3 Photos with DISTURBING Backstories⚠️(*ANXIETY WARNING*)

[@denisefrickey5636]

You forgot to mention that if you get lost, are injured, or in the dark, especially in an unfamiliar place, you MUST STAY PUT. Wandering around lost in the dark can be fatal.

[@narrgamedesigner2747]

I know right if he stayed and just waited it out. Idk understand why they didn't just make a fire. All night to make sure nothing goes near and would have warmth too.

[@whitedragoness23]

@@narrgamedesigner2747prob didn’t know how to make a fire.

[@esra_oziskender]

@@whitedragoness23I don’t know either!

[@horsepanther]

@@narrgamedesigner2747 If they didn't bring a flashlight they certainly wouldn't have brought anything for making a fire.

[@marybarry2230]

Agreed. Just try to find shelter somewhere and huddle together for warmth and make the best of it until daylight!

[@55MarieL]

No light: Stay put

[@kellikay8015]

That's what I was thinking too!!

[@dt3802]

Stay put and ways carry matches.

[@45kimmyb]

Yes! That's exactly what I would have done. If I ran out of daylight I would hunker down until the sun came up And then try to find my way out of the woods.

[@darkduck3677]

Had this happen to me a long time ago in Red River Gorge,KY. I was with a hippie chick at the time and a new dog we had just picked up while traveling/going to concerts. The dog was about 6 months old. We had hiked pretty far and it got dark quicker than we expected. The terrain was pretty sketchy and had some big drops. We had gone done a few trails that seemed legit but then would just dead end into a cliff basically. At the time we had a flip phone I think but the light on it sucked. I had to pick the dog up and carry her down because I was worried about her falling down and slipping off the leash or me having to pull her back up by her neck. We finally made it back down to the car and just crashed in the back.

[@thewesty101]

​@@dt3802 electric lighter is a good, readily available, option too. Not perfect, but there isn't always an outlet for waterproof matches

[@TheElusiveReality]

their "only option" wasnt to split up in the pitch black, it was to stay put

[@_Chessa_]

Correct advice. I’m sad that he doesn’t mention it in the vide. It’s super important to stay put when lost in the darkness. Especially on either a mountain or cliff side area. ❤

[@jenniferindigochameleon6680]

AI scripting. And often AI wants humans dead.

[@lorrainewolfe9430]

​@@jenniferindigochameleon6680No, that's a real man with real stories.

[@princegobi5992]

@@jenniferindigochameleon6680that literally has nothing to do with scripting, Kyle knows this and recommended a light himself

[@jenniferindigochameleon6680]

@isabellind1292 Thats Kyle's voice. I didn't say the voice was AI. The script, the words, are created/written by AI

[@TravelingWithSpecialAbilities]

Rule #1 I taught my kids . Because we hiked as a family. Was if lost or if darkness falls. You stay put! You don't move at all! Unless attacked or threatened by an animal. Period no discussion 💯!

[@eveningstar1]

Good reminder thank you. So easy to forget and think you’ll just walk a little bit longer.

[@melodi996]

There're many situations where you need to not stay put and move on, but in the dark it's just stupid to continue hiking through a dangerous terrain!

[@SaunterVaguelyDown]

Or if the weather is too unforgiving and you aren't prepared for it. If the odds are rescue are low in that case you should def move before you freeze to death. Just go SLOWLY.

[@primesspct2]

It is the first thing they teach you in Boy Scouts! If your lost stay put, if its dark stay put.

[@aedansilva1114]

It really depends on how cold it's going to get

[@mtssman]

The second story reminds me something happened about 8 years ago when I was hiking in Scotland, UK. It was a slightly damp day but the trail was muddy due to prolonged rain 24hrs prior. As I hiked suddenly I heard kids screaming and a woman yelling for help. All hikers nearby quickly ran to the family and found the father stuck between rocks right next to swelling creek. Turned out the father was walking and taking video of his family at the same time, and quite literally walked himself off the trail. Thankfully nothing worse than a few scrapes happened but losing concentration while hiking can easily ends up in tragedy.

[@crazeecip]

Wouldn’t it have been better if they had both just sat down and waited out the night? Maybe that’s naive but trekking around in the dark is much more dangerous.

[@NemFX]

Hubris. It's always "just over that next hill" until it isnt

[@PhilpFong]

It's difficult to believe that after the first fall in the darkness they would have concluded that continuing to hike is a bad idea . Perhaps stop after the second ? Panic is a horrible thing .

[@hallievanoutryve3109]

@@NemFXyea you could attribute the poor planning to hubris( although ignorance and being young is my take)- but once the first injury occurred- they almost certainly panicked- and just didn’t think it through. They were just kids- have some compassion- most people have done dumb stuff in our teens - early twenties.

[@chipjones5924]

Thinking the same thing but if they didn’t know how bad she was injured, she might’ve had an internal bleeding. He made the choice to save her life before thinking of his own. But what if they would’ve waited till daylight but she had passed away because they waited there’s just no right answer when you’re in the middle of it. Can you try to just make the best decision at that time.

[@opeltheartist]

I agree Risking exposure/hypothermia issues would be preferable to injury in the dark

[@ByondTheNorm]

Heading out tomorrow for a bushwhack 3500 peak hike in the Catskills and couldn’t get my Garmin InReach working on my new phone. Was about to say screw it then watched this video. Spent 30 minutes on the phone with customer service and now it’s good to go for tomorrow 😂. As a very experienced hiker, even we need reminders sometimes!

[@timeforcoffee485]

I have a separate Garmin as well as my phone. The Garmin lasts a lot longer than the phone.

[@schrutestumps320]

safe travels!

