Two Hikers Saved by ResQLink 400 after Birthday Venture Takes a Turn

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Two Hikers Saved by ResQLink 400 after Birthday Venture Takes a Turn

Two Hikers Saved by ResQLink 400 after Birthday Venture Takes a Turn
Lives saved

3

Hiking

Hiking

Forest

Forest

Lost

Lost

Challenging Terrain

Challenging Terrain

Hiking

Two Hikers Saved by ResQLink 400 after Birthday Venture Takes a Turn

-42.440047664065°S, 172.26282396992°E

Posted on November 9, 2023 by Tsarina

What happened?

It was my birthday weekend, and I love swimming in cold water, especially since I live in New Zealand, and my birthday falls in winter. To celebrate, my friend Cat and I planned a tramp to a lake—just a 6-hour walk to a hut with a nice swing bridge over a river. It seemed like a simple, enjoyable trip, with my little dog Flynn joining us.

We left a bit late and faced some challenges, like storm damage to the track and a cooker mishap during lunch. Even though Cat fell during a surprise river crossing, we carried on, tramping in the dark but still having a good time. Sadly, we arrived at the lake too late for my birthday swim, and then it started raining.

Things got less OK when we reached the hut after 12 hours, only to find no dry firewood. We changed into dry clothes and went to bed. The next morning, I made a bad decision to take a shorter but riskier route. By the time we reached the top, it was snowing, and we were tired and cold. Realizing I had put us in danger, I decided to go back to the hut.

Concerned about Cat’s condition, I thought about spending a cold and hungry night to revitalize her for the trip back. But then I decided to call for help instead and activated my ACR ResQLink 400 PLB. Within an hour, a helicopter arrived, and we signaled with bright-colored items. The crew quickly got us to safety, and we were relieved to be warm and dry, heading home for a hot pie. I’m grateful for the rescue team’s quick response and relieved to be back after a challenging adventure.

Words of wisdom

Know your limits, don’t be shy to turn back. Read trip reports, not just the DOC website. Always take an emergency shelter even on a simple trip.

 

Thank you note

Thank you so much, we had a very bad day but without a beacon it  could’ve been so much worse.

Rescue location

H757+X4 Springs Junction, West Coast, New Zealand

Rescue team

Local Search and Rescue

Sale!

ResQLink™ 400

Go to product details

$379.95$394.95

Small but resilient, the ResQLink 400 has been professionally engineered and tested to ensure it can withstand even the harshest elements. This buoyant Personal Locator Beacon requires no subscription for use and can be utilized to enhance your safety in a wide variety of environments. Whether on land, at sea, or in the air, trust that the ResQLink’s satellite precision and military durability, put rescue in the palm of your hands.

 

Features and Benefits:

  • No Subscription Required
  • GPS and Galileo GNSS
  • Built-In Buoyancy
  • Strobe and Infrared Strobe
  • Global Coverage
  • MEOSAR Compatible
  • Small and lightweight
  • 5-year battery life
  • 24+ hours Operational Life**
  • Multi-function Clip System Included
**Based on test report from an accredited laboratory   WARNING: PROP 65   
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