Missing Zion hiker found after 2 weeks

[crestone14ers]

This is bringing back memories of a fellow who went for a winter hike up Mt. Bierstadt from Guanella Pass in conditions with low visibility and a impending storm, descended the wrong ridge to end up in the basin to the east of the Bierstadt, and spent at least two wintry nights in the backcountry. In the news it was reported that he didn't tell people where he was going, but it also came out that after the weather broke he could see where he was. Eventually a rescue helicopter spotted him and extracted him from the backcountry. The local news stations showed him getting off the helicopter wearing a down suit and he waived with a smile to the cameras. He also offered advice in a news conference that if you're lost, stay put and let the rescuers come and find you. Got all that? This was a short time after the Ralston affair, and when I "added it all up," it seemed like this guy was staging his own "getting lost" plan. You don't tell people where you're going, but your advice is to remain stationary until rescuers find you? Sure, makes sense. And you're not willing to reclimb the peak under sunny skies that you were willing to climb under threatening weather conditions?

When people get lost, I always question whether a motive exists to gain a little Ralston-esque fame. Doubt if I'm alone.

DArcy... sorry to tell you... I know the guy in question, former CMC instructor, accomplished on the peaks, Denali. he and I hiked and climbed a lot together. He simply screwed up, he admitted it, his glasses froze over, left his goggles home, lost his bearings, went down the wrong side, had gear to survive, hunkered down, the weather was downright total winter-on. Yes, he was embarrassed, but he survived. He wasn't looking to be the next Ralston, far from it. Has three kids and a wife who he wanted to come home to. Down suit? No. He had gear for Denali and a bag for survival. That's how his pack was usually for solo winter climbs. His intelligence is like yours... left brain prepared. He simply screwed up, nothing more.

[CaptCO]

This is bringing back memories of a fellow who went for a winter hike up Mt. Bierstadt from Guanella Pass in conditions with low visibility and a impending storm, descended the wrong ridge to end up in the basin to the east of the Bierstadt, and spent at least two wintry nights in the backcountry. In the news it was reported that he didn't tell people where he was going, but it also came out that after the weather broke he could see where he was. Eventually a rescue helicopter spotted him and extracted him from the backcountry. The local news stations showed him getting off the helicopter wearing a down suit and he waived with a smile to the cameras. He also offered advice in a news conference that if you're lost, stay put and let the rescuers come and find you. Got all that? This was a short time after the Ralston affair, and when I "added it all up," it seemed like this guy was staging his own "getting lost" plan. You don't tell people where you're going, but your advice is to remain stationary until rescuers find you? Sure, makes sense. And you're not willing to reclimb the peak under sunny skies that you were willing to climb under threatening weather conditions?

When people get lost, I always question whether a motive exists to gain a little Ralston-esque fame. Doubt if I'm alone.

DArcy... sorry to tell you... I know the guy in question, former CMC instructor, accomplished on the peaks, Denali. he and I hiked and climbed a lot together. He simply screwed up, he admitted it, his glasses froze over, left his goggles home, lost his bearings, went down the wrong side, had gear to survive, hunkered down, the weather was downright total winter-on. Yes, he was embarrassed, but he survived. He wasn't looking to be the next Ralston, far from it. Has three kids and a wife who he wanted to come home to. Down suit? No. He had gear for Denali and a bag for survival. That's how his pack was usually for solo winter climbs. His intelligence is like yours... left brain prepared. He simply screwed up, nothing more.

Well said, most can plan to a T. At the end of the day, s**t can hit the fan no matter what.

[DArcyS]

This is bringing back memories of a fellow who went for a winter hike up Mt. Bierstadt from Guanella Pass in conditions with low visibility and a impending storm, descended the wrong ridge to end up in the basin to the east of the Bierstadt, and spent at least two wintry nights in the backcountry. In the news it was reported that he didn't tell people where he was going, but it also came out that after the weather broke he could see where he was. Eventually a rescue helicopter spotted him and extracted him from the backcountry. The local news stations showed him getting off the helicopter wearing a down suit and he waived with a smile to the cameras. He also offered advice in a news conference that if you're lost, stay put and let the rescuers come and find you. Got all that? This was a short time after the Ralston affair, and when I "added it all up," it seemed like this guy was staging his own "getting lost" plan. You don't tell people where you're going, but your advice is to remain stationary until rescuers find you? Sure, makes sense. And you're not willing to reclimb the peak under sunny skies that you were willing to climb under threatening weather conditions?

