Inchworms Journal during 26 days lost...newest report

**Lightingguy59** · 05-26-2016, 13:13

It has been stated on other threads about this that while having hiked up from Georgia may give you experience at hiking the AT, it doesn't give you experience in how to get un-lost in the woods.

A very basic piece of advise given is to find a stream and follow it downhill. In the area where Inchworrm was lost, that can be difficult as the hills are steep and rugged, the streams may be impossible to follow closely and the vegetation is dense and difficult to get thru. It's possible she tried this and decided that given the effort and potential for getting well away from the location where she became lost initially, she decided to stay closer to that location and hope for rescue, which is another piece of advise - stay put till rescuers find you.

As well, she did not have 27 days to "get un-lost", she might have had a week or so to the point that lack of food sapped her energy and ability to move. Recall that she was re-supplying every few days so likely did not have a couple of days of food with here. Not having read the whole list of journal entry's, it's impossible know if she just plopped down and awaited rescue, or tried to find a way out of the situation.

Incredibly sad way to die and I'm shaken at the thought of her laying in the woods, in her tent and bag, for all that time, awaiting a rescue. As well, and as an occasional follower of the TV show "North Woods Law", I feel for the game wardens and what they must think that she was out there and alive for that period of time and they couldn't find her.

**Lightingguy59** · 05-26-2016, 13:19

Saw this in the Maine Portland newspaper:

"Though Largay’s family and friends described her as an experienced hiker, the wardens’ case file indicated she had a poor sense of direction, and when she made a mistake would become easily flustered.Lee, who described herself as Largay’s best friend, told the wardens about multiple occasions when she had to backtrack on the trail to find her hiking companion. In those cases, Largay had either become lost or had fallen behind, Lee told investigators. Lee also said her friend was scared of the dark and of being alone, and never wanted to bring extra supplies because she had a sore back and wanted to avoid carrying a heavy pack."

**Hangfire** · 05-26-2016, 13:24

I had a feeling that we would get the whole story someday, and as anxious as I was to finally read her words it absolutely rips at my heart to know what she went through and how close she was to the trail. Hopefully this story will have an impact on all future thru hikers and help everyone to pay a little better attention to orientation when you leave the trail. We all owe it to Inchworm to make sure this doesn't happen again.

**MuddyWaters** · 05-26-2016, 13:33

AP article said she had a "paper trail map".

**Mr. Toad** · 05-26-2016, 13:36

I don't want to seem uncaring, because I do feel badly for Inchworm and her family, but should someone who is afraid of the dark and easily flustered with a poor sense of direction be hiking alone?

