I got a call this evening for Search and Rescue for a lost hiker... So I'll be gone gang don't give the staff to much crap...

I got a call this evening for Search and Rescue for a lost hiker... So I'll be gone gang don't give the staff to much crap...

Godspeed, Mike! I pray the situation will come out for better than worse! Nasty time to be getting lost in the mountains!

good luck mike hope it all turns out good

I return home... Tired... But a 46 year old male is safely heading home without injury. What had happen is that pair of hikers camped out at Kirkwood Ranch on the Snake River. Took off together to head out to Suicide Ridge and the male hiker desided he going to take a different trail back to camp. The female hiker which was older didn't follow she return to camp. By evening he did return back. So SAR's was called out. I left the house this morning at 6am MDT (no I did set my clock! :banghead:)But I made it to Riggins, ID on time but no one was there. So my buddy James called dispatch and our IC commander told use to meet him at Cow Creek Saddle. So we left town and got to Lucile, ID and rode the ATV's up to Cow Creek Saddle not knowing if the road is passible with truck and trailer. Cold and Dark we get our orders to head for Kirkwood Ranch. http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=45.534912,-116.309338&daddr=45.568931,+-116.498766&hl=en&sll=45.53858,-116.360235&sspn=0.04569,0.110807&geocode=FcDOtgIdpkIR-Q%3BFaNTtwIdsl4O-Q&mra=ls&t=h&z=13 Well we meet up with the other officer in Kirkwood Ranch and was given more information on the hiker. So now we got dispatch to follow the trail backward that he would of taken to see if we can find him coming out. So after hiking for over 4 hours in steep country by about 11:30am they got a air ship to fly the canyon and found the hiker approx. 1 mile from where we where on the ridge heading his direction. But what was odd when he start running out of water instead of hiking down towards the river he kept hiking up. The found him up near the snow line dehydrated. So we all head back to Kirkwood Ranch to regroup and head for home. At this time a snow storm had blown in. I'm in the bottom of a canyon and looking up the trail I've got to ride out of and it nearly a white out. So I pour the coals to the ATV with James on the back and beat feet up the steep trail. When we hit the ridge top we were being hit with sleet, hail, and snow all at once and blowing hard. Now losing visiablity with a near white out condition. But keep plugging along the trail slowly. Manage to get back to IC commander and its blow snow sideways. We passed a fuel can around filled up and packed and left Cow Creek Saddle. Working our way down to the Salmon River (Lucile, ID) I was coated in snow... My glasses fogging and freezing with ice hard to see but kept going. About half way down it warmed up enough to turn to rain and WHEW! Now I can see and beat feet for the truck! So here I am... I'm home... I helped in searching for a lost hiker that is returning home safely. I'm tired and very sore...

Glad to hear all is safe. I did SARS in the Coast guard for 12 years. I know the fun involved. Once again glad everyone is back and safe. Good work Mike.

Yea buddy! Thats a successful rescue!One thing I have noticed. People start panicing when they become lost and isolated. Reasoning and logic go straight out the window.The man should have never taken an alternative trail back to camp and also lose his partner. Always travel in pairs! Once you realize your lost, you stay put! Start thinking about the time and weather. Then start making shelter and fire. Go low for water. Look for ways to make it potable... etc, etc.The guy broke all the rules in the book of survival. Especially the ways to increase your chances of being found by a rescue team......I know, preaching to the choir.

Good job, Mike. Welcome home.

Glad to hear you're home safe as well as the "hiker"!! When I first read this post; I had the strangest thought, has ISX posted in a while...............