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Carol Sheridan missing in French Alps


EmilyA
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I think enough time has passed now to say a few things which may help people in the future.

Unless of course this person was not wearing the correct footwear then there seems that possibly this sad accident could not be avoided.

You should always leave information of at least where you intend to park your car and start your walk. Even better is to leave a description of the route you intend to take. Even if you are not living with somebody and intend to solo walk there will always be somebody you can tell. In this case being in daily contact with her family (or so I have read in many places about Carol and her family) she could have sent a quick email or whatever. This would at least give an idea of where to look saving valuable time. I also leave a copy of my route in my car in open view just in case.

It is also very important to take certain things with you particularly in certain regions and at specific times of the year. In this case I would have expected her to carry a whistle, survival bag, light waterproof trousers and jacket, hot drink, mobile phone (smart phones have GPS and you can find the longitude and latitude of where you are when calling for assistance), torch and water. She may well have taken all this with her so it is mainly aimed at others.

Even the most experienced walkers and hikers can get into trouble on the mountains and it pays to be well prepared.

As somebody pointed out (Salty Sam) people put their lives at risk when looking for those that are lost or injured and a lot of thought should be given to them as well as thanks for finding her.

 

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If I could add a couple of points. The most basic of equipment to be carried should be a map and compass, together with at least the basic knowledge in how the two are used together, and the ability to navigate safely out of a potential situation.

Unlike GPS, they don't require batteries and are not dependant on receiving a signal!

It should also be noted that many mountain 'walking' routes are not well designated footpaths over rolling terrain. Many are graded with degrees of exposure and technical difficulty, with some such as "via ferrata" routes requiring extra kit to safely negotiate passage, and shouldn't be attempted by the inexperienced, or ill equipped!

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Q

although I agree in principle with everything you say, I think you and others do not appreciate the challenges of living alone.

What happens if you change your mind, or the weather conditions change? 

 

Let me put this into context.  Have you ever gone out shopping alone?  You tell your OH you are going 50km to store X in town Y to buy ABC.  When you get there they do not have what you need.  But the store in town Z should have some,  Now what do you do?  Drive home and tell OH about the change in plans, then drive off to Z - which involves driving back through Y?  Or just go and get it by driving from Y to Z and then drive home and then tell OH about the day you have had driving around all of France.

 

Salty Sam

 I agree entirely with you assessment.

 

 

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Andy I don't think Q was talking about shopping, he was talking very sensibly about hiking in the mountains, As sad as it is; Carol often talked about her walking exploits and how dangerous it could be, and it does appear that she was walking this time in a very dangerous place alone, and as Sam said somewhere you should be clipped on. it seems she wasn't unfortunately. 
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Shopping and walking in the Alps are two totally different things and can no way be compared. Using 'via ferrata' is somewhat specialised and you should always be clipped to the metal cable or rail provided (it is a form of climbing using these devices from which it gets it's Italian name "metal road") and you certainly should never attempt one on your own especially without the correct equipment.

I rather assumed that nobody would walk in the Alps (or any other mountainous region) without a map and compass. Even though I use a specialised GPS (Garmin Oregon 600t) I always take both with me just in case.

You should also be very aware of the weather for the day at the place you intend to walk. If it looks like it may change during your walk then go another day. I cannot stress enough how dangerous these places can be in the wrong conditions.

I forgot to say that you should also when leaving a message of where you are going that you should also leave the time you intend to return.

The list I gave includes most of what you would need to survive for about 24 hours should the weather change or you have an accident. If you are on the mountain on your own and the weather changes it is often better to stay where you are than try and descend.

As Idun said those that don't follow the basic rules are the ones that tend not to return and there are many that don't unfortunately.

As to the comments about "it was the way she would have wanted to go" well what can I say. Nobody wants to fall to their death on the side of a mountain. Just have a thought for the days of mental torture her family went through wondering what had happened and where she was because she didn't follow a few basic simple rules. It would not have stopped her death but she would have been found a lot earlier.

There are many walking clubs in France catering for all abilities and ages. Try asking at your local tourist or mayors office they should be able to help you. Not only will you have a guide and walk as a group but it is a great way of improving your French language and social skills as well as being great fun.

