How Stupid Can One Possibly Get in the Mountain ?!

[N_N_R]

There's been one young guy on our TV all morning long.

He participated in some mountain marathon and got lost. He spent about 24hrs in the mountain and thank God, he was saved, he's now safe & "famous".

A couple of things he said that stunned me: "Always carry a pocket knife with you in the mountain. I didn't have one"

YOU DID NOT HAVE THE TINIEST KNIFE WITH YOU IN A FREAKING MOUNTAIN ?! ?! WHAT THE HELL!


Then the journalist asked him what his mother had told him when he got home safe and sound and the guy said: "She told me I could have called and checked my phone more often. Always go in the mountain
with well charged phone. My battery wsn't full, you know, smartphones, their batteries die fast."

HE WENT ON A FREAKING MOUNTAIN MARATHON WITH A DEAD BATTERY ?! ?!

What the smurf, some people have no brains, but tremendous luck.

[styx]

It's the great misconception that a smartphone can do everything and replace all other devices. His battery would have died anyway.
The great question really is why not at least have some kind of a SAK like object

[N_N_R]

He said he hadn't taken a backpack so that it doesn't hinder him and so that he's able to walk faster than the others in the marathon. But... that's something so freaking light.

[styx]

A home made hydration pack even when full doesn't add much weight. SAK like objects are light as well, the minimalist ones are lighter than a smartphone. This jsut shows it's time for an iSAK

[Grant Lamontagne]

I always carry an external battery that I can plug my smartphone into.  I know that batteries don't last long so I make sure that I've got a lot of power for it just in case the worst happens.

 Of course I also carry a knife and other things that will keep me going for an extended period.

Def

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[Steinar]

I agree completely with N_N_R and previous posters, but I would like to add my own pet peeve: A cell phone is not a piece of emergency equipment! You have no guarantees about coverage, they are often quite brittle, battery life has already been mentioned, etc. Something being useful and usually enough to get you out of a tight spot is not the same as you should trust it.

But hey, now we have a guy on television reminding people to bring a knife, that's a good thing at least. 

[82brutus]

But hey, now we have a guy on television reminding people to bring a knife, that's a good thing at least. 

...as long as it is very small and non-locking and made of rubber so that the law won't get you. 

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[Grant Lamontagne]

Respectfully I disagree. A cell phone is an excellent safety device.  I agree coverage could be limited which could render it useless, however if you can get a signal it can literally make the difference between life and death.  Modern phones are even better than phones ten years ago because they have built in GPS features that allow search and rescue to find you immediately rather than having to try and search the area serviced by the tower you are bouncing off.

No single tool, electronic or otherwise will help you in every situation- each one has uses- strengths and weaknesses that help a person to survive when poop hits the fan, and a cell phone can be a very valuable part of that.

Still don't believe me? How handy would a knife be in the arctic, where there is nothing to cut, or matches when trapped in a place experiencing a torrential downpour?  Those limitations won't make me take them out of my emergency kit any more than I'll leave my cell phone at home during outdoor excursions.

Def

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[jzmtl]

You'd be surprised by how many people go into the wild with nothing, even long distance hikers often skip on the essential basics.

[Grant Lamontagne]

Sadly, no I wouldn't.

Fortunately I'm not one if them.

Def

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[captain spaulding]

While I agree on not relying on your cell phone it can be a huge advantage if you have one. Like Def said they will track the GPS in your phone to locate you. You also might be able to get out a call. I heard there was a worldwide number (112) that you can dial and it will connect you to the closest tower and connect you to a emergency line, but I recently found out this is basically not true. It is a European emergency number that does not work in North/South America, Asia, or Africa. Any European members care to enlighten me on this?

[Nhoj]

I always bring some survival essentials on any hike. Even if you are just stuck out one night having a fire or emergency blanket to keep you warm is helpful.

[sawman]

If I were hiking, I would want my SwissChamp to be better prepared 

[Steinar]

While I agree on not relying on your cell phone it can be a huge advantage if you have one. Like Def said they will track the GPS in your phone to locate you. You also might be able to get out a call. I heard there was a worldwide number (112) that you can dial and it will connect you to the closest tower and connect you to a emergency line, but I recently found out this is basically not true. It is a European emergency number that does not work in North/South America, Asia, or Africa. Any European members care to enlighten me on this?

As always with Europe, "it's a little complicated". Here's a list of European numbers: http://www.tryggogsikker.no/html/59.html The page is in Norwegian, but it should be easy to understand anyway. Norway uses 110 for fire, 112 for police or general emergency and 113 for ambulance or medical emergencies. I understand more and more countries are moving to using only 112 and I believe that's the plan in Norway as well. It makes sense with a single emergency number.

[bmot]

In the Netherlands, we only use 112. Though I believe 911 should work, too, or at least so I heard. They reconnect it or something like that.

