Lost Denali Park hikers rationed food, looked for cell phone reception
Originally published Thursday, June 19, 2008 at 4:24 p.m.
Updated Thursday, June 19, 2008 at 4:33 p.m.
Digg
delicious
Facebook
Mixx
Reddit
Stumble It!
DENALI NATIONAL PARK -- Two young backpackers lost for six days rationed peanut butter sandwiches, granola bars and ripped up a shirt to bandage scratches and blisters, getting hungrier and hungrier as they wandered in the dense vegetation of Denali National Park, they said Thursday.
Erica Nelson, 23, of Las Vegas and Abby Flantz, 25, of Gaylord, Minn., said they regularly clicked on their cell phone until they finally found reception that led to their rescue Wednesday evening.
"We got a signal and I said, 'Wow, I have to call my mom,'" Nelson said before heading with her family to Houston, Texas, where she will get to be maid of honor Saturday in her sister's wedding after all.
What started as an overnight hike June 12 turned into a massive search that cost more than $118,000 and sometimes involved 100 personnel from state and federal agencies, according to park spokeswoman Kris Fister. She said rangers estimate the women logged at least 20 miles before they were picked up by a helicopter crew outside the northeastern side of the 9,400-square-mile park.
Nelson and Flantz had no idea they had trigged a rare search of that magnitude after they were reported overdue when they failed to show up at work Saturday at Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge, a hotel outside the park.
After a few days of being lost, they figured people might be concerned.
"We were gone long enough, we knew there might be searches for us, but we didn't know it would be this big," Flantz said.
The women said they each packed only bare essentials, such as two sandwiches and granola bars, thinking that would be enough for their short trek. They brought a compass and a map, but still lost their bearing, mistaking one river for another. They tried to follow the river, but that proved impossible many times, Flantz said.
"There were steep hills so we had to get away from them and there was this high brush we had to push through," she said. "I cried a little bit, but not much."
The days wore on and they rationed their food, but ran out of water and drank river water or melted snow. Hiking exhausted them, but they trudged on when the weather was good, hoping their destination was over the next bend. At night they slept in a tent.
Along the way, they saw plenty of bear tracks, steering far from the fresh prints. The only wildlife they saw, however, was a porcupine.
The last couple days it rained so they mostly stayed in the tent, conserving their waning energy.
They were down to their last granola bar on the day they were rescued. The cell phone's battery was weak, but Nelson finally got through to her mother, Ellane.
"I'm tired, but I feel good," Nelson said Thursday. "I had a good meal last night and a good breakfast - king salmon."
The search area about 180 miles north of Anchorage is a mix of national park and state-owned lands. Searchers scoured a 100-square mile search area that includes dense alder and willow, some black spruce forest, but also miles of open tundra.
Community Discussion
Newsminer.com doesn't necessarily condone the comments here, nor does it review every post. Read our full user's agreement.
You kind of have to feel bad for Nelson's sister. After postponing her wedding because her sis went missing, do you think she'll be the center of attention when she finally has her big day?
Great to have safe outcome. Welcome back!
I wonder if they ever heard of GPS? We have an old Alaskan word for what these girls did it is Stupid!
To all three previous posters - yep, I agree with each of you.
It's nice that folks come to our state to enjoy what it has to offer, but on the same note they ought to realize that Alaska is not Minnesota and cannot rely on their so called "outdoor" experience to guide them in our state's vast wilderness. I'm glad that they are both fine, I just hope that before they venture out again they appreciate just how quickly assumptions can get you into trouble.Lesson learned.
Within this story, in the paper, would've been a good place to put info re what to do/take if you're going hiking and what to do if you get lost-two short and simple lists. We always used to see that kind of info within these kinds of stories. Teachable moment! We live in a place where we care-so it'd be nice to see that practice continue.
Glad to see nothing ate them, etc. Should've headed for the bus! Ok, no, they had it together better than that guy...
what do you expect? they're women. lol, im KIDDING! geez.
