San Rafael Desert - RIP

[Travelmonkey]

https://www.ksl.com/index.php?sid=45630719&nid=968

A woman's body was found in the San Rafael Desert.  It looks her MH became stuck in a wash and she started walking for help or to where she could get cell signal.  She had water, food, phone with her.  Foul play does not appear to be involved.  She was 82.

I'm not sure if there is a lesson here or not and I won't second guess her judgement.  Beware of washes?  From the pictures the washed out road looks bad, but maybe it didn't in person and she had success getting pass others before.  Know how to self-rescue a stuck vehicle?  Judging from the picture, it would be difficult to get the MH out w/o help.  Maybe this is the reason to carry a Personal Locator Beacon if you are traveling alone in remote places.

I would like to think this lady was out enjoying life, exploring the desert and ran into some bad luck.  RIP.

 

[highdesertranger]

lots of lesson to learn. the most important I feel is if you get stuck like this stay with your vehicle, DO NOT TRY TO WALK OUT. now we can talk about if she should have been on that road by herself. relying on a cell phone for emergency communication. a few more lesser lessons. highdesertranger

 

[frater secessus]

I've reading a book called The Ultimate Desert Handbook which makes the same point.  A vehicle is a provider of shelter, resources and shade, and is easily spotted by rescuers.

That white MH really stands out against the desert geography.

 

[TrainChaser]

The temps there have been in the low 90s (assuming that this was quite recent). Temps are usually measured in the shade. Direct sunlight on desert sand was guaranteed higher + 5 miles + 82 years = recipe for trouble.

Don't drive into moving water, PERIOD.

Don't drive into still water -- you don't know what's under the surface.

I was raised in the desert, and I don't go out into the desert boondocks in the heat of summer.

 

[CautionToTheWind]

Too much can go wrong out there in the heat let alone water involved. 1 foot with a lighter vehicle can sweep ya' away. Not worth it to chance. RIP Ms. Clark

 

[WriterMs]

Many older people do not feel heat as such. Often in their 80s, a person will feel cold even if the temp is in the upper 70s. For the last few years, my mom wanted her thermostat at least at 80 before she felt "comfy." But though they may not feel hot, the body still gets dehydrated.. and maybe without any notice of that.

One silver lining in the tragedy is that she had evidently been living the life she wanted to live?

 

[Scott7022]

My Mom is 92 and she keeps the temp in the house at 80. My fancy disco watch says it is 84. Year round. She takes her silk t and long johns off in summer as it is warmer and she doesn't believe in AC. So yes, probably the case with the added stress of; "I am Stuck."

Personal locator.
I carry an Iridium extreme. I have survived in deserts, jungles, and tundra. But why not have an easy button.

IMHO Stay with the rig. Use less energy, water, and wait. Water, Shelter and someone should be along in a month.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

I agree that it is usually best to stay with the vehicle.

But then there was the case of the guy who got stuck on a snow covered, closed road and stayed with his vehicle.  He starved to death, and he was less than a couple of miles from an open highway he could have easily walked to.

So each situation requires some careful thought, rather than a "one-size-fits-all" approach.

 

[user 423]

He starved to death, and he was less than a couple of miles from an open highway he could have easily walked to.

Having a GPS that would have shown his surroundings would probably have saved his life.

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

It's usually best to stay with the vehicle, especially if you have an RV and it's stocked with food and water. However, it's also good to know where you're going and what's in the general area around you.....whether help is a few miles away or 50 should play a big role in your decision making. And whether or not anyone knows where you are and if someone would call for help if they haven't heard from you in awhile. Knowing your limitations and being honest with yourself about them also goes a long way.
When Lyme put me on crutches for two years, I knew if I broke down somewhere, walking anywhere was out of the question if I got into trouble. I wasn't doing any big road or camping trips so for the most part help was never very far away. But I threw a few extra things in my truck just in case.....extra blanket, change of clothes, few gallons of water, some snacks and a buddy heater. I also never left the house with out a full cell phone charge and bought an extra battery for it I left in the glove box. I figured the worst spot I could get into was sliding off the road and into a ditch in the winter and being on my own for a night. So that's what I based my preparations on.

And sometimes no matter how prepared you are, life happens. When it's time it's time. I hope she lived her final years doing what she loved.

May she rest in peace.

 

[chrisbailey]

I hope she lived her final years doing what she loved.

Hoping for the same and that whatever took her was quick.

RIP

 

[HumbleBeginnings]

...
One silver lining in the tragedy is that she had evidently been living the life she wanted to live?

Yes! Many people are shocked at the idea of me backpacking in the wilderness, days away from help. What if I'm attacked by a bear, bitten by a snake, or fall and break my leg?

Well... what if I miss out on all that fun and adventure in the name of avoiding danger, only to be killed on the freeway commuting to a dreary office? If I die in the wilderness, know that I died doing what I loved! I hope I'm on the road at 82 like she was. 

---

Aaron

 

[CautionToTheWind]

^^^ Amen HB!