The value of a cell phone when you’re hiking in a remote area can’t be underestimated. And if the phone has GPS and a camera, that’s even better. Here is an excerpt from an article in Prescott, Arizona’s Daily Courier:
At 3 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9, a 44-year-old Scottsdale woman called to report she became lost while hiking in the Jacks Canyon area of Sedona, said Dwight D’Evelyn, YCSO spokesman.
When searchers arrived they received updated GPS information from her cellphone, and at 4 p.m. they spoke with her and learned she was alright, had some trail mix, water and a fully charged cellphone battery, but no jacket, D’Evelyn said.
The rescue team asked her to take a photo of her boot sole and send it to them, which they used to verify her boot tracks on the Hot Loop trail and determine her direction of travel. At 8 p.m. searchers found her at the top of a mesa in good condition and escorted back to her vehicle.
“The lone hiker accessed a trail she was not familiar with,” D’Evelyn said. “Always plan your hike around marked trails following research of the area you plan explore. A late start could mean an overnight stay in the outdoors if you become lost.”
Hikers should consider bringing extra clothing, matches, water, first aid supplies, a cellphone with a spare battery, and a light source, D’Evelyn said.
So glad she’s ok!