[@Thomas.3698]

​@@timeforcoffee485worth it

[@CricketGirrl]

Good for you! ❤

[@MadCatLady28]

Safe travels tomorrow! Glad the video prompted you to make good choices!

[@somethingsomething404]

Always worth remembering that even if you don’t need rescue, you might come across someone else who does so it’s always good to have a way to call help and a first aid kit

[@jamierupert7563]

Absolutely.

[@pioneercynthia1]

And know how to use it.

[@jonnewbury3482]

I hunted in some woods for 20 years and knew them well. One evening I bagged a deer had to track and clean it. Head lamp dies, phone died and I got disoriented. Walked 45 min the wrong direction packing a deer in 40 deg,windy weather. Finally found a creek I knew the location of and realized I was 2 hr walk to my atv. I hung the deer in a tree and hiked the 2 hrs back. It was well past midnight when I made it to my truck. Navigating woods at night are a totally different animal even when they are familiar. I now take at least 2 lights and a battery charger. Lesson learned.

[@penny8579]

You're lucky other wild animals didn't attack you for that deer. The first thing I would have done is drop the deer. But if you had been attacked people would have figured out you held on to a deer in the dead of night with no light in the woods. Having a weapon isn't much help in the dark.

[@cathlaurs9754]

@jonnewbury: I hope you learned not to murder and butcher defenceless animals.

[@jonnewbury3482]

@ *Defenseless. Hardly, he had antlers. Fair fight the way I see it. 😉 You get your food from the store I get it from the source.

[@angelbear_og]

​@@cathlaurs9754 Remember, a hunter kills a single animal to feed himself for a season. From fertilizer to combines, you vegans kill MILLIONS to get your carrots and corn.

[@Asp47999]

@@cathlaurs9754 I hope you learn how the steak in the super market meets its end. Much less compassion.

[@Upstream5402]

Some mistakes my husband and I made on our trip to the far NW tip of Wa State. We drank a lot the night before, slept in very late and went ahead with our plan of hiking an eight mile round trip to the ocean. It was a good trail, the first half mile a boardwalk. We left no note at the trailhead and had told nobody where we were headed. It began to snow hard. My big puffy jacket became soaked and I was shivering. Luckily, he has an extra polar fleece jacket in his day pack for me. At the ocean (we had passed no other hikers), it was snowing even harder (I have never seen snow at the ocean before and it was mid April)). We realized we had little time, as it was late afternoon. We quickly made the one package of top ramen on his little one burner stove. That plus matches, one pair of extra socks, two cups, and a tiny pocket knife is all he had in his daypack. Mine held ONE item: A flashlight that must have weighed five pounds! That was it, no extra batteries, or anything else. What had I been thinking?! I blame the hangover. We were speed walking as we headed back over the snow covered trail. It was nearly dark when we hit the boardwalk, which was incredibly slippery, made worse by multiple boards missing along the way. I was tired and lagging behind, as I was afraid of slipping and breaking an ankle. A few times I'd lose sight of him around a bend, and then I'd worry about cougars. It was dark by the time we made it back to the truck. We were both sixty years old then. Later, we talked about how stupidly ill prepared we were. And lucky.

[@barbikeen]

@@Upstream5402 another thing is to check the weather before you head out. It sets back search and rescue when looking for a missing person. No drinking next time.

[@Upstream5402]

@barbikeen Yes! We talked about that trip many times. We went there again about four years later in better weather and better prepared.

[@VeireDame]

There's one more thing you ALWAYS need to do when preparing to go on a trip, hike, event, etc.--TELL SOMEONE. Tell them where you're going, when you're leaving, who you're going with, and when you should be back. Honestly, those should be things that come up in conversation naturally, but if they don't, make it a point to start doing it. Then make a habit of actually shooting them a message or a picture from your trip or something when you get back, so if you ever get lost or go missing, you at least have a rough timeline of when someone is going to start to notice your absence and alert authorities when they can't get in touch with you. The daughter noticing her mom was missing so early is probably the biggest reason those 3 women made it out alive. If she hadn't been expecting a call, how long would it have taken for anyone to realize something was wrong?

[@jimhenderson387]

Lost in Death Valley in July. Has to be one of the ultimate nightmares. So glad they were rescued.

[@danireneas]

Not even lost, just Death Valley in July is a nightmare for me. And I live in Phoenix!

[@_nick_d]

Yea it’s gnarly, hiking between 11-5PM is brutal

[@jogould1045]

A little bit confused about why they did not turn around and follow their tracks back out. If i followed the GPS and got to a half tank. I would try to follow my tracks back out. Maybe that would have killed me... who knows. Glad they made it.

[@Mylostsock11]

Big shout out to all the rescue teams and volunteers that bravely save hikers and climbers lives around the world......true heroes ❤️

[@GiraffeLoverJen]

You not only tell the stories, you give back to the organizations that try to help these hikers, that's what I really love about your channel.

[@meghanm05]

Fully agreed! Such a genuinely good channel. Let's get to 1M!!

[@meghanm05]

Honestly I even listen to the sponsors because they're usually unique and the actual benefits are explained well 😅

[@NatureLover-62]

Yes!!! I have certainly been delighted in learning about the search teams within this vast country and though I haven’t been there yet, it’s great to hear about them with their undying dedication and support!! And if I can help out, I am 😊more 😊than 😊happy😊 to do so!!!

[@NatureLover-62]

How fantastic of your Denver show!! Will have to send my kids as they are in Boulder right now, big hikers like the parents, and tell them of your show!! Thanks Mike as I thoroughly enjoy your channel as it’s always amazing channel with great stores and and promos too!!

