where I am in case there’s any issue. My son laughs that I have so much in my daypack, but I want to be prepared in case of an emergency for myself or another. Frankly, as a relatively new hiker I learned this mostly from channels like this.
I feel that more day hikers get into trouble than backpackers simply because backpackers are already carrying what they need to spend the night. I put more in my day pack than most, and have started carrying my garmin on all hikes w/o cell service. Why not if I own it?
wimp
Portland men
Very wise.
Like a boyscout. Better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it. Stay safe.
As former SAR member, leader, instructor, thank you for pushing the differences between accident, and stupid!
oy vey ..........
As a long time scout leader it breaks my heart how thoughtless people can be when it comes to nature. The mountains never lie, nor the desert or sea. Ugh...
Irresponsible for a govt to deny BF exist in the first place!!!
Describing bigfoot hunting as anything other than stupid would be dumb.
Being silent on how stupid it is, is the same.
@@tattooninja 😜😜
That’s my stomping grounds. Those fellas waded into the Gifford Pinchot NF during heavy rain that was on top of a layer of snow. A recipe for trouble even for the prepared.
I live in Tacoma. They should've waited until summer to go on an adventure. It's winter. It's cold outside. Stay home.
@@LaoSoftwarewinter adventures can be fun, too. You just have to know what you’re doing and, like a Boy Scout, Be Prepared.
I grew up out here and I totally agree. Gp nf is no place to play with out side of July August.
I'm a life long Las Vegas resident (born and raised) Mt. Charleston is 20 minutes from Las Vegas proper and some of it's peaks are well above 10,000ft. We get locals that go up there like they are headed to the grocery store. Shorts, T-shirts, Flip Flops etc. Down in the Vegas Valley its not uncommon for the beginning of Nov to early Jan for the daytime temps to be in the high 60s or even the 70s in the valley. Things change rapidly once you hit the Spring Mountain range in the Toiyabe National Forest it gets well below freezing from mid October to June. I had an encounter with a young family that went up there. I was coming down the mountain I have a very capable jeep rubicon equipped with recovery gear and a winch. As I was coming down off the mountain I saw a guy in jogger shorts, tennis shoes and a hoodie flagging me down. I stopped and he said that he and his family pulled off the road to look at the snow and he slid down into the ditch and was stuck nose in. They had been there for several hours. This was a 4 door honda civic with slick bald tires. The area they were stuck was not the main road and I was surprised they made it that far in. One thing about Mt. Charleston there is no service, very limited cell phone service, no gas stations etc. I got out my kinetic rope and soft shackles and attempted to pull him in out. I ended up having to winch him out onto to the road. The whole process took about two hours to get him out and almost got myself stuck in the process. Once he was back on the road I looked at his family. They had two young children (5-8 yr olds) wearing pajamas no shoes, no jackets etc. His wife was pregnant, she had on sweat pants a sweat shirt and fuzzy slippers. They had no food, no water and they were almost out of gas, they were relying on the car's heater to keep them warm. If I hadn't come along they surely would have froze to death that night.
Oh man. People!
Crazy that the guy took his family up there basically in pajamas in that type of vehicle with his pregnant wife….smh….glad you were able to help them out of trouble…
@@marquiesriley6479 I don't know if people believe in fate or luck or both. I just so happened to just go up there, I took the day off and it had snowed the night before so I said what the heck. I decided on going down a road that is not particularly on my way back home but it's very scenic as you end up on the mesa (Harris Springs Rd, if anyone gets out this way). I still think about what would've happened to them if I didn't come along. I tell myself that eventually someone would've came by but you never know.
Omygosh you saved their lives,hope was big lesson learned for these stupid parents poor kids
Got married on Mt Charleston. March of 2000. There was snow in the background of all the pics.
Huge shout out and endless thanks to all search and rescue out there!! And thank YOU for sharing these most basic but utterly vital tips for anyone adventuring. Take care, safe and wonderful travels, and all the best from Oregon 🌲
Knowing how to prepare for anything is key to coming out the other side alive. My father was an army vet. When I was young, the time he took to prepare for a road trip drove me crazy. It felt like an eternity!! That's youth for you. However, we never got stranded if we ran into issues like car trouble or finding a different route due to unforeseen closers. He knew how to fix the car if it stalled, find a new route if we had to turn around, and have food, water, and proper clothing and accessories in case we had shelter in place. Now, decades later, when venturing out, I have the same preparation no matter the weather. I'm prepared for five seasons! What is the fifth season, you ask? All the crap that you don't know will happen, of course! Thanks, Dad!!!
