He ignored the WARNING SIGNS⚠️... and he paid for it
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The disturbing disappearence of Michael LeMaitre, and the 2012 Mount Marathon Race diaster.
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Edited by: @LeviSpangler
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Don’t blame event organisers for your choice to participate in a dangerous activity.
Also that idiot ignored the multiple warnings, which should've been an even bigger red flag to an older guy.
But that's what we collectively do, BLAME OTHERS FOR OUR STUPIDITY.
Agreed.... Still have to run event properly. All good ✌️
I do blame organizers for lax safety concerns, common physics and science sense, quick to shift any responsibility elsewhere...I could go on and on Cuz, why bother!!!🙏✨👌😡❣️
Agreed, exactly. Pure and simple, you didn't have to go
The wife sueing the organizer of the event for his death, is like sueing the official at your wedding for the divorce that happens later.
Oh, thanks for the idea...
@@rachelnise2473😂😂
😂😂😂
Yep 😅
And it WILL happen later
This poor man. He smiled for the camera, he was still proud of his moment. It's such a shame and such a loss.
We’re in a culture of no personal responsibility. Feel bad for his family, but it was his choice and no else’s.
Yes. With high-risk outdoor activities, it's on you to research the risks and the decision to go or not go is on YOU.
I agree. Every person decides for themselves whether to take the risk or not. The consequences should be owned by that adult. If the organisers guaranteed it to be safe, thats another story, but that is not the idea i got.
I agree to a degree. It's a marathon, not a death march. While it is a tragedy that this man lost his life due to poor planning on his part. But this also exposed how the marathon was too dangerous. It's fine for a marathon to be challenging, to push people endurance. But if people are running through terrain that is unstable, to steep, or puts them at extreme risk of energy or possible death. Then, the organizers need to review what exactly their trying to achieve here as a marathon. When even the most capable of runners are getting severaly injured, it's a problem. Again, their is nothing wrong with challenge but safety, and respecting the landscape needs to always come first.
Usually insurance company want proff of a body which there is not one sadly
@@chantaltestman6916
He always had the option to quit and walk back down the mountain nice and leisure-like.
If you’ve ever gone big game hunting and had to try to find a 1000lb moose in the brush and other vegetation, you can understand that a human could roll under a bush, or fall into a crack between two rocks, and never be seen again. It seems so weird, but once you have to go searching for a very large animal that you JUST had eyes on from a high point, you begin to understand how hard it is to search in these landscapes.
THIS.
Good point…
I had the same thoughts.
Well said
I've never thought about it that way but yours is such a good comparison. There are tons of large animals in the forest, that can be really difficult to spot, even if they are moving. A single person, maybe lying on the ground without much movement? I could stand right next to it and if the grass is a bit taller I might just miss them.
No one in responsible for Lemaitre's disappearance except for Lemaitre. He knew perfectly well what he was getting in to.
Yet his wife was given $20,000, Zero should have been more like it. Damn shame!
@@user-qu4ey5yy3f there were some mistakes made in how the race was organized, meaning, those people share a small bit of the blame...
$20,000 seems a reasonable fine, given the type of estate that was organizing it... that is about the amount a private individual might be charged for a medium to fairly minor infraction... & it was not like they were taking it from a tiny community organization or a charity, the organizers do have significant funds at there disposal.
And he was totally unprepared,almost mocking the the danger and warnings associated with the race.No mention of his fitness level or preparation for the event was mentioned.
Ew this fkn thumbnail bro wtf hahahahahahah
You could maybe say that if you knew what happened. But you can't rule out homicide or predation or other possible unforseen circumstances that could have led to his disappearance. Honestly it's most likely that a grizzly nabbed him. Wouldn't be the first time a bear ate a competing runner in Alaska
As an Alaskan, I find this one of the strangest disappearance cases. This race is known to be extreme. People train for it for weeks and months. If you enter this race, you know you are taking your health and life into your own hands. Good on you for your generous donation to the Seward Volunteer Fire Department!
You’d be surprised by how many dumb people enter races without proper training or with physical ailment that scream at them NOT to run.
It’s natural selection at its finest. Survival of the fittest - quite literally.
Agreed, bring a light backpack if the race is that dangerous (hiking boots, first-aid kit, nutrition bars, Garmin, etc)
@@gl5616 The race is relatively short - up the mountainside and down. I don't think "getting lost" during this race was even on people's radar until this happened. The primary danger in on the steep descent.