[@isabellind1292]

@@meghanm05 I don't know why this channel has more YT ads than any other channel I watch on YT. I am aware that I can purchase "Premium" but that doesn't mean that viewers who don't, shouldn't let these YT channels who're using YT's platform know that their viewers find it just too much to watch 6 ads in 33 min = one ad every 6 minutes and that's in addition to his own sponsored ad.

[@mattcarpenter8406]

If we learn one thing from this it should be focus on hiking. Leave your phone in your pocket until you stop. No matter how much experience you have you need to stay focused and not distract yourself.

[@bradsanders407]

But the phone helped save a persons life lol

[@penny8579]

easier said than done for most young people these days

[@ShearGenius88]

They mean don’t record yourself/film while you’re hiking, wait until you’re stopped and in a safe place to pull out your phone. Not don’t bring it along.

[@thecatatemyhomework]

I think it was said she was 57 years old​@@penny8579

[@XierraMankiller-ql6rs]

Your words are very true!

[@nomadbynature8811]

I hiked the Colorado Rockies for years and people often forget that sunset times don’t matter if you’re in a valley. I’ve had the sun “set” on me an hour before it would’ve had I been on a ridge many many times.

[@desert_moon]

I've done SAR for years, and you'd be amazed at how many people go out unprepared!! Thankfully, more rescues than recoveries.

[@penny8579]

Thank you

[@mariatorres9789]

Evergreen if I'm doing a mile hike on an established trail, I at least have a knife, fire, & water, lol.

[@bradsanders407]

Its pretty ironic that their license plate said "SOAP" but it was the dirt that enabled them to leave the message.

[@jhanncoo]

Mama always said it’s better to have it & not need it than need it & not have it 💯

[@AwesomeFish12]

Carrying too much stuff can cause it's own set of problems.

[@jhanncoo]

@ true, I don’t necessarily think you should over pack, but the essentials would be nice

[@bb1330]

As they say in OZ....Better to be looking at it than looking for it 🙂

[@whileistaysecluded]

If it weren’t for Brendan carrying her, those hikers may have never found her. Incredible. Rest In Peace Brendan.

[@mrssunshine3843]

Even though i have kiddos now, I'm still an avid hiker. My kiddos come with me, and here's our number one rule: ★ If we get separated, HUG A TREE and stay put! From there, they have supplies in their day packs; whistle, water, snacks, space blanket, first aid kit, solar flashlight, etc. Adults, please, if you're lost and it gets dark, HUG A TREE and stay put! Your brain doesn't function at full capacity when you're in panic mode, so navigating yourself to safety is not always easy.

[@ukeleleiguana]

Instructions unclear. The tree and I are best friends now. His name is Groot

[@Phoenixkb222]

I love your advice. It's beautiful & makes sense. I would actually feel safe & protected by the tree, until I was found by Search & Rescue.

[@hvfgordon7869]

I went on a NIGHT HIKE and a couple people DIDN'T BRING LIGHTS. Luckily since it was a NIGHT HIKE I had brought multiple lights so I shared, and everyone got down ok. This was 15 years ago and I'm still baffled why they didn't bring lights on a NIGHT HIKE

[@Big_Tex]

Were you hiking at night?

[@bradsanders407]

​@Big_Tex it not only says "night hike" but its in all caps. Thats a pretty good indication that they were hiking at night.

[@missiadiala]

But… were they hiking at night? 🤣 (Sorry this little comment thread cracked me up XD)

[@videoettaceo8900]

you cracked me up

[@jlt131]

I was tenting in the snow once. Had snowshoed out about 2 hours, at right at dusk a couple goes by, at the edge of our view. Walking on snowshoe trails, but without snowshoes, and only in lightweight jackets. Neither one had a backpack. Neither one appeared to have any water, first aid, shelter, or warmth. They were headed AWAY from the road into the backcountry. They might've had headlamps in a pocket I guess, but they sure weren't using them at that point. No idea what their plan was or where they thought they were going. I do hope they made it back okay. Some people are either crazy or stupid.... or both.

[@jldisme]

"Deciding to visit Death Valley" nope, never going to do it.

[@genericamerican7574]

I loved running through the painted canyon when I was a kid.

[@certified_mandy]

No matter what, it’s still on my bucket list to camp and hike around there. Tragedy can and does happen anywhere, unfortunately.

[@terireed3740]

