The Most Disturbing Photo in Appalachian Trail History

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  • čas přidán 2. 02. 2023
  • There's honestly way more to this story than I could squeeze into 60 seconds. Watch the full length video here: • The Most Disturbing Ph...
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Komentáře • 13K

  • @KyleHatesHiking
    @KyleHatesHiking  Před rokem +12476

    There's honestly way more to this story than I could squeeze into 60 seconds. Watch the full length video here: czcams.com/video/s2Ghz3DKb2g/video.html
    RIP Geraldine Largay

    • @januarygarnet7352
      @januarygarnet7352 Před rokem +62

      Yes I've read this story and it's gut wrenching! Thank you for sharing Kyle!💯 Have the most amazing week 😃

    • @emenot
      @emenot Před rokem +13

      WRONG DATE!!!

    • @meladylove8438
      @meladylove8438 Před rokem +74

      I'm from Maine. We watched on the local news everyday praying she would be found. One of those stories that will always tear at your 💜🙏

    • @pattimaeda6097
      @pattimaeda6097 Před rokem +96

      Why walk two miles from trail to poop?

    • @Eric-mz9en
      @Eric-mz9en Před rokem +26

      That's very sad, and may she rest in peace.

  • @jesserice233
    @jesserice233 Před rokem +172365

    Rule number one of survival you are on your own. There is no rescue team coming to find you.

    • @Botoburst
      @Botoburst Před rokem +12086

      Rule number 2, do number 2 close to the trail.

    • @shoutatthesky
      @shoutatthesky Před rokem +1329

      Exactly

    • @cindy4628
      @cindy4628 Před rokem +4441

      bring a PLB, personal locator beacon
      then maybe a rescue team will come after you

    • @shoutatthesky
      @shoutatthesky Před rokem +1602

      @@cindy4628 What use is a rescue crew in a true emergency? They won't be there in time. And if it's not a real emergency then you should be able to keep yourself safe if you plan and prepare. Let people know your plans, include leaving a map with your route marked. Stick to your route as much as possible. Prepare for all possible weather conditions.
      If you're going outdoors you are taking a risk. Shit can go down. Don't rely on any electronic device. It will affect your judgement!

    • @cindy4628
      @cindy4628 Před rokem +1326

      @Amancalled Adam no one claimed it's a magical device that teleports you to a hospital lol
      people that properly use a PLB know that it would take a couple hours, maybe days even after they press that button for help to arrive, you plan accordingly
      that's all taken into account(obviously)

  • @AnyoneCanSee
    @AnyoneCanSee Před 10 měsíci +11817

    The politeness in her final note is so very heartbreaking.
    Her kindness comes through.

    • @silverbooger
      @silverbooger Před 9 měsíci +72

      She stayed in good spirits no matter the situation. God would be proud.

    • @stgeorge5862
      @stgeorge5862 Před 9 měsíci +63

      Bro 26 days? You could walk in any direction straight on and find civilization within 26 days. This was so preventable and so sad.

    • @kcchiefsproductions8687
      @kcchiefsproductions8687 Před 9 měsíci +15

      ​@@stgeorge5862Maybe she broke both her legs and didn't know how to walk on her hands

    • @speakinfaxonly21
      @speakinfaxonly21 Před 9 měsíci +23

      ​@@stgeorge5862I agree. You have enough energy and wherewithal to keep yourself safe for 26 days, there's no reason you couldnt walk for a day or 2 and find civilization

    • @monkeeee310
      @monkeeee310 Před 9 měsíci +3

      ​​@@silverboogergod aint save her unfortunately

  • @ravenremke8015
    @ravenremke8015 Před 9 měsíci +769

    My heart dropped knowing she could’ve walked under 2 miles and not have to die

    • @mindys1198
      @mindys1198 Před 9 měsíci +72

      Yes but that's only if she needed direction she could have ended up going much further the wrong way poor thing

    • @JASHALL10
      @JASHALL10 Před 7 měsíci +57

      @@mindys1198 you mark your path as you leave the camp site and you go in one direction. If you don't find anything within a half day's walk, you follow your markings back to the camp site and the next day, you repeat this until you've gone West, East, North and South. You can walk a mile in about 20 minutes, so she could have went 10 miles easily each day. Not to mention, she may have ran into other hikers. After attempting this, perhaps you give up, but you don't just sit at a campsite and give up and start writing notes to your family. Rest in peace.

    • @jeeptj0244
      @jeeptj0244 Před 7 měsíci +3

      Or have ended up 2 mile further away.

    • @ghettomist1575
      @ghettomist1575 Před 7 měsíci +17

      @@JASHALL10Bro I don’t know if I’ll ever be in this situation, but I’m going to keep your comment in mind. Thank you, if this saves me one day I’ll owe you lol.

    • @ayannafit2441
      @ayannafit2441 Před 7 měsíci +1

      She could have screamed or smth to alert people of her presence

  • @didyallseethat499
    @didyallseethat499 Před 9 měsíci +445

    If you have any type of cell signal, use it to change your voicemail and leave your location and situation there… That way when people call you to check on you they’ll know where to look for you.

    • @henessy.-.45
      @henessy.-.45 Před 8 měsíci +30

      Thats smart..yea u dont need a signal to do that.

    • @andyb2028
      @andyb2028 Před 8 měsíci

      Even private and government cell networks have to accommodate 911 calls

    • @zonenationmusic1707
      @zonenationmusic1707 Před 8 měsíci +12

      Great tip!!

    • @F0CK3RS
      @F0CK3RS Před 8 měsíci +12

      @@henessy.-.45 my bf tried this hiking and it didn’t work :/

    • @blueeyedbatman
      @blueeyedbatman Před 6 měsíci +13

      As someone who grew up around survivalist, I'm SHOCKED that I never thought about that or heard of it before. That is excellent advice! 👌

  • @label1877
    @label1877 Před 11 měsíci +9999

    Always carry a whistle. Rescuers were very close to her.

    • @ICT_raps
      @ICT_raps Před 10 měsíci +69

      years later 😅

    • @ICT_raps
      @ICT_raps Před 10 měsíci +13

      @@label1877 Einstein genius

    • @nofilterbtxh5000
      @nofilterbtxh5000 Před 10 měsíci +172

      Or learn how to whistle with your fingers!It’s powerful enough to attract attention and doesn’t consume much energy!

    • @anonymouscamel64
      @anonymouscamel64 Před 10 měsíci +1

      @@ICT_rapsthats what I’m sayin 😂

    • @dustinpollard6237
      @dustinpollard6237 Před 10 měsíci +88

      She literally has a whistle on her pack strap.

  • @MissionRestomod
    @MissionRestomod Před rokem +24865

    It’s decided. You see me shitting on the trail, you keep walking and mind ya business.

    • @ethanseymour994
      @ethanseymour994 Před rokem +218

      I will

    • @FrogzOnLogz
      @FrogzOnLogz Před rokem +483

      Mind mine, and you mind yours. 🤣💩

    • @oxyfide
      @oxyfide Před rokem +732

      I will squat right beside you.

    • @Tonio_562
      @Tonio_562 Před rokem +218

      Exactly. Never leave the trail

    • @tryitout977
      @tryitout977 Před rokem +59

      W.e jus don’t surface dump, bring a e-tool

  • @user-vm3lz6ve6g
    @user-vm3lz6ve6g Před 10 měsíci +772

    I once got lost. When I noticed I was lost, I stopped and placed rocks as I walked out to find the trail again. When I felt I had walked too long, I followed the rocks back to where I had started. I eventually found my way back.

    • @Essenceofblood5238
      @Essenceofblood5238 Před 9 měsíci +16

      How'd you do that if the rocks just led back to where you were lost? Lol

    • @EnZo7992
      @EnZo7992 Před 9 měsíci +191

      @@Essenceofblood5238You’re lost. You decide to go a direction and leave rocks behind to have a trail to go back where you started. You walk far enough to know this isn’t the right direction. You follow the rocks back to your starting point. Pick another direction and repeat the process until you find the trail 👍

    • @genxray951
      @genxray951 Před 9 měsíci +41

      it's called blazing a trail, rocks, a pile of sticks anything unnatural to mark where you have been.

    • @kirankhare5630
      @kirankhare5630 Před 9 měsíci +4

      Thank goodness for that 😮

    • @lynz1370
      @lynz1370 Před 9 měsíci +17

      Honestly this is what she should’ve done when leaving the main trial. Make her own trail so she could have easily found her way back.

