Trevor Laher's Story - Saving lives on the Pacific Crest Trail
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- Опубліковано 25 жов 2024
- It's been a year since I met Trevor Laher on the Pacific Crest Trail as we embarked on our 2,665-mile journey from Mexico to Canada.
We hiked together for a short while, but never would I have imagined that chatting with him at Montezuma Valley would be the last time I saw him.
On the 27th of March 2020, snow-covered icy slopes and a lack of winter equipment caused Trevor to have a fatal fall in the San Jacinto Mountains at Apache Peak.
Since that day, Doug Laher, his father, says after months of difficulty, his son's story has given him a new purpose in life, to selflessly ensure the safety of others following in Trevor's footsteps.
This is the story of how a father's son's tragedy is saving the lives of others on the PCT.
Links mentioned in this video:
Books:
Freedom of the Hills - The Mountaineers
amzn.to/3ccj6PI
Rattlesnakes and Bald Eagles - Chris Townsend
amzn.to/2QxoAwe
Into The Wild - John Krakauer
amzn.to/398HX4Z
Videos:
Team BMC - Winter Skills
• Winter skills 1.1: cho...
My PCT dangers video
• PCT DANGERS | 5 import...
Groups:
Trevor's 100 Day Trek
/ 2539493386357954
Hi Trailhunter when will you be back with videos? Your vlog from the sky-trail was a great inspiration for me.
This is a random comment, so no disrespect to any of you! I just wanted to find a way to communicate with you and how I (and I'm sure a ton of others) miss your output. So what are you up to? Loved your channel, and hope to see it back. Big respect bro.
Good to see your channel again
Thanks for doing this Doug. This was heartwrenching. But you spoke of your son beautifully.
Still wished you were making content. Your Skye trail video was epic. One of the best
Where have you gone dude! Come back to us!
My kid is 3 years old now and I am just starting out taking her on hikes with me. I can only imagine what Doug must be going through. No good memories can ever make up for the ones you miss out on. This is such a sad legacy. I am usually a pretty cautious person, especially with my kid, but even for me Trevor's accident is a reminder to think twice. I care the world about my kid but not so much about myself, and his story reminds me kinda not to be reckless when I'm alone as well. We all gotta think of who we leave behind...
Thanks for putting this podcast together! ❤️
thank you for sharing this. it is very much appreciated and valuable information to have. thank you both
Very sad story… However, he should be very Proud for the work he has Done for the community. He better know how much this means, and how strong he is for staying intact with so much courage and enthusiasm! Amazing work Doug!!!!💪❤️
What a fantastic idea to make this video. Thankfully something positive has come out of a tragedy YNWA 🔴
Hope you are well - miss your vids bro!
such a beaut episode - nice work !
Thanks so much Georgia 👍
My condolence to Doug & wish him peace in his heart . This is a massive reminder to all hikers that health & safety is more Important then gear weight . Mother nature is beautiful but can be deadly , risk assessment must be carried same way it applies in your work or daily routines , also follow your guts instinct , it is there for a good reason & no trail is worth the risk .
Miss trail hunters posts
Come back soon 💜
As a member of the PCTA fir many years, we’ve talked about safety concerns on the PCT, esp. in San Jacinto during March with snow. Last year’s Facebook group Still Hiking the PCT were utterly toxic individuals who argued about the fires, the safety concerns, and other issues such as the remoteness of the PCT experience due to Covid. I agree that like the campfire tests, we need other tests, esp. for hikers who go out in shoulder seasons where the weather can turn violent. Your son was a pure spirit and God brought him home to him. Peace.
59:45 Most insightful words by Trevor's Dad. I don't agree with all his opinions, but he is 1000% correct on this point.
Hi Russ, hope you're OK mate. Looking forward to your next adventure
Hi mate. Thanks bud yeah all good in the hood. Been taking a 3 month break from UA-cam Insta and Facebook. Just a couple more weeks and I’ll be back on. Hope you’re all good and getting outside!
Hey Russ, thanks for all the videos. Please make some more ! Do you plan to restart the PCT ? I plan to do it myself and am devouring all the excellent intel on your website.
If you've been planning then no doubt you have been immersed in "advice" from many, especially on youtube, who portray themselves as experts. Be very wary of advice which emphasizes things like "re-inventing your life" or a "life achievement" or anything which prioritizes miles and ego.
I do recommend checking out the Kruger-Dunning effect which many young hikers exemplify to the extreme.
The most important thing to pack is HUMILITY which weighs nothing.
Things to unpack to really get the most out of a long wilderness trek:
Unpack Ego. Scenic trail, Not race course.
Unpack Envy. HYOH
Unpack Entitlement mentality.
Being out on trail is a great privilege, but it's rightfully non-exclusive. The potential experience is special, but a person does not have to be special to hike.
Safety is important, but life is not safe. Deep down hikers and outdoorsmen all know this, it's schizophrenic to say "go hike, but put safety first" No. Safety third, like Mike Rowe explains.
My safety recommendations are these:
Instead of Ego, Envy and Entitlement, Pack these: Plenty of extra
FOOD, always! Suitable, rugged, not flimsy,
FOOTWEAR for the potentially snowy parts.
FREEDOM from any fixed schedule which focuses on miles.
Weather does not care about schedules
Snow does not care about schedules
Mountains do not care about schedules
A brilliant interview, and what a story to tell with such a serious message. Russ, where is the best place to practice using an ice-axe in the UK?
