SPOT S.O.S. ACTIVATION BRINGS HELP DURING FATHER DAUGHTER HIKING TRIP

For Californian Bryan Hall hiking and backpacking are part of his lifestyle. A SPOT X owner for two years, Hall was mostly using his SPOT device for tracking and checking in with family when out on solo trips. On a recent trip, Hall set out with his daughter to hike the John Muir Trail from Yosemite Valley to Mt. Whitney. A hundred and fifty miles into their trip, the duo were closing out their day in Le Conte canyon by rinsing off in the Kings river when his daughter slipped and fell.

Mark Stanfield is a cross country soaring enthusiast and FAA certified instructor with Hood River Soaring in Oregon. An oncology pharmacy specialist by day, Mark got his start flying as a power pilot, then became certified for towing, eventually turning his sights to racing sailplanes and soaring.

Max Garrett is a retired firefighter and avid motorcycle rider. The Arkansas Chapter Chairman of the International Association of Fire Fighters Motorcycle Group (IAFF-MG) was used to taking long rides with his group through the Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas areas. The organization was making its annual spring ride through Texas Hill Country when a portion of riders stopped to take a break near Leakey.

On Friday 20 March 2021, Pierre Carter received a phone call from GEOS following an activation of the SOS button by one of the race participants. Within 2 minutes the local team knew all the personal details and location of the athlete in distress. A local rescue team was in the air within 10 minutes of the call with helicopter pilot Colin Barrow, Pierre Carter and rescue support team, Ben Arnold, to locate the athlete and assist. A ground rescue unit was on standby awaiting instructions. Within 30 minutes the athlete was found and returned to base a little bit cold & shook up but unharmed.

“A lot of people think the Grand Canyon is the deepest river gorge in North America, it’s not, dropping 8,000 feet to Snake River, Hells Canyon is the deepest gorge, and amongst the most treacherous areas to hike.”

“For many of us it’s a question of when, not if”, explains SPOT Ambassador Scotty Breauxman as he recounts his near death experience from riding in a remote canyon in Baja California, Mexico, “If you forget your electrolytes, you better have your SPOT configured properly because water becomes obsolete with essential minerals in the system.”

Tug Leberman is an avid outdoorsman and packer who simultaneously claims to “not get along with technology”, while in the same sentence professing his endorsement for SPOT products. “I’ve had one for a good six years and always use it to check in with my family while off the grid or camping,” said Leberman. The good natured, Montana resident is positive and outgoing despite the fact that the local hospital refers to him as their “Success Story of the Year”, essentially a title they reserve only for those who have survived severe life-threatening situations.

Dan Sturgis is the type of father who enjoys adventuring and backpacking with his family on a regular basis. On a recent trip to the Wild Basin area of the Rocky Mountain National Park, Dan’s SPOT provided peace of mind when a situation with his ten-year old son presented itself.
 

Caroline is just like every other mom in that she wants to always keep her son safe. After moving to Colorado to attend University, her son quickly became an avid and experienced backpacker. “Knowing that he was going out solo all the time really was the impetus for buying a SPOT Gen3 device, with us living in Pennsylvania, it was a way for us, even remotely to know his whereabouts when he was hiking.”
 

“My cottage is very remote and there is no cell phone coverage at all, I use my SPOT device to check in with my wife and give myself piece of mind. Since my cabin can only be accessed by snowmobile or skidoo, I always carry my SPOT with me.”
 

The temperature in a remote part of northern Ontario was below freezing on May 22, 2019. That was the day that Randy Cota, a trained guide and trapper, headed out in a boat for an excursion on the Moose River along with three other men.

“The engine quit, and I ended up in a tree. By the grace of God, I didn’t fall out of it.” That is what 79-year-old John Gregory says about April 23, 2019, the day his plane crashed into a tree in a remote part of Idaho. Mr. Gregory was flying out of his ranch near Challis when something went wrong.