  • @whereisCarmenSandiego
    @whereisCarmenSandiego Před 9 měsíci +66

    As someone who lives less than a mile (as a crow flies) from the AT in western NC, please understand that just because this is the eastern part of the US and you think it’s not really a “wilderness” area, you CAN and WILL get lost in these mountains and no one will ever see you again. The terrain is crazy dangerous even 200ft off the trail feels like your lost forever. Stay safe.

  • @nekomantix598
    @nekomantix598 Před rokem +19720

    She came so damn close to being found. Such a sad sad story. Rest In Peace.

    • @Ivansky1
      @Ivansky1 Před rokem +213

      She never went far at all!!!!!

    • @prophet1546
      @prophet1546 Před rokem +399

      ​@@Ivansky1do you know how far a mile is? In the mountains no less? Imagine 12 eiffel towers.

    • @vroom3257
      @vroom3257 Před rokem +109

      She could walk instead of staying still to the nearest village whatever that is , on the road signs would appear eventually

    • @prophet1546
      @prophet1546 Před rokem +423

      @@vroom3257 or she could head in the wrong direction and her body could end up not being found. Its all based on the situation. I'm sure she did what she could.

    • @Mama_Promise
      @Mama_Promise Před rokem +126

      The photo isn't actually "disturbing" though, it's just a normal picture of her smiling.. I guess the story is kind of sad, but not very disturbing either. Those photos of Regina Kay Walters are bordering on disturbing, but even those I would say chilling.

  • @chainbladeallience
    @chainbladeallience Před 10 měsíci +213

    Some common sense for hikers: if you leave the trail for anything, make note of what direction the trail is running, and what direction you are walking, and don't walk 2 miles to use the bathroom.

    • @RichielaurensIII
      @RichielaurensIII Před 9 měsíci +2

      Markers could work too I feel like this could’ve been avoided

    • @alexcrowley2635
      @alexcrowley2635 Před 9 měsíci

      @@RichielaurensIIIthere are markers along the Appalachian Trail

    • @Specialdunk1814
      @Specialdunk1814 Před 8 měsíci +5

      No….dont leave the trail, especially to the point you no longer sees it.

    • @fluffytail6355
      @fluffytail6355 Před 4 měsíci

      I would rather have someone see me peeing near the trail than wandering off to avoid being seen. Then again - I HATE hiking and you would never catch me out there

  • @racheldennehy760
    @racheldennehy760 Před 10 měsíci +14

    i'm surprised a search team didn't find her being so close :(

    • @olivebranch1081
      @olivebranch1081 Před 6 měsíci +1

      It was honestly such an unfortunate thing. They were searching everywhere systematically and she just happened to be in the last area they had yet to search.

  • @hazeld3703
    @hazeld3703 Před rokem +40215

    I read the original news reports when she was found. This woman had anxiety and had not taken her medication with her on this hike. She got too anxious to act rationally and instead accepted her fate.

    • @abhilash9918
      @abhilash9918 Před rokem +1840

      Yeah i was thinking why the hell she didn't try to find her way back instead of just sitting at the same place waiting for people to rescue her?
      If im ever in that situation id die walking.

    • @jackriley590
      @jackriley590 Před rokem +1916

      ​@@whipsandtips bro a bit backhanded trying to apply cold logic eh

    • @TakGalen
      @TakGalen Před rokem +1482

      She acted as rationally as she could. A basic rule for when lost is to hold where you are. If you are expecting rescue you don't move. If you aren't and have the survival knowledge and skills, then you can move from your location.
      Her issue was she got turned around and ended up walking in the wrong direction. It probably occurred while she was going to the bathroom. If going off trail, for a break, it's good practice to mark the trees or make an obvious path for easier return to the trail.

    • @Amy_Dunn
      @Amy_Dunn Před rokem

      ​​@@whipsandtips No that fucking well is NOT. Survival of the fittest is about evolution, not about individual survival in a survival situation. Just because you put on a prayer emoji and an "R.I.P" doesn't mean your comment isn't absolutely disgusting.

    • @WiggyWamWam
      @WiggyWamWam Před rokem

      @@whipsandtips this is not an example of that, you dull cow

  • @thegamingbros8786
    @thegamingbros8786 Před rokem +14996

    What's always so eerie to me about missing stories like this, is pretty much always, at the end, it's stated where the individual's body was found. Most of the time they are not too far from where they were supposed to be. It always makes me sad that they felt so lost and hopeless, yet safety was right there. RIP

    • @Viktorreznov1942
      @Viktorreznov1942 Před rokem

      Nice to see people still rocking the self proclaimed p*do pfp

    • @sgmysterykid2552
      @sgmysterykid2552 Před rokem +239

      Being 2 miles away from the trail is pretty far

    • @spacecowboy8295
      @spacecowboy8295 Před rokem +642

      @@sgmysterykid2552 it’s not 26 days far tho. That’s like maybe 4-6 hrs

    • @etanmelo630
      @etanmelo630 Před rokem +344

      @@sgmysterykid2552dude people can run a miles in 8 minutes meaning you can run 2 miles in about 16 seeing as she’s old and has a ton of equipment it would still probably only take her about an hour to get back instead of 26 days to just die

    • @posmotri7722
      @posmotri7722 Před rokem +436

      ​@@etanmelo630when you lose the trail you are supposed to stop and wait for rescue. Wandering around will deplete your energy, and there is only one correct direction (which you don't know) but a fuckton of wrong ones that will get you even more lost.

  • @joesr31
    @joesr31 Před 9 měsíci +14

    She looked so happy in the photo...its kinda heartbreaking. She probably saved up for that hike and was looking forward to it for quite a while not knowing that would be her eventual demise.

  • @spicypugz
    @spicypugz Před 9 měsíci +94

    This is the main reason you ALWAYS go with at least one other person. If you get injured/lost on the trail alone, theres nobody coming to save you.

    • @Elle...
      @Elle... Před 9 měsíci +2

      She and her husband were meeting at checkpoints, she did have someone, and he did send help.

    • @spicypugz
      @spicypugz Před 9 měsíci +3

      @@Elle... Correct me if i’m wrong, but there was nobody with her when she got lost off the trail, and her husband was the one who called the authorities after she wasnt at the checkpoint.

    • @Elle...
      @Elle... Před 9 měsíci +1

      @@spicypugz that’s what I said. She had someone who was keeping track of her. You said no one was coming to save her, someone was.

    • @spicypugz
      @spicypugz Před 9 měsíci +2

      @@Elle... Ah ok I thought you meant she had someone with her at the time she got lost. But this is why its important to have someone with you and not just keeping track of you every 20 miles, because its uncharted wilderness if you get lost off the trail. If she had someone with her who was better at direction than sources claim she was, maybe she would have been able to find her way back. But i think we both agree on that.

    • @benedictearlson9044
      @benedictearlson9044 Před 9 měsíci +1

      @@spicypugz I think both of them would have been lost especially after walking 2 miles away from the trail.

  • @mikecriss3040
    @mikecriss3040 Před rokem +21597

    From her writings she had only ventured about 25 feet off the trail to use the bathroom. Always mark the trail behind you folks.

    • @mrsmartypants_1
      @mrsmartypants_1 Před rokem +1388

      Um no. Learn how to use and review a map and know how to find you directions with and without a compass. This woman was ungodly incompetent.

    • @iamrobot396
      @iamrobot396 Před rokem

      Sat nav is so fucking cheap. It's 2023. Mobe the fuck along

    • @carpathianken
      @carpathianken Před rokem +713

      @@mrsmartypants_1 I'm going to start doing that. 90% of the time I come out of the shopping centre I can't even find where I parked my car.

    • @Toasty283
      @Toasty283 Před rokem +503

      @@carpathianken take note that the sun rises in the East and sets in the west. That’ll at least inform where north is.

    • @danilesambrano4000
      @danilesambrano4000 Před rokem +367

      Or turn around and LOOK backwards. then remember the view.

  • @solsticebaby
    @solsticebaby Před 11 měsíci +13727

    If you ever find yourself lost in the woods and staying in place is not an option for whatever reason, do the following: Walk a certain distance in a direction. Let's say 20 ft north. Mark your way as you go. Then walk back to your starting point. Then do the same thing in another direction and do so until you have made a "circle". If you don't find your way to safety, then repeat the same path but go a little further and continue to do this returning back to your center and going a little further each time until one of those leads you to safety. The key being to mark your route as you go so you don't get more lost

    • @angelwasresurrected
      @angelwasresurrected Před 11 měsíci +263

      that’s smart

    • @Ash8a7
      @Ash8a7 Před 11 měsíci +521

      I would totally do this confidentiality if it wasn’t for my irrational fear of bears coyotes and mountain lions 😍

    • @maryem8263
      @maryem8263 Před 11 měsíci +176

      YES!!!! My grandmother told me this once. Love hearing it again.

