A group of 104 hikers were rescued early Monday morning after getting lost on Sunday in the Huiyang Lovers’ Valley and Pingshan Moutain in China. The large group, known as the ‘wind runners,’ was brought together via an internet forum. They set off on Sunday morning, but in a serious case of herd mentality, the group got lost and found themselves stranded in the darkness.
It took a search team of 230 people to find them shortly after midnight on Monday morning. With most cases of lost hikers, a search team is dealing with one or a few hikers, but usually no more than a small group. The good news is that the rescue was successful no one was found injured.
However, I find it pretty hard to believe that a group of 104 people managed to get themselves lost, and lost in the dark to top it all off. Sounds like they forgot one of the hiking essentials: common sense!
Events such as these always put hiking safety to the forefront of my mind; I try to always be prepared when I am on the trail. Check out our Top Ten Hiking Essentials article for a guide on what to bring with you on your hike, and how these essentials, along with common sense, can help you avoid getting lost while on the trail.
