This is Bud Carr, thanks for the kind words. Rachel passed away from exposure to the elements. Very accurate representation of her case and facts surrounding it. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me.

On behalf of Idaho Mountain Search and Rescue, thank you very much for the shout-out and the resulting donations! We appreciate it very much!

I'm 65. It's a funny age, you feel like your old self inside, and you're still walking and doing chores normally. It's easy to forget that your endurance, flexibility. strength, balance, and balance, etc have declined. I recently had to sit myself down and have "the talk" with myself. No more solo hikes.

Hi Kyle I'm a Brit who has hiked in a lot of places around the world. A huge difference between Europe and North America is that the backcountry areas in Europe are nowhere near as large and remote as you have and you are much more likely to come across, or be seen by, other hikers (unless you fall down a crevasse or something), so less likely to just disappear for years. I once trekked up Wolverine Pass outside Golden BC and in nine hours didn't see a soul. Very unlikely that would happen in Europe. Enjoy the trip!

My dad was a volunteer SAR president for years, I used to be the “lost hiker” in training exercises and they would carry me off the mountain. There were lots of late night phone calls where they would have to go out and find someone. I was always so proud of him for that.

You should do some videos on people who were missing for a long time but were found alive

The health of a 66 year old varies WILDLY. Some are very much declining, others are physically more like someone in their 40s. My great-grandmother lived until 103, my father is currently closing in on 80 and he's still doing quite adventurous things - he just came back from a photography trip in Norway and has another one planned in February for the Serengeti.

Thank you for mentioning Rachel. She was my friend in high school. I miss her alot and think of her always. She was such a kind soul, and she would help anyone who needed it. Rachel was a person who had a contagious smile and laugh. She would always make me laugh when we talked. I met Rachel in 9th grade, we had intro to drama together so we would have to be on stage pretending to be trees or animals. It was funny then our junior year we had stage craft together so we would get the theater stage ready for shows me, her, and 3 more students. That class was fun because we were always able to play with the props. After high school me n rachel lost touch but I always considered her a friend, and always will. I still talk about her even now, and I know that if she was here she would still be the free spirit she always was, with her red hair, and amazing smile..that is how I remember her. I still can’t believe she’s gone. 😥 but I think of her as a guardian angel to her friends and family. I hope she is resting in peace.

As soon as you said Oct, I thought NOPE! I’ve been in an ice/snowstorm with 70mph winds at that elevation, (in a shelter and carrying extra emergency food,) in AUGUST! Never ever underestimate mountains. Motorcyclists have a mantra…dress for the fall, not the ride.

I thought this video was about people who disappeared but found years later ALIVE :(

The most incredible part of this story is that a man who was a part of Bud’s team is named Kevin Dares. Kevin’s girlfriend, Samantha Sayers, went missing 3 years before on Mt Vesper, also in the North Cascades. She has not yet been found. He understood deeply the pain of Rachel’s family. You are amazing and selfless, Kevin!

Thanks for the volunteer SAR team shout out! We are everywhere :) pay our own way and fundraise for our gear, dogs, trainings, etc.

I'm from Albuquerque NM. I was at Zermatt Switzerland and on way to Matterhorn's viewing area by tram in 1958 when a body floated down the river there, released from the snowmelt off the glacier area. It was of a climber that had perished decades beforehand (old climbing gear/clothes).

An emergency shelter is one of the 10 Essentials, which should even be carried on day hikes.

Your advice about the tent/bivy gear on a short, steep solo overnight to a cabin in late October is 100% on point. It's not overkill or armchair quarterbacking. Doing a literal "post-mortem" analysis on these cases is a critical component in comprehensive risk management. You tell these stories with so much heartfelt concern, it shouldn't stand out as much as it does. But it does. Let's hope that approach goes viral. It's time for the internet to grow up and make itself useful!

So, I was the injuree of an attempted murder/carjacking, with a nice smashed up leg n stuff, and as much as i used to love hiking and the outdoors, I don't get out much any more...regardless, i still like watching your stories and enthusiasm for the outdoors...i think you will get to a million for sure!!!

