Arkansas Geocaching Accident! Please be careful.

[LadyEngineer]

Well, I'm not sure where to begin. We set out yesterday morning to Mt. Nebo to spend the weekend with some curious muggle friends and find the three Nebo caches. We got there yesterday morning and set up camp, had lunch and then prepared for the first hunt. We decided to do Nebo Springs cache because of where our camp was. Well we took the loop trail that is below the swimming pool and headed west toward the cache. Beautiful scenery and not a difficult trail. :D It was a great time. We got to the trail head for Nebo Springs trail and were headed down toward the cache. That's when everything went wrong. :( We were about 250 feet from the cache and my friend misplaced her foot and took a fall. She caught herself and keep from taking the short way to the bottom, but she shattered her left ankle. 8O OUCH!!! 8O It was not pretty. :cry: Strider869 took off in a sprint back up the trail to the visiter center and called for help. 2 hours and 16 adult males later she emerged from the trail. Just a note while waiting she expressed her disappointment over the fact that the cache was only 250 ft away and she couldn't finish the hunt. 8O Cachers beware. She's a muggle (she's done one other with us) and already was disappointed just because she was so close and yet so far. Please remember to wear the appropriate attire when caching. She was wearing plain tennis shoes, maybe not such a good idea for this trail. Our family all had hiking boots as did her boyfriend. She and her son did not. We, as a family, had decided that we will not take anyone else along with us until they have purchased the correct equipment to go. It may not have prevented this accident but it might not have been as bad. Strider869, myself and the princesses will try this again later, but probably not with her. :wink:

[Geezer_Veazey]

Lady Engineer; Please extend my best wishes for a speedy recovery to Ms. Muggle.

Accidents can hit you before you know what happened. (Aint that deep!) :lol: I took a fall and a pretty nasty bump at a waterfall cache but nothing broken. Since then I've really been careful. I try to offset my age and lack of agility with more caution and deliberateness. Since I'm usually caching alone and oftentimes there is no cell phone signal, I pray a lot.

But that is neither here nor there. Be sure and give my best wishes to Ms. Muggle, and maybe we'll be talking to her directly when she is converted.

Geezer

[Woodwalker9]

Lady Engineer; I am so sorry to hear about your friends accident. As Geezer stated, accidents can and do happen anywhere, anytime, and to anyone. While you are correct in that the correct attire is essential while hiking/caching, the fact remains that your friend is injuried. Please convey my prayers and wishes for a speedy recovery.

[GEO]

We are sorry to hear this,God speed to MRS. Muggles as well.
It is good that you were there for them to back them up,imagine if they had been alone!!!!!!
Like all, I say the risks are always there and as we age we have to be even more cautiuos nad observant.
I will never go or take anyone who is not at least a little experienced,I may need them myself.
That is my main reason for pushing CERT Teams and Geocachers taking the classes,the RED CROSS also has excellent prep classes to learn the basics or event the advanced courses in these type situations.
Strider869 acted correctly by getting help I commend this and it is a good example or us to follow.
I always have my FRS GPS's with me,I do not always have a cell phone,on me and when I am out alone I leave someone directions to where I plan on being.
I do have a cell phone in the truck and TIGGR has one she carries everywhere,they have been life savers(actually),it saved the life of a man in a bad wreck by being able to contact someone immediately and get first responder paramedics to the scene in just minutes.

SO I WILL FINISH BY SAYING
It always pays to be well prepared.No matter the situation you may encounter.

BE CAREFUL ALL

Happy............................................. ...........Geotrails

[idratherbehiking]

I'm sorry to hear about her accident. I just hiked the Rim Trail this morning. I know how difficult that trail can be in some places and you definately have to be very careful.

[LadyEngineer]

I would like to thank everyone for their prayers and to let you know that Ms. Muggle is out of surgery and will possibly go home tomorrow. She is in pain but doing well. :D

I wanted to share this accident so that we all remember that even though this is such an enjoyable sport, because alot of times it is a solo one it is very dangerous. God was watching out for us because it could have been a great deal worse.

Idratherbehiking, I'm sure it was a beautiful morning to be on that trail. Sure wish our situation had been different and we had been hiking that one again this morning. :(

Again thanks for all the prayers. :)

[Gaddiel]

Sorry to hear about the accident and hope the recovery continues to go well! Our prayers are with her.

OrangeDanish and I have been lucky (blessed) so far and have not had any major injuries, although we've both taken some nasty falls. Of course, it's impossible (and impractical) to be TOTALLY prepared for everything that can happen, but it's also irresponsible to be totally UNprepared. Most of the time, we try to hit somewhere in the middle. I will say, however, that at some point, one's level of "preparedness" can begin to take away from the fun of geocaching.

I fell this spring on the way to Big Black Bertha on a slick rock and could have easily cracked my skull open like a melon, but ended up with nothing more than a few bruises to my arms and ego... :)

[arkansas_stickerdude]

LE sorry for the accident and see you should have came up to the CITO and stayed in Devils Den.

[Geoark1]

Sorry to hear of accident, do not let this spoil your geocaching spirit. We have had the usual scrapes, bruises and scratches. Our biggie: a broken shoulder on level ground. with hikin boot laces getting tangled in wild grape vines. Even the seemingly safest places can yield some pretty high prices.