I'm from Scotland and this video should be watched by ever visitor to our mountains and Lochs.... Brilliant video Sir.👍👍👍
Side note- thousands of dollars worth of rescue equipment was stolen from Skamania county while this rescue was happening. Thieves cut a 10ft barbed wire fence and broke into a container.
This was heartbreaking. The community rallied and they raised enough funds to replace everything and make upgrades, including to the security of their storage facility.
Comments like this are the reason I read 'em.
Warm Regards from Reno, Nevada.
Wow. Some people!
There has been no way too substantiate that they were there looking for Big Foot. There is now an investigation into why they the sheriffsf said they were looking for big Foot there was no evidence to corroborate such a ludicrous statement. Men lost in the Forest died . Family members deny that either man was looking for a Big Foot.
What kind of people do that
Luke, thank you for this type of content. Retired fire fighter and search and rescue (old guy). People need to know and although a little sugar coating is necessary, it’s also necessary to state the facts and hopefully it will be a wake up call. Your report is on point and on the money. Stay safe
Old Guy= experience= knowledge.. Nothing "old" about that.. (Spoken by an old broad!!)
I live in Oregon and have hiked in the Columbia River Gorge and The Gif many times. Learning how to hike safely in the PNW is not something newbies realize is essential. It's incredibly sad that these two guys heading out for a fun adventure were so unprepared, and paid the ultimate price.
A few years ago there were some folks lost above Multnomah Falls - also in the Gorge. They knew enough to make a fire.. and burnt their jackets to try and stay warm.
Hiking is great, but nature needs to be respected and preparation needs to happen. Thank you for sharing about this. And for not shaming them for searching for bigfoot.
All my levity aside, this is a valid point. Respect.
Burning jackets to stay warm doesnt sound right
@@trollmcclure1884 a head shaker for sure. The Gorge is so easily accessible that I think many just don't think about preparing.
I will never regret the 10 years I spent training Boy Scouts in outdoor enjoyment and survival. Not one of them would be so foolish.
@@oberaobera I heartily agree, that kind of thing gets so many.
I was out in those woods when they recovered the bodies. Oddly enough my SOS Gps sent a non emergency support request to my family somehow. Sheriff showed up at my camp 10pm looking for me. We take it pretty seriously in those neck of the woods. Biggest issue here in the cascades is the WET! There is no way to stay dry PERIOD! Your gear needs to keep you warm WHILE WET! There are a lot more SRT stories from this area that don't make news. Like they just found 5 decapitated bodies in what we call the "berry fields" bear hunters found them.
Drug related.
Absolutely true about the wet. But 5 decapitated bodies? C'mon, they only found 2 or 3 skulls, only one of them in the berry fields. The other two were in the big lava bed and were identified as remains of hikers who had been missing for a decade or so.
@@vernonwade1645 don't let facts get in the way of a good story 🤣
I live in the Eatonville area. I tell tourist hikers all the time to wear wool when going into the woods. Yes it’s heavy, but it will keep your body warm when wet. People think they can get by with hand warmers and a light down jacket, but we know that won’t do you any good when you’re lost for the night. Fire starters are no good unless you have the knowledge to find dry wood. This requires getting to the middle of bigger pieces that may be dry. Sad story for sure.
Gifford Pinchot is no joke.
Luke seems to be a lone voice in addressing these safety issues. I hope adventurers take to heart what he's saying.
Nature Reliance School is another. Part of their cadre are SAR as well.
Is there any channel pointing out how stupid it is to "hunt Bigfoot", because it doesn't exist ?
Wow Luke! This episode was deep, nicely done!! You’re an amazing educator and have a great heart!! Thank you so much for sharing the breaking news with us!! Ignorance is no excuse, cause and effect is a real problem!! Love your reporting and your work!! Strength and honor my friend be well!! 👍🏽👍🏽💯💯❤️❤️ my condolences to the families!! 🙏🙏. From Washington state 🇺🇸
This is just a typical incident involving two inexperienced individuals that shouldn't of been out there period!
I worked with these 2 men. They were good friends and coworkers. So sad that this happened.