Watching from the UK. I haven't been to Switzerland but I did live in Germany, Bavaria and its almost impossible to describe the dreamlike, fairy tale landscapes over there, in summer and winter. I remember once jumping on the wrong train and ending up in the foothills of the Alps in a small quaint little station that must have been at least a hundred years old. It was a frosty but sunny morning and the view was unforgettable.

Really appreciate your videos, from California! Non hiker, 78 , but still riding my horse!

I am 66 years old and I am an active mountain biker, day hiker and car camper. I am smart about what I do and try not to put myself in excess peril . I used to backpack when I was younger, but I don’t know anyone interested in going anymore. I really enjoy your hiking videos especially the Foothills trail as I live in South Carolina. I liked the videos with you and Flossy. They remind me of all the stupid shit I did when I was younger. 😂 Doug

I’m guessing the first guy either had a heart attack or a stroke- had to be something so incapacitating that he couldn’t push a button- it could have just as easily killed him in his living room if that’s what happened

Kyle always reminds you that these aren't just stories, but real life situations that we can & should learn from!

I live just a few miles from where Rachael was lost and then found. She was found in a tree well in her bag. The snow that time of year up here is what we call Cascade concrete, it's wet and heavy. The storm lasted for days when she was lost would severe and a GPS unit would not have worked due to the heavy snow and weather conditions. We have had a bunch of missing people in this area. Some found some not. Check into Patricia "Patti" Krieger, who was lost on Sauk Mtn. This is a very popular hike, but she is still missing. Her dog showed up many miles from where she was last seen. BTW i am 66 years old and a solo all the time, I have been hiking and backpacking since I was 12. And yes, you never know when your number is up no matter how careful you are. ;)

I spent a week with Rachel in Northern Ireland and she was one of the sweetest people 🥺

Hi Kyle, My strange hiking story took place in the summer of 1961. My dad led our family on a 2-day hike/climb to the summit of Half Dome in Yosemite. I was 8, and my brother was 6, both in cheap tennis shoes. We didn't see one other person on the cable, not like the crowds of today. We all made it up and down without tragedy, and I don't think it caused any ptsd. But looking back, I do wonder who in their right mind leads a hike to the top of Half Dome with two little average kids? Thanks for your good work, Kyle.

You are welcome to Norway. We have endless nature that is truly fantastic. We have mountains, forests and fjords. All Norwegians love to be out in nature and Norway is a safe country to travel to. Now the biggest danger is avalanches if you hike in the North of Norway. There are few dangerous animals too.

This is very important. Never let the summit fever get to you. Even if the summit is already visible and seems close enough to touch, if for some reason you have doubts and a bad feeling or are totally exhausted, then turn around! You only have one life, but you can try again. I tried three times on Kangchenjunga, unfortunately I had to turn back three times. In the end, I and two others succeeded the following year. I think if I hadn't turned back, I would have stayed on the mountain.

The reason so many long-missing people are being found in the Alps is because the glaciers are melting rapidly, revealing the bodies. Just as with Ötzi, the famous "ice Man" who was revealed by melting glacial ice high in the Alps after having been buried for over 5,000 years.

Thank you Kyle- I’m addicted to your chanel and story telling .I’m a 53 year old mother and ultra trail runner from Kuwait, where you can only find concrete and desert, nowhere to hike, but I do camp and sleep in the desert through our short winter every year. However, I’ve been fortunate enough to have been able to travel around the world and hike/run/camp in different trails partially for leisure and mostly as part of my race training . I’ve been to the mountains of Taiwan, Oman, Turkey, I ran The Alps in Italy, Swiss, France, as part of my UTMB race , and I also hiked in the Rockies in Colorado and in the AT Virginia . Planning to visit Vancouver this year . Saving money for my hiking /running and camping around the world is what I do when I’m in flat pancake Kuwait 😅 thank you and never stop your amazing content ❤

I was thinking of the John Denver song "I guess he'd rather be in Colorado" if it's my time to go, I'd rather go out surrounded by natural wonder than in bed.

Hey Kyle, idahoan here, hadn't heard of this story. Thank you for the donation to the rescue organization and all the others you donate to.