    • @proxility4576
      @proxility4576 Před 11 měsíci +237

      I find it very useful to have a dog with you on your hikes (even if it’s just a hiking guide dog). I’ve been lost in the woods before and a dog led me back to safety. If you don’t have a dog, markers are also the best course of action.

    • @shasha2902
      @shasha2902 Před 11 měsíci +38

      Wow now that’s something I can use and will remember forever ❤❤❤

  • @BaggedWater
    @BaggedWater Před 9 měsíci +13

    Imagine the hurt when she was found and those texts finally came through…

  • @ThePastryNinja
    @ThePastryNinja Před 10 měsíci +60

    My husband was hiking the trail at the same time and always wondered what happened to her since you'd heard from other hikers about her being missing. A really tragic story

  • @huitrecouture
    @huitrecouture Před rokem +26112

    She stubbornly insisted on hiking ALONE after her partner had an emergency and left. She was known to have terrible sense of direction and anxiety disorder. What the HELL.

    • @Madara2B
      @Madara2B Před rokem +487

      like man me too but I don't want to die.

    • @seferino
      @seferino Před rokem +975

      her decision did cost her own life 🤦🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️

    • @mckenzieschmitt2841
      @mckenzieschmitt2841 Před rokem +1725

      And? She’s still human. She wasn’t out to hurt anyone. Be kind

    • @rheimy7819
      @rheimy7819 Před rokem +767

      Don’t blame her for her death wtf.

    • @griseldadominguez8734
      @griseldadominguez8734 Před rokem +232

      What got me was the partner that left her alone, regardless of her anxiety

  • @jimmystevens9028
    @jimmystevens9028 Před rokem +6220

    I helped search for her. She was so close to being out in a safe place, she was in the last spot anyone thought to look because it was so close to civilization.

    • @MHagen-ud8qi
      @MHagen-ud8qi Před 11 měsíci +359

      I read the book “When You Find My Body” about Gerry. I cried multiple times, especially knowing how close she was to safety and she didn’t know. Thank you for helping to search for her.

    • @bluebrown5566
      @bluebrown5566 Před 11 měsíci +44

      Thanks for having a great and kind heart for taking your time to help look for her🙏

    • @tracysommerville8924
      @tracysommerville8924 Před 11 měsíci +19

      26 f%%%%%days though ???😢

    • @radm0bil3
      @radm0bil3 Před 11 měsíci

      What a dumdum

    • @MrGadu95
      @MrGadu95 Před 11 měsíci +99

      How can could you not find her??? I mean when a person Is missing. You start searching nearby first and then extend the radius...It's so sad

  • @TriXJester
    @TriXJester Před rokem +5598

    People get lost on the trail every year, that's why rangers say over and over "Do not leave the trail" the Appalachian trail goes through some of the densest parts of the woods on the East Coast and if you aren't from the area you'll become lost extremely quickly. Only the PCT really compares to the sheer amount of people who just disappear.
    I grew up not far from where this woman went missing and there are certain areas even I wont go because how easy it is to get turned around and become lost.
    Life Advice: If you are going out hiking or camping, please bring something with you to mark your path. Even if you never leave the trail, bring something anyway. If you do leave the trail its best to keep your markings in eyeline of each other. Also bring a map with you, I don't care if you have one on your phone. Bring a physical map, and a compass. Keep track of wjere you were and where youre going. Another thing to keep on hand is an emergency siren or whistle, anything that can make a lot of noise that can travel long distances.
    I'm serious when I say these small choices can save your life.

    • @kathyb249
      @kathyb249 Před rokem +150

      This!!! Bring a bloody map and compass!! You should also take a course on how to use them. Never trust your sense of direction. And always bring your meds! Good lord, the number of mistakes this woman made are huge. My friend and I almost got into huge trouble when it rained hard and we confused a lake with a beaver dam created pond. Small mistakes loom large on the Appalachian trail. This is life and death. Don’t be foolhardy.

    • @fioree2532
      @fioree2532 Před rokem +70

      I can’t stress that advice enough.
      It may not be no Appalachian mountain trail but I remember I was hiking in my go to trail down here in Florida. I was with my friend and I know I was about in the middle of the Forrest and I see a guy drenched in sweat raising his phone and hand for help. He asked for directions saying he got lost because his phone/ google maps stopped working. I gave him directions to get back to the main site but I could only imagine what the headlines could have been if I wasn’t there. People seriously have to stop relying on electronics lol

    • @Ok-but
      @Ok-but Před rokem +1

      ​@@kathyb249 are u from the uk?

    • @jamiecurran3544
      @jamiecurran3544 Před rokem +7

      A small mirror too !🤔✌️

    • @LadyVixenGames
      @LadyVixenGames Před rokem +19

      @@kathyb249 you are so dead wrong this area also has lot of issues with compasses not working...also it's extremely hard to find your way out when it gets extremely thick also maps wont help in the USA where almost 89% of forests are still not mapped.
      this trail is known to get people killed not just by getting lost but by animals and paranormal and crappy humans...

  • @greaveslb75
    @greaveslb75 Před 9 měsíci +19

    Hikers should also know this useful tip:
    If you're lost when hiking and know you won't have cell coverage or your phone is about to die, then change your voicemail message to state familiar landmarks of your current location and save it. So when texts or calls don't go through, people will be able to call and get the voicemail so they can find you!

  • @danielwebster5748
    @danielwebster5748 Před 9 měsíci +11

    This is why everyone needs a locator which will work even if there's no service. A detailed map of the area wouldn't hurt either. It is a good idea people always say wait if you get lost that's true if you have something where they can locate you like a locator. But if you're sitting there starving and waiting to die then you have to try something to save yourself.

    • @trotter7679
      @trotter7679 Před 9 měsíci

      Personal Locator Beacon

    • @cwd243
      @cwd243 Před měsícem

      I thru hiked the AT in 2013. I knew this woman personally. PLBs (Personal location beacons) did exist back then but they were very, very, expensive. That's why she had a stand alone gps. I bought my Garmin in reach in 2015 when I hiked the PCT. Even then, it was almost 1k for the device and 50 bucks a month to have it on.....

  • @ue2267
    @ue2267 Před 11 měsíci +3988

    Rule number 1 of going anywhere alone especially hiking in remote places - don’t go alone.

    • @Gera1713
      @Gera1713 Před 11 měsíci +64

      ...and certainly not if you are a senior. Or best ...dont go at all

    • @lillymurray8408
      @lillymurray8408 Před 10 měsíci +26

      @@Gera1713just because someone’s older doesn’t mean they arent competent enough to do the things they love. You sound ridiculous.

    • @Edd-oh2qx
      @Edd-oh2qx Před 10 měsíci +6

      Or just simply don't go problem solved

    • @TheRaissarenee
      @TheRaissarenee Před 10 měsíci

      Right

    • @TonyRSalazar
      @TonyRSalazar Před 10 měsíci +8

      This comment won't stop me, I can't read.

  • @mjspartansrule
    @mjspartansrule Před 9 měsíci +22

    This was an episode on north woods law when wardens got the call for this search and rescue. They worked vigilantly for days trying to find her. This was a really sad story.

    • @olivebranch1081
      @olivebranch1081 Před 6 měsíci +1

      I've been watching NWL since it first aired. I vividly remember watching the episode of the initial searches. And I remember, years later, holding back tears as I watched the episode of when they found her remains. They tried everything to find her and never gave up until they were able to bring her home. It was heartbreaking but such a relief that she'd finally been found.

  • @AshLey-kq6ff
    @AshLey-kq6ff Před 9 měsíci +7

    So you’re telling me she was less than a 12 minute run from salvation? 💀

  • @tylerelefterion5606
    @tylerelefterion5606 Před rokem +2921

    1. Don't leave the trail farther than you can see it
    2. Don't hike/travel alone unless you have trail markers
    3. Tell someone EXACTLY where you're going and EXACTLY when you'll be able to text or call them again. If you don't text/call they will send some help asap.

    • @MacNif
      @MacNif Před rokem +75

      Buy a SAT phone if you plan on hiking regularly

    • @soulserver127
      @soulserver127 Před rokem +6

      @@MacNif thank you for mentioning this! Im glad someone did :)

    • @pamelamcgraw3293
      @pamelamcgraw3293 Před rokem

      Sad

    • @grayfox185
      @grayfox185 Před rokem +9

      Always establish a panic time

    • @srcastic8764
      @srcastic8764 Před rokem +13

      @@MacNif better to carry an EPIRB. A Sat phone won’t lead rescuers to you. You push Th e button on the EPIRB and they will immediately respond and arrive as soon as they can get to your position. My son and his fiancé hike a lot so I bought them one. No subscription needed.

