Thanks to Maureen for hosting us in June, and for the delicious grilled chicken. We welcomed our new member Denise at this gathering. As always, the shared foods were delicious and the conversation with friends was tonic for the soul.
Our book this month was "Trail of the Lost" by Andrea Lankford. It tracked the efforts to search for three different hikers who disappeared on the PCT. A former National Parks ranger, Lankford was able to bring a unique perspective on search and rescue procedures. Jurisdiction is always in question which at times results in complacency from law enforcement and land management agencies. With more than 2600 miles, hikers must be prepared for all emergencies and situations. You cannot rely on receiving timely help; you need to take care of yourself. The idea of through-hiking has gained popularity in recent years and many who undertake this challenge are not qualified to handle the conditions they will have to face. This is no Disneyland ride - rather a physical and mental test. The natural world is beautiful, vast and treacherous. We all shared stories of our own hiking adventures.
We may never know what happened to these hikers. Many generous hours were spent contacting people via social media, physically searching and also utilizing drones so "squinters" could inspect hundreds of photos. Lankford was disappointed that she was not able to keep a promise to find a missing son. This disappointment is countered with the knowledge that, if these hikers had been found, search methods would not have been developed which will help with future searches.
