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Agreed. The sad but likely explanation for most of these disappearances is that they simply became lost and succumbed to elements within a few days, or injured
by simplyluke 10y ago
Agreed. The sad but likely explanation for most of these disappearances is that they simply became lost and succumbed to elements within a few days, or injured themselves and became immobilized. When there's no one for miles and miles in any direction, you're very much on your own.
- ghaff 10y agoOnce you get off a trail, it's very easy to get disoriented and lost, especially if you can't see major landmarks to orient yourself by. Quite a few years ago, before smartphones and handheld GPSs, I went to take a walk from where I was staying to a relatively nearby lighthouse on the coast. I didn't take a compass with me and, as soon as I walked into some woods, I very quickly realized that I had gotten disoriented and wasn't sure which direction I had come from. I did find my way out really quickly but it was really a "well, that was dumb" moment and a realization that if you step off a trail into the woods you could end up getting very lost very easily.
- simplyluke 10y agoThere was a nature preserve at the end of my block growing up. Maybe 2x2 miles of light woods with a creek and some minor trails. I explored it regularly and often had to find my way home by walking in a straight line to the edge of the woods (where there would be recognizable streets in the town). When I'm backcountry I always have a GPS and good maps. You can lose a trail walking 100 yards off it to check something out.
- ghaff 10y ago>often had to find my way home by walking in a straight line Which often isn't straightforward, especially in uneven terrain. "Walking in circles" may be a cliche but it definitely happen when you don't have a distant point to lock onto.