On our honeymoon to Vegas for a week and then Florida to visit family for a week my husband and I became bored to tears with gambling and rented a car to head out... No specific destination in mind just out to see what we could see.. I got some really cool pictures of snow in the desert. We had gotten snowed in at the Grand canyon, gone to the Hoover dam and took a really cool helicopter ride over it where I got some really nice shots with my 35 mm, then we decided we would head out to death valley. After going down the longest and most boring road I've ever traveled we came to a T... Do we go left or right we wondered. Fortunately for us right across the road was a little honky tonk. We stopped in for a beer and directions. We ended up closing the joint because everyone in the bar insisted upon buying us a drink called Texas two steps as congratulations on our wedding. Texas two steps consisted of tequila and hot sauce.. yikes.. I really don't recommend them if you are traveling in the desert. The hangover is horrendous and you're stuck with nothing to drink and no AC and definitely not a bed to sleep it off. We were both drunker than cooter Brown and could not drive so we pulled off the road into the desert a little ways and put all of our clothes in the floorboard in the back seat of this little Camaro with a very narrow slanted back window. Fortunately we were so drunk that we slept easily, it was the getting up that was the hard part. By the grace of God we passed a little welcome stand out in the middle of nowhere and got some ice cold drinks and washed up. Finally we got to death valley and hiked all day. Quite honestly neither one of us were hikers at the time, I am still not but my ex-husband hikes a minimum of 30 miles a day up in the hills by the Delaware water gap when he's not on one of his long hiking trips. There are some very beautiful places that we saw in the desert that would have been a nice hike however death valley was not one of them. Hot... I mean HOTTT, barren, and quite dusty. Don't get me wrong it was an enjoyable day because I saw a place I had never seen before added to the mere fact that we were on our honeymoon and you usually tend to enjoy that no matter where you are. Seeing snow in the desert and getting a really nice shot of my husband in front of one of those really tall cacti with snow sitting in the bend of its arms was very cool because, I'm taking a guess here, but I would doubt that you often see a lot of snow in the desert. Getting a room at the Grand canyon and getting up before the sunrise and setting up my camera and tripod to get some good sunrise over the canyon rim shots turned into a true blessing. There was between 1 & 2 feet of virgin , untouched snow blanketing everything at eye level, juxtaposed with the different colors of each layer as your eye traveled toward the bottom. It was truly breathtaking and beat the artificial light and air at the blackjack table. All of our desert adventures combined helped us forget about the extreme cases of food poisoning we each got on our last night in the hotel. You really get to know each other on a whole other level when you both have food poisoning and there's only 1 bathroom. Sorry for the novella, I'm trying to lose some weight and the pills I'm taking are very reminiscent of other experiences during the 80s..if ya know, ya know. LOL

[@katyushaaaaaa]

Legend 🤣 I have a feeling we could be friends in real life 🤣🤌 And thank you for an awesome read 🫶😁

[@stormcat9550]

Just got back from Death Valley. It was amazing.

[@alg678]

Every hike bring: *Rain jacket, pocket knife, food, water, headlamp, whistle.*

[@beklouise9952]

And lighter

[@alg678]

@@beklouise9952 For sure. And mirror.

[@rebeccabutler9728]

And something to start fire

[@gem7107]

And a personal location beacon.

[@Thomas.3698]

And my mom

[@Mystique-16]

I’m not a hiker but, wouldn’t it have been better if they had just hunkered down in the first place? Just stayed put till morning

[@hallievanoutryve3109]

Yes. Almost certainly. Rescues usually don’t go on at night. But I understand that Brendan was worried about Sailor and was just in a total panic flight state. It is very sad. RIP Brendan.

[@aerynventress7702]

Yes, especially with injuries. Wait for dawn so that you can see where you're going and others can see you.

[@CarlYota]

@@hallievanoutryve3109they should have set up camp before sailor got hurt. She got hurt because they didn’t know when to stop. Then they both got hurt because they still didn’t know when to stop. Then he died because they STILL didn’t know when to stop. They should have stopped when there was nothing to worry about except thier phone batteries.

[@ItsMe-so4nd]

Glad the three ladies made it out alive. My heart goes out to the ones that didn’t make it.

[@peytonplace3335]

Hi Kyle! I don’t hike, I don’t know how I ended up on your website, actually, but it was years ago. I have followed you for a really long time, and I really appreciate all your storytelling!

[@jadedme2511]

I'm the same... not a hiker, no idea how I ended up on your page but have thoroughly enjoyed your content. Keep up the good work.

[@fiddlersthree8463]

I'm a 78-year-old great-grandmother and I love this channel!! Never was much of a hiker.

[@meganmangold1074]

I don't hike either but love to go to the mountains along the eastern seaboard so I do appreciate the reporting.

[@tomschmitz8884]

I can't get through a story with this kid he just keeps on yapping And turning a two minute story into an hour and a half! Jesus Christ.. 10 minutes just to get to the goddamn story and then he just milks it out and just keeps on yapping and yapping and yapping… There's too many other good channels to watch this dog shit. Other time it starts getting to the point the commercials kick in. F this channel. Totally lame

[@letsrock1729]

@@tomschmitz8884 if you don't like these videos, then just don't watch them.

[@juliadesl]

I got lost in Hoosier National Forest while doing, an intended, 2 hour hike. I was totally unprepared for this contingency & wasn’t carrying anything other than a walking stick. Upon nightfall, I knew I was in trouble with 17% cell battery. Managed to call for help to be rescued. I will never go unprepared again!!

[@ec9833]

I’ve watched countless Kyle hates videos but this one has me wanting to pack my suv with every single life sustaining thing for every single season and weather type before going anywhere.

[@Everett302]

Crystal's story is just what you said: keep your guard up. It doesn't matter what kind of gear you have, if you are talking into your camera as you walk in the dark...

[@Christofuzz-hc9xl]

Brendon Vega, what a dear friend, and tragic hero none the less. Can't say enough about his attempts to rescue themselves. I wish he would have survived. What a sad sad story. Movie worthy for sure.

[@newgabe09]

Yes, he tried to use his strength.. But sadly they likely would have both survived if they'd stopped immediately it got dark and waited till dawn.

[@Christofuzz-hc9xl]

@@newgabe09 indeed

[@PhilpFong]

Hey Kyle ! Have you covered the guy that decided to hike Furnace Creek and film his trek ? He brought an umbrella and about 4 gallons of water for the planned 10 ( or was it 20 ) mile round trip . However , for some reason he only packed about 3 liters of water for the hike . He of course ran out of water but managed to hike back with sight of his vehicle. Being exhausted and severely dehydrated , he thought to stop , sit to rest , and gather strength. He never got back up and died within a few hundred yards from 3 gallons of water.

[@lisaperry5999]

What was the hikers name? That's extra tragic

[@PhilpFong]

@lisaperry5999 I wish I could remember, I saw the documentary on him which included his footage sometime in the 90's on the telly , PBS I think . I was hoping Kyle knew of this one , fill in the details and correct my foggy memory . I'll try to hunt it down and post it here if I'm successful. Cheers !

