Only once have we called Mountain Rescue (Search and Rescue or SAR). A group member left camp in the evening to hike on the ridge. We assumed he would stay within eyesight and a reasonable distance, but he made the decision to continue and scramble up icy terrain toward Hadley Peak. Darkness began to fall, and the winds increased. When he didn’t return, we searched for him until we decided it was unsafe to continue. Seeing no headlamp light anywhere on the ridge, a team member decided to call Mountain Rescue. They informed us that they could not safely assist us due to the harsh winter conditions and high winds—a search would need to wait until the following day. Had he been injured on the ridge, he would likely have died of hypothermia before the morning. We returned to camp, secured his gear, and waited. Thankfully, he returned safely. Never go far from the group or your gear.
Prioritize safety. Communicate with team members. Keep an eye out for each other. If you are caught in an avalanche or fall into a tree well and no one sees it, they can’t know to rescue you. By the time someone realizes something may be wrong, it could already be too late. Try to make sure someone in the group is aware of what you are doing if you leave the camp area. For more about group safety, see Creating a Group Safety Culture
Have Realistic Expectations
If rescuers are called upon to help find you, be prepared to wait. Rescues are unlikely to occur within an hour. It can, in fact, take many hours to organize a team before they begin to search. In some situations, a rescue team may involve coordinating a team of 20–30 people who will work in shifts to find and transport a victim to safety. If there are high winds and cold weather, or it is dark, a helicopter rescue may not be possible and is unlikely in extreme conditions, unless it is a life-or-death situation. A ground search team may be organized instead, starting the next day.
4–8 Hours for Rescue to Arrive
Tony Banic of King County Explorer Search & Rescue advises that, “a typical rescue could take 4 to 8 hours after you make the call.” Can you survive that long? Obviously, you cannot just wait for rescue and do nothing. In an emergency situation, it is essential to remain calm and make a plan to stabilize the victim, such as performing CPR, stopping any bleeding, or warming the victim to prevent death from hypothermia.
Why Rescue May NOT Come
In some situations, a rescue may not occur the same day. This can happen if:
- Rescue resources are already spread too thin (This can happen when a storm occurs and multiple rescues are already underway.)
- Highway closing due to weather (This can happen when a storm, avalanche, or accident closes a highway.)
- High winds and/or lack of visibility (High winds, cold temperatures, and cloudy conditions can prevent a rescue team from reaching an area or a helicopter from flying.)
If a problem or accident occurs, stay calm, stop where you are, assess the situation, and create a plan. If you need to shelter a victim, do so quickly. Never assume that rescue will be quick or certain. If, for example, someone is experiencing hypothermia, get them out of the wind, insulate them from the snow, and begin warming them. Take action, don’t delay while waiting for rescue.
Avoid Unnecessary Rescue Requests
Rescue can put others in danger. Self-rescue is best when possible. Assess your situation carefully before requesting rescue. Do you need rescue? If you have gear, food, shelter, and no injuries, can you hold out and establish your own self-rescue plan? Can you navigate a route to safety? Many rescue requests are unnecessary.
Common Reasons for Search and Rescue
- Failure to turn back. The person or team has “summit fever” or “destination fever” and insists on carrying on.
- Wrong clothing (insulation/quick wicking), wrong footwear (stiff boots/toe-box), inadequate traction (microspikes, crampons, ice ax), or insufficient floatation (snowshoes) for the activity.
- Separation from the group and gear
- Lack of navigation equipment and skills
- Underestimating the terrain (steepness, snow depth, ice)
- Weather and Avi conditions: Unaware of, or underestimated, weather and avalanche forecasts.
- Unprepared for the unexpected.
For more information about winter backpacking safety, see Winter Backpacking Safety Protocols Project
Be Prepared
Whiteouts, high winds, low temperatures, and snowfall are all predictable aspects of winter backpacking. These conditions create challenges for navigation, setting up camp, staying dry and warm, cooking meals, and other routine activities. Be prepared for these challenges.
The usual “10 essentials” for day hiking are inadequate for winter conditions. Day hiking in winter is particularly risky because day hikers rarely have adequate gear for an overnight stay if something unexpected happens. The safest strategy for winter day hikes is to pack for an overnight with multiple days of food. Always let someone know where you are going and when you expect to return. Let them know where you plan to start, likely turn-around point, what equipment you have, and car information.