  • @JoeMama-dx8to
    @JoeMama-dx8to Před 10 měsíci +2745

    Today marks ten years since this happened, may she rest in peace

    • @silhouechor
      @silhouechor Před 9 měsíci +3

      not sure thats how that works

    • @kaxzuymji-
      @kaxzuymji- Před 9 měsíci +22

      ​@@silhouechorkinda because he said the picture was taken July 22, 2013 and her body wasn't found until October 2015. Approximately almost 8-9 3/4 but to tell the exact time it's been we would have to know when she died exactly so it's safe to stay it has been 8 or 9 years since then

    • @silhouechor
      @silhouechor Před 9 měsíci +7

      @@kaxzuymji- ahhh so it took them two years to find her, i see

    • @basedbroskiworld
      @basedbroskiworld Před 9 měsíci

      this is a proof women cant and never did manage to survive alone in the wild without men

  • @aaronyeager6778
    @aaronyeager6778 Před 9 měsíci +9

    Getting lost in the woods is one of the craziest things that can happen

  • @dolnop6824
    @dolnop6824 Před 10 měsíci +83

    that’s heartbreaking. Rest in peace :(

  • @sandrablanchette2239
    @sandrablanchette2239 Před rokem +3244

    She had a device that would have located her but she left it behind. Our game wardens were heartbroken that they never could find her alive

    • @solidtank7957
      @solidtank7957 Před rokem +138

      Maine has some of the best wilderness personnel in the world, goes to show how difficult the job is.

    • @00jasminenicole
      @00jasminenicole Před rokem +43

      Your words sound like lyrics.

    • @JoLeoTA79
      @JoLeoTA79 Před rokem +24

      Wasn’t this tragic event captured on the show North Woods Law

    • @Alex-sm1mb
      @Alex-sm1mb Před rokem +42

      I’ve always said that if I would ever get lost I would burn the forest down

    • @YankeeDoodle2
      @YankeeDoodle2 Před rokem +6

      Not very good Forest rangers

  • @keienn7259
    @keienn7259 Před rokem +14822

    This photo was taken by a stranger who met Geraldine on the trail. They struck up a conversation and the stranger asked if they could take a photo because they just found Geraldine so radiant and wonderful that they wanted to document it.
    People are judging her actions in the comment section but she was a wonderful bright person (by accounts of those who knew her) who enjoyed hiking. Yes, she has done it before even if she was a slow hiker.
    But despite her mistakes in the last month of her life, let's not forget she is also a person with a story who was living life to the fullest.
    Edit: I understand that people are just giving general critiques that could have saved her life. But we all make mistakes when we think we know better but we actually don't. I just don't like how our conversation around this wonderful woman is always about "what she should have done" and never about the legacy she left in this world.

    • @Lgm1163
      @Lgm1163 Před rokem +311

      This. So much hate for what. She was a mom. A woman who just wanted to do something for herself.

    • @ubemcgrebbiii1923
      @ubemcgrebbiii1923 Před rokem +144

      Most of these comments aren’t hate, just general criticism. She really shouldn’t have been alone.

    • @SanctusBacchus
      @SanctusBacchus Před rokem +38

      Clearly not that bright.

    • @GojoGunning
      @GojoGunning Před rokem

      She killed herself who cates

    • @yoursoulessmate
      @yoursoulessmate Před rokem +5

      ​@@ubemcgrebbiii1923 agree

  • @Hopstead
    @Hopstead Před 9 měsíci +2

    Girl really said: “I’m in mortal danger I’m so silly xoxo 💋 “

  • @Attorney.42
    @Attorney.42 Před 9 měsíci +13

    She was a retired nurse, she was married 42 years, and she had a beautiful daughter. She experienced a lot of great things before she died.

  • @alg5470
    @alg5470 Před 10 měsíci +3010

    I read somewhere that if you’re out hiking and you’re almost out of phone battery, change your voicemail to be a message on your whereabouts. Include coordinates and any other details. That way, even if your phone dies, whoever calls you will receive that message and can send help.

    • @evelynm238
      @evelynm238 Před 9 měsíci +134

      This is great idea

    • @Elle...
      @Elle... Před 9 měsíci +345

      Your voicemail isn’t going to change if you don’t have service

    • @carachantler2325
      @carachantler2325 Před 9 měsíci +41

      That’s good advice in a number of situations actually 🤔 Now I need to figure out how to do that 😆

    • @RavenNicole89
      @RavenNicole89 Před 9 měsíci +3

      Brilliant!

    • @Eric-kb2xt
      @Eric-kb2xt Před 9 měsíci

      Yeah, but that’s absolutely not true, doesn’t work, and is bullshit. Literally does not work. Period.

  • @rustinstardust2094
    @rustinstardust2094 Před rokem +2622

    The photo itself is beautiful - it was probably the last time she was really happy. It's everything that happened *after* which is disturbing.

    • @educateme8455
      @educateme8455 Před rokem +8

      She doesn't sound too smart.

    • @evalinacesarcassule5097
      @evalinacesarcassule5097 Před rokem +79

      ​@@educateme8455 nobody sounds smart when are lost, let's start by there.

    • @elrond7887
      @elrond7887 Před rokem +7

      Right. All these one off CZcamsrs say this stuff to catch your attention.

    • @bryanfukingfox
      @bryanfukingfox Před rokem

      @@educateme8455 well aren’t you just a symbol of respect. Talking sh*t about an elderly lady that died alone in the woods. Probably scared, lonely, and most certainly sad. But yeah, insult her some more. I’m sure if one of her family members or friends happen to see it one day it will make them feel great! So get your licks in! Whatever makes YOU feels better. Your parents must be super proud.

    • @NoMoreLies365
      @NoMoreLies365 Před rokem

      ​@Evalina César Cassule watch the whole video, she wasn't prepared at all. Lacked basic knowledge.

  • @universelove6163
    @universelove6163 Před 9 měsíci +5

    Moral of the story DONT GIVE UP ON YOURSELF!!💆🏾‍♀️

  • @lilyjean8110
    @lilyjean8110 Před 9 měsíci +3

    Less than 2 miles away, wow. She was right there 😢😢😢

  • @mars9313
    @mars9313 Před rokem +4762

    The fact she was only 2 miles from where she got lost is crazy... a rescue team could've easily covered that in just a few hours I wonder how they didn't find her

    • @georgewood9482
      @georgewood9482 Před rokem +1426

      Because the Appalachian trail is absolutely massive, she was 2 miles from it, but which of the 2190 miles was she 2 miles from?

    • @j.r.walden9937
      @j.r.walden9937 Před rokem +526

      I refuse to believe that a pack of trained hound dogs couldn't find her in less than an hour or two

    • @samsamvikingfan
      @samsamvikingfan Před rokem +210

      If I remember correctly, there was an episode of North Woods Law (a show where they ride along with some of the Game Wardens in Maine) that covered some of the searching they did for her when she went missing. I don't remember all the details, but I believe it had something to do with just how thick the brush and everything was in that area. I'll see if I can find the episode in case you or anyone else wants to check it out.
      Edit:
      There were actually 2, one that covered the initial search when she went missing, and one that took place a couple years later when they actually found her.
      - initial search: Season 3 Episode 9 "Lost and Found"
      - finding her camp and body: Season 7 Episode 11 "Homecoming"

    • @mars9313
      @mars9313 Před rokem +35

      @George Wood it says she was 2 miles from the trail I would suspect 2 miles from where she was last with the group of people

    • @WHO-xi4zp
      @WHO-xi4zp Před rokem +42

      If I remember correctly her camp was well hidden in some trees and bushes and the finder didn’t see it until they where right in it.

  • @reezy6263
    @reezy6263 Před rokem +2047

    I can’t believe she stayed in one spot for that long. This is heartbreaking.

    • @johnnybird5466
      @johnnybird5466 Před rokem +131

      She wasn’t totally wrong for assuming their would be searchers. I’m
      More shocked she didn’t hear or see people searching for her so close to the trail.

    • @just-a-fella3212
      @just-a-fella3212 Před rokem +23

      I imagine she was not conscious of N.S.E.W. If she was, she would easily have made her way back to the trail. Being aware of N.S.E.W. is one of life's basic useful skills.

    • @tabithagonzalez8007
      @tabithagonzalez8007 Před rokem +2

      @@just-a-fella3212 what’s N.S.E.W ?

    • @mard-e6086
      @mard-e6086 Před rokem +6

      ​@@tabithagonzalez8007 North South East West

    • @markglennyt9230
      @markglennyt9230 Před rokem +12

      @@just-a-fella3212 yeah bcs u can use the sun as ur reference which is which...the sun always rise at East ..as long as ur not in the south or north pole part of the globe...