So sorry for your loss.....😞💐
@@jeffcone3702 sad. Rip
He was my uncle
@EvelynDAguanno lost my uncle last month. He was my best friend. It sucks
@ ya 😢
I grew up in ohio in the boy scouts. Each month we did long week end no matter the weather. It taught me so much. That 55 years ago and i still use that training.
I, too, was a lucky, lucky Boy Scout in a troop that overnighted one weekend every month, rain or shine.
Warm Regards from Reno, Nevada.
I'm also a former boy scout from ohio! I can certainly relate! 😊
Sad, people underestimate how cruel "mother" nature can be. My basic rule, if I'm leaving sight of the parking lot I'm taking basic survival gear. 100 yards in dense woods is as good as 100 miles.
Mother nature is not "cruel", that would imply malicious intent. However, she will humble you like few other things can.
I’ve learned so much watching your videos and recommend your channel to people I know who go on hiking adventures. My hiking days are over due to hip issues, but it makes my heart hurt when I hear these stories that could have been avoided. Thanks for the advice you provide!
Boy Scout motto: BE PREPARED. Luke, you have a global audience. You are respected and looked up to for gear attention and advice. You are organized, educated and understand the importance of outdoors preparation; therefore, you have an excellent opportunity to educate your audience. Thank you…from an old fan, retired in the foothills of the Smokies.
I'm not even a camper, or hiker. I don't like hardship and I stay home. I'll soon be 79 and am in poor health and have never been oudoorsy and knew it. When we were younger, we liked fishing, but when we went fishing, we would stay in a cabin, over night to get in two days of fishing. I'm not ashamed to let anyone know this as we were wise and honest with ourselves about our own limits. Not everyone is born to be a camper/hiker.
Good for you educating people. I lived near Lake Tahoe. I always had my truck packed with extra water, food, blankets, etc. Thanks again! 👍🙏
I'm around 3 hours or so from where this happened, and it happens a lot in this area. The only reason it got to be known is because they were looking for bigfoot. A few people die every year in summer the Cascades because they under estimate the quick weather changes we have here and go hiking in shorts and t-shirts. In the winter, most are better prepared but it still happens, even to people who are accomplished outdoors people. I almost lost a friend of mine on Mt. Raine1r who was prepared. It was supposed to be a day hike that ended up being two nights in a blizzard in a snow cave. No one was looking for her because she was too low to register with the ranger's station and she didn't tell anyone she was going because it was a day trip. She check the weather with the ranger's but it wasn't accurate and she got lost on a route she knew well because of the snow. 4 or 5 other people died in that same storm.
On a recent hike I came across a crashed ATV, at the time I couldn't locate anyone, but was worried that someone was injured nearby. I contacted emergency services for assistance, I didn't have cell service at the location and had to trek back to contact them. Even with a general location and giving coordinates emergency services couldn't locate me; I eventually dropped a google maps pin in the general area and still had to talk to the sheriff several times. Thankfully after going back to the crash it appeared to have been recent, but abandoned. Thank god that no one (appeared) to have been actively injured. It really brought to light the need to have self-rescue gear and skills...especially as I was hiking back to my truck in the dark after having planned to be back several hours earlier!
I've lived in Oregon my whole life and can say the terrain and weather are no joke. The area in and around the cascade mountains is often steep with canyon walls covered in dense foliage and random marshes with thick undergrowth in areas you wouldn't expect to find it. On top of that the weather in the winter can be unforgiving, I'd honestly choose 20 degrees and snowing over 40 degrees and raining most days, at least in the snow you have a chance to stay dry. But much of the winter in the valley as well as the foothills of the cascades is just cold and wet, and the coast range isn't much different and may in fact be wetter. I was sorry to hear about the loss of these to people, it's not uncommon to hear about missing hikers and the news isn't always good when they are found, I just hope some people can learn from their mistakes and avoid a similar situation in the future.
Luke:
Great report. In the Army we had to do a Risk Assessment as part of our planning for an exercise, operation, or event. These Risk Assessments were filled out on a document that included the listing of the risks, and the risk mitigation measures against those risks. We even had to do this as part of our combat operational planning in Iraq as well as our training events. If the risk was high enough, a commander had to approve the operation or training event after being briefed on the Risk Managment plan. People going out on outdoor adventures should do something similar before heading into the woodline. Thanks for sharing! Love your video editing techniques. Keep up the great work.
If the rescue is super risky, you can be sure they are gone anyway, no need to make even more problems.
