I am struck by the fact that the last act this man did was to be concerned about the impact finding his body would have on someone. To be that considerate when in such a desperate situation speaks very highly of him.

The fact that, in his darkest moment, still took the time to write that note so he didn’t traumatize a innocent person gives a insight that he was a good man at the core.

Regardless of Otter's poor decision, it's really disappointing to hear about the incompetency of the search team; they literally had one job. Why they would call off or slow down a search due to unverified eyewitness testimony is extremely sad.

I hiked with Otter briefly on the PCT in 2013. He was a kind and gentle soul. RIP Otter.

I was a close friend of Otters and fellow Thru-Hiker. My Wife and I went out the first week of Dec to look for him but the conditions when we got there were back to back snow-storms. You did a great job re-telling the story and i can't disagree with any of your details. When we heard that the Ranger in Grants had spotted him we left the area and drove down there stopping at all the Hiker towns posting flyers and hoping he was still going. (it never made sense from knowing him, that he wouldn't have been in communication with his friends and family if he kept hiking on). He was hoping to be in Ghost Ranch for ThanksGiving(92 miles from Cumbres Pass) and i think that was part of his decision to leave when he did. He was a one of a kind soul and a beautiful human being who created a true life of freedom. I never met a human who was so at peace in nature and felt more at home in it than anywhere else. Miss him greatly and was blow away to see a recap video of his death. Thanks for your video it really told the story that unfolded for Otter. You should make a video of his Life hiking. He was truly, in the world of Long distance hiking an elite. whose hiking feats are mind blowing. The thing with Otter was there was no ego with him. When hiking with him you'd have no idea you were with hiking royalty. He wrote a book called "The Otter Diaries" Life is a Hike.. a good book to find and read if your looking to find out more of the human he was.. thanks again

Poor Otter. In his delirious state, all he could worry about was ensuring that no one stumbled across his body and got traumatized. He was a good person, clearly, leaving that note.

I'm 70 now. Way back in my youth I did MANY solo backpacking trips in wilderness in all kinds of weather. I was careful but I have numerous times that I came very close to The End. One time I was 100% sure I'm not going to make it through that night. Seeing this story and thinking back to those days of no GPS or electronics to reach anyone, I thank God for being with me in my craziness. My motto was, "The woods can make a fool out of anyone. If it could talk it would say, I didn't ask you to come out here."

Number one lesson anytime , anywhere : never make a life threatening decision when you are under the influence of drugs, alcohol , sleep deprivation or when you are emotionally stressed. I guess we've all done it and got lucky, but sooner or later your luck runs out. Rest in peace , Otter.

This is insanity to me. Missing guy, hasn't picked up his resupply box, I'm focusing on the area between those two points. Check, on foot, all camp grounds and standing structures along the trail. The rescue teams there are incredibly capable, he wouldn't be the first person they hiked up to get. Eight weeks this man waited, at their slowest pace, rescue could have made it in two weeks. This blows my mind.

Many of the SCUBA divers who die are experienced as well. They get super comfortable, then start solo diving. When going solo, simple things can kill you. Humility is always warranted.

The takeaways for me from Otter's story: - always have a paper map with you - always have a compass with you - never do drugs when hiking - write a journal regularly and frequently, not just about the hike, but about your decisions, feelings, thoughts, condition, etc. - if you are about to die in a situation like this, put on notifications about your body for future finders

It broke my heart when Otter started describing the nature of waist-deep snow. When you get over 50 years old you run out of stamina. I notice it when I'm in shin-high snow. I'm not in my 20s and 30s any longer. Be extra careful if you're older. RIP Otter