[@PhilpFong]

@@lisaperry5999Found it ! Patrick David Hodges in 1991 while hiking the " Salt Pan " . From Orlando Sentinel and NPS history site. Very sparse on details though , I don't know if his footage or the documentary still exists .

[@lisaperry5999]

@PhilpFong ty for the name so can look up I hope Kyle does cover it

[@Trav_Can]

8:21 Why is his only choice to leave her? You said twice he had no other choice. Yeah, he did. They should have hunkered down. They should have just waited out the night after their phones died. And they should have only used one phone flashlight. Save the other one. So sad.

[@mds8255]

Yeah… don’t get it either. Not a huge hiker, but I feel waiting for the morning vs walking blindly is way better.

[@thecatatemyhomework]

Sometimes Kyle is so afraid of offending people, that he does more harm than good.

[@sass_designs]

@@thecatatemyhomeworkI agree with your comment

[@slange1829]

Yeah

[@MarkNevels-m8k]

​@@thecatatemyhomework yea im pretty sure ur right

[@WarPigstheHun]

Thats insane how the last 3 found what is basically an oasis complete with a trailer and supplies. I wonder who it belonged too.

[@juliesmith6228]

That first couple should have hunkered down and *waited* for dawn. Stumbling around in the dark was a terrible choice 🤦‍♀️ Conserving energy and the batteries on their phones and reassessing the terrain when they could actually SEE 😪

[@TheLibbyjo]

Been to death valley.... It was 128 degrees.... Hot doesn't describe it.

[@michaelmoorrees3585]

On the 2nd story, on Mt Baldy (officially Mt San Antonio, but everybody calls it Mt Baldy), I'm familiar with these mountains. Grew up hiking them. The trails often are just narrow goat trails, with steep drop offs. Those drop offs can be hidden under the snow. So even someone experienced and familiar with this area, can fall victim, to a misstep. I've fallen, or rolled off a few times. Never further than a few 10s of feet, diagonally. Never a full vertical fall. Still, it can beat you up a bit. On that last story, I've fallen victim to those old GPS units a couple of times, back between 2005 and 2010. Plus, even back before all this tech, when paper maps, were your only guides, dirt roads, and jeep trails, are given highway numbers in California. This makes those unfamiliar with this area, think that they are normal roads. Simple rule of thumb: If the road is not paved, don't use it.

[@_nick_d]

I hiked ice house canyon to Chapman trail with a beginner hiker and trail had light snow & my buddy didn’t listen to what I said & fell/slide 50-60’ luckily just got snow burn & a scrap or two on his shin by the bottom. Baldy is no joke in the winter

[@gbosearcher-3686]

There was an incident here on NC, where a man was depending on GPS to get to a location. He followed the directions right off a bridge that had been out for a year.

[@FranktheDachshund]

A couple was using gps in Oregon and it led them through a forest service road impassable in winter. They got stuck and the family of three did not make it after getting stuck in the snow.

[@MrTak44]

@@FranktheDachshund The softwear engineer that one was interesting.

[@-Reagan]

A lot of people were killed on Mt Baldy and/or missing that season, when Crystal died. I remember it well. Julian Sands, the actor was one of them. There was one man whose disappearance was completely overshadowed by those two incidents and another immediately following Sands’ disappearance. Sands was since found deceased. There have been over a hundred missing or needed rescues and at least seven fatalities since 2020. That’s a lot. I’m not even sure if that number has increased since I last checked.

[@_nick_d]

It’s probably higher than that, I remember one winter where 5-6 perished and they considered shutting the entire mountain down bc of all the SAR missions. The news was flat out telling people not to go to the mtn.

[@IslandUncharted]

As an avid hiker and youtuber, thank you for the reminder to always carry a headlamp, even on a day hike, sometimes I get complacent and forget

[@LevelEarthWD]

I just wanted to add this to the plus of using a headlight. Both hands are free. I use a headlight a lot and thats the biggest plus. Heres the minus. If its summer and you have the light on youll meet intimately, with every flying insect out at night. But id take that over being in the dark or holding a phone.

[@jlt131]

Try it on the red light setting - it will destroy your night vision less and tends to attract fewer bugs!

[@thequadriders]

I keep a rechargeable headlamp as my main but I keep a backup that takes aaa batteries as a spare. I had one headlamp that quit working one night and I had to wander out of the woods using the light on my phone. I now keep 9 aaa batteries (my light takes 3) and a spare headlamp. It's worth the extra weight and space imo

[@marcycollinshtd4life]

I lived in Arizona and now New Mexico, we never leave home without at least one gallon of water per person per day

[@feralkid1879]

I remember hitchiking to CA from IL around 1972-73. Long before cell phones and gps. Never seen anything like it, the stretch between Needles and Barstow. Desolate, like another planet. The old mother road was a baren 2 lane, 90 mi between any trace of habitation. Never felt so alone and insignificant. Pavement was so hot it ignited a pack of matches in my back pocket. You can bet I retuned home by way of Donner pass.

[@_nick_d]

Yah that strip of Hwy does suck. I got a speeding ticket going 111 headed I-15s going down Halloran Summit into baker. Ticket was $1400 😑

[@feralkid1879]

@@_nick_d omg speeding tickets got expensive since my last one.