[Cupboard]

999 for emergencies here, and 111 for non emergency medical help.

One of my old phones didn't need to be unlocked for emergency numbers and 08 was on the list. Never heard of that one anywhere (but haven't really looked).

[bmot]

999 for emergencies here, and 111 for non emergency medical help.

One of my old phones didn't need to be unlocked for emergency numbers and 08 was on the list. Never heard of that one anywhere (but haven't really looked).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_telephone_number Wikipedia is your friend

[Grant Lamontagne]

As much as I like to be self sufficient and be able to get myself out of a jam, I do have to say that, especially if I'm injured, I would much rather call someone to get me out and to help.  That's not to say I can't make my own splint and hobble out of the woods, it just means I'd be appreciative of not having to.

Def

[Steinar]

As much as I like to be self sufficient and be able to get myself out of a jam, I do have to say that, especially if I'm injured, I would much rather call someone to get me out and to help.  That's not to say I can't make my own splint and hobble out of the woods, it just means I'd be appreciative of not having to.

The point I was trying to make wasn't cell phones being useless, they are certainly quite useful, my point was if you are going somewhere you expect you may to need to call for help, bring an emergency transmitter, not just a cell phone. I guess that is what you meant by honoring the tool's limitations. Every year in Norway people, especially tourists, have to be reminded that you can't rely on your cell phone in the mountains.

[Whoey]

999 for emergencies here, and 111 for non emergency medical help.

One of my old phones didn't need to be unlocked for emergency numbers and 08 was on the list. Never heard of that one anywhere (but haven't really looked).

 

[Grant Lamontagne]

As much as I like to be self sufficient and be able to get myself out of a jam, I do have to say that, especially if I'm injured, I would much rather call someone to get me out and to help.  That's not to say I can't make my own splint and hobble out of the woods, it just means I'd be appreciative of not having to.

The point I was trying to make wasn't cell phones being useless, they are certainly quite useful, my point was if you are going somewhere you expect you may to need to call for help, bring an emergency transmitter, not just a cell phone. I guess that is what you meant by honoring the tool's limitations. Every year in Norway people, especially tourists, have to be reminded that you can't rely on your cell phone in the mountains.

 That's an even better point.  Emergency transmitters to be even better than cell phones.  The limit your ability to communicate with details but the added range sure makes up for it.

Def

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[Whoey]

I'm sure we all agree a pocket knife and a small compass is not likely to weigh you down that much, plus some sort of water pack/energy bars/food is important... people are just stupid and think that technology will get them out of everything. The woods are not the city.

[Grant Lamontagne]

Absolutely but technology can help too.  Just don't expect it to do everything for you any more than you would expect to be able to cut down a tree with a pocket knife.

Def

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[Whoey]

of course not, but there's a hell of a lot more things you can do with a pocket knife than without!

Technology is great as long as you have power. The tv series Revolution if nothing else has shown how fragile the world really is with its dependence on technology and electricity...

[nuphoria]

I can't imagine going to the local shop without a knife, never mind anywhere away from civilisation!

[Grant Lamontagne]

Agreed.

Still I'm putting an awful lot of people been saved by cell phones since they became common, especially people on vacation who've been unable to bring their knives or have had them confiscated by TSA agents.

Def

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[Steinar]

I think the most common case of people being saved by cell phones I know of is when somebody are out walking on frozen lakes or fiords in early spring (fishing, recreation, whatever), then the ice breaks loose and they find themselves adrift on a small ice floe. Certainly a case where a pocket knife doesn't help much, on the other hand, using common sense and staying away from the unsafe ice in the first place would be even better. The best survival tactic is avoiding survival situations in the first place, IMHO.

+1 on absolutely everything said on having a knife at all times anyway.   

[Grant Lamontagne]

That's an excellent point however I think we have to consider degree of risk.  I mean if we all want to be safe all the time would never leave the house. And we have all of our furniture removed so we didn't slip or fall. And the floors and walls would be three inches of thick closed cell foam, and we'd wear fall arrest harnesses with bungee cable leading to tracks in the ceiling so we could move around, and all of our food would be in liquid form.

 You know what that actually sounds like it could be a fun weekend!

Def

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[Nhoj]

That's an excellent point however I think we have to consider degree of risk.  I mean if we all want to be safe all the time would never leave the house. And we have all of our furniture removed so we didn't slip or fall. And the floors and walls would be three inches of thick closed cell foam, and we'd wear fall arrest harnesses with bungee cable leading to tracks in the ceiling so we could move around, and all of our food would be in liquid form.

 You know what that actually sounds like it could be a fun weekend!

Def

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I have always wanted to roll around in one of those big plastic balls like a hamster...

[Grant Lamontagne]

You mean with all that hard plastic?  Goodness no... make sure you wear a helmet, gloves, knee and elbow pads etc....

Def

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