beemerphile1 wrote:
I always hike with a small backpack that has food, water, dry clothing, first aid kit, two knives, two flashlights, two means of purifying water, emergency bivy sack, and miscellaneous other gear. Never leave the trail head without it.
Other, more detailed articles, do indeed say that he "got lost because usually well-marked trails were covered in snow". Backpacking, alone, in the snow? Hmmmm.... He also planned an overnight hike, but wasn't noticed missing till 3 days later, when he didn't show up to work. Hmmmm.... No mention of whether he had a GPS or a compass/map; the latter would have helped him find his way if the GPS/batteries quit. Hmmmm....
Sounds to me like he made at least several major mistakes, mistakes that can easily result in death, especially in that kind of weather. Luckily, he was at least prepared to hunker down and sit tight.