When people get lost, I always question whether a motive exists to gain a little Ralston-esque fame. Doubt if I'm alone.

DArcy... sorry to tell you... I know the guy in question, former CMC instructor, accomplished on the peaks, Denali. he and I hiked and climbed a lot together. He simply screwed up, he admitted it, his glasses froze over, left his goggles home, lost his bearings, went down the wrong side, had gear to survive, hunkered down, the weather was downright total winter-on. Yes, he was embarrassed, but he survived. He wasn't looking to be the next Ralston, far from it. Has three kids and a wife who he wanted to come home to. Down suit? No. He had gear for Denali and a bag for survival. That's how his pack was usually for solo winter climbs. His intelligence is like yours... left brain prepared. He simply screwed up, nothing more.

How much time has passed? Around 20 years? So, perhaps my recollection is at fault, but this event stuck in my mind because of the circumstances. Yes, we can be forgiving and give this fellow the benefit of the doubt. Nothing wrong with that, it's being a good friend. But neither you nor I can read this fellow's mind, so we will never know what his true intentions were. All that can be said with a fair degree of certainty is that there's a probability that he intentionally got lost for a planned bivouac to test his skills and equipment, and it is not 0. In your eyes, it's darn close to 0, but it's not zero. Think Madoff, for example ... you never know.

[greenonion]

My god let this rest

[timisimaginary]

i think the more important question here is: did she or did she not find Forrest Fenn's hidden treasure chest?

[druid2112]

I mean.... it's just too funny. (I do hope that she gets some mental help). I mean, the sharpie, the perfect hash marks on the tree, that will definitely make the movie. Maybe shoulda researched that whole 12 days w/o water thing in the research phase tho. Just too funny, or not, since a lot of sparse resources were wasted.

[onebyone]

My god let this rest

You just bumped the thread.

[Candace66]

I'm looking forward to seeing this NPS report...

"Zion National Park is currently finishing up an investigative report on Courtier's case and officials say they plan to release it to the public as soon as it is complete.

Details of the case, including how much taxpayer money the search cost, how many staff and volunteers searched for her, her discovery and other conclusions will be included in the report."

https://www.thespectrum.com/story/news/ ... 733041001/

[timisimaginary]

I'm looking forward to seeing this NPS report...

"Zion National Park is currently finishing up an investigative report on Courtier's case and officials say they plan to release it to the public as soon as it is complete.

Details of the case, including how much taxpayer money the search cost, how many staff and volunteers searched for her, her discovery and other conclusions will be included in the report."

https://www.thespectrum.com/story/news/ ... 733041001/

hopefully this will clear up whether she was hiking in high heels or not.

[timstich]

The concussion story element is always added to explain bizarre behavior or discrepancies in what the lost person does. Remember the AWOL guy Lance "lost" in Eldorado Canyon in Boulder some years ago? I was there when his friend reported him lost. He had fallen and "hit his head" right off the trail, which explained why he was wandering off into the woods. Of course he was actually getting on a bus to another state later that day.

[onebyone]

The concussion story element is always added to explain bizarre behavior or discrepancies in what the lost person does. Remember the AWOL guy Lance "lost" in Eldorado Canyon in Boulder some years ago? I was there when his friend reported him lost. He had fallen and "hit his head" right off the trail, which explained why he was wandering off into the woods. Of course he was actually getting on a bus to another state later that day.

The family is now starting to throw out the mental illness angle. She's now "getting the mental health help she needs" and "she has struggled with mental health issues."

This is likely what is going on here. Even if there is a "selling story" angle involved. The family is saying that the media has really blown this story up. But, in all reality, it was the family who claimed she survived because she was near a water source, she hit her head, she couldn't walk two steps without falling down, and so on. None of which was true.

There are a lot of crazy people out there and it's hard to be mad at someone who is not in their right mind. She prob went off her meds, was on her own away from family and friend support, and it just went downhill from there. Glad she's getting help and hopefully can back on her feet soon (pun unintended).

[NathanRL]

The concussion story element is always added to explain bizarre behavior or discrepancies in what the lost person does. Remember the AWOL guy Lance "lost" in Eldorado Canyon in Boulder some years ago? I was there when his friend reported him lost. He had fallen and "hit his head" right off the trail, which explained why he was wandering off into the woods. Of course he was actually getting on a bus to another state later that day.

Wow, I had forgotten about that. His parents were friends of friends and I helped search, which mostly consisted of wandering around hiking trails screaming his name. That was so bizarre, to learn it was all a cover story.