He was 65, had glaucoma,never been up the mountain, ignored the warnings to first time runners,looked a few pounds overweight,doesn’t look like he had taken any water,it was cold,rainy and muddy.one of the most difficult and dangerous races. had not trained for this run. He didn’t stand a chance.
@@mariacompton1416 I agree that he was completely out of his element. The mystery to me is where did he go? There were extensive searches of the area, and it's now been years with no sign of him. I'm sure there are several possible scenarios, but I can't get over how odd it is. It might be because this is a place I've been and a race I've seen in person, so that's probably why this one sticks with me so much.
Heart attack, a slip, a broken leg. You fall between rocks and it's so impossible to search these landscapes
Anyone that takes part in a race like that soon after having eye surgery is not thinking of there own safety.
I'm 55 & Still Alive, and I can tell you that being Competitive can get you in Trouble!! The Mind says Yes I can! And the body tells you, your so Stupid & Wrong, what were you Thinking??
@@gregserna963 The mind can make you or break you if you lose connection with reality.
In my mid 60's now, have always loved the road; I used to drive nonstop from Los Angels to Vancouver, New Orleans, Mc Allen Texas, FOR THE FUN OF IT.
Today I might drive up to 8hrs, rest and proceed the next day.
I don't thing eye surgery had anything to do with Lemaire's disappearance.
@@gregserna963 O man, it is so true.
@@user-qu4ey5yy3f
I have a heck of a time getting out of a car after driving 3 to 4 hours. Something about sitting for way to long in one spot.
One warning is enough. He was a 65 year old man. He knew what he was getting into.
Thank you for giving shout out to search and rescue.
65 year olds can just dematerialize?
Ya in the dark secret government knows🤫🤫🤫
I’m 65 too. I used to be a reckless athlete. But you need to start picking your fights at 50 and up. I still ride and ski etc. but you need to be smarter than when you’re 20
Yes, I also participated in some risky climbs,/runs/dives etc while young. No spring chicken now.
After recently breaking my elbow while riding my bike less than a mile from home, I’ve decided I don’t bounce as well as I used to lol!
Definitely good advice there, fellow senior!
I recently got into ice skating. I'm 57. I decided no crazy maneuvers. Not going to even attempt jumps. Just more basic stuff. My knees and ankles are in great shape and I want to keep it that way.
I'm not as wreckless as I used to be. I still run long races, not going to stop that any time soon. 😁
No doubt. I'm 55, have done my fair share of sketchy mountain climbs, and have quit now. I pretty much only do trail hikes that are lower intensity. What I was doing before, no way. You gotta admit when you're not 20 anymore.
Amen brother, it's a hard truth to swallow but necessary if you want to live on.
"Lacerated liver, broken legs, head injury..." (and this was just the guy, handing out water bottles at the finish line)
😂
😂😂😂
People who want to make a name for themselves trying to do something that could kill them is getting old. You can be sure none of them would do it if they were the last people on the planet because there'd be no one to give them any props for risking their lives.
@@isabellind1292 I see this a little differently, This is a guy who was getting older and possibly going blind. He may have seen this as his last chance at a big hurrah for his fading youth. And like Julian Sands who disappeared for many days after hiking a mountain he was well familiar with, Lemaitre could have slipped into a crevasse, cave or under a ledge, or even caused a rockfall that buried him. My Blessings to his wife and family.
@@gointothedogs4634 That's fine. I see it as a big drain on SAR efforts and how dare his family sue the taxpayers for his poor choices.
That photo is unsettling. Almost has a crazed look. His knees look swollen, too. His clothes and shoes are inadequate to a hiker of his experience. His choice to do this 8 days after a surgery doing something that could cause him to lose his vision, is dangerous. He was unknowingly causing a risk to himself and others at 16,000 ft. He did not make smart decisions.
The pain meds after surgery can give people intense mood swings, who knows maybe he had a manic episode. So sad
I went through eye surgery and I was told not to even fly anywhere, that changes in elevation could affect my eyes. Michael chose this race it didn’t choose him.
@@judywright4241 I read the internet information on post opt glaucoma surgery care and was mortified he wouldn’t take that care seriously. It’s not small risk, by any stretch. I couldn’t see where he was from. But just the 3000 foot elevation in this race alone would be very risky. If he came from some sea level location he almost certainly damaged them going to 16,000 ft elevation. The pain would have been intense. Even if he had pain medication with him. This alone was almost makes me think he had a su*cidal thought process.