[@PKAdventures]

as someone that grew up in the desert, and has been stranded with and without water, the best advice i can give is to take at least 2 days worth of water, even if you're driving through for just an hour or 2. you never know when things are gonna go wrong. if you don't have water, it's usually better not to eat, or eat only small amounts of foods containing lots of moisture, like fruit. oh, and 2 days of water in the desert = about 4-6 days of water in a place that isn't lava, so take much more than you think you could possibly need. i keep a full 7gallon Aqua-Tainer (20bucks from Walmart) in my SUV at all times. and i usually have at least 2 or 3 more gallons in water bottles + 10 or 20 sports drinks with electrolytes (or a powdered electrolyte mix). i sanitize the big water tank at least 4 or 5 times per year, but that's just because i end up using it so much. if i you just fill it up and don't use it, it can be left alone for a year or 2 and still be fine to drink, if you used clean water and filled it up all the way. TLDR: keep at least a couple days of water in your vehicle, regardless of where you live, cuz it can save your life if you get stranded.

[@raider7829]

Great advice. You should also carry a couple power packs for your cell. We Know how fast they can die.

[@PKAdventures]

@@raider7829 absolutely! i always keep at least 1 or 2 in my suv. i am getting ready to throw a solar panel on top and some lithium batteries inside too, and i still plan on having a couple power packs so i can charge them up and take them out with me if i'm gonna spend a day or 2 out camping, hunting, or fishing

[@ifcatshadthumbs...664]

So happy for the 3 ladies. The "oasis" was a miracle imo. These days people really need to learn how to read hard maps. Don't rely on vehicle GPS, especially for trips into such dangerous areas.

[@eatwhatukiii2532]

Just recently there was a tragic event here in Maine (autumn 2024) when a couple, Pamela and John Helmstadter, went out for a simple day hike expecting to be out just a short time. He fell and got injured somehow. She left him to go find help but got completely turned around and lost. She’d been going in circles apparently. Rescuers found him just 200 feet from her. He died of exposure. She herself nearly died and said she was eating moss in an attempt to stay alive. The Maine woods are a thick tangle with raspberry thorns, tall ferns, downed trees, and can be brutal if you stray from a trail.

[@themtbrowns]

OMG have these fools never heard of "STAYING PUT"!!!???

[@darthlaurel]

First couple should have stayed together till dawn.

[@GlendaMasterson]

I’ve been following you for about 3 weeks and I enjoy your channel very much. I’m a77 year old woman but love the outdoors . I love to walk but never got to hike much. But you are very interesting and I listen to your channel everyday! Thanks. 👍

[@feralkid1879]

Kyle is a natural born broadcaster. Not many can speak to a camera that comfortably. I sure can't. Can't hardly speak comfortably to someone's voicemail beep.

[@BookwormSkates]

I bet if you made 1000 KZbin videos you’d get a lot better at it too

[@AlchemyMP604]

100% agree. Kyle is so likeable, knowledgeable but humble and empathetic. End up feeling like you’re friends with him.

[@mikeevans7381]

In that last story I didn't expect those women to survive. And in reality they really shouldn't have wow. Thank you Kyle. 💯🙏🇺🇸

[@shortylucy]

Amazing stories. But that 3rd one brought me to tears. How fantastic that they ran into those trailers, food, and water. AND their rescue found them. I'm floored!!

[@TheCrystalBoat]

Them finding Sailor didn't turn their hike in to a nightmare, but if they hadn't seen her until the guy saw her in the photo that night, or even the next day, THAT would have. Because by then it would have been too late.

[@patriciamurphy6559]

Omg it just went from horrible to more horrible to horrendus!!! 😮 Terrible, those poor kids! 💔 And yes, Brendon was a true hero. I wish he had just stayed with her, sad.

[@orazha]

As I watched this excellent trio of situations that hikers got themselves into, and with your comments about needing to have a phone or other electronic device, I think back to when I did the most of my hiking between CA and AZ in the '60s to the '80s. I'd like to recommend the use of an outdated tool we carried everywhere that helped us out of situations. That's a detailed, topographical map that has been used to plan the trip with. Electronic gadgets are great until they stop working. A physical map will always work as long as it's protected. And planning a trip doesn't mean that you can't/shouldn't take detours. But it works better if you look for potential detours in the planning stage. I might also recommend a compass but, back then, I simply didn't trust them.

[@llyn5759]

Being prepared for an emergency that might require you to set up camp for a few days also helps people not panic when they do find themselves lost, which as we know is not an ideal reaction but it can happen. Be prepared for anything, and you might not later be blinded by existential panic.

[@sylvieroche9364]

In my country, we have big posters at the beginning of all mountain trails, even those who are just easy, family friendly trails : DO NOT go on the trail without warm clothes. DO NOT begin your trail past 3 in the afternoon, you would risk being unable to come back before dusk. IF this happen to you, DO NOT walk in the dark ! Stay put.... Even with that, we have deaths every year, usually the father who tried to go get help and fell.

[@ittybittykittymama7582]

Brendan was a son to make his parents proud! He gave his life for his friend, Saylor. She, in a similar vein, was as brave as they come, to persevere in the face of terrible pain. What a courageous young woman she is!

[@patriciamurphy6559]

So, so happy to know that the 3 woman survived! Nice to hear a happy ending. 🥰

[@renatus8667]

Let’s get this guy to 1 mil! Love what you do man!