Doug, keep up the good work! Your message is loud and clear. I am hiking the PCT in 2023 and I have taken on board lots of your advice. Thank you. x
Hey Julia, I'm glad you found Trevor's story helpful for sure. It was a very powerful message from Doug. With regards to practice. It could literally be anywhere really, you just need these key ingredients for a perfect site to practice. Firm snow, a safe and secure landing, someone with you, not too far from an escape route. This video is really good: ua-cam.com/video/QN58FtFy7dU/v-deo.html
Here's another really god video as well. ua-cam.com/video/fV4tLt-4Bb8/v-deo.html
Julia please be wise about your footwear. Nobody in their right mind drives an automobile off road in the snow with slick road racing tires, but that's what too many hikers do when they wear their lightweight shoes and attempt to hike over snowy mountains. It's the common denominator that few people are willing to acknowledge. The best gear isn't the stuff that is most heavily marketed and promoted.
@@treebeardtheent2200 noted. I promise to be sensible
@@TheAdventureGeek I actually did notice that women hikers, experienced or not, were somewhat less prone to put the "ninja slipper" type shoes on their feet than their male counterparts. This detail may have slipped my mind bc the self-proclaimed experts on UA-cam (Kruger-Dunning effect) female as well as male seem to all go for the trendy, not-too sensible choice.
Where is all the pct 2022 content? Did you end up filming while out there? I met you a few times around mt.hood area. Hope you’re doing well!
I saw you mentioned to get your spikes in Julian, but I'm starting in Campo on May 11th (pretty late in the season). Would I be fine holding off until Kennedy Meadows to get my spikes?
Yeah May is really late and you’ll be hiking fast I take it. Little to no snow in the San Jacinto then, but definitely still keep an eye on the trail report to be sure. You never know.
As a parent, you’re tasked with threading the needle between protecting your kids and letting them gain their independence. Most of the time when we don’t make the right choice, the consequences can be overcome. Sometimes … they are not.
We miss you, hope you're ok!
Thank you for talking with Doug about this. So sorry to hear about Trevor, and was hugely distressed by the deaths of the two hikers in Acadia last week in similar circumstances.
My dad worked mountain rescue in NZ and was nearly killed several times; I like mountaineering too and am really cautious, but have also been nearly killed several times in "low risk" terrain. Losing the trail, falling off the trail, hypothermia, avalanche are real; they are killers. Please. I just wish everyone could just listen to Doug.
As someone who owns an ice axe but has never practiced using it, I can assure Doug that this will no longer be the case.
❤️
Where are you bro? We miss you!
is it coming any more videos soon?
These kind of accidents, which don't have to be fatal to be tragic, will continue to happen so long as hikers foolishly wear footwear which is NOT appropriate for snowy mountains.
I can go into much deeper detail on this. I have been a PCTs hiker since 2018. I spent March to September 2019 in all three states hiking the trails.
Those who go into the wilderness only prepared for ideal conditions are not prepared for the wilderness at all.
It's not precisely true that the PCT is desert in Southern California as every true desert dweller knows quite well.
There are a few desert crossings which last a few hours to a couple days most at normal rates of travel for hikers.
According to the common tourist (novice pct hikers) misperceptions, you just can't hike the PCT in Southern California for that reason...hogwash.
Somewhat hot and dry does not mean it's desert, it simply means you have to carry adequate water and that's what many new-style hikers are resistant to doing.
I hiked the Big Bear to Idyllwild section SoBo in July (the "no can do" time). Yes, the crossing in the Cabezon region was hot, around 100°F. I simply watered up and waited until evening to start my hike up the highest ascent anywhere on the PCT with a kit weight of around 65 pounds which is average for me. This ascent is roughly two vertical miles.
The important thing to note is that even a mile up (elevation) which is close to if not lower than the typical trail elevation in SoCal, it is much cooler than down below. 12 to 15°F coolor I would estimate, plus there is no need whatsoever to hike during the two or three peak temperature hours. (that's where people who run on schedules get in trouble). In my case, I still had another mile up to go where it was vastly cooler, so much so that the mountain was covered with dozens, maybe even hundreds of day hikers from Idyllwild and Palm Sprigs (via the tramway).
I did not see any other PCT hikers and I spent a few days in the region going to and from Idyllwild where I met a couple who became first time trail angels. This exemplified to me how much PCT hikers these days are influenced by misperceptions where so many people, some just on a whim, can go up and enjoy a place that PCT hikers are erroneously fearful of (bc of heat).
Now here's the thing - Overexertion, especially without adequate hydration can kill hikers. But COLD is the real killer because it rarely just goes away by stopping, resting and drinking. You cannot Both be prepared for the cold And be rigged to move fast and light like an ultra-marathon runner.
For those who have the means to change out their gear for every big change from low hills to mountains, good for them, but for the more self-reliant, the gear CAN be carried if the trail is treated more as a scenic traveler's path and not so much as a tourist race track.
You making a comeback to the PCT?
You are over optimistic about masking, it’s in CA but not other states unfortunately. We also see drop in vaccine numbers so we will be in this madness for a long time... I’m not a hiker not sure why YT recommended this video, but it was very interesting! Thank you for sharing!
Where have you gone buddy?
Has depression and anxiety reared its ugly head?
Hope your well
Same surname as mine wow
Dear Chili,
I watched your review video about . Trevor Laher's Story - Saving lives on the Pacific Crest Trailm on UA-cam, and you really have done a great job on this. I love your video style very much.
We are setting up a new business on the [Champing Chair] and hope to extend our business. so can you test the product for us?
We will appreciate it and we can pay for your effort.
Best Regards
What happened to you man just vanished