Yeah, it's usually men who actually get themselves killed.
For an overnight hike I can understand not bringing a GPS. It sounds like they did try and do the right thing, following a river etc, even if it didn't work out for them.
The irony, of course, is that since they survived they will not be the topic of a bestselling book making heroes out of them. No movie either.
They rationed their food, steered clear of fresh bear tracks, and arranged for help when they could. Better than a couple of other backcountry wanderers I can think of. So quit calling them dumb. Young and inexperienced, perhaps, but it sounds like they kept their heads. Despite getting lost, they handled their situation intelligently.
I'm very glad they're alive.
Sounds like they finished up near the bus?
Pat
I wonder if it was fresh king salmon or last years frozen leftovers?
I'm glad they're ok. But I have issues on multiple levels. Trails throughout the area, map&compass in hand, cell phone, 3 helicopters flying around for 3+ days, easily accessible ridgelines, open tundra, rivers to follow, and how about a fire? How can we prevent this in the future? My math leads me to believe they are lucky to be alive. With all due respect; Darwin once mentioned something about this. They made the cut.
Be nice to know where exactly they were. As said above it's a teachable moment. Perhaps Dermot can do a follow-up with maps and advice. In these kinds of stories I always wonder what was that first misstep. Anyway congrats girls. Many of us screwed up when we were younger and now are educated. I personally still screw up occasionally.
Curmudgeon: I agree with you completely. Some of the other posts actually made me cringe.
I'm all for people exploring our great state - I love it here and I want them to love it here too. Maybe we're not getting the whole story here, I'm sure details aren't withheld, just incomplete... giving the benefit of the doubt. That said, what really gets me thinking is... if you're not from here, and not familiar with the area, why in the heck did you leave the trail in the first place? And once you got off the trail, didn't it occurs to you to continue checking back to the trail, at least staying nearby? I live here and I know better then to wander beyond shouting distance from a trail. And... I understand they lost their bearings, but if you have a 'working' compass with you... shouldn't it be easy to regain your bearings? I don't mean to insult the ladies, and I am glad they were found safe and sound... I'll still ponder these missing details however.
(user: rosietx1 - not verified yet)
Thank God there alive. But it sounds a little fishy to me, like one of those stories. Dad, I am spending the night at a friends house, you call the friends house, like a good parent does about 10:30, and who is supposed to be here, why she said they were spending the night at your house.
Your on a afternoon hike, lost, following the wrong river, the river flows one direction, so if your following and your lost, turn around and follow the river out . Helicopters flying around, over a 100 people looking for them, for 6 days. No cell phone for 6 days, but then suddenly the cell phone works.
$118,000.00 spent, They have been lost for 6 days, with no food, except snacks for an afternoon hike, their in good shape, and even have part of a granola bar left. The one girl is off to her sisters wedding, out of state.
How about, we met some cool guys and did not want to go back to work, as I was leaving any way. So we hung out, did not think anyone would really notice, help at the hotels, comes and goes in the summer, but holy oh heck, we have the whole world looking for us. What to do. Don't drag us into this say the guys. A miracle their found and look fine.
Having flown many people into the bush for camping, hiking, canoeing. Then seeing them a week later, and these people were fully prepared this kind of journey. These girls looked just fine, well fed and not like they hiked for days up and down hills, breaking brush no food, snow melt for water. I don't think so. They looked like they stepped out of a camper.
I am glad it has a happy ending, and who gets the $118,000.00 bill for the search, oh ya the sister getting married. Right. Gotta love these tourists.
One point, someone commented that they did not need a GPS. Anyone who has no outdoor skills and comes up here and leaves the road by 100 feet, should have a GPS, there cheap and if your going for a walk, well a 100 feet off the road and you get turned around, you too can be lost. Alaska is not a park, it's wild and disrespect it for a second and it can take your life. Respect it and be prepared and you will have a wonderful time. Did anyone check if their cell phones had GPS capability and a map.
As I said , thank God it turned out well.
Post a comment
Commenting requires registration.