[pula58]

My wife and I decided to go backpacking this weekend up the middle fork. We had a pleasant Saturday with surprisingly no rain (!). On our way back we saw what initially looked like an abandoned backpack. But when we got closer we saw that it was a person, and his dog. The person was sitting hunched over, they looked like they were in distress. We started to approach but the persons dog, a large German shepherd, stood up and we had 2nd thoughts about approaching., So we called out, loudly, five or six times to the person but they did not stir. It was hard to tell if they were breathing or not. From where we were standing I thought I could see two cans of something next to the person. Like soda or beer cans. I couldn't tell which. We were afraid to get up-close due to the dog, and, out of concerns that the person might be drunk, and due to the unpredictability of someone who might be seriously drunk (drunk enough to be unconscious and not hear our calls) , so, we turned on the SOS on our Garmin mini and thought it best if we keep walking back to the trailhead (2.5 miles). We figured we would run into SAR on our way back and tell them why we SOS'd, fill them in on the details. Anyhow, we got all the way back to the trailhead before we started receiving messages on our Garmin. It turns-out that the coordinates we were transmitting were initially in error, and were closer to preacher Mtn. Probably because we weren't staying in one place. So, lesson learned there. But we were concerned that if we DID stay with the unconscious person, and if they were drunk, that they could get belligerent if they revived, and so we did not want to be there. Then, finally, at the trailhead we were having trouble texting with the Garmin (it was not linked to our phone), but a nice woman showed us the missing piece of how to get the messages sent. I had not yet thoroughly learned how to use the Garmins messaging features, and lucky for us this kind woman (thanks Annie!) showed us how. Lesson learned on the Garmin. SAR and the sheriff arrived, we told them where we had seen the person. By the time SAR crossed paths with the person (he had revived and was walking back to the trailhead) they walked right past him since he was obviously conscious-They didn't know he was the person in-question.. The sheriff then saw the man cross the middle fork bridge and called (sat phone) to the SAR crew that the man had arrived safely back to the trailhead. The sheriff told us that the guy stank of alcohol. So, this guy created all this drama. Getting us involved (Yes, it was our choice, but should we ignore an unresponsive human being sitting slumped over in a pile of rocks?), getting our emergency contacts involved and worried, getting the SAR people to race to the trailhead and up the trail, and the sheriffs office too. The Garmin mini works flawlessly! SAR is amazing The sheriff is amazing. The sheriff told us we did the right thing, to sound the alarm, to get everyone involved, but I have to say I feel angry that it was due to someone getting drunk to the point of unconsciousness on the trail.

[thunderhead]

Sounds like you did a very reasonable thing. Car camping drunks being slightly common in a place like the midfork... on a sunday morning if i saw one close to the trailhead i might not call it in immediatly and wait till getting back to cell range, but calling it in immediately also seems reasonable. And where was this guys buddies? Leave no man behind!

[slabbyd]

Scariest encounter I ever had in the "wilderness" was with an extremely intoxicated man with a head injury on Kahlalau Beach. Trying to do the right thing, help the guy, was a mistake. Would have much rather encountered a bear.

[Lokicat]

[Vertec]

Was the dog on a leash?

[Joey]

[pula58]

[huron]

Sounds like you are posting here looking for affirmation that you did the right thing. If you were truly compassionate and concerned about a fellow human who may have needed aid, you would have approached close enough to confirm this and if so, stayed there until assistance arrived. The SAR dial and dash was passive-aggressive behavior. If you are freightened of animals and not capable to give help to others, you are therefore not capable to help yourself or your partners either. Get some training, knowledge and confidence before venturing out.

[neek]

[huron]

OP was not happy to have a hike interrupted by someone who seemed unsavory and frightening. OP did not get close enough to confirm that there was any kind of emergency, yet called the police on a person who was minding own business. OP then took off, leaving person out enjoying own day to be unexpectedly confronted by Sheriff. This behavior is passive-aggressive. I wouldn’t want anyone doing this to me. Would you? Reminds me of the time a family heading back to car at paradise was furious that I would endanger myself and perhaps those who might rescue me by starting up Rainier late in the afternoon because THEY KNEW that it was too late to start a hike. They threatened to call a ranger and it cost me 30 minutes of my carefully timed ascent schedule to avoid that.

[neek]

[Cyclopath]

TJ laughed when I said I don't like the MFK Snoq, but I'm feeling pretty vindicated right now.

[Stefan]

You did the correct actions. Thank you for your concern for another person.

[Vertec]

[Lazyhiker]

Maybe the guy was just napping, having consumed alcohol or not. I take naps out hiking sometimes, I hope no one calls SAR for my nap