Excellent job. I'm a former SAR guy and I can echo what you and some of the commenters have mentioned. And yeah, ultralight backpackers are incredibly short-sighted and ultimately selfish for falling back on dedicated people willing to give up their own time to haul them out.
Back in the late 1970's and 1980's, regardless of the season in question, regardless of the ambient air temperature at the time that the day hike/overnight trip/multi-day backpacking trip
began, and regardless of what the predicted weather for the foreseeable future beyond the anticipated end of the trip was supposed to be; I *ALWAYS* had a couple of quart ZipLoc freezer bags stashed in my pack that contained a pair of polypropylene long johns, a polypropylene long-sleeved shirt, a polypropylene balaclava, one pair each of knee-high and 8" high polypropylene socks, a pair of ragg wool socks, and one pair each of polypropylene gloves and mittens.
Along with a tiny bottle of water purification tablets, fire starting materials, a tiny chunk of candle, a 30' long hank of paracord, and a lock-back folding knife. All of the above items fit easily inside of a 1-gallon ZipLoc freezer bag with room to spare. On two separate occasions, that emergency stash saved someone else's life because I chose to be prepared, and they were not. In addition to multiple occasions, where I helped either someone else or myself when the weather took a turn for the worse, wasn't life threatening, but they/I were less than properly prepared for the new, wetter, colder weather conditions.
*That ZipLoc emergency stash bag was the end result of many miserable nights spent as a Boy Scout, as a young teenaged and early 20-somethings new backpacker, and three years in the military at Ft. Lewis, Washington; one-half of which was spent sleeping on the ground.*
*NOTE* Most of my time spent outdoors as an adult was spent in the Cascades of Washington and Oregon, as well as the Alaska Range in Alaska.
His name was David VanBuskirk with LVMPD. He was repelling to attempt rescue. Very tragic and an incredible person.
I can’t count how many times we have rescued person who needed just a little bit more gear. I can’t tell you how many times ultralight backpackers have needed our assistance. My wife refuses to ultralight as well as myself for these reasons.
Ultra light is a fad. The smugness about pack weight belies their ignorance. I encourage anyone who wants to to get into camping backpacking and outdoors activities. Know your limits and prepare as if your life depends on it. It does.
My first ultralight trip we were too early and unprepared for deeper snow. Though my son and I were excited to finish the hike I knew we had to turn back or take unwarranted risk. It isn't defeat to be smart and stay alive.
I have been hiking and camping and canoeing most of my entire life. Every time I go out I have a backpack with gear that will keep me alive no matter what happens. I believe the biggest problem is people do not think ahead and also don't believe anything will happen to them. Murphy's law applies here.
Thanks Luke, appreciate the detail and clarity. I got skewered on comments I made elsewhere about these gentlemen being wholly unprepared with not only knowledge but in clothing and footwear. In the initial reports searches were videoed using ladders on the ground to cross small streams to get to the areas where the men were eventually found. Odds are they got their boots and clothing wet, sucking the heat out of their bodies very rapidly. It wasn't reported but I highly suspect alcohol played a big role in their decision making and made them more susceptible to hypothermia as well.
I feel sorry for those men and their families, hopefully their demise will help others like you educate the inexperienced.
I, too, suspect alcohol.
Love your videos. Sad story. FLIR is an acronym that stands for "Forward Looking InfaRed" and is pronounced "fleer." The company is FLIR Systems and is located in Wilsonville just south of Portland Oregon. Their technology has saved a lot of lives and helped SAR, law enforcement and the military.
Glad you pointed out that Luke butchered the pronunciation of FLIR (rhymes with “deer” 🦌, not “fur”)!😅
My former MCCES (Marine Corps Communications-Electronics School) room/classmate works for FLIR Systems and has visited me a few times here in Japan. I’m sure that Luke’s version of the name would be like fingernails on a chalkboard😵 to my friend! 🤣
@@BushidoDevilDog What words do you mispronounce? When it comes to American military acronyms--It's hard to determine what they mean, unless you've learned them. Same with Aviation acronyms.
Being prepared is the boy scout motto
When i go out up in the mountains.... Luke and Susie's voices are in my head. Thank you for all you do. Thank you for sharing
Great video. Always be prepared. You always do right by people and make sure they are informed, even if you have to say it a million times. You rock, Luke.
I appreciate this video and your messaging. My fear is that nobody cares about any first responder or frontline worker ( this hostility has exploded since 2020) … many people think since we “ chose” the job our lives are meaningless or expendable. This ideology needs to change!