My Dad and I were backpacking in the Sawtooth Mountains in Idaho back in 2020. It was very late September, and the weather had been great so far, still warm during the day. The 10 day forecast my dad printed out for that area said it would be partly cloudy for most of the trip with a chance of rain some days. After a long day of hiking, we made our base camp in a nice valley next to a small glacier lake (can't remember the name) so we could do some day hikes from that point and come back in the evening. Our GPS showed our spot was about 11 miles from our truck. The hike down to our base camp was really steep, to the point where we had to really dig our poles and heels into the ground and lean back to not slide down. I remember my dad saying, "Going back up this is gonna be a b*tch." I obviously agreed. On the 5th or 6th night, it got really cold out. Our thermometer read 19 degrees. Much colder than we expected for September, but not anything we haven't camped in before. Then again, we were at 8,500+ feet, so I didn't think much of it. The next morning, I woke up and it was still cold as hell. I popped my head outside the tent and I saw my dad sitting in his chair just staring up at the clouds in silence. It was strange, almost like he was studying them. I asked him what he was doing and he just said, "Let's eat real quick and pack up. I think we should head back today." I was pretty pissed that he wanted to end the trip so early, considering I took off 2 weeks from work and we planned on staying out here for 10 nights. I knew better than to argue with him about this kind of stuff, though. After breakfast, the clouds parted and it was nice and sunny out but still cold. I pointed this out to my dad but he had his mind set on us leaving. I begrudgingly went along with it and helped him pack up. Long story short, the weather was really nice on the way back to our truck. Sunny and chilly. We made really good time hiking the 11 miles back to the truck. Couldn't have taken us more than 6 hours. It was getting dark by the time we drove the few miles down the trail and were back at the highway, so we decided to stay the night in the nearest small town at an overpriced tourist Inn. The view from our window was perfect for looking at the Sawtooth Mountain range. The next morning I woke up and to my surprise it was snowing in town. I looked over at the Sawtooth range, and I honestly felt sick when I saw that the mountains were completely snow-covered. I looked up the forecast on my phone, and a very early winter storm was coming through the area, going to last a few days. If it was snowing this much in town, I couldn't even imagine what it would've been like back at our campsite. The realization that we could have been stuck in that steep valley with no winter gear still haunts me. I couldn't believe we were that lucky so I asked my dad how he knew. My dad insists that he just somehow knew it was going to happen, but he didn't want to freak me out. He said he had a really bad feeling in his gut that night when it got that cold out, and he couldn't shake it. I remember that despite all of the trouble we just avoided, potentially being stuck in a snowstorm in a steep valley, he was still more scared of my mom finding out about the situation we could've been in. With all seriousness, he said, "Don't tell your mom." Edit: Thank you all for your kind words. And yes, we eventually ended up telling my mom. Needless to say, she was pissed. I've never second guessed my dad again.

The frustration of not having the strength to go on while slowly wasting away is something I don’t have words for RIP Otter

I was in Canadian military. I hiked mountains 2 out of 4 weekend's, a month. I got stuck in a place called suicide bluff. Rescued, by search team, and on the news. I couldn't sleep for six months, studied real survival. No knife, no fire etc. 30 years later I'm good. But NEVER rely on that. Always tell someone where you are going !! By the way, I was w friends, but got separated.

It’s so crazy he saw the rescue plane like damn i couldn’t imagine being in that hopeless of a situation 😭

I got lost for 3 days in Kootenai National forrest and it was horrifying especially the first couple hours of panic but once I settled down and got my bearings I knew if I headed west I would encounter some civilization east would be towards glacier National park and ya no.. I eventually stumbled onto a farm and the old farmer and his wife scolded me but were very kind and fed me and even drove me 3 hours back to my vehicle

The reason someone with a "vast amount of experience" did something that stupid was exactly because of that experience. It seems like with hiking and climbing in particular, some of the more experienced people become more and more comfortable with taking risks, sometimes ending very badly. For example, I knew this kid from high school who was an "avid" backcountry skier but died in an avalanche within 1 mile of a major freeway because he thought his experience allowed him to ignore the Northwest Avalanche Center's warnings for that day.

Truly a cautionary tale to aways respect the mountain, no matter how experienced we believe we are. You cannot simply go hiking in the wild in horrible weather, with no maps and stoned outta your mind. So sad such a seemingly nice nature-loving man died so needlessly.

So sad he was only about a dozen miles away from where he started and a warm place to stay…he knew exactly how to get out of there but just couldn’t face the cold 😢 he survived a long time out there- very good at problem solving, but there’s only so much you can do to combat nature. Rest In Peace Otter.

As an experienced hiker, I always say, "Be careful of overestimating your abilities and underestimating nature's."

The amount of times he was ALMOST rescued is heart breaking. I can't imagine how horribly devastating it had to be to see the rescue copter but have them not see you.

What a sad ending. Even with all his experiences and expertise he still made a bad judgment call. RIP Otter ✝️

I appreciate the care he took in securing his corpse. I had a friend in Colorado that went missing. It was a suicide, which was sort of assumed, but some random day hiker found the scene months after the snow melt. 4 counties of search and rescue and friends were on it. Even I would have rather taken that shock if I had any clue where to look. Don't make your mistakes some layperson's problem.