For more about the essentials for winter backpacking, see The Fifteen Essentials for Winter Backpacking
To learn about wilderness first aid kits, see Winter Backpacking First Aid Kits
For information about cold weather injuries: Alaska Cold Injuries Guidelines 2014
Getting ready for Rescue
Search and rescue begins with a 911 call. Be prepared to communicate information about
- your location,
- the trailhead where you began,
- the make of the car at the trailhead,
- equipment that you have,
- injury information,
- any related health issues of the victim, such as heart issues or diabetes.
Stay in open area: Move away from tree cover and into an open area where you can be seen.
Protect the victim: Shield the victim from wind exposer when a helicopter approaches.
Secure gear and tents: If there is an injured hiker who will be air-lifted from the camp, the remaining team should take down their tents and secure their gear so that the wind from the helicopter doesn’t damage their tents.
Ways to Call for help
Voice & Whistles:
If you are separated from your team, you can yell or use a whistle to reach out to other team members. Terrain conditions and the ambient atmospheric noise (rain, hail, or wind) can make it hard for team members to hear each other even at close distances. Even when you are close to the trail, people may be unable to find you. In situations where you are separated from the group, a whistle can be far more effective than your voice. Whistles that are often built into backpacks, usually on the Sternum strap, are not as effective as larger whistles.
- The Rule of Threes: The universal distress signal is three of anything. Shout “HELP” three times with a pause in between, and repeat the pattern.
- Use a whistle: A loud whistle carries much further than your voice and is more energy-efficient. Blow three short, loud blasts and repeat at intervals.
- Listen for a reply: If you hear a response, reply with two blasts to show you’ve heard them.
- Conserve your voice: Save your voice for when someone is close enough to hear you. A whistle is more effective for long-distance signaling.
- How to shout effectively: Cup your hands around your mouth to project your voice further. Shout during prime hiking hours when sound travels better.
Visual signals
- Same Rule of Threes: Use a flashlight, headlamp, or mirror to flash three times. If using a mirror, aim the flash at potential rescuers.
Garmin InReach:
A Garmin inReach is a satellite communicator, not a traditional Personal Locator Beacon (PLB). It offers two-way messaging, tracking, and a 24/7 SOS function that connects to the Garmin Response Center via the Iridium network, requiring an active subscription. Unlike a PLB, which is a one-way emergency-only device, an inReach allows you to communicate specific details of an emergency and message others who are not in immediate danger.
If you are separated from your group and need to send a message the team, you need to have shared your InReach address with another team member prior to the event.
To contact someone with an inReach Mini, you can either use the device’s on-screen keyboard or, more easily, connect it to your phone via Bluetooth and use the Garmin Messenger App (Be sure the App is actively downloaded on your phone and not backed up to the Cloud when you leave for the wilderness and have no cell reception). First, select a contact, then either type a custom message or choose a pre-written one, and finally send it.
On the device
- Navigate to the Messages page using the up or down buttons.
- Select OK and then New Message.
- Choose a recipient from your contact list or type in a new contact.
- Select the Location option next to the message field if you want to send your coordinates.
- Type a message using the on-screen keyboard or select a pre-written one.
- Press OK to select the checkmark icon and then select Send.
Using the Garmin Messenger app
- Ensure your phone is connected to the inReach Mini via Bluetooth.
- Open the Garmin Messenger app on your phone and go to the messages section.
- Select Add Contacts and choose the person you want to message from your phone’s contacts.
- Type your message and press Send. The message will be sent from the app, through the inReach device, to the satellite network.
If you are in an emergency
- To send an SOS, press the dedicated SOS button on the device.
- This will alert the Garmin Response center, and a support agent will contact you via the device to gather information and assist with rescue efforts.
- Ensure you have a clear view of the sky to get the best signal.
Cell Phones
iPhone 14 or Later
iPhone 14 or later can send satellite messages to another phone user when there is no cell or Wi-Fi reception, using the “Messages via satellite” feature. To send a message, you must be outside with a clear view of the sky and follow the on-screen prompts to connect to the satellite, which can take a few minutes. The message will be sent as either an iMessage or an SMS, and the recipient does not need a satellite-enabled phone, though the recipient must have an active SMS or iMessage plan to receive the message.
How to send a satellite message
- Open the Messages app. If you are outside of cellular and Wi-Fi range, you will see an alert. Tap “Use Messages via Satellite”.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to connect your iPhone to a satellite. You will need a clear view of the sky and horizon.