  • @Karmajinxer14
    @Karmajinxer14 Před 9 měsíci +3

    Awww this is so heartbreaking. She sounded like an angel may she rest easy

  • @WhispersFromTheDark
    @WhispersFromTheDark Před 9 měsíci +4

    Bless her heart. Rest in peace hun, you are not forgotten.

  • @melancholyandinfiniteradness
    @melancholyandinfiniteradness Před 11 měsíci +1346

    The cases where hikers are found relatively close to the trail they got lost from are always the saddest to me. It’s also a good reminder to stay just off the trail to use the bathroom. Even very seasoned hikers have become lost this way, and many fatalities,

    • @stormdog9169
      @stormdog9169 Před 10 měsíci +14

      This was 2013. There was zero reason for her not to have a $100 handheld GPS--or hell, she had a charged cell phone. They make GPS apps like GAIA.
      This was so avoidable by just being a little bit smart.

    • @ChuyR.
      @ChuyR. Před 10 měsíci +24

      the kids who crashlandend in the Andes during the 80s were a couple miles from an Antenna service center, it is just hard to decide to which direction you could go. It is easy to speak after the facts.

    • @JT-ow6qj
      @JT-ow6qj Před 10 měsíci +13

      ​@@stormdog9169gps were $500 in 2013. Smart phones were just becoming common in everyones pocket. Where did you get $100 from

    • @stephen5808
      @stephen5808 Před 10 měsíci +5

      @@stormdog9169 this guy knows exactly what happened that day!

    • @stormdog9169
      @stormdog9169 Před 10 měsíci +5

      @@stephen5808 I don't need to know what happened that day to know how stupid it was for an old lady with crippling anxiety to hike a 2000 mile trail through the mountains without a GPS. That was a predictable end.

  • @shinshokulc
    @shinshokulc Před rokem +4097

    I just have so much trouble with the fact that she hung out 2 miles off the trail for 26 days. That’s so long to just…wait. This poor woman.

    • @deadplaya
      @deadplaya Před rokem +158

      I've walked around 14 miles in about 8 hours. It was the most grueling thing I've done. At times i would just need to stop because it was getting hard to hold my eyes focused on the path ahead. So I'd set my backpack down as a pillow and get at least 15-30 minutes of sleep then keep going

    • @swingingsteel
      @swingingsteel Před rokem +29

      ​@@ErrorMoose 😂 is that a joke?

    • @EpsteinsRope
      @EpsteinsRope Před rokem +41

      She's elderly. They can't go as long as we can, especially without food or water.

    • @swingingsteel
      @swingingsteel Před rokem +28

      @@ErrorMoose ...an hour is "quite a long way" to you?

    • @suppeccnole6787
      @suppeccnole6787 Před rokem +122

      @@swingingsteel it is when you don’t know if you’re heading the right direction/don’t know where you are on a map. You wouldn’t be likely to waste time and energy fighting through dense wilderness when it’s possible you’re only getting yourself more lost. She thought the rational thing to do would be to wait and not wander off farther into the woods

  • @christinacoote9885
    @christinacoote9885 Před 10 měsíci +2

    Rest in peace Geraldine 🙌

  • @karenl.281
    @karenl.281 Před 9 měsíci +7

    I watched this story unfold on North Woods Law. And then the episode over a year later when they found her remains. Heart breaking

  • @greychi
    @greychi Před 11 měsíci +1121

    :( she seemed so sweet

    • @fernybern
      @fernybern Před 10 měsíci +2

      How ?

    • @MD97531
      @MD97531 Před 10 měsíci +39

      @@fernybern by the message she wrote for her family in her journal. You’d imagine anyone would have empathy for her, based on this short video.

    • @aplus1080
      @aplus1080 Před 10 měsíci +20

      @@fernyberntrying to explain something intelligently to you is like trying to explain flavor to a paper bag.

  • @wickesentertainment2377
    @wickesentertainment2377 Před rokem +1923

    It’s heartbreaking that she died alone and afraid when she was lost, she knew she wasn’t gonna survive for long when her messages didn’t go through

    • @bred9901
      @bred9901 Před rokem +2

      ​@@cnachopchopnewsagency very cool, CNA (ChopChoo News Agency)

    • @delta8518
      @delta8518 Před rokem +2

      ​@@cnachopchopnewsagency dafuq

    • @kismetmoon9294
      @kismetmoon9294 Před rokem

      @@cnachopchopnewsagency i’ve never seen someone so allergic to püssy before

    • @gatunhame
      @gatunhame Před rokem

      ​@@bred9901 what did it say?

    • @bred9901
      @bred9901 Před rokem +13

      @@gatunhame sexist insults towards the woman in question and said that if her husband was there she would’ve lived or if the husband got lost instead he would’ve been able to scavenge for food and survive

  • @Emester123
    @Emester123 Před 9 měsíci +5

    I am going to cry, she looked so kind, RIP

  • @briettasharee
    @briettasharee Před 9 měsíci +4

    First and foremost this is why it’s important to know which way on the path you’re walking and if you walk off (which why) you need to know which direct you are walking in… a compass might have helped her back to the trail.

  • @jonnyhicks2076
    @jonnyhicks2076 Před rokem +6662

    Bless this poor woman. I learned from a CZcams video a while back a simple tip for helping you get out of the exact situation this woman found herself in. If you get lost first thing you do is you set up camp or create a base then you venture a set distance from the base marking your trail clearly along the way so you can always get back. Then you rinse and repeat this process by venturing further from the camp in every direction (preferably at 4 perpendicular points) always sticking to the marked trail you created. Eventually you will find the place you got lost

    • @MoneyStrategiesSOULutions
      @MoneyStrategiesSOULutions Před rokem +112

      Awesome! Thanks!

    • @kodycampbell2922
      @kodycampbell2922 Před rokem +93

      Thank you for putting the info out there

    • @hayorge27
      @hayorge27 Před rokem +182

      Makes sense - hiked for decades and lucky never been "lost." Might've not known where I exactly was, but I guess I'm just good at spatial orientation

    • @SandraBettsArt
      @SandraBettsArt Před rokem +267

      I think you may have just saved my life. I'm going hiking this spring to prove to myself that cancer & covid did not make me weak. (Kind of a private rebirth journey because I've lost so much to both.) I am terrible with directions and was petrified of this exact thing happening. Thank you so much.

    • @montyi8
      @montyi8 Před rokem

      @@SandraBettsArt Bring some king of gps trackers or locator with you.

  • @xishan01
    @xishan01 Před rokem +1131

    It's utterly tragic. To protect herself from rain she camped under trees cover.. that also meant not being visible to plane/Air search. Her camp was 70 yards away from open area.. 2 miles away from Trail and 25mins away from a logging road. Ms Gerry's friend's revealed that her hiking and compass skills were not adequate.

    • @NecramoniumVideo
      @NecramoniumVideo Před rokem +34

      I get lost in my own city even after living here for 39 years, so going hiking while i dont know much about hiking or compass skills, ill pass!

    • @sneksteppy
      @sneksteppy Před rokem +52

      This woman had no business hiking alone being this incompetent.

    • @pakde8002
      @pakde8002 Před rokem +25

      Too many people assume everything will be okay. Just stick to the trail and bring enough water and trailmix and you too can be a wilderness hiker. Anyone venturing off into the wilderness should be required to pass a basic competency test just like anything else that's dangerous and will endanger others. A lost hiker endangers others who participate in the rescue.

    • @SoulWolf2852
      @SoulWolf2852 Před rokem +3

      That last sentence took me out Idk why 💀

    • @couchman-sw6jy
      @couchman-sw6jy Před rokem +4

      Oh my god that’s so fucking sad, Jesus Christ

  • @henrychuong2500
    @henrychuong2500 Před rokem +7511

    If you're not injured, should be no reason to just stay and wait for rescue. You are a hiker. You are fit. You're your own rescue.

    • @Vilatkahang
      @Vilatkahang Před rokem +202

      They said she had anxiety disorder..

    • @rustyhowe3907
      @rustyhowe3907 Před rokem +673

      @@Vilatkahang I wonder why she'd take up hiking then with such a condition?
      EDIT; Calm tf down people all I'm saying is be realistic about your own limits k? Chill.🙄

    • @annarodriguez9868
      @annarodriguez9868 Před rokem +327

      ​@@rustyhowe3907 She may have been trying to get out her comfort zone, but still not very smart to go alone.

    • @rustyhowe3907
      @rustyhowe3907 Před rokem +55

      @@annarodriguez9868 Could be the case yeah, such a tragedy and I wish her family well.
      You're right she should've not gone alone.