I’m not a hiker but I got seriously scared a few times when I missed my last night bus and felt like I’d freeze to death. I never forgot that feeling of helplessness and sheer panic, when you start loosing feeling in your hands and feet, and I’ve gained a healthy respect for the nature and how quickly it can overcome us. It scared the heck out of me. Nowadays I never go out unprepared.

A Personal Locator Beacon is a "must have" for every hiker... even (and especially) short day hikers. RIP Otter.

I find Otter's courage inspiring. His tenacity in trying to survive the situation, his integrity for owning the errors in judgment he'd made; and even the attempts he undertook to end his life, which themselves failed...but still, he defied despair by continuing to write in his journal. I have regretted things in my life, and felt stuck and alone. I can only imagine how he must have felt through it all. He stayed true to himself, and his story makes me feel like mistakes in life, errors in judgment, fruitless efforts, bad circumstances, and even death itself, none of these things has to mean defeat.

Poor Otter 💔 deepest condolences to his friends and family.

I think the most important lesson here is "Don't make high-stakes decisions while intoxicated". As a friend of mine once put it, "If it's a good idea now, it will still be a good idea tomorrow".

Despite his mistake and death, I hope to give Otter his due honor by sharing how impressed I am at how long he was able to survive in such wintery conditions (and continue to journal).

This is one of the saddest stories ive heard, i think. To be that hopelessly lost in the wilderness but able to survive for so long, waiting for a rescue... What a poor (amazing) man.

RIP Otter. Now you are truly free. I'm so sorry, that you were lost. I don't understand, how you weren't found. It's so sad.😢 I hope that all your trails, are now happy ones. 💜💜💜

Surviving as he did, for as long as he did, journaling as well as he did, and despite the odds against him, at the very end, still being considerate enough to write a warning on the door of the vault toilet is a testament to his character. The roller-coaster emotions of optimism vs. depression each moment of each day during those weeks alone is excruciating to consider, let alone actually go through. Otter remains a teacher to us.

As a certified SAR volunteer, use a personal EPIRB, always tell people where your going and time line, often there is a Forest Service Station that will also collect your travel plans on an official document, have marine grade flares, carry an emergency long range radio, carry a high lumen strobe. It seems surprising he burned down a cabin and no one saw the smoke and that the plane didn't notice the burned cabin. Over plan, over prepare. My condolences to the Olshansky family and friends.

It blows my mind how it was WEEKS and no one could figure out the 12 mile stretch of trail he was on

Seemed like a decent guy. Even the best of us make bad decisions. Kyle, you did a great job telling Otter's story......respectful while also getting across an important lesson.

this was a really compelling version of Otter's story. Nice job on this, powerful video

This one was the most sad of all the tragedies that you have covered. Man, a simple GPS alert device would have made all the difference. It's no small feat that he survived that long. RIP, Otter.

one thing your stories have taught me is -no matter how experienced or prepared- it only takes one wrong step or one bad decision for disasters to happen. mother nature is really intimidating. poor otter, may he rest in peace

Great piece. My son in-law and daughter have talked about taking such hikes. I can only hope they take every precaution and prepare accordingly because even then, the worst can happen to even the most experienced trekkers.

This is why when a friend of mine was talking about getting into that level of hiking, I recommended that she get a sat-com device and keep back-up batteries in a water-tight section of the pact. If she get into a bad situation, a single button press sends an SOS and location data out for you. It also allows two-way texting for check-ins.

I knew Otter well and he was a dear friend of mine from my thru hikes on the PCT and CDT. He was an amazing person and shining light in our world. Thanks for telling the story as it was. It still sends chills down my spine knowing solo hiking can be so dangerous but I also feel his guidance and motivation as I’m trudging through the mtns. I wrote up a song on my guitar to go with his ‘Wander’ poem from that journal. RIP Otter.

Rip to this man, I have stopped myself from doing stuff like this, hiking, swimming in the ocean and skydiving,due to fear of things like this happening,so I have a lot of respect for those who do this type of stuff,it takes a lot of courage to go into the woods and the unknown and to live that life.

Such a sad tragedy. Poor Otter. He seems like he was a good man.

My mom was a Guide in the Olympic Mountains. In her later years her mind started to slip and the Rangers found her disoriented. Stories like these always hit home when I think of their families. Life is a journey.