Hey I'm from Switzerland and "there was not much info" is the standard here. We never get any details about anything and when something horrible happens there might be a few articles about them but they're quickly pushed under the rug. Even as a local I don't know half the stories that happen here. My theory is that Switzerland tries to hide anything negative because they have a "reputation" to uphold. However, something happened a couple of month ago and I've been thinking about sending you an email about it.

The fact that private citizens trying to solve missing persons cases is controversial is so sad to me! Law enforcement has limited time and resources for these long term cases, which is understandable. They have to focus on the most urgent cases. I just don't see why it would be bad for people to help

I like the way you don't sensationalise and protect identities. Its very respectful. 👏👏

I am someone who not only lives in southern idaho but also is a pretty regular solo hiker and nature enjoying person. Idaho has more hiker and hunter disappearances in the backwoods than most are aware of as the news coverage usually doesnt go much farther than local news.. I as a solo hiker here always take all the necessary gear and then some as Idaho has unpredictable weather wildly varying conditions on trails and it is rather easy to get lost off trail or even at times on trail as many are backcountry or rarely maintained not to mention the wildlife dangers like mountian lions, bears, wolves,, ect (depending on area of idaho) It is so easy to become a victim of the beautiful rugged woods of Idaho

Hey Kyle, I know you’re young, but seriously, 66 isn’t that old!

Jack Thomas - probably injured and then suffered from hypothermia/freezing. Overheating and quickly taking off clothing is a symptom.

There some sudden health issues that can pop up out of nowhere. Aneurysms and strokes are a couple, sometimes there are clear signs that these could happen, but there have been people of all ages that get hit with these out of the blue. Yes, he was out hiking in his 60’s, hopefully it was sudden and painless. And he was clearing doing something he loved to do.

Hi Kyle! European viewer here 🙋‍♀️ I'm Italian and so, apart from sharing the Alps with our neighbours France, Austria and Switzerland (a WONDERFUL country you absolutely have to visit), we also have the Dolomiti, a very unique mountain range, set in South Tyrol, a fantastic region with delicious food and wine and top professional hospitality. I'm sure you will enjoy your stay in our mountains!

My husband used to maintain the Hidden Lake trail (many years ago). It’s such an incredibly beautiful area but it is easy to get turned around and lose the trail as the forest canopy and undergrowth is so thick. The North Cascade mountains are often called The American Alps. If you ever get a chance to drive over the North Cascades Highway, I highly recommend doing it.

I'm from Zimbabwe, Southern Africa. Just watched this video and loved it. Will be binge watching your videos this week😄

Hi Kyle, I am French, living in England, I know very well the French Alps and Switzerland as well, and yes it's beautiful. I am more of a skier than hiker, but it doesn't matter, I love your channel and the way you tell those stories. 😊

Jack Thomas very likely had a sudden massive heart attack or aneurysm which took him out faster than he knew what was happening. Had he have fallen, and even hit his head, he likely would have regained at least enough consciousness/energy to hit the emergency button. So it's very unlikely that he was taken by the elements. Maybe he was in a little too much of a hurry to get back to the trail and was pushing himself a little too much.

You could be walking calmly along one of our trails here in Idaho.... And then all of a sudden a cougar jumps on your back and sinks his teeth into your head. What? Bear spray? No sir. I didn't have the time. That cougar was waiting for me.

All the reason a persons life can come to its end, there is some solace knowing these people died in a place and doing what they loved! Thanks Kyle for remembering them and making their stories forever known!

Kyle is trying to help you survive and enjoy nature. If you are reading this, subscribe, like and share! He is paying forward, so you don't have to pay with you or your loved ones lives. Thanks ever so much Kyle!

My dad vanished on a hike. 32 years ago, my dad took a hike down the block to get a pack of cigarettes, and nobody's seen him since. It was the same day that the neighbor's wife, Luanda, disappeared.

As a Swede, I recommend you take a stroll (???) along Kungsleden in Northern Sweden. I am not into hiking, I am maybe to old for that and like some comfort.

Regardless of all the tragic: I absolutely understand Rachel's obsession with that cabin - breathtakingly beautiful, that panoramic view, up there!

Thanks for covering these stories. You'll never know how many lives you have saved by sharing this information.

