I have spent many years researching, documenting, hiking, mapping and exploring the remains of the Ed Lacroix's Eagle Lake & West branch railroad. The recent loss of a 67 year old Quebec man as he attempted to explore the railroad near Maine's Umbazooksus Lake hits close to home and provides a stark reminder of how unforgiving the terrain and weather can be in this region and how a simple hike in the woods can turn tragic.

Mr. Poulin and his family are in our thoughts and prayers.

http://bangordailynews.com/2013/12/03/news/piscataquis/wardens-suspend-search-for-missing-quebec-man/

Forgive the reporter for calling it a "Tram System".

A French language news report mentions that Mr. Poulin has a history of heart trouble, and while he carries a cell phone, that there is no service in that remote part of the state.

Your warning is most appropriate, Terry. Those of us who live or spend time in rural areas may be at the greatest risk, as we can become too comfortable with Mother Nature, to the point of unwittingly taking unwise risks. A sudden health emergency, accidental injury, or sudden severe weather can happen to any of us. We're much safer when we travel with a friend.

Hopefully Mr. Poulin will be found soon, and safe.

Steve Hunter

Hello Steve,

I hope they find him too.

To give you an idea of the terrain. Last year we hiked a section of the roadbed from Umbazooksus North though Ellis Bog. It took us over 5 hours of steady hard pushing to cover just 3 miles.

We always pack as if we will have to spend a night in the woods. We also leave a trip plan with those who may come looking for us and stick with it. We also set a abort time - especially when the days get short and the weather not as friendly. The rule is no matter how close we maybe to our goal when that time arrives we turn back - no matter what.

With exception of the tops of a very few hills (if your lucky) there is no cell phone reception and with over 30,000 miles of logging roads - coming across one does not guarantee rescue or safety.



Best regards,

Terry Harper

This sort of situation is exactly what 406Mhz PLB's are made for. It's the same network used for distress signals from aircraft and ships.

The upside of 406 is that it's pro-grade, and no annual fees. The downside is it ONLY handles emergency signals. There are other products made for sending 'emergency' signals to Facebook, but their sat network is not as good.

This is why I get angry when I hear of people saying we don't need land lines because people have cells. I have been in plenty of places all over the world where a cell signal won't come.

P51;

"I have been in plenty of places all over the world where a cell signal won't come."

I reside on the southern shore of Lake Ontario in New York about 15 miles west of a major city, Rochester (well it used to be a major city, not so much anymore) and cell service here in the 21 first century is still "spotty". Being on the "North Coast" as we are there are no cell phone towers north of us. So we have 180 degree cell phone tower coverage, not the 360 degree coverage the system depends on.

Mostly flat terrain, farm fields, houses, parkland, small towns every 10 miles or so, a major 4 lane expressway 1/2 mile away to whisk us into the "big city", all the other appearances of being in "civilization", but from a cell phone perspective we are "in the boonies".

Sometimes I have to leave the house and walk south across the street to get coverage.

And yes we still have a landline, just in case.

I sure hope Mr. Poulin is found safe soon.

Cheers, Kevin.

People hiking in New England also need to be aware that there is great danger now from coyotes and mountain lions (not just bobcats) in many parts of the region. See the linked article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/13/nyreg ... .html?_r=0

PC

You know.....you reach a stage in life when you know your time will be up in the foreseeable future, and it seems to me reflecting on it from that perspective that dying doing something I love doing is a great way to go, compared to something long and tedious and painful in a hospital. Bon voyage, sir......

dave

One could get an Irridium satellite phone. They can be rented as well.

I read the above back-and-forth, and then I think about the folks that actually built the railroad lines that we try so hard to preserve. No cell phones.... no telephones.... at best, a telegraph line, if you were at the agent's office.....

And then there were the folks that actually went out before them, surveying country for route for these future railroads.... and the men who went out on horseback prospecting for gold, silver, and copper, or cut timber, dug coal, etc. . . . . all with just a compass or stars to steer them, and not much of a way to "phone home".... a six-shooter for snakes or other varmits......

I sincerely believe that everyone needs to spend a day or three out in "the boonies" dozens of miles away from paved roads or the trappings of civilization, just to remind them who's REALLY in charge.

So True, Mr. Mitchell!

Anyone wanting to see preserved steam and environment/town, be out of reach of cell phone service, and find their way back in the backwoods away from civilization only needs to spend a weekend at Cass Scenic Railroad.

I have told, many times, the story of how I was topping off my tank at a gas station/general store up the road from Cass before returning home during one visit, and a car with New Jersey plates pulled up to me, and a older woman with a very worried, almost panicked, expression approached me asking "Excuse me--can you tell me how to get back to civilization?"

Should you be a logging railroad fan on the West coast, you can accomplish pretty much the same thing at the Mt Rainier Scenic RR. On a certain parts of the property, if you stand on one leg and point in the right direction, you can get a 1/2 bar of Verizon signal, and usually make a call. (Actually, in Elbe the signal is good, but it only lasts for a couple miles.)

Have AT&T? Your iPhone or other cell phone becomes a really fancy pocket watch once you leave Morton or Eatonville on your way to the railroad.

True, Bob, about Mt Rainier. I'll throw the upper Nisqually Valley against Cass any day of the week!
Yeah, but those folks who went before generally went out PREPARED to handle things on their own. Sure, plenty of tenderfoots ventured forth without a clue (the Donner Party comes to mind in a lighter degree) but for the most part, people back in the days before cars and cells knew well it was a unforgiving world out there and wouldn't just bound out into the yonder without so much as a way to protect/feed/cover themselves...