All facilities near hiking areas need emergency signal options. If they reach a restroom there needs to be a way to signal. Great share of his story.

Really really sad story. Prayers go out to him and his family. I wish he could have been saved.

What a damn good life he had. His Grace at the end is beautiful. To the Mountains in the Sky Otto! Thank you for all the lessons we’ve learned from you. (Subscribed, dude)

Sad reminder we all make mistakes, sometimes they cost us our lives. Hats off to this guy who did what he could then died with his boots on, even being considerate of others and leaving a note so as not to traumatize them. Way to go Otter. Buddy, you had some serious STYLE !! God bless you and your loved ones, family and friends!!!! Hell of a MAN !!!

No paper map, no emergency radio, no high visibility kit, and getting high before heading out into weather you know will be bad. This guy really let his hubris get the best of him. At least his mistake can be used to help demonstrate how important it is to be safe and never think you don't need back up plans for long term hikes

😢Rest in Paradise Otter ❤ I Admire the Strength and Tenacity of the Hiker Community. I live vicariously through you because of my multiple illnesses I couldn’t do this even if I tried. Please be careful out there, Much 💕 Love

I've solo backpacked a few times, starting in the early 1970s. So many things can happen to incapacitate you -- weather is just one of them. I did all I could to stay safe -- including taking survival courses -- but the remoteness and uncertainty were always on my mind. I'm in my 70s now and have decided I will not even drive, much less walk, to a remote location without having a PLB (personal locator beacon) or satellite messenger with me. They've been available since I think the 1980s. Why I didn't take one with me on solo excursions once they were available, I don't know. If I had to guess, I'd say that simply being young and in good health blocked my normally good common sense. On the one hand, I hate that we are bringing electronics into pure wilderness (do people even read paper maps any more?)... but on the other hand, shouldn't we take advantage of anything designed to get us back safely to our families and friends? They would say "yes", I'm sure. If you venture into remote locations by foot or vehicle, please take a PLB or satellite messenger with you. I include "vehicle", because over the years I've read more horror stories about people driving to remote locations and dying (or nearly so) than backpackers or hikers.

Last month, February, I was day-hiking in Guadalupe Mountains National Park, and I got off the trail without knowing. I kept hiking, hiking, hiking, blissfully ignorant that I was lost. I had to walk for miles in a ravine that I couldn’t climb out of that was full of boulders. I’m 54, and after two hours of climbing up and jumping off boulders nonstop- my knees couldn’t take it anymore. But I couldn’t sit down and rest because the sun was setting soon. I thought I was going to have to spend the night without any provisions and it had snowed the night before. The most horrible sense of dread came over me. I started hiking with a panic over those boulders and wondering where I had gone wrong. And this was just over the prospect of me having to spend one night outdoors without provisions. So I can imagine the much worse and absolute sense of dread that he must’ve had- for days, day after day, week after week. Such a sad tragic story. These stories are so often about one wrong decision. One wrong decision can end your life.

My family lives in a small community in the forest of northern Arizona about 12 miles away from the nearest small town. As a teenager me and my friend from the community were partying in town in the winter when we decided to walk through the woods back home at night with a few bottles of hard liquor. We were drunk and only wearing hoodies for warmth. I remember starting the walk and making it out of town and into the woods, but we were drinking quite a bit and I don't remember much after that. I woke up the next morning to find I'm laying on the ground in the forest, frosted over, with my friend passed out on the ground nearby and I was freezing half to death. I tried standing up but my body could hardly move. I yelled out to my friend to wake him up and he did but he too was freezing and could barely move. A snow storm was just starting and we knew we had to get home and to warmth soon or we were going to die out there. We knew we were about 5 miles away from home. We were super hung over and couldn't believe we didn't freeze to death overnight, we thought the alcohol is what kept us warm enough to survive it. It took hours for us to make the journey home and we were super cold the whole time, barely able to walk because of it. I remember almost just giving up and laying down and letting myself freeze. I don't know how we didn't get hypothermia or frostbite or anything, the snow started falling pretty good as soon as we were able to get up and walking. When we got home and told everyone we slept outside with just hoodies overnight they could hardly believe it. It was probably below zero that night. One of the dumber things I've done in my life.

It's a sad story, and hopefully a warning. Him being so experienced probably led to him making bad choices. Absolutely horrific way to go. I hope he found peace at the end. RIP.