[@tomschmitz8884]

Whatever. Lol good luck with that. You need another 500,000 people who like listening to a dude drone on about dumb shit and NEVER get to the point! I'm sure you're sick of looking at his dumb face! Lol See you in five years when you hit 1 million

[@789genie]

I really do have anxiety listening to this last story. 27:48 ahhhhhhh thank You Jesus! Whew…. I can relax now knowing it was a happy ending. The daughter deserves a big thank you from mom

[@charlottecaywood1099]

Love your stories! Lost my mobility a few years ago and miss hiking the most. The stories and images in each video makes for such a wonderful “vicarious hike” 😊

[@heatherkandzior2731]

Brendan and sailor talk about bad luck. What happened sounds so unbelievable to me. How many times have we all fooled around with friends, piggy backing, and not broke anything. It's so sad. Brendan tried so hard even when he was pretty much blind trying to get help for his friend. Thats heroic.❤

[@Mangolite]

Hearing all your stories inspires me to be well-prepared for any future hiking or outdoor adventure. Here’s my checklist: 1. Bring plenty of water with electrolytes. 2. Pack a flashlight or headlamp. 3. Carry extendable hiking poles. 4. Have a reliable pocket knife. 5. Include some strong ropes. 6. Wear sturdy hiking boots or shoes, and bring extra socks. 7. Pack protein bars for quick energy. 8. Carry a satellite communicator for emergencies. 9. If injured in the dark, stay put until help arrives. 10. Always let someone know your route and expected return time.

[@juliestrong1947]

Hiking partner?

[@djg5950]

You didn't mention it but you probably carry matches or a lighter. That is an important item, too. Headlamp and #10 are most important (and water).

[@AwesomeFish12]

Rope isn't going to come in handy very often, unless you have a tarp and are camping out, but in that case you'd take some para-cord or something light.

[@Jwoh257]

That woman’s daughter was a hero! She activated the search right away.

[@ANTSPlantation]

Who elses listens to Kyle and mrballen?

[@bethmoore7722]

Yes, both. I also like The Leaf. You’d probably like him. He’s a Canadian guy, hence the Leaf.

[@loriegosnell9355]

👍

[@ddrigmaiden]

Mrballen makes shit up all the time, though. 40% of what he says in his stories is his own embellishment. I called him out on it on one of his videos, pointing out how it's impossible for him to know all sorts of stated details, and he deleted my comment. He's a real piece of shit. It's why all the other Seals hate him.

[@katecoffee4744]

🖐🏻

[@pyromichael77]

Both yes!

[@davethemagnificent2576]

Thank you for sharing these stories Kyle. I'm sure the families appreciate you telling the story of their loved ones in a caring and compassionate way, like you do. RIP: Brandon Vega & Crystal Gonzalez. 🕊 🕊

[@HeathersHikesAndAdVANtures]

"Happy gut = happy butt" ~ Kyle 😂😂😂😂

[@jlt131]

noooo you weren't supposed to quote him on that!

[@HeathersHikesAndAdVANtures]

@jlt131 🤭

[@AoAstar]

that last photo of the girls in front of the helicopter with their rescuers brings me so much joy- they could have been out there for another few days or weeks if the other daughter didnt follow up on her gut feeling- just so many miracles- i just feel so happy seeing them standing there knowing that they are safe

[@marybarry2230]

I’ve climbed Mount Baldy several times and yes, you do have to be careful up there! Some very narrow parts of the trail,such as Devils Backbone, where you really have to pay attention!

[@_nick_d]

Yes Devils Backbone is no joke, Crystal was on her way up, not quite up that high when she slipped.

[@redinabloogs8477]

Can't help thinking that the experienced hiker would not have fallen if she wasn't doing selfie videos while climbing up the mountain. 😢

[@letsrock1729]

My exact thought.

[@tanikokishimoto1604]

She'd stopped videoing.

[@genericamerican7574]

@@tanikokishimoto1604 how do you know?

[@sammcloughlin9291]

Came to say this exact thing, disturbing her night vision by shining light in her eyes, and not focusing on her footing

[@DeeDee26123]

While she was videoing she was probably already heading towards danger, Kyle said she fell after the video stopped. If she was concentrating and looking where she was going instead of looking into the camera she may not have fallen. Being alert and concentrating on your path and surroundings is vital.s​@@tanikokishimoto1604

[@Comedybrand]

He couldn't have stayed with the red head till dawn to leave in daylight? It's only overnight. To leave at first light I could see 👀. I mean one day and other ppl come taking pictures? Especially if you can't see 👀, I feel that is reckless.

[@EmilySparklz]

23:13 even today, the phone service is shit in the Death Valley area. The GPS still sucks. I never go out there without an up to date paper map. 25:10 they should have parked until dark, and then looked for the light pollution in the sky from Vegas, and then head that direction. 😢

[@pilgrim666butters]

That idea also sounds cooked, drive towards light pollution possibly deeper into wilderness and further from the road system??

[@EliShields-co5vm]

Me and my wife literally love your videos bro!!! We have even set other plans aside when you post a new one!!! Lol

[@halisabo9622]

Death Valley NP is such a magical place. After years it being on my bucketlist, I was finally able to make it this past May. It did not disappoint.. when I was there, I stopped at Badwater Basin and the temperature was 118°. - I definitely see how some could get disoriented and become lost. Unfortunately, this is one place if you do get lost, your chances of survival are very slim.. I couldn't even imagine. This place will eat you.

[@10.6.12.]

Just remember that evening comes allot sooner than sunset when you are on the Eastern side of a mountain.

[@genericamerican7574]

Winter doesn’t always care if you come prepared. ❄️☃️❄️

[@cdes1776]

The Death Valley story was against all odds. If it isn't a movie, it should be.

[@amypondhikes]

Heck of a triple header, Kyle. I really feel for those who lost their lives in the pursuit of hiking and the loss to their friends and family. And am ever grateful for the amazing people who serve on the search and rescue teams. Another well and respectfully done video.

[@thebluehotel426]

Kyle, your retelling of people's misadventures just have me on the edge of my seat. I live in southern AZ and am well aware how easily a light hike can turn scary.