    • @dontmindme333
      @dontmindme333 Před rokem +44

      If someone needs help then they need help… not sure what you’re getting at

  • @lindvi0r
    @lindvi0r Před 10 měsíci +1

    aw man, that note she left, so sad :( RIP

  • @EavenStarchilde
    @EavenStarchilde Před 10 měsíci +2

    She looked so happy.😢💔

  • @shawnMarin5308
    @shawnMarin5308 Před 11 měsíci +5015

    Always take a load of fireworks with you. After being lost for 48 hours begin to set them off. Hundreds of searchers will see them. Good luck hiking!

    • @Adot_Gunz
      @Adot_Gunz Před 11 měsíci +64

      well maybe animals like bears will see them and attack

    • @whatsherfacegal
      @whatsherfacegal Před 11 měsíci +214

      I'd be afraid of starting a forest fire?

    • @euphoricmonk
      @euphoricmonk Před 11 měsíci +75

      Great idea actually. Just a few fire crackers could save your life.

    • @beatsbythestorm3428
      @beatsbythestorm3428 Před 11 měsíci +252

      If you’re doing firecrackers, you might as well just bring a whistle. It’s just as loud and has no risk of starting fires.

    • @tarekbouwmeester
      @tarekbouwmeester Před 11 měsíci +97

      ​@@Adot_Gunzyeah bears totally walk to loud bangs

  • @gneissnicebaby
    @gneissnicebaby Před rokem +3085

    May this adventurous woman rest in peace.
    For anyone else possibly considering solo hiking/backpacking, brightly colored string or flags of some kind would've saved this woman's life in all likelihood by allowing her to more easily find the trail again. So let her story serve as a reminder to always mark the trail and your path when you step off of it, even to take a quick pee break. You never want to experience the terror of zipping up your pants, looking around the forest, and realizing you've lost the trail. Like someone else said; some forests are hungry and will swallow you up if you're not careful.

    • @b.k8051
      @b.k8051 Před rokem

      She's alive

    • @BeastieRaj
      @BeastieRaj Před rokem +10

      @@b.k8051what?!

    • @eleo_b
      @eleo_b Před rokem +21

      But make sure you don’t leave your bright coloured strings behind in nature. You’re not allowed to leave things behind on the trail.

    • @hellbent4514
      @hellbent4514 Před rokem +20

      They have this thing called a compass

    • @ryanwagner656
      @ryanwagner656 Před rokem +11

      dont litter your crap on my mountain

  • @steveharvey7343
    @steveharvey7343 Před 9 měsíci +1

    She looks so wholesome awww

  • @hilariecalijo4643
    @hilariecalijo4643 Před 10 měsíci +14

    Poor lady. Still kind and selfless in her last moments 😢😢😢❤❤❤

  • @emmamayne7575
    @emmamayne7575 Před 10 měsíci +4610

    If you are ever lost, find water & follow it downstream. Communities always congregate near bodies of water.

    • @ROrneli
      @ROrneli Před 9 měsíci +485

      not always possible, as someone who has explored quite a bit nature is not just trails and flat road. water often leads to cliffs and waterfalls that are 50-200 feet drops.thick follage and rocks may block your way .
      In addition water also attracts animals. bears.snakes, wolves, coyotes and a bunch of other predators that may see you as a meal .
      Altough your advice is good keep in mind the things above. I would find a high vantage point and try to get a bearing of my surroundings. always carry a compass with you a map and a altimeter .
      Now a days there are plenty of watches with long battery life that do this . such as the garmins, Suuntos and even the G-shock GBDh2000 can save you from such situations.
      I would say the best advice is to never trail alone in the wilderness and if you must do not leave the trail . if you leave the trail to go number 1 or 2 keep the trail at sight or leave "bread crumbs" behind to easily find your way back. bread crumbs can be a bright colored rag or shirt always on sight of each other.

    • @censored4christ162
      @censored4christ162 Před 9 měsíci +62

      I live in a desert bruh

    • @nirvanic3610
      @nirvanic3610 Před 9 měsíci +2

      Thank you

    • @x1xnation981
      @x1xnation981 Před 9 měsíci

      @@censored4christ162follow the wiggles from the cactus 🧃

    • @Ijustwantosleep91
      @Ijustwantosleep91 Před 9 měsíci +7

      ​@ROrneli you should apply to be Ai

  • @brianweaver327
    @brianweaver327 Před rokem +1701

    I guarantee that is NOT the most disturbing photo in Appalachian Trail history.

    • @stef5974
      @stef5974 Před rokem +68

      Dude titles all his videos similarly to clickbait people lmao

    • @williamwatson1730
      @williamwatson1730 Před rokem +16

      He claimed it before you, also he seems like a nice guy so it’s for sure the most disturbing. Whatever you have is only second to this. Period.

    • @MrBirdmansc
      @MrBirdmansc Před rokem +13

      @@williamwatson1730 lol

    • @grumpy3543
      @grumpy3543 Před rokem +23

      What happened to never hike, scuba or mountain climb by yourself?

    • @michaelberrybpnteensixsix6319
      @michaelberrybpnteensixsix6319 Před rokem +8

      Ya, have you seen some of there women....

  • @shycheye4637
    @shycheye4637 Před 9 měsíci +1

    The only hiking advice I know to offer in the situation is when you go off trail make sure you have some bright ropes tie to a tree on trail and carry it with you to go to br or whatever you’re doing then you can get back to trail easily .

  • @davidcrooks8642
    @davidcrooks8642 Před 10 měsíci +2

    This is why you don't leave the path

  • @macgyver9134
    @macgyver9134 Před rokem +809

    I went 4 wheeling in the desert with a buddy once and came across this 55 year old woman who was prerunning a race course, and had gotten lost and was wandering around for hours. No water, no cell, no map, just an energy bar. This was not the first or last person I saved. Some people are completely ignorant about danger.

  • @apparitionappalachian4591
    @apparitionappalachian4591 Před rokem +1927

    My husband was raised in the back of a holler in the mountains. He said that some woods are hungry and that you can hallucinate going in circles thinking you are getting close to something but just getting more lost.
    I have mad respect for the old moonshiners lol

    • @limlee1535
      @limlee1535 Před rokem +76

      Asians believe too! Especially those staying in hilly regions...vege farmers.

    • @_cloudface_
      @_cloudface_ Před rokem +37

      😐 sun still rises in the east and sets in the west though

    • @apparitionappalachian4591
      @apparitionappalachian4591 Před rokem +84

      @@_cloudface_ in these mountains sun comes up about 10 in the morning and sets in 3 in the evening because of our mountains. Also it’s hard to know exactly where the sun is with all the trees overhead when you in the dark woods… it’s literally that dark no light. But I guess one could climb a tree lol

    • @swayjaayy5495
      @swayjaayy5495 Před rokem +5

      Ahem, "in the back of a holler" is not a saying nor is it an accurate description of anything.

    • @apparitionappalachian4591
      @apparitionappalachian4591 Před rokem +42

      @@swayjaayy5495 it is in southeast ky buddy lol

  • @melvinbfernandez
    @melvinbfernandez Před 10 měsíci +2

    May she rest in peace.

  • @user-bp4wt2zq4p
    @user-bp4wt2zq4p Před 9 měsíci +1

    If youre lost in the wilderness its important to keep moving! Never sit in one place for too long

  • @vanessagallegos-marchenko4736

    She and he husband stayed at the inn I work at quite frequently. She planned this hike on the AT for a long time. She was so excited to finally go. It was heartbreaking to all of us to hear what happened to her. Holding out hope they'd find her and she would have a crazy story to tell. She was a sweet woman

    • @TimLevi
      @TimLevi Před rokem

      And dumb

    • @Nikola__K
      @Nikola__K Před rokem +35

      Is it possible someone wanted her dead? Any life insurances or marriage problems?
      Who was with her that day, who took the photo?
      When did the family start looking for her?
      This all looks a bit like a setup, how did the person taking the photo not notice her missing and didn’t call the authorities?
      If she stayed at a campfire for some days they could have seem the fire at dusk, or seen the smoke.

    • @Selkie7
      @Selkie7 Před rokem +234

      ​@@Nikola__K sounds like you watch too many true crime podcasts. People get lost and die in the wilderness on their own all the time

    • @Nikola__K
      @Nikola__K Před rokem +36

      @@Selkie7 Leah baby, who took the photo hours before and were where they when she got lost???
      If it was her husband, did he just go home like nothing happened when he noticed she was missing?
      If she when with some random people why didn’t he go with her, and why did she go with them if they didn’t even care about her when they noticed she was missing?
      Also she seems to be experienced, not her first time out in the wild.
      Im not saying it wasn’t an accident, just that people should ask questions.
      And I don’t watch that shit, actually I don’t watch any tv channels at all.

