[Wright is right!]

We certainly hope that when he goes on his next hike, he bothers to tell someone back at base where he's going - and takes along another buddy hiker. He will forever pay for not doing either this time around.

Yup he's brave. But he didn't have to be.

Michael

[Joe Hadenuf]

My kids were taught at a young age to never go out into the boonies on your own, as that's just inviting trouble.......

[Huck]

Ditto. Powerful lesson for those of us with two arms and a yen for adventure. I was telling my wife the same two things you pointed out. The southwest is full of thrill seeker/ risk takers. Many die every year tempting fate in avalanche country, mountaineering in monsoon season, risking lightening strikes, exposure, etc.

[lsee]

Yup he's brave. But he didn't have to be.

Good point. I hope he lives to hike another day.

[scott7278]

"We certainly hope that when he goes on his next hike, he bothers to tell someone back at base where he's going - and takes along another buddy hiker."

Yeah, because he'll have a lot of trouble if it happens again alone. He'll have to do a lot of tugging!

[r9etb]

Yup he's brave. But he didn't have to be.

And there you have it.

[Paulus Invictus]

Brave but seriously unwise. As an avid hiker, I learned long ago never to go anywhere by myself without telling people where I was headed and when I should be back. The best idea of all is never go alone, but I sometimes cound not find another hiking buddy.

Another great hiker I hiked with did not learn either lesson, went hiking alone and told no one where he was going. He found himself stranded on a steep mountain slope with a broken ankle. He could neither climb up or down. They looked for him everywhere for four days and luckily found his car in a place they never thought he would go. After a long search, they found him still stranded up there and near death. They had to get him off with a copter and a lot of brave rescuers did the job. He never hiked again. A terrible way to learn.