**WhiteBlaze** · 05-26-2016, 13:40

<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="7" style="vertical-align:top;"><tr><td width="80" align="center" valign="top"><a href="http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&ct2=us&usg=AFQjCNHNjOiNlLG-C999NgSa4xB9Ra5Yjw&clid=c3a7d30bb8a4878e06b80cf16b 898331&cid=52779118718754&ei=9DRHV8iXGurg8gHg9ZLgC g&url=http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/27/us/mising-hiker-geraldine-largay-appalachian-trail-maine.html"><img src="//t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR1H2iqvC__vct2EPmuWmx5HbahJvsVw hoSbLKU48VZQwja4QeT_CtMM5AiIvLLlq2WpidZ8vn8" alt="" border="1" width="80" height="80"> New York Times</a></td><td valign="top" class="j"> <div style="padding-top:0.8em;"><img alt="" height="1" width="1"></div><div class="lh"><a href="http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&ct2=us&usg=AFQjCNHNjOiNlLG-C999NgSa4xB9Ra5Yjw&clid=c3a7d30bb8a4878e06b80cf16b 898331&cid=52779118718754&ei=9DRHV8iXGurg8gHg9ZLgC g&url=http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/27/us/mising-hiker-geraldine-largay-appalachian-trail-maine.html">US|Geraldine Largay's Wrong Turn: Death on the Appalachian Trail</a> New York Times She was a 66-year-old woman who wandered off the Appalachian Trail in the thick Maine evergreen forest and waited for nearly a month for help that never came. “When you find my body, please call my husband George and my daughter Kerry,” Geraldine ... <a href="http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&ct2=us&usg=AFQjCNGkoVOWRYBvhBltJAQXe xiXLNKAhQ&clid=c3a7d30bb8a4878e06b80cf16b898331&ci d=52779118718754&ei=9DRHV8iXGurg8gHg9ZLgCg&url=htt p://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/may/26/hiker-who-went-missing-on-appalachian-trail-survived-26-days-before-dying">Hiker who went missing on Appalachian trail survived 26 days before dying</a>The Guardian <a href="http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&ct2=us&usg=AFQjCNFyqTnIDN39Z2tPfDS5_ GglkUokAA&clid=c3a7d30bb8a4878e06b80cf16b898331&ci d=52779118718754&ei=9DRHV8iXGurg8gHg9ZLgCg&url=htt ps://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2016/05/25/hiker-who-died-after-disappearing-from-appalachian-trail-survived-for-weeks/KAcHuKSdYVHNTNu0qQobvK/story.html">'When you find my body, please call my husband,' missing hiker wrote</a>The Boston Globe <a href="http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&ct2=us&usg=AFQjCNEwoalBBWHigPh4HCIOx T3Uq4tcMQ&clid=c3a7d30bb8a4878e06b80cf16b898331&ci d=52779118718754&ei=9DRHV8iXGurg8gHg9ZLgCg&url=htt p://www.people.com/article/geraldine-largay-appalachian-trail-journal-dead-family">Hiker Who Died After Getting Lost on Appalachian Trail Left Journal for Loved Ones: 'When You Find My Body, Please ...</a>People Magazine <a href="http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&ct2=us&usg=AFQjCNEG4Pq9ktk2mAH2w-JsPxAIErf7aQ&clid=c3a7d30bb8a4878e06b80cf16b898331 &cid=52779118718754&ei=9DRHV8iXGurg8gHg9ZLgCg&url= http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-36389383">BBC News</a> -<a href="http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&ct2=us&usg=AFQjCNHHRe7lBdzqZXt8YJ0O-3-Fnn6D6A&clid=c3a7d30bb8a4878e06b80cf16b898331&cid= 52779118718754&ei=9DRHV8iXGurg8gHg9ZLgCg&url=http://www.inquisitr.com/3135524/geraldine-largay-appalachian-trail-hiker-found-dead-left-behind-document-of-final-days-spent-lost/">The Inquisitr</a> -<a href="http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&ct2=us&usg=AFQjCNGX3cyMHqPKoik-Cu1NMwUgJA48pg&clid=c3a7d30bb8a4878e06b80cf16b8983 31&cid=52779118718754&ei=9DRHV8iXGurg8gHg9ZLgCg&ur l=http://www.syracuse.com/us-news/index.ssf/2016/05/missing_hiker_appalachian_trail_survived_26_days_j ournal.html">Syracuse.com</a> <a class="p" href="http://news.google.com/news/more?ncl=d7eLGN0pCYaYAsM0RSrO3MlWPdRfM&authuser=0& ned=us">all 37 news articles »</a></div></td></tr></table>

More...

**burger** · 05-26-2016, 13:44

Originally Posted by Lightingguy59

A very basic piece of advise given is to find a stream and follow it downhill. In the area where Inchworrm was lost, that can be difficult as the hills are steep and rugged, the streams may be impossible to follow closely and the vegetation is dense and difficult to get thru. It's possible she tried this and decided that given the effort and potential for getting well away from the location where she became lost initially, she decided to stay closer to that location and hope for rescue, which is another piece of advise - stay put till rescuers find you.

This is sort of getting at my question. But what I want to know is: from the specific place where she was found, was it actually impossible to make it downhill to civilization? "Just go downhill" is an easy rule to follow, even if you are terrible with directions. But there is a big difference between "it's kind of steep but you could make it down if you are determined" and "there are impassible cliffs, blowdowns stacked 15 feet high, etc." that would make it impossible. Anyone know which one it was? I guess I'm just wondering if the "go downhill" rule might have worked here. I know that there are places on the AT where it wouldn't work, but what about here?

**Traveler** · 05-26-2016, 13:57

It may not have been that easy. If there was medications involved for panic attacks, there could have been other issues that grounded her to the point she did not move much and perhaps impacted her sense of reality if searchers were close and she became frightened of them and hid.

