Advice for Trail Emergencies requiring help ?

[roaniecowpony]

So, I'm considering some difficult trails this coming spring, summer and fall. But those trails are mostly heavily traveled and very popular. It's the lesser known and traveled trails I'm concerned with having a no-go breakdown. The electrical/electronic failures are particularly on my mind, since these JLs are so dependent on these systems. The trails I'm talking about may not even be technically difficult, but are isolated.

Aside from the obvious of traveling in multiple vehicles with others, what precautions are you guys and gals taking?

I recently upgraded my bird dog's GPS collar to a Garmin Alpha 200i which has an inreach satellite transceiver. But I know nothing about the system or the sevice needed.

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[deserteagle56]

I live out in the middle of Nevada. Very isolated...if I leave my house and drive south it is 133 miles to the first pavement. Most days I can go out and drive around all day and never see another vehicle. I used to pack around a satellite phone because of course most places there is no cell service, but that got to be so expensive that I now use the Garmin InReach service. That's a subscription service that costs $12 a month for the basic plan and allows you to send and receive texts just as you would with a cell phone. You don't have to subscribe for a full year...you choose which months you want the service to be active. Several different InReach units available, from simple ones that pair with your cell phone to more expensive stand-alone units. All of them also allow you to press a button and summon emergency help from a national SAR center. I finally bought an expensive Garmin GPS unit with the InReach service built in, but that's because I am with a Search and Rescue unit and use this all the time.

Most times I'm out alone, no other vehicles. But all of my vehicles are well equipped with survival supplies. The InReach service is peace of mind...I know I can text any number of people to come rescue me if needed. That orange button on the GPS unit will dispatch Search and Rescue if ever I have a dire emergency. But if I break down and all I need is for one of my buddies to come get me then there is a separate texting function I can use.

 

[Mx5red]

Do you have a new iphone? they started incorporating emergency satellite function, SOS only.
I think they totally missed the boat on also having text option like the garmins, because I would use that periodically and (hopefully) never use the SOS function. So in other words having a new iphone is better than nothing, but I'm also looking into similar satellite option (inreach, ACR bivy stick or ResQlink, Spot, Zoleo). I wouldn't use it often enough so I haven't looked that seriously into getting HAM license, etc, and I would trust a satellite service more for a true SHTF emergency.

 

[jhackathorne]

I usually won't wheel anything above a 5 on my own. It sounds like you are more worried about just being away (isolated) on moderate trails than anything else. Like @deserteagle56, I carry an emergency beacon. While I do not have the same capability of texting, it will alert SAR/Rescue agencies if needed. I originally got it for hiking, but now use it for Jeeping as well. It does require registering with NOAA, but that costs nothing and needs done every couple of years.

As long as you have something that you can use in case of emergency like a beacon or Garmin inReach I think that should cover you. Chances are slim you'll need it, but it's better to prepared of course.

https://www.rei.com/product/161982/acr-electronics-resqlink-400-personal-locator-beacon

 

[deserteagle56]

I wouldn't use it often enough so I haven't looked that seriously into getting HAM license, etc, and I would trust a satellite service more for a true SHTF emergency.

^This.
I have held a HAM license for several years now. HAM radios work very well if you are in a populated area where there are HAM repeaters that you can access. HAM is how we communicate car to car in our SAR group. But...in the outback they are worthless for summoning help unless you just happen to be in a location where your radio can hit a repeater. Most of the time here in rural Nevada my HAM radio cannot talk to anybody.

 

[COJeeper]

I recommend either the Zoleo or Garmin inReach mini 2. I want to get one for myself. I took the inReach Mini 2 on an overlanding trip and used it to message my wife and it worked great. The only reason I didn't keep it is because I couldn't get it to work with my brand new iPad mini 6. The goal was use the Garmin for GPS with OnX or TrailsOffroad or Gaia. The stupid thing would not work so I returned the inReach and then bought an iPad mini 6 with cellular, works like a charm. I still want a messenger though. I also like to backpack so it will be good for that too.

My 2 cents. Let us know what you go with and why and what you like and don't like about it after using it for a bit!