It’s very sad that he couldn’t get rescued but at least he died doing something he loved. Hopefully his struggles will serve as a warning to other hikers. Rest easy bro ❤

I was a member of Teton County County SAR in Jackson Hole for 12 years and served as deputy director and training director for 6 years. I responded to over 500 callouts, about 50 of which were lost person incidents. During my tenure, we found everyone we were tasked to look for. We were also called in twice to help other SAR teams find missing persons after they came up empty handed after a week of searching - and found the person in both cases (one alive, one deceased.) Searching from the air is very difficult, even from a helicopter which is flying much slower than an aircraft. On the two searches we were called in on, there had been extensive aerial searches by helicopter. When we got called in, I downloaded the GPS tracks of the flights. On the search where the person was found alive, the helicopter had flown about a hundred yards south of where the person was located many times and he waved at them each time to no avail. When I looked at the GPS tracks, they hadn't flown over the north side of the canyon. When I had them fly over the north side, they spotted the person and they were rescued. The second example was a 10 day search where we were called in to assist on the 9th day. The team had searched extensively by air and also on foot, in a rugged mountainous area. The person left a detailed journal of his plans and his objective was to scramble up several peaks in the area. The team was convinced they had thoroughly searched his objectives, so it took a lot of convincing to get them to send search teams back in the same areas. The next day the search teams went back in the same area and found the person, deceased. The helicopters had flown over the location where the person was found at least 10 times. The most successful searches involve multiple searches by different resources - foot teams, horse teams, dog teams, aerial etc. By far the most effective are the dogs - some people say a dog is as good as 50 searchers - I agree they are very helpful. A person in the wild is like a needle in a haystack. Our team practiced searches every year and we're very good. On one practice, I had a person sit in a tree well like a lost person might to stay warm. Two search teams walked right past the tree without spotting them. Finally, a K9 team came by and the dog immediately found the person. If you are lost but under cover, leave something (hopefully bright) to mark your location. SPOT devices didn't come out until my last two years on the team. My advice to maximize your chances of rescue is to carry a SPOT device, a solar charger, AND have someone monitoring you daily. Our SPOT allows our GPS tracks to be monitored and a few texts each day. We have a friend monitor us and exchange a text every day that "we're OK." This covers the scenario where you are unable to trigger the SOS on the SPOT device. My girlfriend and regularly do two week trips deep into the Wind River Range and this is how we improve our chances if something goes wrong. If you can't afford a SPOT device, then print out a map and leave a detailed itinerary with a friend - and an EXACT date when to call in help. Prior to SPOT, I did a number of solo trips into the Wind Rivers and this is how I stayed safe - I RELIGIOUSLY followed my itinerary. To maximize your chances of being found, you need to make the search area as small as possible. The search will start from either the PLS (Point Last Seen - where someone saw you) or LKP (Last Known Point - e.g. picked up your drop box). By having a person monitoring your SPOT or your itinerary, it helps reduce the area to search if you go missing. Have fun out there and stay safe!

It's a saying we hate but it rings true today. "Complacency kills" Respect for mother nature should always be accompanied by a humble perspective. Rest in peace Otter, your lessons will not be forgotten.

Honestly I’ve been absolutely eating up your videos lately. You are so down to earth about these stories and you take them to heart, you also has a more wholesome side when it comes to hiking in general. I love horror channels but they aren’t as real about things as you are

Heartbreaking story. Thank you sharing this man’s story. ❤

Survived so long, a testimony to his character and ability. On top of that, he was concerned for the psychological impact finding his dead body would have on somebody, and made sure to warn anyone about that, a true gentlemen and he has my upmost respect, I want to be able to become half the man he was, and I would be more than happy with that :)

The best gift you can buy a hiker (even a day hiker) is a personal locator beacon. So many people could be saved if they had one.

Such a sad story and what a remarkable man. Sincere condolences to the family and friends of Otter, R.I.P. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

Otter sounds like a good guy. He wasn't negative, even in his desperation, he held positive thoughts, he thought of others. Bless his soul. 🌹

My nephew and his girlfriend got lost in the bush in Kahurangi National park in foul weather. They were missing for 18 days before they were finally found - thankfully alive, albeit somewhat worse for wear. It's stories like this one that really bring home how fortunate they were, since so often the story does not have a "happy ending". All the best to Otter's family and friends and the many people who encountered him over the years.

