Outdoor Adventure USA

Another tragic reminder to be careful even in well known areas like the mud caves.

http://www.cbs8.com/story/18155892/body ... sing-hiker

Thanks for posting this. At least his family finally found out what happened to him. Sad stuff.

Makes me think I should stop hiking alone...

BorregoWrangler wrote:Thanks for posting this. At least his family finally found out what happened to him. Sad stuff.

Makes me think I should stop hiking alone...

I know many folks enjoy off-roading, exploring, hiking, and camping alone (I'm not one of them). Still, the standard safety advice that is ignored by many, that these activities should be done in pairs (buddy system), and that you should have proper equipment, and be prepared for an emergency, is not based on a whim - it's based on the unfortunate occurrence of events such as this one. While nothing you do is a guarantee of safety, being alone and unprepared is often a recipe for disaster; and not only for the unfortunate individual involved, but for all his/her friends, family, and associates who live with the tragedy.

cruiserlarry wrote:I know many folks enjoy off-roading, exploring, hiking, and camping alone (I'm not one of them). Still, the standard safety advice that is ignored by many, that these activities should be done in pairs (buddy system), and that you should have proper equipment, and be prepared for an emergency, is not based on a whim - it's based on the unfortunate occurrence of events such as this one. While nothing you do is a guarantee of safety, being alone and unprepared is often a recipe for disaster; and not only for the unfortunate individual involved, but for all his/her friends, family, and associates who live with the tragedy.

Well said, Larry.

Becoming a parent also makes you really take note of this stuff. At least, with me it has.

I'm not clear on how he ended up at the bottom of the crevice. Were the walls of the caves moving, trapping him after he fell? Was there another entrance to the cave? Has anyone heard any speculation on this?

Larry, you are absolutely correct about the risks of exploring alone and unprepared.

Looks like they got his body out...

http://www.cbs8.com/story/18236860/crew ... es-tonight

I'm not too clear on how he ended up there. It seems he fell down a vertical shaft either from an entrance above or he broke through the ceiling of the cave.