Utah rescuers find emaciated hiker after monthlong ordeal

I like posting the survival stories.

TextThursday afternoon, a helicopter flying in the Escalante River gorge spied the bearded LaFever, 28, who had lost 50 pounds and eaten frogs and roots in his desperate effort to stay alive during his walk from a Utah city to Page, Arizona.

He lost his equipment, and only had clothes and a lighter. He was also Autistic.
And I know the area he was in.It is hostile landscape.

www.cnn.com

Good for him!

He is in stable condition.

Frogs, yech.

reply to post by nixie_nox


Frog legs are not that bad when cooked.

I find it amazing this doesn't happen more often considering the people I encounter in the woods. The vast majority of them don't even have a knife or a compass, and couldn't navigate 20 yards off a trail without getting lost.

Lesson of the story: keep your essential items on your body so when someone steals your nice bright blue pack with your casual camping gear, you can still (maybe) live through it.

If you are going to be lost in the desert, a lighter is a really good things to have. It can be used to start a fire, probably not needed this time of year, and also for light at night (sparingly).

He is lucky that he was near the river, as that is a very desolate area. If he has not been near water, there may have been a very different outcome.

I am impressed that he almost made it to Lake Powell. That was a good decision, to follow the river, but I am sure it was hard to travel with no food or shelter. So glad he was found. Lucky Guy!

reply to post by PacificBlue


I got lost once in east coast woods which can look the same for miles, lol.

I found some train tracks and followed the tracks.

Yep, good idea to follow the river. River or train tracks will lead somewhere.

reply to post by OrchusGhule


If someone did steal his gear, I hope they rot in hell. shame on them. They could of killed him.

We used to go camping in a very remote forest, mainly used for hunting. It was off season so there may have been 2 other campers with miles and miles inbetween.
We went repelling and someone raided our camp.

Humans of the lowest life form.


Back to stupid hikers, when I lived in Arizona, it would never cease to shock me how I would see people enter a trail with no water.

Seriously? It is going to be 110 degrees and you are in the desert.

What I did like on the trails out there is that they have books at the trail heads, so you can say who you are, how many in your party, where you are going, and when you plan to be back.

Maybe all major parks do that, but I have never seen that on the east coast.

Good point on keeping essentials in your pocket.

Im moving to Moab soon, Im scared to go alone, I may get lost and perish.....That place is unreal.