The inside out pants with the underwear intact I think is the biggest clue... He stepped into something like an anthill, spiders, a snake nest, something that caused him to peel off his pants in a hurry to be rid of whatever it was from either harming/biting him or stop the bites from continuing. It's the pants that tell us the most on what the catalyst was. I've done that very thing discovering I stepped into a tick infestation. Those pants with under garments come off in one quick flurry without thinking about anything else while attempting to get away from harm.

Kyle: Matterhorn (Mt Cervin in French) was my destination for my 50th birthday anniversary; with friends of mine we rented an app in Zermatt and we ski on the slopes of Matterhorn : fantastic !! Because it was spring we also went for a couple of hikes around, but nothing like what you showed in this video. My point: Zermatt is a unique valley, full of accommodation, you can get their by train (reliable 100%), rented skis, and simply enjoyed the views !!! We are good hikers, but now into mountaineering.

The saddest thing is , the people they will never be and the futures they will never see. Everyone has a effect on everybody they interact with, every day, a part of a persons being is left behind with every contact they make, a little bit rubs off. Peace to all the family’s in their loss. Kia ora, the People’s Republic of New Zealand.

You’ve quickly become one of my favorite KZfaqrs! I don’t even hike much bc we live at the beach. But your stories are incredibly well done 🫶🏼

Hiking in Switzerland is INCREDIBLE. Spending a day going up a trail around the side of a mountain eight hours from civilisation in any direction to find an inexplicable hut selling hot chocolate as you look down on snow covered peaks is one of the highlights of experience

I know nothing about hiking, but this channel has me locked in. I'm on a binge like never before

Welcome to The Netherlands..you can keep your climbing gear and oxygen tanks at home because my country is as flat as a pancake. Hiking will be a horizontal experience..chances to get lost and die of starvation will be close to impossible because no Forrest or park is so big that you will cross nobodies path. As a matter of fact there are maybe a handful of different places where it will be absolutely silent. There will be always the noise of a highway or an other source of artificial noise to be heared.

Bro I was in a tiny little forest one time geocaching. I got lost. I took a picture of the map because both phones were dying, I had two at the time. I knew I wasn't far from anywhere but that was literally terrifying. I can't imagine what these people go through!

Wow, that Rachel was such a beautiful girl. RIP to her and props to the team who finally solved the mystery.

Never go swimming or hiking alone. We were taught this as small children.

Ohio here, my mom hiked half of the Appalachian trail in her 60s.

I think it’s really great that you explain what went wrong in some of these cases and what people could have done differently to survive. People underestimate the wilderness far too often and you have no idea how many peoples’ lives you might be saving by bringing awareness to wilderness survival.

Hey Kyle! I'm an American citizen, but I'm a resident of Switzerland for 20 years now! My husband and I live in the Valais canton - we can see the Matterhorn from our verandah! The canton is pronounced "val AY" in French (and "Valais" is the French spelling) and "VAL iss" in German ("Wallis" is the German spelling). We live about 10 minutes from Italy (as the crow flies) and 40 minutes from France (by train). We go to the farmer's markets in Italia a lot. The weather is beautiful here - come and visit!! Fun Fact: Lots of German consonants are "Americanised" to sell German products. Take Volkswagen (the cars and vans), for example. In America, the word is pronounced just as it's spelled. However, in German, "Volks" is pronounced as "Folks" and means "people"; and "wagen" is pronounced as "VA gen" and means "wanderer." Therefore, Volkswagen really just means "a means by which people can wander about."

Thank you for always telling these stories. it helps honor the memory of the ones who never returned from their adventures. I hope you feel appreciated.

Hey Kyle, it is really cool how you make donations to the search and rescue organizations in the video. Good on you! Shows how grateful you are for this channel and its growth. Way to give back.

Kyle, Switzerland is extraordinarily beautiful!! Most of the country looks like the most pristine national park imaginable. I hope you get there some day. You’ll be blown away!

I dont know about Baker, but when I was on Mt Rainer, it had fog so thick that you cant see more than 10 feet out. That was a moment when I realized how easy it is to get lost.

Visit the Dolomites in Northern Italy. It is Beautiful. Great places to hike and camp etc.