What do you mean? You are paid extra for the risk. You should be the most prepared person in the area. You dont even need to buy the stuff. It's all Gucci gear from uncle Sam and tax payers 🙂
@@annemarieandrus3912 January sixth 2021 showed how little nearly half of our country care about first responders
@ I work in a 🏥 and nothing is Gucci. If you think any $$ is enough for the risk followed by hate after the fact, you have never left your basement.
Yes it does need to change. This is the, "Entitlement," generations' attitude toward anyone who isn't them. Isn't it a shameful thing! It saddens me so.
@@Justmekpc I pray for all first responders all the time. The first thing I did when covid came along was to pray for the safety and health of all first responders and I've kept on doing so. I wonder if the entitled generations ever think about what it would be like if there were no people to respond to rescues when they are needed. Probably not.
Year's ago I brought a inexperienced team of rock climbers to a remote part of the Superstition Wilderness Area to climb Weavers Needle (AZ), we had plenty of gear, just not winter gear. The forecast was for a slight chance of a storm.
We hiked in about 15-20 miles to the base of this tower of rock, made camp and awoke around 3am to heavy snowfall, a early winter storm had blown in. Over the next 2 day's we sat around waiting for good weather to come, so we could safely climb.
This was made possible because I had brought in a field tested liquid fuel stove, and a titanium pot/cup. This allowed us to boil water and heat ourselves with our water bottles
The Superstition Wilderness is a barren mostly cacti filled area with little to no wood to scavenge to burn.
Having this stove not only kept us alive it allowed us to wait out the storm until we could climb up, and later hike out.
Bottom line don't count on mother earth to provide you with wood to burn, bring a stove, and one that is reliable and tested, and one that can be maintained in the field, I prefer MSR or Primus.
Best of luck in your adventures.
I've looked at Weaver's Needle numerous times, always from the overlook atop the Peralta trail took photos at times when others were in the process of climbing Weaver's Needle in spring or early fall.
Warm Regards from Reno, Nevada.
@azclaimjumper Cheers Mate
Two simple words to live by, no matter the situation. "BE PREPARED"!
Gifford Pinchot forest is heavily wooded and rough terrain. It tends to be wet and gets snow early. There are just a couple of very small towns inthat area. It's easy to get lost and not a place to play around.
I’d be scared
As a female single camper/hiker, safety is my #1 concern. I camp only in Texas State Parks. I check in with the office before I go camping. I leave a note of where I’m going and when I’ll return. I carry a g u n, and an emergency beacon locator. But most importantly, I STAY ON THE TRAIL. If I have to take a pee brake, it’s on the trail. Gross? Nope. People have lost their lives leaving the trail to go on a bathroom brake.
I don't think looking for bigfoot is stupid. but going into the Washington Wilderness in Winter unprepared is.
Very sad for the hikers and their families, glad that none of the responders were hurt. As a Bigfooter and an outdoorsman I am shocked at the number of Bigfooters I bump into that have bad clothing, gear, and no outdoor skills whatsoever, but carry thousands of dollars in night vision, thermal cameras, and audio recording equipment.
Greetings Luke and everyone from North Borneo ✨️
Thank you for your messaging on being prepared during adventures. In addition to preparedness being responsible it also makes the adventure more fun, gives a piece of mind and during the process of assessing a level of preparedness comes an assessment of ability.
Great video thanks for sharing. I live in Scotland UK, just north of the Cairngorm mountains. Every year we have the same, hikers going into the mountains unprepared. Every year our mountain rescue heroes go out in horrendous conditions to carry people off the mountains, every year people die on the mountains. People just don’t realise how bad it can get
I love the reality that there are infrared cameras that can search for people but somehow these cameras wouldn’t work on a large hairy Sasquatch! They must have advanced primitive cloaking technology brought to them by alien creators.
Of course they work, there is footage from Australian yowiehunters with thermal images. This footage even made it onto state TV.
Have you ever seen thermal imagery of an animal adapted to cold environments such as a husky dog or a polar bear? Basically you can only see their faces. Their double insulation coats "cloak" their body heat almost perfectly.
I agree, but the reason they don't show up on camera is that they are so dirty and stinky that the fumes from them obscure all hope of getting a clear shot of to prove they exist. Two things you could bet a million dollars on: They either do, or they don't exist.