1) Hikers often known to stay in bathrooms during bad weather 2) Lost hiker in bad weather reported 3) Send rescue to check campgrounds and bathrooms? 4) "Nah. Let's just fly around aimlessly instead." 😡

This story reminds me of Gerry Largay AKA Inchworm who also lost her life on the Appalachian trail after surviving for weeks in the wilderness waiting for help that never came after she got lost and stranded in Maine. She wasn't able to build a fire, but this guy was. I think he should have just kept building the fire to make it bigger and bigger until someone finally noticed it, even if he had to start a forest fire to get enough attention. Even though he had burned down the shed, it wasn't enough, so he should have kept the fire going, kept adding fuel and kept that smoke in the air and maybe then the planes would have saw him in time. In 2006 a couple in California who got lost in the mountains ended up getting stuck in a gully they couldn't climb back out of and where they also, in a strange twist, found the final campsite of John Donovan, another missing hiker who had perished there the previous year after having also gotten lost and then stuck in the same spot and who ended up dying there of exposure after surviving for some time without getting any help in time. The couple found his old matches in his backpack that were still good and they used them to start a huge fire that quickly caught the attention of the helicopters, and so rather than succumb to the same fate as the man who had left the matches behind unused, they were saved because of them. It goes to show that the man who died could have done the exact same thing and probably would have gotten the same results as the ones who came after him, and used his own matches to do the thing he should have done to get saved. It strikes me as odd that people will just lay there and die before they think of doing this, so sad. In Gerry's case, she had a lighter, but it was very wet where she was and she had no fire starting skills to speak of.

The amount of lost people that are "almost" spotted by rescuers is just gut wrenching. I couldn't imagine feeling that hopelessness when you realize they didn't see you and no one is coming for you. What a nightmare.

I know the guy should've alerted authorities earlier, but Otter was alive plenty long enough after the search began. Surviving 2 months less than 15 miles from safety... that's rough. When the resupply box isn't picked up and the weather was severe near the trailhead, hard to justify why the search ever really left that first section. I think I would've waited a few days and forced my way out or die trying, personally. I can't imagine how horrible the slow death must've been.

To me the biggest lesson of this story is it's nice to have experience, but you have to act in a way that allows you to benefit from your experience.

That search attempt if you can even call it that was a joke. The site he was at seemed like the a good place to check for him. How does a plane fly over twice and not see him out in the open with a burnt down building and why would they stop the search due to an unverified sighting. Very disappointing cause he probably could have been saved I believe

Thanks for sharing this. I had not heard it before. You did an excellent job of capturing the details and making it interesting.

Glad he took responsibility for his actions - and called out the obvious mental fog that the intoxicants had put him in. Don't make that same mistake!

I’ve summited Mt Whitney 3 times, but attempted it 5 times. Summited Half Dome 3 times, but attempted it 4 times. Backpacked to the bottom of Grand Canyon and back out 2 times but had to turn back on 3rd attempt. Hiked the Narrows & Angels Landing multiple times but have had to turn back a few times. Many more i could list, but what they all have in common is sometimes it’s just not meant to be. On one Whitney trip i was with 5 other guys, i was the trip organizer & permit holder. Early afternoon of day 2 we were above tree line and a thunderstorm rolled in. I told everyone we need to drop down to a safer area but all the guys wanted to continue. By the time i did this trip i had been hiking and backpacking for about 25 yrs and learned a thing or two. I explained the danger of being exposed to lightning at our altitude, on a surface that conducts electricity very well. After about 20 min of me detailing what could happen to us and how unsafe it was, they mostly agreed. We went to lower elevation, put up the tents in a safe area and rode the storm out. It lasted into the night, and because we were now a day behind, getting to the summit was not possible. We spent the rest of the trip hiking out on the planned exit so that we stuck to the itinerary i gave at the ranger station. We then camped in Alabama Hills for a couple nights before going home. A couple of the guys got pissed off, they had summit fever, and went home once we exited the backcountry. Oh well, their loss! For me, peak bagging isn’t the the most important thing, it’s just being out there. Play hard, but be safe!

Otter, your simple act of kindness facing the existential edge is testimony to your beautiful spirit. Your absolution of your friends as well. May many people be saved your harrowing circumstances through your experience as it is shared to help others learn from your predicament. You did not die in vain if others live by learning from your situation. I hope I face death as you did, with the kindness of thinking of others and friends.