I've hiked to the Lookout above Hidden Lake many times and, yes, hiking in late October alone is generally not a good idea unless you are very certain about the weather forecast. It doesn't sound like she had done the hike before and that is also problematic. It would have been way safer for her turn around when she ran into the couple who were walking down. The trail itself is difficult because there is one abrupt turn to the right on the way up and if you don't know the trail, it would be so easy to miss the turn and continue straight ahead and thus get lost.

Your tact in telling those tragic yet important stories is very commendable. Thank you for yet another wonderful listen. May their souls and those of their families souls be at peace.

I am not a hiker but still enjoy this channel. I'm constantly flabbergasted by the number of seasoned hikers who take unnecessary risks when hiking - bad weather, but enough water, and/or improper gear/safety tools. To me, it's just not worth life or death, especially if there are better times of the year to hike. As far as the highest mountains, where it's always cold at the top, I just don't understand the draw. Why not just enjoy the thousands of other places to hike? But that's me.

Kyle, you are providing a great service. While some of these accidents are pure accidents, and unavoidable, you do a great job of pointing out things which could have been avoided. Because of your advice, I'm purchasing a GPS locator for my son and his partner who camp and hike on the PCN trail.

This is Shreya, im 23 and im from Chennai, India. I am lowkey obsessed with your channel. It has been amazing to watch you grow kyle. your passion for hiking and the respect you show for the fellow hikers is so unique to this channel. it is funny to think, literally across the globe and across a hemisphere, i am able to listen and take lessons from you.

Switzerland, my home, is the most beautiful place in the world

I live in a mountainous area of southern British Columbia Canada, the biggest majority of hikers in my area are well over fifty! Rarely a problem……

Exceptionally well presented. A whole flight of steps above the standard quality of vids. Your respect attention to truth , avoidance y imbalanced sensationalism, compassion and an approach that benefits those who are also performing admirable acts. YOU rock! Thank you!

Rio Rico Arizona here, very thankful for the work you put into the stores you tell, good job my friend...👍💯

Hi Kyle!!! Yes Switzerland is very beautiful! After you go there (or even before!), you also need to check out New Zealand and Scotland.......... Such beauty you can't put into words......... Love your channel!

I'm 37 years old, have been doing light hiking here and there but have recently been diving into the depths of REAL hiking/camping. I am so happy to have found this page!! You're right when you say that most of your viewers don't follow. Well, I am!!! Thank you so much for your tools and lessons!! Truly, I have learned so much!!

As always, I really enjoyed your video. You always recount fatal stories with such respect.

Idaho Mountain Search and Rescue is an amazing all-volunteer group! I remember reading about finding the hiker's remains in the Sawtooths and IMSARU went and recovered his remains for his family. They have even gone on search and rescue missions in Oregon and Nevada. Definitely going to donate!

Great video Kyle. I have to admit I thought for a while you started doing videos for click bait and sensationalism but I have changed my opinion. Your respect for the families of these people is obvious, as well as your desire to educate the hiking community of dangers out there and how to mitigate that risk. Your passion for hikers and the hiking community is greatly appreciated 👍

If there's snow, it's possible to build a shelter with that. There are videos on the internet with instructions of how to build them. Of course there are limits, depending on the conditions and requirements for the shelters (some require tree branches). However, it's still good information to have. When we were little, my Dad would build us an igloo for the winter, and you'd be surprised how much heat they retain.

Cheers Kyle, here from the uk. I've been lucky enough to ski on the matterhorn too. First time commenting but long time subscriber. Some sobering lessons there as a solo hiker myself! Thanks from England

Kudos to Johnathans family. Keep up the awesome works. Blessings

Had a stroke.. Died what he loved doing, and where he loved being.... 🙏.

With the first chap, it could be as simple as he just had a heart attack and died. Even fit healthy people die from unexpected heart attacks. There is probably no mystery in this at all. At least he died doing what he loved and hopefully he didn't suffer.

Kyle, this is a great channel, you've taught me a lot. Thank you & keep it up!

Jonas from Sweden here. I don’t do that much hiking but a lot of kayaking all over the world. (Heading for Finland tomorrow and Vancouver Island in August). First time on this channel and I like it. I’m a retired ship’s pilot and a sea captain that has studied a lot of accident reports in order to learn from them (and teach my fellow pilots in Bridge Resource Management). Things happens when you are outdoors, and I always carry my InReach and also have the tracking on so friends and family can follow me where I’m at all the time.