Speculation of course, but as we hear more about her experience, we are also hearing more about her mental conditions that would have a serious effect in a lost situation.

**WhiteBlaze** · 05-26-2016, 14:50

<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="7" style="vertical-align:top;"><tr><td width="80" align="center" valign="top"><a href="http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&ct2=us&usg=AFQjCNFalewlg3USfEDRrGOQK pMkTvRGbg&clid=c3a7d30bb8a4878e06b80cf16b898331&ci d=52779119187378&ei=YEVHV-jjC6X38AGtgKoQ&url=http://www.stltoday.com/news/appalachian-trail-hiker-kept-journal-of-final-days/article_e3f8a615-3cf6-5f25-befd-ba6bf41ff33a.html"><img src="//t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT5jK2tYilbKmvNP25YZI1jgRK_ICpP9 Ioze1YJwTxhGxXhUsbS_rq2y5x0EH3ClYiR-nriQYY" alt="" border="1" width="80" height="80"> STLtoday.com</a></td><td valign="top" class="j"> <div style="padding-top:0.8em;"><img alt="" height="1" width="1"></div><div class="lh"><a href="http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&ct2=us&usg=AFQjCNFalewlg3USfEDRrGOQK pMkTvRGbg&clid=c3a7d30bb8a4878e06b80cf16b898331&ci d=52779119187378&ei=YEVHV-jjC6X38AGtgKoQ&url=http://www.stltoday.com/news/appalachian-trail-hiker-kept-journal-of-final-days/article_e3f8a615-3cf6-5f25-befd-ba6bf41ff33a.html">Appalachian Trail hiker kept journal of final days</a> STLtoday.com A woman who got lost hiking the Appalachian Trail in 2013 kept a journal of her ordeal and resigned herself to the fact that she was going to die. The remains of Geraldine Largay were found last year. The Brentwood, Tenn., woman survived at least 26 ... <a class="p" href="http://news.google.com/news/more?ncl=dqX82EtOVbLYgzM&authuser=0&ned=us"> and more »</a></div></td></tr></table>

More...

**Hikingjim** · 05-26-2016, 15:07

It's unbelievable how close rescuers were. Very sad

In my younger days I got seriously lost with a momentary lapse in judgement. Came out with quite a few scrapes, some stories about following a stream and climbing a waterfall, and a much greater respect for how quickly you can get lost

**wormer** · 05-26-2016, 15:17

I agree about the map and compass, not to rely on them solely. When I searched the area 3 weeks after Jerry went missing my cell phone was almost useless in that general area of the search. Unless I was up real high like a peak my phone couldn't get out and it wouldn't get out in any of the lower areas. I would put the cell phone with the map and compass as far as not being able to totally rely on them when you may need them the most.

**hilltackler** · 05-26-2016, 16:00

Like others I've been following the story since it happened and am glad they released the information. Also now I don't feel so bad for not stepping too far off the trail to pee for this very reason! Even at night when I have to go, I never go more than a few steps from my tent - not the rules I know!

**rtfi** · 05-26-2016, 16:05

The New York Times is making the 3,000 yards vs 3,000 feet mistake that was corrected in this forum earlier: "Ms. Largay’s remains were found last October, about 3,000 yards away from the trail..."

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/27/us...aine.html?_r=0

**illabelle** · 05-26-2016, 16:06

Originally Posted by Hikingjim

It's unbelievable how close rescuers were. Very sad

In my younger days I got seriously lost with a momentary lapse in judgement. Came out with quite a few scrapes, some stories about following a stream and climbing a waterfall, and a much greater respect for how quickly you can get lost

Jim, if you learned some lessons, it might be good to share them on the thread linked below. You never know, your story might help someone else.
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/showthre...hen-lost/page3

**John B** · 05-26-2016, 16:27

Kathryn Miles, the author of the two articles about Inchworm, will be on Nashville's WSMV at 6pm, CDT, tonight (may 26) to be interviewed about this.

**saltysack** · 05-26-2016, 17:08

Originally Posted by Pedaling Fool

I always take my pack with me off the trail, not sure of your point?

+1....she would have passed much sooner without gear obviously...I don't ever loose sight of my pack...I see people drop packs at blue blazes and think how dumb that is...HYOH...