- Compose your message, then tap the send button.
- Wait: It may take a few minutes to send. Check that the message went through.
Important considerations
- Emergency use: In an emergency situation, you should use Emergency SOS via satellite instead of Messages via satellite.
- Supported models: This feature is available on iPhone 14 models and later.
- Availability: The service is available in supported regions like the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, and you may need to be in an area with no cellular or Wi-Fi service to use it.
- Recipient: The person you are texting does not need a satellite-enabled phone to receive your message. However, if you are sending an SMS to someone for the first time via satellite, they may need to initiate an SMS with you first before they can reply.
- Message type: You can send texts, emojis, and Tapbacks, but not images, audio, or video files.
- Setup: Ensure iMessage is turned on before you go off-grid.
Some recent Android phones
Google Pixel 9 and Samsung Galaxy S25, can send a satellite message to another phone user when there is no cell reception. This is a limited feature, typically available for emergencies, and requires a clear line of sight to the sky to connect to a satellite. The service is generally available through your carrier, with some phones being more carrier-independent for emergency services than others.
What you need to know
- Compatible devices: This feature is not available on all Android phones. It is currently supported on devices such as the Google Pixel 9 series and Samsung Galaxy S25 series.
- Clear view of the sky: A direct, unobstructed view of the sky is crucial to connect to a satellite. Even tree limbs can block the signal.
- Emergency focus: The primary purpose of this feature is for emergency situations. It can be used to send short text messages, but not typically for regular, casual conversations.
- Carrier limitations: Some satellite services are tied to specific carriers. For example, the Galaxy S25’s satellite function may require Verizon or T-Mobile networks, while the Pixel 9’s emergency SOS is compatible with all network providers.
- Limitations: Multimedia Messaging (MMS), Rich Communication Services (RCS), and attachments are not supported. Satellite messages can also take longer to transmit than standard texts due to lower bandwidth.
How to send a satellite message
- Enable the service: Before you need it, check your phone’s settings to ensure satellite services are enabled. The process can vary by device and Android version, so refer to your phone’s user manual for specific instructions.
- In an area with no reception: The feature will only activate when there is no cell or Wi-Fi service available.
- Access the control panel: Swipe down from the top of your screen. A “Satellite” option should appear if the phone is unable to connect to any other network.
- Follow the on-screen instructions: Once you see the satellite option, tap it and follow the prompts to line up your phone with the satellite. This may involve moving to a specific orientation.
- Send the message: After connecting, you will be able to send a text message. For emergency use, options to contact emergency services and share your location are typically available.
Rescue Costs
In most cases, search and rescue (SAR) operations in Washington State are provided free of charge to the individuals being rescued, including those involving volunteer teams like Snohomish County Volunteer Search and Rescue. Volunteer SAR teams rely on donations and public funding. They do not bill individuals for their services, according to the Washington Trails Association. There are hikers who report large rescue bills, based on incidents occurring outside of Washington. If you are concerned about rescue costs, you can purchase rescue insurance through companies such as Garmin and organizations such as the American Alpine Club.
Further Reading
About Mountain Rescue for the Cascade Mountains
Snohomish County Volunteer Search and Rescue (SCVSAR)
Yakima County Search and Rescue
Central Washington Mountain Rescue
About Survival
I’ve been in a number of sketchy situations in the wilderness, and one thing continues to surprise me is who focuses on solving their problems and who wants someone else to do it for them, who shows determination to survive and who acquiesces, who wants to turn back, and who wants to carry on. The person who remains calm, focused, and determined is not always the one you might predict. The psychology of adventure and survival is complex. The advantage of having an experienced hiking community is that over time, you get to know these personalities. When new people are in the group, be aware that while the regulars may be comfortable and enjoying themselves, the new people may be uncomfortable, scared, and in a state of mental anxiety.
If there is one lesson that stands out, it is the importance of step-by-step problem solving both on the team and individual level.
Laurence Gonzales’ book, Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies, and Why explores the psychology of survival with real-life stories. It’s an entertaining and interesting read. It’s also available as an audiobook that can be accessed via the Libby App.
Let us know your thoughts and suggestions
Have I overlooked anything? I’m always looking for new ways to improve safety. Please share your ideas, experiences, and challenges below. Your comments and questions are welcome.