    • @sergiolopez0407
      @sergiolopez0407 Před rokem +84

      @@Nikola__K I would hate to be your life partner

  • @nicmont4230
    @nicmont4230 Před rokem +395

    I learned at a young age that sitting still waiting to die is not even an option.

    • @pusheenthecat9264
      @pusheenthecat9264 Před 11 měsíci +2

      But moving around randomly only gets you more lost and makes it harder for rescuers to find you

    • @nicmont4230
      @nicmont4230 Před 11 měsíci +29

      @@pusheenthecat9264 it's not random. Pick a direction, and stick to it. You'll find a creek, fence line, trail, house, road, etc eventually, and then you follow that. You'll find someone. I've settled in for the night once, and was going to walk out in the morning because where I was at was super thick cedars and it got dark so quick I couldn't see and foolishly had no light with me. I'm still here today, and that's the only time today that I found it best to not move immediately.

    • @GolemX
      @GolemX Před 11 měsíci +3

      At least bring a compass if you're in the wild.

    • @nicmont4230
      @nicmont4230 Před 11 měsíci +4

      @@GolemX I do now. Several years ago, I thought I didn't need one.

    • @codeman9145
      @codeman9145 Před 11 měsíci +2

      @@GolemXdon’t need a compass unless you’re in the Amazon

  • @ColoradoMntn1222
    @ColoradoMntn1222 Před 14 dny

    Omg, this story was so sad. I watched this months ago but saw it pop up and my heart still hurts for her. She sounds like she was such a lovely human being. Just…so devastating and tragic.

  • @carrierosiefitzpatrick9463
    @carrierosiefitzpatrick9463 Před 7 měsíci

    THIS IS SO HEARTBREAKING
    REST IN PEACE GERALDINE 🙏

  • @TCHC85
    @TCHC85 Před 10 měsíci +696

    Rest in peace, Geraldine.

  • @doubleboy2388
    @doubleboy2388 Před rokem +350

    It's so crazy that she was so close to safety the whole time

    • @jimbowering1367
      @jimbowering1367 Před rokem +27

      A majority of people that are missing are usually found within a few miles from where they went missing or even close to a well traveled road or habited area. It's crazy

    • @kramerb3758
      @kramerb3758 Před rokem +8

      But how come no search party to find her? What did her family do to find her?

    • @alexfrank5331
      @alexfrank5331 Před rokem +5

      2 miles in the mountain is not close at all.

    • @doubleboy2388
      @doubleboy2388 Před rokem +8

      @@alexfrank5331 well just in terms of saving her life, and not dying. She was really close. She could have covered that distance in half a day, a day at the most if she knew which way to go.

    • @cinnamonliebe
      @cinnamonliebe Před rokem +1

      imo that’s what makes it so sad… i’m sad this happened to her, i wish she would have made it.

  • @grapefruitm00n
    @grapefruitm00n Před 10 měsíci +31

    The lesson: Don't go hiking

  • @alexscott8950
    @alexscott8950 Před měsícem

    I genuinely don’t understand how anyone could get lost in this day and age.

  • @kodycampbell2922
    @kodycampbell2922 Před rokem +2116

    Rest easy sweet little lady you were found and your family got closure. May this terrible incident serve as an example to those that follow in your footsteps

  • @Dave11078
    @Dave11078 Před rokem +2751

    As an Appalachian who’s lived here my whole life and lives right next to the trail:
    For the love of god be careful. Seriously. One second you’re in some big bustling city and the next second you’re in the middle of the mountains.
    If you EVER feel like you might get lost, ask a local for help. Just make sure they aren’t cooked out on meth.

    • @CMTechnica
      @CMTechnica Před rokem

      Big issue especially in Maine. Outside of outdoor activities, there’s nothing to do. Thus, drugs.
      By all means, enjoy the outdoors, and if you need help, ask. Mainers are a helpful bunch.
      Except the meth heads.

    • @silasaverill1975
      @silasaverill1975 Před rokem

      As a fellow Appalachian please say it right (ˌapəˈlāCH(ē)ən) stole that from google translate

    • @rachelmcclain5367
      @rachelmcclain5367 Před rokem +22

      What do I do if they ard

    • @rogers4760
      @rogers4760 Před rokem +60

      @@rachelmcclain5367 ask for some

    • @Quesadilla_God
      @Quesadilla_God Před rokem

      @@rachelmcclain5367 boof it

  • @connieflores7362
    @connieflores7362 Před 9 měsíci

    Sorry for your loss

  • @Kili098
    @Kili098 Před 9 měsíci +1

    This is why knowing how to use a compass and map is important for hikers. Knowing how to figure out north and south without a compass. Feature recognition.
    Even if you get lost, just take a bearing in the direction you think you should go from where you think you are and walk until you find landmark features and cross reference them on the map.
    If you stay still, you die.

  • @xondeez757
    @xondeez757 Před rokem +1723

    Never travel alone. The more dangerous a trip is the more people you travel with. Travel with at least 2-3 people

    • @dewfall56
      @dewfall56 Před rokem +17

      More for the cannibals to feed on.

    • @xondeez757
      @xondeez757 Před rokem +37

      @@dewfall56 there are no cannibals in north american forest?

    • @pizzaroll6604
      @pizzaroll6604 Před rokem +81

      travel with atleast with 10 doctors 20 soldiers 10 botanist fully armed with machine gun if shit go south
      edit: thanks for the likes i thought I'm the only one likes to be prepared.

    • @Danny-ol4zx
      @Danny-ol4zx Před rokem +15

      More like don’t go if you’re inexperienced. Adding more people aint gonna do nothing unless somebody knows what they’re doing.

    • @Hardzie75
      @Hardzie75 Před rokem +2

      ​@@xondeez757 not yet...

  • @Lovemonniibee
    @Lovemonniibee Před rokem +596

    I remember this story and it was heart breaking. One of the cases where taking your rescue into your own hands would have been more beneficial

    • @njdxnjdx
      @njdxnjdx Před rokem +1

      Heartbreaking? More like karma. Anyone this stupid has no business hiking

    • @njdxnjdx
      @njdxnjdx Před rokem +20

      This woman probably gets lost walking to the refrigerator

    • @lemonhashberry5799
      @lemonhashberry5799 Před rokem +54

      ​@Robert Ewing kind of insensitive, she lost her life because of this.

    • @_bolognese
      @_bolognese Před rokem +44

      ​@@njdxnjdx jesus christ. this was a human being who lost her life. how could you say something so insensitive? what the hell

    • @John--
      @John-- Před rokem +3

      ​@@njdxnjdx not anymore

  • @UrbanKiwiana
    @UrbanKiwiana Před 9 měsíci

    It's crazy how actual close they are to safety or the way out..that's so tragic

  • @misterxfinity5759
    @misterxfinity5759 Před 2 měsíci

    this is a really sad story that really highlights the need for preparation. you can't rely on cell service out there. she was barely off the trail. as much as i respect her spirit of adventure, she was woefully underprepared. the facts that this was so preventable, and that they couldn't find her despite being only a few miles off trail are both heartbreaking.

  • @LuisCruz-vx7cv
    @LuisCruz-vx7cv Před 10 měsíci +523

    This is so sad her smile is full of life and joy.

  • @cristiewentz8586
    @cristiewentz8586 Před rokem +4197

    I always wondered why she didnt build a large , smoky fire. This was tragic on so many levels. She was unprepared on so many levels.

    • @sarahmoon8864
      @sarahmoon8864 Před rokem +101

      How do you build a smokey fire. Thanks in advance

    • @cristiewentz8586
      @cristiewentz8586 Před rokem +768

      @@sarahmoon8864 add damp wood or leaves, lay a pine bough on ...most people have trouble NOT having a smoky fire 😆

    • @joe-bj9ov
      @joe-bj9ov Před rokem +178

      @@sarahmoon8864 literally any evergreen will smoke if you can get the temperature right. Leaves burn really fast but enough can really make a difference. In this case. I would have found higher ground of course and I would have found a decent white pine tree and make a huge fire on the base of it and hopefully it sets off a course of events that require a chopper . On the higher ground you climbed make another fire more controlled and visible and stand there and wave with your tent or something. 😂

    • @BloodandThorns
      @BloodandThorns Před rokem +94

      So sad, hiking partner should always stick together.