Geocaching is great for families. It can be done in the ‘wilds’ and even towns. Gets you out and about, is usually not dangerous plus it is great fun also. It is world wide as well so something you can do both at home or on holiday.

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A topic on safe walking / skills and equipment to have / precautions to take when walking in the mountains is undoubtedly a good idea in the light of Carol's accident. However, I can't see that this thread is the right place for those comments and advice. This thread reached it's logical conclusion when Carol's body was located. Any expertise with maps and compasses does not seem to have played a part in her fall. Also, putting such recommendations on this thread can't fail to look critical - if her family or friends come across this thread in weeks or months to come, they don't need to read strangers saying what they undoubtedly already know themselves.

Such a thread would deserve to be a 'sticky' (or FAQ or whatever they are on here). If no one objects perhaps, mods, you could take the very relevant posts about 'wilderness safety' and put them in a new thread.

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Catalpa, perhaps maintaining this thread in its entirety will also serve as something of a harsh reminder of the dangers, whether this be through inexperience, ill-equipped, or simply ignoring the technical grading of a particular route.

May it also serve as a reminder that in the event of an accident, many others will put their own lives at risk in order to bring about closure.

Yes it is a sad event, but if one person reading this thread heeds something from it and thinks twice about venturing out without following the most basic of advice, then surely this is not a bad thing?

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[quote user="Salty Sam"]Catalpa, perhaps maintaining this thread in its entirety will also serve as something of a harsh reminder of the dangers, whether this be through inexperience, ill-equipped, or simply ignoring the technical grading of a particular route.

May it also serve as a reminder that in the event of an accident, many others will put their own lives at risk in order to bring about closure.

Yes it is a sad event, but if one person reading this thread heeds something from it and thinks twice about venturing out without following the most basic of advice, then surely this is not a bad thing?
[/quote]

I was wondering how to reply to Catalpa's comments without being inflamatory and you have done it perfectly. I so agree with your comments.

Incidently I still see nobody thanking thse that went out physically looking for her. Now we know the sequence of events I am somewhat ashamed of my previous comments about the Gendarmes in this thread. If you don't have a 'lead' your on the back foot from the very start.

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Well I am sorry my shopping analogy seems to have been lost in a wave of complacency by some.  And complacency is a very real danger for all -lone or accompanied.

The reality is that driving is far more dangerous than hill walking, and where I live there is plenty of opportunity to go off the road and for there to be almost no obvious evidence.

 

I did preface the post by saying that things like the weather can change.  That should make the hill walker be prepared to adjust his plans.   The lone walker is then faced with a dilemma of who to inform and how - especially if (as is frequently the case) a mobile phone signal is zero.

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[quote user="Salty Sam"]May it also serve as a reminder... that in the event of an accident, many others will put their own lives at risk in order to bring about closure.[/quote]

Exactly my point. This thread won't serve as a reminder of that sort because this thread will disappear down the list into the archives. A 'sticky' - which can always be started with a comment along the lines of: Following the death of one of our forum members while out walking... will remain permanently visible for those that care to look and for whom it might be directly relevant and useful. 

[quote user="Quillan"]Incidently I still see nobody thanking thse that went out physically looking for her. [/quote]

Why would we? We may be thankful that such groups of people exist - I am - but it's meaningless for me to say a personal thank you to anyone involved in the search.

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I wonder if there's a charge for mountain rescue in the Alps? And for helicopter search?

I think there used to be in some cases in the UK, but don't know of the current situation there.

Many people take out insurance - I know that Eddie was charged something when he broke his leg skiing in the Pyrenees and had to be rescued, but he had insurance.

As ?Catalpa wrote, maybe this should be in a separate thread.

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Yes, we feel that any further postings ought perhaps to be under a separate thread.

This because members of Carol's family overseas might still be reading what is written.

It may prove somewhat distressing for them to see how far off topic her demise has become.

Just our personal opinion of course.

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Well there is not much else to add now anyway but I for one thought it was a golden opportunity for people to learn about what and what not to do when going walking/hiking out in the mountains. If Carol was all the things people have said she was I am sure she would appreciate the comments. As SS said if the comments save just one life then I can't possibly see how anyone can object.
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