2travel2

In light of the recent news of the boyscout who got lost in Utah, I am wondering how easy it is to get lost on some of the hikes in Bryce and Zion? Are they marked? Do you get a map that shows you where you are on a hike? We are very new to this and will be in Bryce & Zion the first week in July.

OO

Some in Zion are even paved a portion of the way. Others are paved with other hikers, both Zion and Bryce, even off season in November when we go. Whatever...they are exceedingly clear and that should not concern you in the least.

nytraveler

Well - the little boy in questions wasn;t hiking - he just wandered away from the camp for some reason - with no pack, no supplies - just walked away - who knows why kids do these things?

If you're going to do any hikes - even very easy ones - you need to make sure you have all of your equipment before your go - have you gotten a checklist and done this?

Have you picked out the trails you want to hike - know the length and terrain? And can;t you download the maps in advance so you're familiar with them?

Are you good map readers?

Do you have a good sense of direction?

Do you have the basics of how to get un-lost if something happens?

(I once was driving with a colleague who got completely lost - and wouldn't believe me when I told him I knew we were going in the wrong direction because of where the sun was - didn;t understand what that had to do with anything - he was just clueless. And this was in the middle of New Jersey!)

KMK

Depends on you, depends on the hike. Speaking of Zion, most of the popular/shorter hikes are well-marked and well-traveled, and I think the visitor's centers have basic maps free(not topos). However, something like the Subway uses cairns to mark the way down to the river, and you do have to pay attention...however, this is a permit-only hike, so you can't decide to do it without getting info from the rangers (well worth it, though!) A compass or GPS, topo map, common sense, and a sense of direction would be useful! - however, if you use common sense and the more well-used trails, you will probably do just fine.

Carry lots of water - you'll need it even if you don't get lost, particularly in July!

OO

From 2travel2's previous post on renting hiking boots, I am assuming they are not headed into the back canyons, but to the area almost all visitors hike. You do need supplies, camelbacks for everyone and proper clothing, but please don't worry about getting lost! The trails will be very well peopled. The only hike I would not do "in your shoes", would be the Angel's Landing hike in Zion and even there you can complete most of that until just past the section known as "Walters Wiggles", and I would only avoid that because of the level of difficulty...there isn't even a remote chance of getting lost.

This is really in regard to your other post on boots...with 6 of you and limited space, I understand your not getting hiking boots, but I would not consider renting them either...would go the tennis shoe route before doing that. That said...if you plan on doing hiking in the future, it's a good idea for perhaps the less agile (adults?) of you to have genuine hiking boots. The kids feet grow so any boots would be useless next year, but you would get years and years of use out of yours. Mine reach above my ankles and I'm always glad they do with the rocks rolling and slipping, especially in the Grand Canyon. They've saved my ankles many a time!

The case of the Boyscout was so sad wasn't it? Because he had been told not to interact with strangers he stayed on the trail until he heard people approaching, then got off the trail and hid in the brush, staying quiet as the proverbial church mouse until they were gone. Makes my heart ache just thinking about that! How many of us have said similar things to our kids, not realizing they might ever take us verbatim in such a situation! Gosh..

Dayle

Hi 2,

I agree with the other posters. You don't need to worry at all about getting lost if you are doing the "walks" and hikes shown on the National Park maps. They are very well traveled.

IF - you have the time and interest to go on other hikes:

be sure you know EXACTLY how long it is and the difficulty, elevation gain/loss

have plenty of water, hat, sunscreen, maps, food

check in with the ranger station and register so someone knows where you are going and when you plan to be back (helps them know when and where to start searching.....)

DON'T EVER go alone.

Tandoori_Girl

I got lost once on a hike in the Chihuahua Mountains. I brought my DEAD cell phone. Terrific. But my neice had her cell phone and we called the Ranger for the park and they talked us back to the trail. They also called my aunt and uncle who were very upset with me because it is an uncommon but true-to-life situation that people get lost in the desert and die.

So be sure to take your cell phone. And pray that you'll have reception if you need it.

Dayle

Just a note about depending on cell phones in the national parks. Don't. You can usually get a signal right at the ranger station/main lodge, but nowhere else. Coverage in southeastern Utah outside the parks is off and on at best.

cmcfong

Another thought would be to take a ranger led hike if there is one available. My husband and I are experienced hikers but we never fail to learn from hiking with a ranger. They are one of our national treasures.

emd

Isn't this one of the advantages of having a hand-held GPS tracking device w/you when you hike, so you can communicate your exact location if you are lost or hurt? I've thought about looking into getting one of these. Does anyone know how they work if you are lost? Can you communicte the fact that you are lost and need help, or is there a distress signal that can be turned on that will allow for tracking you if needed?

christy1

GPS tells YOU where you are-it doesn't communicate to anyone else, and since your cell phone usually doesn't work in the wilderness, you probably won't be able to tell rescuers your coordinates.
Something that often happens with GPS devices is that people don't learn to use them properly, or they use them as a crutch, rather than learning map and compass skills, so they end up being an expensive, unhelpful gadget.

christy1

About getting lost: most people who get lost in the frontcountry of the National Parks have taken shortcuts, or have deliberately wandered off the trail in some way. Trails are EXCEPTIONALLY well marked and well traveled-unless you deliberately leave the path to explore off trail, you won't get lost.

emd

Thanks for the GPS clarification. It would be nice if someone would make a device that could emit a distress signal that could be picked up by searchers.

ONe additional thing about Zion- I have hiked in Zion's Kolob Canyon section (my favorite area, enjoyed it much more than the main part of the park; it is a 40 min. drive from the main part of the park) and would not hike there without a guide book. The trails are much less traveled than the trails in the main part of the park, and it was very helful to have the guidebook telling us what to look out for, where to cross the streambed to pick up the trail again, etc.

Jayne1973

We found out last year at Yellowstone that just because it's a marked trail, it doesn't mean the entire path is well defined.

We headed out on Beaver Ponds trail without a map and found ourselves puzzled deep into the hike on which way to go. Eventually someone came along and we kind of followed him, but it entailed walking over a beaver dam. Go figure.

I will definitely take a map next time!

KMK

emd said: "It would be nice if someone would make a device that could emit a distress signal that could be picked up by searchers."

They do. It is called a personal locator beacon. They are pricey, you have to register them, and you will be charged for the search and rescue effort.

PaulRabe

I've been in love with hiking for over forty years, doing it almost entirely alone. Over the years I've gotten lost, fell sick, and cluelessly read a map such that I came off a mountain trail in pitch dark. One thing that I've learned is to follow these three steps:

1) Calculate how long you could live on the trail if you became immobilized or lost.
2) Calculate how long before someone would come to rescue you if you became immobilized or lost.
3) If Time(1) is shorter than Time(2), then change SOMETHING about your plans!

What I always do is make certain SOMEONE will notice if I don't show up at a certain time, and then carry enough on my back (usually water) to make certain I don't have serious problems if I get stuck or lost.