Celtics ☘️ Sentinel

I recently watched the movie, Infinite Storm , starring Naomi Watts in the role of Pam Bales , an expericed, and very well prepared hiker who took a solo Fall hike in the White Mountains of New Hampshire . Bales not only saved her own life that day when the weather up high turned bad - but she also saved the life of a manwho was ill-prepared to venture into the mountains - and probably bent on ending his own life Pam wrote about the ordeal  in Backpaker.com. The tale sounds eerily similar to the horrible tragedy experienced by the late Emily Sotelo  in the Fall of 2022, although with a happier ending. Bales was not only a well-prepared hiker, she was a member of a New Hampshite Search and Rescue team . She knew what to do in the White Mountains - how to do it - and when do do it.  Pam's tale was as bizarre as that of Emily Sotelo, but she saved two lives that day - her own and that of "John". Sometimes we create our own happy endings.

 My background is quite diverse. I have worked as a Research Engineer, Game Warden, Police Lt./Investigator and Health Coach . I write about things I know and give advice to those that are willing to listen. Emily Sotelo's tragic-but-preventable death from exposure on Mt. Lafayette need not be in vain. I have spent most of my life as an outdoorsman - in all kinds of weather conditions. The following was simply one excursion: Linda Lane (to me): "Are we in trouble?" Tom Lane: "We could be!" My wife and I were hiking in the White Mountains to stay overnight in Madison Springs Hut . The weather started out fairly decent for a late-summer hike, but at the higher elevation, things turned bad. The temperature dropped significantly - the cold rain started - and the high winds were blowing the rain sideways. All four of us opened our-well-stocked packs and put on Gortex parkas over the down vests and fleece jackets. But the weather was now bad enough that, even well e...

 The body of Emily Sotelo, the missing 19-year-old hiker, has now been found on Mt. Lafayette in Franconia Notch New Hampshire. There was never a doubt in my mind that the superb team of New Hampshire Fish and Game would succeed in coming to a logical conclusion to this horrific tragedy. Major David Walsh said it best , so I will reitterate his thoughts on what went wrong. When hiking in the White Mountains of New Hampshire: Be prepared for the unexpected. Be prepared with knowledge. Know the weather conditions. Dress for weather conditions. Have extra clothes, food, water, head lamps, map and compass. Know your limitations. Know when to turn around. This entire event was so bizarre and puzzling, in my article, I asked for feedback. Except for one response from an absolute imbecile and a few comments from premedonnas, most of what was posted was, "What the Hell was she thinking!" This, from "Anonymous", was the best-of-the-best: I have been up this route in the win...

 This morning marks the fourth day in the search for missing hiker, Emily Sotelo, and it is likely that this has now become a search-and-recovery mission. Seemingly unprepared to withstand the rigors presented by frigid temperatrures and high winds in Franconia Notch, New Hampshire the day she went missing (Sunday, November 20, 2022), it is doubtful the 19-year-old lady could have survived. If she was indeed hiking in the area indicated by her mom, there is a high probability that her renains may never be found. Flash back to the summer of 2013 when 66-year-old, Geraldine Largay of Brentwood, Tennessee , was reported missing while hiking the Appalachian Trail south of Rangeley Maine. Geraldine Largay A massive search including roughly 130 prople over a 10-day period, turned up nothing. It wasn't until more than two years later that a forester found her remains approximately 3,000 yards from the trail. No foul play was suspected. Why was Geraldine not found sooner? My wife, Linda, ...

 How the Hell did this happen? Two days after 19-year-old Emily Sotelo was supposedly dropped off in Franconia Notch (NH) at roughly 5:00 AM ET, Sunday, November 20, 2022 by her mother, to hike several mountains alone, the search continues for the young lady. Photo by Linda Lane The information from news agencies indicated that Emily started hiking the trails while it was still dark. She was supposedly wearing only sneakers, a coat and workout pants. I can persona;ly attest that the weather in the area was very cold with high wind speeds, and gaining elevation on the trails would only add to the horrendous conditions. Ms. Sotelo was reportedly a seasoned hiker, but had little or no experience hiking in winter. At the peaks, temperatures on that Sunday dropped to zero degrees with a wind chill of minus-30 degrees. It is beyond my comprehension to imagine a hiker-of-experience tackling that kind of travel - in extreme weather - with only basic clothes and few (or no) supplies. I have...