Re: Stuck in sand in the Sierra

Published: Oct. 2, 2010
Stuck in the Sierra
By DAVID COMFORT
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

The truck was stuck, help was miles away, and I was sure my dog was going to die.
Not that he was hurt or anything. It's just that he's a weenie, my big ol' tough pit bull Cheater, who turns into a sodden mope on camping trips. He also loses his appetite, meaning he had eaten almost nothing for nearly a week.

Today, we would need all the energy we could muster, because we had to start walking out of the Sierra. It wasn't a pleasure hike. Cheater, my girlfriend, Sharon, and I were at least 30 miles from the nearest pavement. That's about three days' trudge unless we could flag down some help. Not likely, since we had seen all of two cars in three days on the Chimney Peak Backcountry Byway in the Sierra Nevada north of Lake Isabella.

http://www.ocregister.com/travel/-269320--.html

Thanks for that bizarre yet interesting story Ken. I've enjoyed many of your posts like the bristlecone pine threat but this one is so wrong on so many levels. I fail to see an emergency in this situation unless inclement weather was coming. These gym rats couldn't hike 30 miles? Really they only had to hike far enough to get cell service to call for a horrifically expensive tow that would have paid for the winch they should have had for an adventure so far off road. Yes a bit uncomfortable but an easy 2 day hike on roads. 4 gallons of water? Sounds like they had plenty of food and some daypacks. There must have been some water sources on the way. They had duck tape so all was well/ They could have fashioned a pack for sleeping bags and the tent. Was rain coming? Did they even need the tent? That dog looked pretty fat. They could have eaten him if their 50 pound container of food had run low. That dog was a much better food source than those scrawny PCT thru hikers. At least the "help" signs were a smart move. They should wear t-shirts with that message and maybe just leave the sign on their car permanently. I can see why they didn't do the other sensible thing and tell someone where they were going and when they would be back. It's hard to do if you don't know yourself and don't even have a map of where you are going.

On a positive note I was encouraged to see the pooches feet protected with booties.