 

[AcesandEights]

I think you're overthinking it. Go out and get in trouble. It isn't an adventure if everything goes the way you expect. Ever have to walk into town, or the gas station, or to the nearest house. You don't have any stories, if you don't have to walk out of the woods every now and then.

 

[roaniecowpony]

I think you're overthinking it. Go out and get in trouble. It isn't an adventure if everything goes the way you expect. Ever have to walk into town, or the gas station, or to the nearest house. You don't have any stories, if you don't have to walk out of the woods every now and then.

LOL, I'm approaching 70 and have a lot of SHTF stories. I just don't want any involving my death. The southwest can be brutal.

 

[azwjowner]

I think you're overthinking it. Go out and get in trouble. It isn't an adventure if everything goes the way you expect. Ever have to walk into town, or the gas station, or to the nearest house. You don't have any stories, if you don't have to walk out of the woods every now and then.

Where I venture that can be a 50 mile walk, so not really an option.

I carry an inReach and a few days of food and water, plenty to let me camp out and wait for reinforcements if I break down.

 

[Heimkehr]

+1 for carrying a satellite tracker/communicator. Several brands & models are available. I use and recommend the Delorme (now Garmin) inReach device. Monthly subscription plans start at $15/month. The user can pay for just those months when he wants the service active. This flexibility is particularly useful for me when black ice compels me to park the motorcycle.

I have a protective case for my inReach device when carrying it on my person, and use proprietary RAM cradles as needed when in the Jeep or on one of the bikes.

---------------

A few years ago, I was on a solo moto-camping tour through the Finger Lakes region. My wife was monitoring my progress at home, via the inReach's 10-minute-interval GPS tracking pings that were displayed on my personal Explore page. She noticed that a number of pings (which appear as dots) were bunched in a single location, suggesting I had stopped when I should have been moving. She texted me to check on my welfare. I said all was well, and that I was taking a break at a scenic pull-off.

When I returned home, I opened my account to view my tracks (pings). Filtering by date and time, and zooming in on the satellite view, the aforementioned rest stop pings were centered on the exact parking space in which the bike had been parked.

Impressive, and a bit sobering, if I'm honest.

Anyway, the tech works, and the peace of mind is more than worth the price.

 

[deserteagle56]

LOL, I'm approaching 70 and have a lot of SHTF stories. I just don't want any involving my death. The southwest can be brutal.

Exactly. It's one thing when town or the nearest dwelling is within 10 miles. Totally another when town or the nearest dwelling or person is 100 or more miles away and it is 110 degrees (or only 20 degrees) out there.

Both of these happened here in northern Nevada. Both could have had happier endings if they had had satellite communications.

https://www.sierrasun.com/news/the-travails-of-a-treacherous-trip/

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/albert-chretien-s-family-thankful-he-died-peacefully

 

[sdjeppa]

Another +1 for carrying a satellite SOS communicator/tracker. We use the Garmin Inreach Mini. I like that we can activate it only the months we need it. I don't offroad alone, but things happen even with a group, and it's helpful for peace of mind in case of a true emergency.

 

[Jtclayton612]

Zoleo or inreach mini. Know quite a few hikers that have used both and prefer the zoleo at this point but I won’t switch because they’re expensive. If you’re looking for just a true oh shit! Button an actual PLB would be better. Has better strength and can also be detected by aircraft, no texting functions, so communication with SAR isn’t possible, they’ll just know you hit the button.

Whereas 2 way communication can let them know what they really need to bring for a load out and if it’s something they need to haul ass for or could come in another way. My time on hiking subreddits seems most SAR seem to prefer 2 way communication these days unless you’re absolutely in a place they don’t work well.

 

[AcesandEights]

Where I venture that can be a 50 mile walk, so not really an option.

I carry an inReach and a few days of food and water, plenty to let me camp out and wait for reinforcements if I break down.

I guess I should have remember to post, YMMV.

 

[Heimkehr]

Here's the best field demo of the SOS function that I've seen.

18:24 for the oopsie.
19:16 for the SOS button press.
23:04 for da choppa.

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