Local hiker missing in Washington state - Found w/ happy ending

In today's Globe, an Arlington woman is missing in Olympia National Park. A search is ongoing. I hope all goes well.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/07/07/hunt_goes_on_for_hiker_in_washington_state/

Update from PNW hiking forums today.
http://www.komotv.com/news/8366712.html

Mary O'Brien is a friend of my wife, and I met her once. She is an enthusiatic and experienced hiker and extremely fit - makes her living as a master trainer and phys. ed. teacher. We're hoping for good news.

According to an 11pm EDST news report, O'Brian walked out under her own power this evening. Appears to be in good shape, uninjured.

Minimal details in the report.

Doug

Mary O'Brien's adventure

Here is more info from Mary on her unplanned exploit, from a WBZ interview after her return to Logan yesterday - article.

A similar article at p. B3 of today's Boston Globe adds a few details. My wife also saw or heard a quote from Mary faulting herself for violating her rule of not solo-hiking a challenging route she hadn't hiked before. (A prudent rule, although I've never followed it.)

Amicus said:

My wife also saw or heard a quote from Mary faulting herself for violating her rule of not solo-hiking a challenging route she hadn't hiked before. (A prudent rule, although I've never followed it.)

Click to expand...

It is very easy (and often not very meaningful) to think up these rules with 20-20 hindsight. The linked report says she left her cell phone behind. She could also have stayed out of the news by staying in bed that day. Or by being a little more careful with her navigation (the report says she missed a turn).

We all have comfort zones and the boundaries are individual and changable. (The change is just part of each individual's learning process--if one's boundaries didn't change, no one would ever progress onto new arenas.)

Doug

I climbed with mary before - strong, capable, up beat, -

stuff can happen to any of us.

giggy said:

stuff can happen to any of us.

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Somehow I have little trouble agreeing with this statement...

Doug