Switzerland, my home, is the most beautiful place in the world.

Why was Jack naked? That bothers me.

It's so easy to get lost hiking. Easier than people think. Growing up in Oregon, we would backpack in the Mt. Hood National Forest often. Help just isn't around. Of course, when I was a kid in the 80s, there weren't cell phones, sat phones, or navigation tools other than compasses and maps. Our parents had my older sisters and myself wear whistles, and we were taught that if we were lost, to find a "tree buddy" and hug the tree trunk and blow our whistle until we were found. Four experiences from our family camping trips will stay with me forever- three terrifying, and one funny. I was about 8 when we took a week-long trip to a beautiful spot call Eden Park next to Ladd Creek. We went for a day hike from our campsite, and I was up ahead of my family when I spotted something that caused me to dash forward. It was a little black bear cub, and I fully intended to pet it. The roar from my father behind me stopped me in my tracks and made me cry. But he was right. The lesson I learned was that a mama bear is always near her cubs and will protect them. On a different trip, the scariest and funniest moments happened. I was little, and still slept with my blanket, a big orange thing named "GiGi". On the way to the trailhead, I insisted that GiGi would come with us. "No" was my parents' response, telling me I was old enough to sleep without him. I stopped negotiating, but when we got to the trailhead, my dad started loading my pack with the lightest items- the freeze-dried food we would eat for the trip. He finished attaching the tin pots and pans to my pack and started packing the rest of the packs. I quietly went to the backseat and unloaded all the food and put GiGi it my pack. Off we went, the pots and pans clanging against my leg.. We hiked all afternoon and had almost reached the campsite my Dad had picked when my sister, Leslie, had to pee. Leslie was shy and went a little too far to find privacy. She didn't come back. Over an hour passed, and my parents worry grew into an almost-frenzy. After 2 hours, they left my oldest sister, Lynn, with me and they hiked off in different directions into the darkening night. Dad eventually got all the way back to the car where a very scared Leslie was waiting. He was PISSED when he had to go back a second time for the food I had left on the back seat of the car. The third trip was higher in elevation, and was more remote than we had ventured as a family before. Lynn was goofing around and ran ahead without looking. My Dad starting running after her, and caught her arm right before she got to the edge of a sheer cliff. Lynn didn't die that day, but she did die in another tragic event. A different story for a different time.

Oh man I got so excited when I saw the thumbnail, hoping it would be about Switzerland....like every hiker had that style of boot back in the day so I was like, must be here....sad story indeed. We live a bit up the mountain above montreux (next to canton valais). It's really a beautiful area, the alps are amazing but accidents happen often...just recently a mom and her two (adult) children had fallen to their deaths on rochers de naye, and another family of 6 vanished in a storm...I was always a very confident hiker (even though I didn't grow up in a super mointainy place) but since I follow your channel I definitely am WAY more cautious

I spent a few months a couple of times in Interlaken , Zug and Immense, Switzerland as well as Chamonix, France. It’s like a dream. Mount Rigi , Mont Blanc ect. Well worth any amount of money. I saw the fist Lord of the Rings in Chamonix where the first Winter Olympics was held. It’s like I walked out of the Theater and into the movies Snow scenes. It’s so surreal

Repeat viewer from Scotland!🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

I worked in that area for the Forest Service for about thirty years and knew Jack as an acquaintance. He was in good physical condition, knew all the landmarks, and knew his way around that area. Sadly, he was found only about 15 miles from the trailhead, almost all downhill on a clearly discernible trail to the trailhead. Many medical events, such as kidney failure, stroke, and heart attack, cause you to feel like you have to go to the bathroom immediately, and that might explain the inside-out jeans and underwear.

From South Africa - the hiking here is unbelievable. Definitely worth adding to your bucket list!

We’re not gonna talk about why TF Jack Thomas pants were inside-out with underwear still attached..?

A couple space blankets and half a foam sleeping pad can go a long way.

Swiss hiker/viewer here - Thanks for also diving into international cases! You're welcome anytime to the Alps & we'll bring you on some nice hikes!

I love how you promote the GPS trackers & support the search & rescue. Thank you