[@Skitzo412]

LOVE UR STORYS BRO !!! I even rewatch the 3+ hour ones :) have blessed day

[@sabiebabie103]

Kyle you do such an amazing job telling these stories and show so much respect towards the people they’re about!

[@katekursive1370]

Man I really hope every bad situation has the ending of that last story

[@amandas3804]

Wow, that Death Valley story--the other thing about the car is they made it even more visible by leaving the doors open. Smart. I'm glad they found that trailer.

[@lulucolby8882]

Great stories we can all learn from. Thanks for sharing them

[@Tam-Solo70]

You should do the story of the man that was running Mount Marathon race in Alaska on July 4, 2012. So sad that this guy just disappeared during a race. Please check it out. That story struck a chord in me and I never heard anything else on it.

[@Kritterlu]

I'm sorry - pitch black; no light source; no way to discern terrain - so we're "stumbling through the wilderness " and " taking a leap down from a rock? " Did the brain cells turn off in twilight???

[@raeraebadfingers]

Sundowning in real life

[@freedomisntfree4836]

I can't agree with you more. When I was young, stupid and in college, a friend and I hiked to the top of Awawaloa above Palolo Valley along side Ka'au Crater in the afternoon with every intention of being back down before it got dark. WRONG! We ended up hiking out in the dark and thank goodness my friend knew that trail like the back of his hand. Very scary. A headlamp would've been extremely smart. I've never been caught off guard like that since. I do now have a headlamp. They are awesome.

[@damonottaway3648]

I have done plenty of Sierra Nevada mountains hiking. None in the dark that was in dangerous areas. For this woman who supposedly was an experienced hiker, I find it very reckless to be hiking and filming while it’s dark. That’s far from experienced. Yes, a bad decision cost her her life.

[@thecatatemyhomework]

And yet Kyle didn't even mention that most important detail. Once again, he's so afraid of offending someone, that he doesn't state the obvious.

[@damonottaway3648]

@, I agree. For someone as avid a hiker as he is, the very first thing he should’ve mentioned was how dangerous it is to not pay attention while hiking in a dangerous area in the dark and filming at the same time. Sad for her demise, but that was just plain stupid.

[@_nick_d]

Crystal was struck by ice rolling down the mtn according to witnesses

[@gerardineKubacki]

11/22/24-These stories made me crying. My son and friends are at this minute down in the Everglades…they love hiking, especially Maine but they’ve been to Canada, Grand Teton and many others places. I’m always saying prayers for their safety!! God bless everyone. God rest in peace those who died enjoying nature. Nature is wild, so be cautious of what you’re doing and never take adventures for granted.

[@joemendiuk]

Sorry to have to say, but perhaps if the lovely Chrystal was watching her step rather than her camera she may not have misstepped and fell.

[@m.m.1933]

I think she was blinded after she turned her video light off after filming... night blindness even with her headlamp on... just a guess. But that's why pirates wear eye patches.. to go in and out of ships to bright sunlight without blindness...pretty genius! Same with snow glasses with small slits* our ancestors were very creative!

[@Floydian4everr]

Was thinking the same, the last thing I'd want to do on a night hike is blind myself to the surroundings with a phone light in my face and put 99% of my attention on either live streaming or recording a video of myself hiking, not pov style which would have your eyes aided by the light but evening news style with the device pointing at my face

[@_nick_d]

Crystal got hit by ice rolling down the mtn according to eye witness. The same thing happened to Sam- a legend at Mt Baldy who was on his way to a goal to summit the peak 1000x but sadly got hit by ice between attempts 800-900 😢

[@HarryMarsee-fw9ot]

I hope she hugged and repeatedly praised her very loving daughter.

[@Asp47999]

When I buy some gruns I’ll use your link man. Been watching you since before you came up and I’m so glad to see it happen.

[@strummercash5601]

I cannot imagine, beyond the sheer terror of being broken-bone injured while lost in the dark, how much physical pain they suffered. Deftly and respectfully presented, as always, Kyle.

[@lyr1kn156]

7:50 It wasn't fate, it was their own dumb decisions that led them to their ordeal. All completely avoidable. Should have stayed put until light.

[@SerenaWilliams-g1c]

It seems so obvious. Why after she broke her leg did they not just stay there until dawn? It makes no sense that they would not have just waited.

[@lyr1kn156]

@@SerenaWilliams-g1c I suppose it's easy for us to say as we aren't the ones in that situation, but I honestly think it should be common sense to stay put and not wander wilderness in the dark.

[@earcher]

I just want to add a couple things learned through lived experience. First, complacency is the number one killer in a lot of cases. You decide you're gonna go walking down a trail, or climb a mountain, or hell work a chainsaw and you find yourself feeling relaxed and confident... take a minute to reevaluate how dangerous that situation still is. Which sort of leads into my second point of, sometimes you do absolutely everything right and you don't make any mistakes, but things still end up sideways and you find yourself tasting dirt. Don't let experience, confidence, or ego, get in the way of grabbing that extra water bottle or striker, cause just because you don't think you're gonna need it, doesn't mean you won't.

[@kimberlewagner2355]

Kyle, my dude ❤ I've been following a fair long time and never comment but wow this entire presentation was 💋

[@michellepagel4566]

?Brendan Vega was absolutely a selfless hero. I wish I had friends that are so devoted. May his family find peace.

[@Andrea-LovesYouStill]

Like others are saying, if you get lost and / or injured, STAY PUT, TOGETHER. Next 1, she probably fell because she was looking at the camera, and not the terrain. Very sad. So glad for a happy ending though. That was a relief!!!