Truly we live in Clownworld
Bravo pour la version française 👍♥️
people will be surprised how deadly cold will be ( I tried winter camping in my back yard ) in conditions of -25 C light wind and snow ( -13 F ) ...my takeaway...it is much colder and deadly then we think...even with proper clothes and boots...my hands became numb in 1 hour...starting fire...difficult the lighter gave up the ghost used matches and candle...even with winter boots and fire feet began to freeze at 2 1/2 hours went inside house...imagine if this happened in the woods...in 3 hours...near dead
Thanks for sharing. Comments like yours is the reason I read 'em.
Warm Regards from Reno, Nevada.
That’s smart and a big lesson on what can happen even with preparation.
I LOVE this new thing you are doing reporting hiker stories!!! Keep them coming please.
God Bless you luck for telling everyone how to be prepared if going out on a long trip.You are totally right if your going out you should always let someone know where you are going.
It's not as cut and dry regarding leaving info of your intended route. If you choose to change your plans outside of cell service due to a million different reasons (blow downs, changing conditions, floods, anything), then telling someone where you originally intended to go will actually hamper s+r as they will be looking in the entirely wrong place.
I've been involved in many mountain rescue searches in the Scottish Highlands and that piece of advice just isn't 100% solid all the time.
Be good enough to cope with any conditions, and know your limits, is the best way to come home safely.
They went on an impromptu search for Sasquatch on the afternoon of Christmas Eve. I'll go out on a limb here and suggest alcohol was involved.
Flock cams = big brother
We are not as free as some of us want to believe!
paranoid much?
Do you have a credit card? That is more tracking than a camera.
@@hokuotaku9027you opt into a cc... No one wad asked about flock, they just started installing them across the country. It's a violation of our constitutional rights.
@@Zack-Hates-TH-cam100%.
Thanks!
Thank you for covering this heartbreaking story so folks can hopefully learn. Don’t be scared of nature. Respect it. I camp in this area often and this story hits home. Damp and cold = hypothermia without the right prep.
Searching for something you won't find... Tragic
sasquatch are out there but the chances of finding them intentionally is slim, I was a non believer for years until we saw one tree planting in 2005
It's a pretty huge moneymaking hoax on YT, there's loads of channels about strange noises in the woods or whatever, and they get way more views than most survival channels that teach actual skills. Notice how most channels like this are scared to point out that there's no evidence of any "bigfoot" anywhere.
@@tattooninja Not a single bone, not a tooth, not a hair, no scat, no identifiable sign of anything even remotely real, yet romance and adventure, or the money that they can potentially make from these shows, TH-cam Channels, and various other mediums keep them "searching". The dense forests of this part of the world, the other-worldly look of our moss clad, mushroom filled, dense forests and temperate rain forest, all look spooky enough to be a credible place to find something mysterious. They conceal countless animals that make odd sounds, such as the Marbled Murrelet, a night dwelling forest seabird, countless owls, various weasels, bears; all having voices to hear. it is a beautiful but sometimes deadly environment. The biggest danger to humans are ourselves. This is a tragedy that should remind anyone who ventures into our forests to be aware of the dangers and to use good judgment.
@@swibwi i didn’t know Sasquatch could plant trees.
@@jamiejfowler well how miss informed of you
Great video on knowing the basics before any adventure.
Play dumb games, win stupid prizes
Big Foot? REALLY?!?!?!?!? Family and friends lives change forever because of that stupidity!
Bigfoot lives matter !
I can't tell you everything about FLIR. Not only did I experience it in the Navy, I also worked with it in the civilian world. There's a lot of capabilities
Whole sad that these people passed, i 1,000% agree with your assessment
My son belongs to Portland Mountain Rescue and he tells me about some rescues. Something that hits home to me is not just the right equipment, but also someone’s weight. You can be too big to get carried out. There is an amazing amount of people involved in rescuing someone. Just be safe and responsible
Thank you for this video. It is a shame that these two fellows made such serious mistakes.
Many years ago, I developed a healthy streak of cowardice with respect to Mother Nature. I never hesitate to pull the plug if things look the least bit dicey. My pack always has sufficient gear and supplies to enable me to handle two nights in the woods. My family always knows exactly where I am going, how long I am staying, and when I am coming home. I leave map printouts showing my route with my wife. This has worked for me for fifty years.
There is no such thing as "too careful."
Those cameras are more like highly advanced invasion of privacy.