You’d be doing a service to the hiking community for beginners like me with a video that explains what to do and what not to do. I recently got into hiking and I feel like all these stories and tips from other videos really do help. Thank you again for being these stories awareness. My condolences to the families of these missing hikers and may they rest in peace and be in the glory of God 🤍🙏

He sounds like a truly beautiful soul. Rest in peace Otter.

This is really a sad story. I've never heard this story either. Thanks for sharing. Otter sounds like he was a good guy. I've been a backpacker for over 50 years and I do a lot of solo backpacking. I've aborted multiple trips due to bad weather conditions. Although I wished I could have done the trip, it always turned out that my instincts were right. When solo backpacking it is always best to do the safest thing in my opinion since it is better to live with a bruised ego than to be dead.

Although i never knew him im saddened by the loss of such a kind compassionate person may he RIP and hopefully one day be again

This story has impacted me in such a profound way. There needs to be ways that hikers on these trails can contact emergency services in these restrooms! Hopefully this could prevent another hiker from suffering the same fate. It is EXTREMELY TERRIFYING when you are lost with no hope of being found! I got lost when I was young in the woods behind our house and I was terrified because I knew there were bears and other animals that could have killed me! Luckily I found my way after many hours of pure fear!

I’m absolutely shocked that someone with his experience didn’t have an emergency locating beacon

As a tiny lizard who spends most of my time observing the world from the safety of a rock, I've seen many things come and go. I've watched towering trees sprout from the ground and reach for the sky, only to wither and die with the changing of the seasons. I've witnessed violent storms rage across the landscape, leaving destruction and chaos in their wake. But perhaps the most profound thing I've seen was the passing of Stephen "Otter" Olshansky, a man whose life was cut short on the Continental Divide Trail in 2016. Otter, as he was known to his friends, was a force of nature himself. Unlike me, he didn't spend his days watching from afar. He was out there in the thick of it, traversing mountains and valleys, pushing himself to the limits of his physical and mental abilities. I often watched him from my perch, envious of his ability to move so freely and purposefully across the land. But as I observed Otter's life, I began to see the similarities between us. Like me, he was a small creature in a vast and unpredictable world. Like me, he was subject to the whims of nature and the forces that govern our existence. And like me, he knew that life was fleeting and precious, to be lived to the fullest while we had the chance. So it was with a heavy heart that I learned of Otter's passing. I knew that his life, like mine, was but a brief flicker in the grand scheme of things. But in that brief moment, he had accomplished so much. He had explored and discovered, he had challenged himself and overcome obstacles, he had made connections with others and left an indelible mark on their lives. Otter's life was cut short, but it was not a life wasted. He lived with passion and purpose, and in doing so he showed us all what it truly means to be alive. Rest in peace, Otter. Your spirit lives on, in the mountains and in the hearts of those who knew you.

Thank you so much, Kyle for telling Otter’s story. I recently discovered your channel ; your stories are interesting, done well, informative and you are just adorable. I bet your momma is so proud!

This made me sad because i cant imagine the sadness, horror & trials Otter went through. Rest in peace Otter. I hope others can learn from his story.

What I find really sad is that in *2016* - we are not talking about a period in time in which people were naive and unexperienced - the rescuers were as easy going and I'd say negligent as shown in this story. The common thought should not be "Oh well, looks like he made it out alive." but they should expect that if in doubt then this man is still out there heavily suffering. There was a *really* good chance of finding him from what I heard and honestly *plenty* of time. Otter survived for months, including suicide attempts. What happened, happened it can't be changed. I'm sure the resuers also felt terrible when he was found but it feels so sad and unbelievably baffling to not hear a lessons learned from this. Did nothing change ? Everyone messes up, Otter got himself into the situation by messing up, it happens. But I would ask myself, "What can we do better ?"

"I was so stoned on cookies, weed, ect in Chama I went on anyway."😂 Fuckin legend. R.I.P Otter

For me this story was infuriating. His friends, his family, his town, everyone let him down. The 'search' planes? It is sickening. They weren't even looking. Everyone knew exactly his route! Why didn't they use snowmobiles? :( Makes me cry for him. :( :( Especially if they can basically fly right over the top of a flailing man in the middle of a pure white snow field in broad daylight and not notice. So many failures all packed into one story. Failure to prepare, failure to know survival skills of the area, failure to carry PLB, failure of the search groups. RIP Otter.

