Hi... I hope I'm not intruding on your forums or anything. I found this thread searching Google for the news coverage. Walt was my dad. Thank you for the kind thoughts.
Anyway, Dad had been going to that claim for 8 years, knew it really well, memorized the maps, grew up near there, was used to rough country. He was also very physically strong, and sharp. I just can't imagine he would have been lost for any longer than it would take to pull out his compass or look up to get a bearing and head due north until he hit the river. Certainly not long enough to die of exposure. He also wasn't trapped or injured at all (which is oddly comforting, at least he wasn't stuck out there for days). So we don't have a cause of death and won't for a few months until they finish the autopsy.
It seems likely from what they have found that he had a sudden heart attack or possibly stroke, several days before he even would have started home. He was cutting through heavy brush, maybe taking a shortcut back to camp, which is what made him so hard to find.
I don't know if a radio beacon could have saved him and I can't think about it right now, I just can't. BUT if you're going out there and there is anything you can carry that would help you be found in whatever state, please please please please do it. Its something you never really expect to need. Maybe it saves your life, maybe it saves you a really uncomfortable night, maybe it saves your family two and a half days of helpless worry straight out of their worst nightmares. Maybe you never even use it and give it to your great grandkids to teethe on when you're ninety five. I vote for that last. Anyway that was all I wanted to say, sorry for rambling on. Good luck out wherever you go.