Hi Luke, great words of advice. But I think the problem is that some TH-camrs. making these sort of videos and not fully explained the dangers of camping out in subzero temperatures or strong winds not being fully prepared . Especially to novices who think it looks so easy to do so they copy them. And get them self in to trouble.. with the explosion of camping in the UK and across the world I think it’s imperative that anybody who’s just started camping should watch this video and take stock of what could happen. And I think that the TH-camrs should take more responsibility in giving good sound advice and stop making videos for views .
Thank you Luke. I appreciate all your knowledge and compassion. 😍Looking for Bigfoot? Really?
I'm guessing these guys were high AF.
@DesignRhythm: Why, because they think different than you, have different beliefs than yours? Not a part of the sheeple herd that you belong to?
Thanks Luke, great advice. My parents taught these things to my siblings and myself when were youngters. AS we grew up, and our adventures became more riskier, they taught us more about being safe, being prepared and following the rules. At the time, we huffed and puffed at that, but all four us, plus our parents always had a great time, and we did some awesome stuff, and all of us survived our adventures with great memories. I think only once or twice did we have near accidents, that were scary--but because of being prepared, we made it okay. WE always made it a habit to travel with God too.
I feel sorry for the families of those who have lost loved ones due to unpreparedness--especially these men, as it really made the headlines here in Oregon. Families of these men were really affected by what happened. Many of us prayed for these men, sometimes people make decisions that seal their fate and God does not interfere with our free will to make decisions of folly. This is why some decent people sometimes wind up dead. It is by their own hand. May they RIP.
BE safe always Luke, and I continue to pray for Lucas, and your daughter who is in the military and for your wife, Susie, Blessings, Michelle Reed, Gresham Oregon USA
"Searching for bigfoot"...that alone speaks volumes on the intelligence of these people.
So you don't believe we'll good. I don't have that luxury. But according to you I guess I'm stupid
@@mickiejudd4699got it right!
libs
City folk have an enchanted view of nature. It is life and death.
Coulda been avoided ! Thanks Luke ! S & H !
SIR, YOU TAKE RISK ALL THE TIME, AND
YOU ARE BY YOURSELF. ARE YOU
ARMED,DO YOU HAVE
BEAR SPRAY? EVERYBODY TAKES A
RISK OUT THERE.
PRACTICE WHAT YOU
PREACH!!!!!!!!!
Hello 👋 Luke, thank you for sharing these vital reminders. 😊
The saddest part of this is that these men lost their lives searching for Bigfoot?
Would it have been less sad if they had gone out for another reason? Looking for Bigfoot sounds like a metaphor, a place holder. They needed to scratch an itch, they were restless and looked for an adventure.
I'm with Luke on this, the sad part is that they had to die because they were ill prepared. They didn't have the necessary gear and probably ( my assumption) also lacked the proper skill set.
Thought, if big foot did exist don't you believe with all of the technology he would have been located as well?
Bigfoot doesn't have a car, so a Flock camera or license plate reader is utterly useless... 🤔😉
What Luke has told you is all beneficial information. Being a SAR K9 handler I learned all of this and the most important thing is to be prepared for the trip and communication and don't rely just on your phone, batteries die, phones get lost and sometimes you won't be able to get connection.
So tragic. I have empathy, but they were the masters of their own destiny.
Lucas i totally agree with what you said about the two men 100 percent.
Searching for bigfoot? Pretty much sums up the mental state of these guys. Darwin award perhaps?
Someone should do a poll in Portland to see how many people believe in "bigfoot"....I bet it's a large majority, even after hearing about this story.
Luke, always great wisdom and advice.
I watch many mountaineering videos, and you are the first to tell people to prepare well and understand what preparedness means. Some have the attitude that if I mess up someone will come to save me. Emphasizing that the rescuers have families, and they are putting their lives at risk to save climbers, hikers, etc... because of callousness or negligence. Thank you, it needs to be stated perhaps a lot more often.
Good episode! Thank you for the warnings. People looking for Bigfoot should not be looking in the middle of winter. You have to wonder if a relative is being mean spirited by reporting that to the media.
They couldn't find a lighter. I don't think they were gonna find bigfoot.
They died looking for something that doesn't exist? Dumb way to go.
Even on a day hike, I always carry the minimum that I need to spend the night in the conditions that I will be in. Even if you can signal that you are in trouble, you still have to survive until rescue reaches you.
