Trapped by snow, Oregon hiker conserved to survive

There's a substantial amount of evidence that having the right attitude makes a big difference in survival situations. Here's the latest example:

Trapped by snow, Oregon hiker conserved to survive

sardog1 said:

There's a substantial amount of evidence that having the right attitude makes a big difference in survival situations. Here's the latest example:

Trapped by snow, Oregon hiker conserved to survive

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To read more about the story in her own words, click here -

Interesting tale of misery. Getting everything soaked and then a cold snap and snowstorm.

Keyboard quarterback alert!

Hard to know how life-threatening it really was or whether she could have/should have hiked downhill through the snow right away instead of staying put for a full week. A busted compass, as she mentions, suggests she only carried one but did have an electronic app. Whatever, she kept her cool and that's the important thing. I wonder what the snow depth was, if she could have made a fire and if she had gone for the road 1000 feet below if she would have been better off.

Years ago my wife and I were camped out in the CDN Rockies in October at around 8500 feet a half-day's whack and scramble above the valley when we woke up to about 2 feet of wet snow and temps around 30. Our stuff was dry though and we slogged through it down to the valley and immediately got back into our tent and bags and made hot tea!

P.S. what I like about other people's tales of misery and near misses is that I can learn from them and decrease my own chances of experiencing said misery!

Neil said:

Keyboard quarterback alert!

Hard to know how life-threatening it really was or whether she could have/should have hiked downhill through the snow right away instead of staying put for a full week.

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Based on reports from other incidents, snow depths from that PNW storm in upper elevations was waist-deep. In my mind, that depth of unconsolidated snow would constitute a life-threatening situation, especially if you didn't know which direction to travel, or how far you'd likely need to slog.

I heard a report this morning on NPR that recent storms in the Wyoming/Montana has cost ranchers about 5% of their stock, with some ranchers losing considerably more. And those snow depths likely weren't as deep as what she experienced.

Kevin Rooney said:

Based on reports from other incidents, snow depths from that PNW storm in upper elevations was waist-deep. In my mind, that depth of unconsolidated snow would constitute a life-threatening situation, especially if you didn't know which direction to travel, or how far you'd likely need to slog.

I heard a report this morning on NPR that recent storms in the Wyoming/Montana has cost ranchers about 5% of their stock, with some ranchers losing considerably more. And those snow depths likely weren't as deep as what she experienced.

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I'd have to agree on it being life threatening. Kudo's to her for keeping her head.

How do you live in Oregon and not have experience in the snow?


This was from that storm they had, although it was not in the same location.

Lawn Sale said:

...How do you live in Oregon and not have experience in the snow?

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Actually, it's pretty easy. Most of the population lives below snowline. I don't know quite where the snowline is in Oregon. I know from living in California for 7 years that it was about 4K'. That meant that at some point during the winter it would snow. At 4K it usually melted within a few days.

Makes sense. It's something we in the northeast don't consider since nothing is very high.

Kevin Rooney said:

snow depths from that PNW storm in upper elevations was waist-deep.

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Probably very wet snow too. Upon melting it would make for interesting crossings.

Neil said:

Probably very wet snow too. Upon melting it would make for interesting crossings.

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Tain't no probably 'bout it. That there is what you call your Cascade Concrete. Been there, dug that, looked for lost folks in it. (We had one mission where thirty inches fell over night. The dogs were reduced to following us as we broke trail on snowshoes.) Even New Englanders have no idea how wet that stuff is. Schwarzenegger in his prime would be dead in a day or two of postholing at thigh or waist depth.

Thanks, Rooney, for the link.

After reading all the links (story, her version, SAR volunteer version) it's quite the story. It's interesting to be able to read about it from multiple perspectives. Good to see how she acted and thought as everything was happening. Seems like she was very smart and careful about what she did in the situation (once into it). Glad it all worked out in the end.