Solo hiking wth a personal locator beacon ?

[lonerock]

Good point Sobates makes about putting SAR people in greater danger when their search includes a much broader area and is more time consuming because they didn't have a signal to go to.

[wspscott]

I have an InReach, but only because my oldest (7) has started to go backpacking with me. I wanted a little more "insurance" and it makes her mother feel better If I am going by myself, I don't bother activating/taking it.

[Jen]

Before having a child, I didn't care much about PLBs/satellite communicators, but now I really appreciate the benefits... mostly that it would be easier to find us in case of emergency/evacuation. We use a Delorme inReach, but usually turn off the tracking. Also, the inReach's ability to "text" has been helpful. On one trip, Aaron was going to be returning a couple days late due to a minor injury of a hiking partner. Receiving a simple message that they would be late, but everyone was ok kept the families at home from panicking.

Most of my solo hikes are dayhikes on heavier use trails, so I don't bother with the inReach. But if I'm headed into the wilderness or off the beaten path, you bet I bring it with me. Heck, I even like to bring mine on road trips. Here in WY, there are a few times every year when someone gets lost or goes off the road in the snow, and it can take a day or two for SAR to find them - many roads here (even state highways) have no cell signal. Think how the rescue efforts would be helped by having the coordinates available to SAR, or even a brief message saying the extent of any injuries, etc.

[SPAC3MAN]

On February 28, 2016 at 0:16 AM, PaulGS said:

I always carry a PLB (McMurdo Fastfind 210) with me. I wouldn't be comfortable venturing into the backcountry without it and it makes my family happier too.  

+1 on the McMurdo. I carry a McMurdo PLB (can't remember model) as well, no subscription fees/no bells & whistles. All you have to do is register every couple of years with NOAA, handle authorized battery replacement, and keep it with you whenever your'e out!

Edited March 2, 2016 by SPAC3MAN
typo

[Mohican]

I purchased an ACR beacon recently for some extra peace of mind, and took along hiking in Death Valley.  It's small, light weight, and hopefully will never be needed.  it was about $200 after $50 rebate.  Very unlikely it'll ever be used, but small price to pay over years of hiking. 

[ppine]

I have never carried  a device.  Decades of backpacking, many times solo before phones, and Spots ingrained the concept of being cautious and self-reliant.  There was no other choice.  For a remote canoe trip on an Arctic river, I would bring a satellite phone or equivalent.  I have just now started carrying a cellphone, even though reception is not that likely.

In 2007 I was involved in a serious mule wreck in eastern Oregon and broke my femur a long way from help.  My companion rode back to camp to solicit some help. Several people got in their trucks to find cell reception. It took awhile, but they figured out no helicopters were available. Finally we found a ranch airstrip 100 miles away where we met a fixed wing airplane and first morphine. It took all time to get to a hospital.  Now the trail riding club carries some satellite phones.

[jay]

I don't solo as much as I used to, I tend to take my daughter along with me, now.  On the occasions I do go solo, I don't use a beacon.  as ppine mentions above, I have learned to be cautious and self sufficient.  I do make sure someone knows where I will be and when to expect to hear from me, also a "panic button" time to start ringing the alarm bells if I am not heard from by a certain deadline.

My thoughts on this subject might not be along the general trend but I think that having too many safety gadgets can lend a false sense of security, especially with novice outdoorsmen.  Common sense, coupled with some realistic skill development will do more for you than a locator beacon. 

While locator beacons might be a good idea for some even as a peace of mind item, I do not feel particularly driven to use one.

[SPAC3MAN]

McMurdo user here, plenty of solo going...

Very basic (SAR only), and much cheaper than Delorme & Spot (no subscription service). Register every two years with NOAA, and send the unit for battery replacement when called for (7 years I think for McMurdo). Who knows what's going to happen with Delorme in the future, since they were acquired by Garmin. 

[John B]

I too have been backpacking, hiking, mountaineering for 30 years.  While the early years offered no such option as the ACR rescue beacon I now carry--my thought is that now that it's available, why wouldn't I carry it.  Bought it 3 years ago, and it goes with me on every outing, whether solo or not.  I don't even think about it, but it is good to know it's there.  I continue to exercise the good judgment and caution that has gotten me to the summits of Rainier, Grand Teton, Shasta, Mt Hood, Granite peak, Gannett peak, and over 200 other peaks over 13,000 feet, along with numerous exrcursions into the back country.

In the end, it's an individual choice.

[wspscott]

For everyone who thinks a PLB is "better" than Delorme, here is an interesting blog post from a SAR person about PLBs, it is a little long, but worth reading

http://blog.oplopanax.ca/2011/08/personal-locator-beacons-from-the-rescuer%E2%80%99s-perspective/

With that said, I would not buy my InReach today without being more certain of what was going to happen after the Garmin purchase.