As a boater i do not leave the dock without a plan and given to multiple people. i lways wear a flotation devive and have a waterproof radio
It seems to be like a badge of courage to not wear a life jacket and that's always been a puzzle to me, as at least it could save your life, or help you save the lives of anyone with you. What's with people who don't do what makes sense? It's false bravado, IMO and could get you killed! What's so brave about that?
What did these 2 men do wrong? Come on... theyre LOOKING FOR BIGFOOT..
They could have been prepared for the weather, at least.
i hope that just one person can see this video and adjust for their next trip outside. you are saving lives by going over this stuff. i've had some on-trail emergencies a few times, and because i had prepared for contingencies, i was able to get by being mildly uncomfortable instead of being in real danger. test all your gear at home or in a park, somewhere you won't be in trouble if it doesn't perform. make sure your clothing is appropriate for the trip, that's the main thing on your gear list protecting you from the elements. never be embarrassed to call for help if you need it, waiting until it's more dire is raising the odds you won't make it out.
Professional advice is priceless. Please listen to this Man 🙏
You should make many more vids like this! Educational and well presented!
Mt man here watching 👍👍 I seen that is America seriously 😳 that crazy
Plot twist: they found bigfoot and bigfoot took their survival gear.
Wow. Things are different today. As a teenager in the 70s my buds and i would disappear into the National forest for days at a time with a jacknife, a fishing pole and a couple books of matches.
Hopefully, not in midwinter.
@krishadyn5211 HaHa. No, we were not that irresponsible. We weren't looking for bigfoot either btw. 😜
Last time I went winter camping. I thought I was prepared to stay in the forest more than a week. I thought I had everything I needed. But, by the third day my boots leaked and my feet about froze. I hiked back to my dorm room and took a hot shower. I left all my stuff in the woods. I was only a couple miles from my room. But, most everybody went home while the lodge was closed for winter. I chose to stay to camp in peace.
Well presented Luke. Congrats
My grandfather hunted to feed his family. Even when he was hunting out of season, he ALWAYS let my grandmother know where he was going.
For 20 years I was a member of an elite search and rescue team in South Australia.
Our team pioneered Night Search Operations, which before us had always (in the context of the Australian Bush) been considered too dangerous to conduct.
We were instrumental in teaching members of the South Australian Police Department “Emergency Operations Group” (precursor to SWAT) how to safely conduct Night Search.
For many years afterwards only Police E.O.G. and our team were authorised to search for missing people after sunset.
Night Search now is a much more common practice, but only with specially trained search teams.
All that manpower for poor planning. I know we can’t put a value on human life but this kind of thing is out of hand. National Parks are becoming a haven for morons (trying to let buffalo, feed bears, doing a hike without water…).
Back during UK lockdown in 2020 a volunteer mountain rescuer was left with life changing injuries after a call out to rescue two individuals who got into trouble even though they shouldn't have been out there at the time. The volunteer can no longer do what he loved because of two selfish expletives.
"Let's talk about what these individuals did wrong" Well... searching for Bigfoot for starters,
This. I know some people REALLY believe in bigfoot, but there's a simple reason why I say "They do not exist". At least, not in the lower 48. It's simple, if there was such a thing, someone somewhere, would have taken a victory lap with one in the back of a pickup truck by now. Living in the mountain west, I know there are a ton of guys who comb the backcountry every year. Placing trail camera's in the most remote out of the way spots, hunting in the most remote places and honeyholes they can find. There is NOWHERE you can go, where someone else hasn't already been. If bigfoot really existed, someone would have found him already. For reals.
Your opinion only.
Big foot i feel is a way for small mountain towns to generate money. Kind of like how hotels that do poorly make up ghost stories to generate curiousity and intrigue. People love the paranormal so theres a market for it. I know in bailey colorado, theres stories from there and the town owns it and has a sasquath museum. I think its a way to generate tourism.
@MiddleOutdoorsman there are jungles and forests that are still unexplored by man, atleast on record. New species are still being discovered.
@@lowfat0g Not in the lower 48. If we're talking northern Canada or somewhere in the great white north, I'm more open to the idea. In CONUS? I think it's a myth perpetuated by people who think that the wilderness areas, national forests, and Bureau of land management areas are vast, limitless with areas unspoiled and untapped. It's simply not true. There is nowhere that someone else hasn't been. I've been hunting solo in the backcountry mountain west every year, for the last 12 years, and there's a ton of guys with far more experience than I doing the same. So I'm fairly confident in my assessment.