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**booney_1** · 05-26-2016, 17:35

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2...s-before-dying

This is the best article I've seen yet. In one of her text messages she said she was North of Woods Road. So why didn't she just head south? The forrester that found her said it was an easy 25 minute hike south through open forest? Three K-9 teams passed within 100 Yards of her. Her tent was pitched under thick canopy, but there was an open area nearby??
(SOS with branches!!!....pitch the tent there!!!....build a big fire!!!)

It's pretty puzzling to understand what happened.

**MuddyWaters** · 05-26-2016, 17:55

Originally Posted by booney_1

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2...s-before-dying

This is the best article I've seen yet. In one of her text messages she said she was North of Woods Road. So why didn't she just head south? The forrester that found her said it was an easy 25 minute hike south through open forest? Three K-9 teams passed within 100 Yards of her. Her tent was pitched under thick canopy, but there was an open area nearby??
(SOS with branches!!!....pitch the tent there!!!....build a big fire!!!)

It's pretty puzzling to understand what happened.

Some of it is puzzling.

She does not appear to have made any real headway uphill for whatever reason to use phone. Nor downhill.
She had map according to articles.
She wandered two days and decided to stay put and wait to be found, but in an obscured place, not where could be spotted.
She was right next to a old skidder trail that lead to AT
She basically gave up it seems after the first 2 days and doesnt appear to have searched out area around camp. With nothing else to do all day long.

**Driver8** · 05-26-2016, 17:57

It hurts to think of Gerry's ordeal. Saddened to hear what she went through and for how long and how close she was to getting rescued. Crying shame. Maybe the only good to come from it would be as a case study in how to cope with a crisis situation in the wild.

It seems the better approach here would have been some solid coaching about what to do when lost, as part of a through orienteering class. Each of us has certain strengths and weaknesses, and a key is to identify each weakness and develop a good sense of how it works, how to recognize its onset or situations where it has to be confronted, and solid steps for coping. Here "OK, Gerry, you're lost, but you can manage this. Let's develop a plan. Use compass, map and certain techniques. We can do this if we take it slow, smart and sensible. And yes, I'm freaked out, but some deep breaths, maybe yell to let out some anxiety." Etc.

It seems clear that so long as she was on or close to trail, she was OK - she made it about 1000 miles from Harper's Ferry to Maine. Slow, but ok. But getting too far from the structure that the trail afforded incapacitated her emotionally. So sad that the lost her way physically, which seems to have gotten her off course mentally.

**Lightingguy59** · 05-26-2016, 18:13

Originally Posted by burger

This is sort of getting at my question. But what I want to know is: from the specific place where she was found, was it actually impossible to make it downhill to civilization? "Just go downhill" is an easy rule to follow, even if you are terrible with directions. But there is a big difference between "it's kind of steep but you could make it down if you are determined" and "there are impassible cliffs, blowdowns stacked 15 feet high, etc." that would make it impossible. Anyone know which one it was? I guess I'm just wondering if the "go downhill" rule might have worked here. I know that there are places on the AT where it wouldn't work, but what about here?

Heading downhill from where she was found would have her hitting the old railroad bed that crosses thru the valley.

What would she have done at that point ?. Anybodies guess as she at one point made a decision to head uphill to get better cell service, which on the north side of the ridge, wasn't going to happen anyway. So possibly she reasoned that going downhill was a bad choice.

I think the big question in everybody's mind is the seeming lack of a decision point of realizing after X amount of time that the searchers are not going to find you and then saving yourself by following the other rule of heading downhill and downstream.

I also think there's a bit of a lesson that not everybody out there hiking is going to know that in the NE on the AT you really are not more then about 1-3 days bushwacking walk to some form of civilization. EVERY stream feeds a river which head thru a town and she was maybe 10 miles from a paved road to the south. Possibly less to the north.

Sad, sad story.

Thread: Inchworms Journal during 26 days lost...newest report

Thread Tools

Search Thread

Display

US|Geraldine Largay's Wrong Turn: Death on the Appalachian Trail - New York Times

Appalachian Trail hiker kept journal of final days - STLtoday.com

best article on inchworm

Posting Permissions