You see this story?

[Yakov]

He got paid 160k for being an idiot and wandering off unprepared?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090719/...ish_backpacker

See you guys in a few weeks...

[crashdive123]

Well, he does recognize the fact that what he did was stupid and would qualify him for the Numpty thread. At first glance off of this while people were risking their lives to save you is wrong, but he did say that any money he made (assuming he meant the $160K) was going to re rescuers.

[Sarge47]

I think, that at least he's learned his lesson. Lucky for him that he made it out alive to do so. NOTE: No survival gear with him. No knife or anything that we'd carry.

[Top it off - let it idle]

This is a perfect example of the general attitude people have about "day hikes". There is the perception that it's OK to wander off "for the day" with a swig of water and a snack. I can't tell you how many times I've seen people, often with small children, hitting the trail midday with a thunderstorm building with nothing but the clothes on their back and a couple of bottled waters. They think that an established trail is the same as a trip to the mall.

I'm very glad this individual has the maturity (perhaps new found) to realize how much he took for granted, the dire consequences he faced and is not (let's hope) ready to cash in on his stupidity. It's great that they plan to give the money to the SAR group. I know the team I used to belong to is all volunteer, charges nothing for putting there rears on the line and are community supported.

[endurance]

I just had a conversation with a coworker trying to convince her to at least carry rain ponchos for herself and her kids. I have a feeling if I don't go buy some for her, it'll never happen. She said she never goes off the trail and with her four year old, she never goes more than a couple miles... We all know just how much can go wrong just a half mile down the trail when a hail storm rolls through and one of the kids sprains an ankle on the way out.

[Rick]

I have an idea for the next reality TV show. One that would involve wilderness exploration and be very entertaining. It will be filmed live with no commercial interruptions. I figure this will be SO good that any sponsor will be overwhelmed with business just for having their name associated with it. Ready?

Extreme Numpties

That should be funny as ... heck.

[hankjmatt]

hi
i am new here.
I think i see it now
thanks for your sharing.

[ClayPick]

Phone Australia's "60 Minutes" !!!! I'm on my way!!!! I'm good for 30 days!!!!!!!

[pocomoonskyeyes]

Holy Smokes this guy was lucky!!! I have been "lost" in a park before. and was Sorry that the SAR was called at all. but I was almost the only one that knew anything about the "woods", forget about the next step survival, and was glad that I was with the others, or a bad situation could've been worse. We got caught in a gorge after dark with no light. so once it was too dark to see I made everyone sit down and wait for the search party I knew would be coming. This one girl was bawling.which made it even worse. Searchers found us within an hour or so after everyone was supposed to be out. No injuries (except my pride), which surprised the SAR,they were expecting the worst.

[Pict]

We had a similar situation in Brazil many years ago. One of our pastors took a large group of boys on a long day hike that was supposed to be a loop. Along the way they took a wrong turn down a trail that led them farther and farther away into the bush. Since they were only intending to be away for a few hours they had very little water, no lights, nothing in the way of survival gear or know-how. They made everybody stop about midnight and two guys decided to follow a trail and came to a farm house and arraigned a guide to get them back to the campground. Universally they complained about the lack of water. They had passed a small stream but had no way to treat it so nobody drank any. Most had set off with no water and those that did only took a small 500 ml bottle and used it all up before sunset.

That experience left a deep impression on many of them and several have since taken my course. It's one thing to know you can sit down and wait on rescue, it's is another to know that you could grow old waiting for one. In our area they would have had to wait until the next day and figured it out. They got lucky and everybody knew it. Mac

[pocomoonskyeyes]

Yeah I see what you mean, I had another "edge" as it was a Trail I had helped build about a decade earlier,while in the YCC.I was just going to wait for daylight,getting out for us would've been a relatively simple matter. It was just too dangerous to proceed with zero visibility at night. Too easy for someone to get hurt. I knew that we would've made matters worse by continuing to travel. So it was just a matter of "hunker down and wait".Still feel Bad for the SAR all we needed was a flashlight. One simple piece of equipment....