This is a riveting story and well done. Thank you for sharing this story with us.

Boy, if this can happen to someone like Otter... My brother, his girlfriend, her father, and I did the full Appalachian Trail back in 1976. I was 13 and had spent my days in the woods and hiking every chance I got. My brother who was 7 yrs older than me and his girlfriend's father both were experienced backpackers and they had been on several extensive hikes with me and invited me along with them. We started making our preparations 8 months ahead of time. We mailed boxes of supplies for restocking to Post Offices along the trail and in the states, we had friends, whom we arranged an overnight stay with. The girlfriend's uncle owned hundreds of acres in PA and the trail happened to go along the back acres. When we got to that area, the uncle met us and we stayed for 3 days with him and his wife. Awesome people and experienced hikers themselves. When we got to the CT section, we were all from CT, we met friends for a weekend. We finished the trail at MT. Katahdin (which surprisingly was not the most difficult part of the trail for me. It was Clingmans Dome that I kinda struggled thru, but did do it ), and then back down to Vermont where the girlfriend's father's family owned an old farmhouse and land. We wound down the whole experience there and both families met us at the farm. It was great seeing my parents and siblings after months on the trail. We stayed for 4 days to relax, and pick apples from their orchard, and the last of the blueberries. Our family went home with 3 bushels of apples and several qts of berries for mom to bake pies, cakes, and apple/blueberry crumble from. I'm 61 now and though both my brother and his then-girlfriend are married to other people, we all stay in touch and have done other thru-hikes together over the years. Her father passed away years ago but continued to hike into his late 70s. I was unable to continue thru-hiking after 17 due to bone cancer that took my left hip. I was able to continue my walks into the woods up until age 50, but it became too painful and difficult after that. I am so grateful though for that experience and the many years I was able to continue my time in the woods with all of God's beauty.

Im a backpacker/ wilderness survivalist raised in the wilderness of Alaska. My worst nightmare is not getting lost or stuck somewhere or even dying of overexposure... It's getting eaten alive by a bear. Pretty rare compared to the other things that could get you, I know, but they literally don't kill you first. They just start crunching on you. Way worse than anything else.

For anyone who doesnt know about these long through hikes, it takes alot of planning and conditioning, and the hike takes months to complete.

You really do a great job in telling these stories. I know the research, filming and editing process is very time consuming. Otter seemed like a very intelligent man. For him to write a note warning people of a body inside the bathroom, speaks volumes of his character. Didn’t think about himself while in a life threatening situation. Wish he could have survived, the world lost a truly caring soul.

It's crazy how a tiny mistake can just grow and grow into something completely lethal. My heart goes out to Otter and his friends and family.

Goes to show that even the most experienced of us can make fatal mistakes. I wish otter nothing but a peaceful rest

Unfortunate, but the character of the man is spoken for in his last message. Happy trails Otter!

This was really close to home for me. Not sure if I ever met Otter but I also hiked the CDT in 2015, northbound to Chama then flip-flopped to Canada and headed southbound. I passed through Langunitas Campground at the end of May and completed my thru-hike (and Triple Crown) the first week of October at Cumbres Pass. I was in Chama a month before Otter headed south. I was with a group of southbounders and decided to stay with them until Ghost Ranch. Even in early October we didn't want to risk snow at high elevations so we ended up road walking for two and a half days. I read the excellent article in Outside Magazine and your video also answered some the questions I had. Thanks for your reporting.

Have you heard the story of the two climbers that went missing on Mt. Adams, Washington in November of 1980? I worked at the same hospital they did and hospital staff always wondered what happened to them until their bodies were discovered, trapped in the ice, by a guy and his dog in October, 2001. Their names were Gary Claeys, 28, and Matt Larson, 25. News articles can still be found online about their discovery. Thanks for all the great videos.

What's sad is he had all the experience, but it sounds like his health itself abandoned him at the worse of time. Condolences to the family and friends

This story of "The Otter" has really broken my heart..he looks like he was SUCH a kind heart, his eyes just look so happy. Im not a hiker, (but i love your videos)..i just cant imagine the pain those in the community and those that loved him have gone thru w losing him. What a beautiful soul he seems. Im thankful he had lived his life absolutely fully. Bless his soul.❤🥺🙏🏼

Nice story telling work, you have a great voice and easy way about you. One lesson about hiking is don’t go alone! ❤