    • @joe-bj9ov
      @joe-bj9ov Před rokem +62

      @@BloodandThorns always trust yourself and know your place. Never depend on someone else when thru hiking or backpacking. Know yourself. Mother Nature will always win. You go with her and she will take care of you or she won’t. Harsh truth.

  • @jeremiahlarkin1134
    @jeremiahlarkin1134 Před 10 měsíci +1

    I remember seeing this too, How Tragic for her & her family!!!! When her friend didn’t continue on, she should of Stopped 🛑 as well!!!!!🥺

  • @Kase3322
    @Kase3322 Před 9 měsíci

    This poor woman. What a sweet soul lost too soon.

  • @csantoi
    @csantoi Před rokem +980

    When I hiked in 2012, there was a hiker ahead of me named Parkside who drowned at Pierce Pond in Maine. I made it to the shelter at Pierce Pond one evening about two months later, there was a framed picture of him and a letter his family had brought there. it was so eerie to be there alone looking at a picture of this guy who, who had been about my age and had died a couple hundred feet away.

    • @henrik3291
      @henrik3291 Před rokem +3

      It probably served as a good reminder of unforgiving nature is

  • @mikeh4818
    @mikeh4818 Před rokem +410

    Maine is far and away the most desolate section of the trail. As I remember, every other state you could climb a nearby mountain and almost certainly get signal from a cell phone, but not the case with Maine. You truly feel devoid from human life. Even at the top of most mountains in Maine, you can't see any nearby towns, just endless woods

    • @huntcheerio9214
      @huntcheerio9214 Před rokem +11

      That's why I'll never leave this state.

    • @floppycheese96
      @floppycheese96 Před rokem +17

      And here I am living in London, sardine tinned amongst way too many humans

    • @wxstednxghts
      @wxstednxghts Před rokem +8

      Same with North and South Dakota and Nevada and New Mexico. They have v low populations (except in the major cities ofc) but a lot of people go missing hiking in those states. Especially the Dakotas, it isnt called Death Valley in one of those states up there for no reason. Barely any cell coverage. I went to Vegas with family a few years ago and even in the mountains on the edges of Vegas get horrid connection, especially on the drive to the Grand Canyon. No service for over an hour.

    • @graham.broome
      @graham.broome Před rokem +1

      @@wxstednxghts death valleys not in the dakotas😂

    • @sporks3256
      @sporks3256 Před rokem

      ​@@floppycheese96 the only places in maine without tons of people have barely any cellphone reception and no places to go. Plus most people in maine don't want non locals moving there. There is no housing except run down shit in the sticks, tourists are buying up everything and its just banks and resturants. The more people who move there, the more companies will develop and destroy the woods for more buildings.

  • @pgolds520
    @pgolds520 Před 9 měsíci +1

    Aah man, thats a sad story. But she wasnt scared about being lost, she had a level head.❤

  • @meg9005
    @meg9005 Před 10 měsíci

    We need a movie abt this

  • @francu125
    @francu125 Před rokem +598

    My brother got lost in sequoia and he didn't stop walking, he told me that he didn't see the ground becouse the trees are like 90 meters high and the moon does not reach the ground so he didn't see anything, he kept walking and like 4 hours later into the void he saw lights, he found a street and a french couple took him back to where we were and the rangers said that no one get lost in sequoia and comes out alive becouse its so damn big and inhospitable

    • @youtubelover5270
      @youtubelover5270 Před rokem +5

      im so sorry, can you dumb this story down for me? I just read it and it was amazing, like a short story/novel, truly beautiful but I don't understand what happen

    • @itsnotthatserious9102
      @itsnotthatserious9102 Před rokem +72

      @@youtubelover5270 I think the OP is referring to the Sequoia National Forest (the giant redwood trees). I live about an hour and a half from there and people come from all around the world to see them. Pictures don’t do them justice because they are just so massive, it’s surreal. You feel like you’re in a fantasy world lol. I think his brother got lost at night because the treetops completely covered the light from the moon so he couldn’t see where he was going. That would be such a scary feeling and experience lol

    • @youtubelover5270
      @youtubelover5270 Před rokem +7

      @@itsnotthatserious9102 OHHH I GET IT NOWW, thanks!!

    • @devstruction
      @devstruction Před rokem

      i would hang myself wtf…

    • @0DdOne
      @0DdOne Před rokem +2

      Yeah beats maine tbh

  • @pgraiders272
    @pgraiders272 Před 11 měsíci +1091

    When i was in boy scouts (12 years ago), i was taught two things. 1. Never leave the trail. 2. Never ever go alone. We have what's called a buddy system if you're going somewhere without your troop, bring your troop member with you. If you're going to camp alone, go to the campgrounds with multiple people.

    • @Xenro66
      @Xenro66 Před 11 měsíci +16

      I'm not a hiker so forgive my naïveté but shouldn't you bring a sat phone with a hand crank charger thing just in case? Like if you know you're going into an area with no cell signal at least you'd have the sat phone to call for help, and that'd have GPS built in too. I know this is terrible in terms of redundancy, "two is one and one is none" but having SOME form of emergency communication if you ever got separated from the group would be an absolute priority thing to bring no? Hell even a flare or a couple of fireworks or something... Literally anything is better than nothing in situations like this.

    • @melissaharris3389
      @melissaharris3389 Před 11 měsíci +14

      Sat phones are expensive and require special service plans. Many national parks, trails, and rural areas have poor to no cell coverage making anything but a separate satellite GPS useless. Fireworks are literally just a forest fire waiting to happen. An emergency flare gun is only useful if there is someone near enough to see it.
      The first rule, as previously stayed, is NEVER go into the woods alone. All hikers or backwoods campers should bring a good topographical or terrain map and an orientatiering compass; and know how to use them.

    • @pgraiders272
      @pgraiders272 Před 11 měsíci +11

      @@Xenro66 Scouts do have some form of communications. Smoke signals from wood, whistle, and other things. They try to reduce the amount of technology use to prepare us in case we ever get lost. Such as using a paper map and a compass. We can't always rely on technology when we go camping or hiking. One of the scouts saying is "be prepared".

    • @pcstgrsqrl5581
      @pcstgrsqrl5581 Před 11 měsíci +9

      ​​@@melissaharris3389Is there such a thing as "too expensive to save your life"? I don't think so.

    • @alanssnack1192
      @alanssnack1192 Před 10 měsíci

      what if the trail leaves you?

  • @wildcat8598
    @wildcat8598 Před 9 měsíci

    That’s sad. Gotta have the mentality that your own your own. Not to hunker down and wait for someone to save you.

  • @erinwhitbeck1474
    @erinwhitbeck1474 Před 9 měsíci +1

    There is I think a two part episode plus in a later season they have an episode update of North Woods Law about this and its absolutely heart breaking from what was protrayed she seemed like such a wonderful woman

  • @emsp8
    @emsp8 Před rokem +346

    The sad part is she was out there with a friend on the trail and the friend had to leave for some reason. The friend knew that she wasn’t good with direction, but still let her continue on her own. I cannot imagine what the friend went through and continues to go through after leaving her on the AT.

    • @TheFallonCarrington
      @TheFallonCarrington Před rokem +9

      Maybe she decided to continue on her own

    • @emsp8
      @emsp8 Před rokem +49

      @@TheFallonCarrington For my understanding of the story she did continue on her own but the friend knew full well that she was horrible with directions and got lost easily. The AT is not the kind of trail you go out on your own if you’re poor with directions; her friend should’ve known better and tried to talk her out of it. Not sure if she did or not from what I’ve heard.

    • @junglekutz5625
      @junglekutz5625 Před rokem +13

      Yeah, now that you've mentioned that.....I found that to be awful and extremely shady.

    • @MsGhostofficial
      @MsGhostofficial Před rokem +6

      that breaks my heart

    • @mccake08
      @mccake08 Před rokem +20

      She was a grown ass woman. It wasn't the friends responsibility

  • @babby9264
    @babby9264 Před rokem +449

    I helped repair a portion of the trail back in 2008. My arthritis got the better of me after I worked 6 hours on the trail. The group went ahead of me. I was slow walking. I came to a fork in the path to the parking lot and I freaked out. Praying two young boys that were with the group came back looking for me. I was so thankful to see them. Ty Lord

    • @ayansircar8179
      @ayansircar8179 Před rokem +8

      Glad that you made it , stay safe

    • @jensoh
      @jensoh Před rokem +5

      glad you made it out too, babby

    • @rkah6187
      @rkah6187 Před rokem +1

      Why would they even go ahead of you 💀 glad you were okay

    • @jimmyengland428
      @jimmyengland428 Před rokem

      You're welcome peasant.

  • @pk-gh1mj
    @pk-gh1mj Před 9 měsíci

    How sadly tragic for her family