I thought about the risk to his eyesight also, increasing blood pressure to glaucoma?
It's a thought that he may have become suddenly blinded. That hill is difficult sighted. I can't imagine getting back to the start/end blinded.
However, I have had cataract surgery lens replacement surgery. Other than using several eyedrops, I felt great in just a few days. It was the kind of feeling where you think you can move forward but regret that choice later. Michael seems like the type to follow that great feeling into a brick wall.
Its ridiculous when people try to blame others for their own actions. Everyone who entered the race was aware of the possible consequences .
IT'SALWAYS SOMEONE ELSE'S FAULT IN MODERN SOCIETY!
Several hundred years ago if you didn't prepare for the winter in cold regions; you were simply TOAST.
Today the inept is allowed to linger in the process becoming a menace to society.
Here the wife is basically saying “my husband didnt listen to me and ignored all your warnings, but somehow you shouldve done better”. I know grief can manifest in weird ways, but something is so wrong here. Initially asking for 5mil, but ending up settling for 20G. If she was that serious and really thought she had a point, I dont think she wouldve settled for pennies, essentially. Made me think it’s all a money grab, his body not being found and all..
The consequences was referring to injuries. Not getting lost.
Unfortunately, we can see this played-out all over modern-day American society. Some idiot kids eat Tide Pods, IT'S TIDE'S FAULT! People ignorantly take chances, after being warned and yet there are still people who will dismiss the person and their responsibility and claim it's someone else's fault.
@@janemiettinen5176 3rd time I'm gong to say this; often insurance companies will offer a much lower amount rather than invest thousands to continue having their lawyers fight a ridiculous lawsuit,. I've seen it happen, doesn't mean his wife won, just that they looked at it financially and made a decision,
I know of three cases where people disappeared, but their remains were eventually found, but even the discoveries were freakish or had unusual elements to them. One was a woman in Las Vegas in the late 1990's who went hiking in a well known area called Red Rocks. At the time it was speculated that she might have been the victim of a serial killer who was known to be operating in Las Vegas, but a couple of years later her skeletonized remains were found in a narrow rock crevice. It was pretty clear the she had fallen from a hiking and running trail, the fall broke her neck and her body rolled into the crevice which hid it from view. It was blind luck that her remains were found. The crevice wasn't in an area that most hikers explored.
In the early 2000's a senior couple in Saint George, Utah simply disappeared from their home, but their car was missing. People speculated that it was a murder-suicide that occurred out in the desert or that home invasion robbers kidnapped the couple and murdered them. The local police set up a search and asked for volunteers who had 4-wheel drive vehicles to help them cover various desert trails in the area. Nothing was found.
About a year later someone driving on Interstate 15 between Saint George and Mesquite, Nevada had a flat tire and pulled over to the shoulder to put on a spare tire. The I-15 in this area runs through the Virgin River Gorge. If you drive through it in the daytime you can't help but notice that the gorge resembles a miniature version of the Grand Canyon. It is about 15 - 20 miles long.
At the place where the driver with the flat pulled over there was a gap in the guard rail, but the gap wasn't directly next to the road itself. This is difficult to explain, but the gap was next to a rock formation off the shoulder of the road. As the driver was replacing his tire he notice that the end of the guard rail was slightly bent back. He walked over to the rail and looked down and saw a car laying on its side about a hundred feet below him. The couple had been driving from Saint George to Mesquite, probably to visit one of the casinos there. The husband had a heart attack while he was driving and lost control of the car. It slid off the road and went through the gap in the guard rail, only catching the very end of it. A friend told me the couple's remains were practically mummified inside the car, but I don't know if that is true or not.
Also in the early 2000's, some boys hiking near Saint George, Utah found a desert cave with a small wall of rocks built up in front of it, like someone had tried to seal it up, but only partially succeeded. They pulled some of the rocks down and crawled into the cave and found a human skeleton. Though most of his clothing had long since rotted away, he had been wearing boots which could be identified and the brand he had been wearing was last manufactured around 1940. It is speculated this man was hiking and was caught in a desert storm. He entered the cave and tried to build a wall of rocks to keep out the wind and cold. No cause of death could be determined, but hypothermia seems to be a good guess. The police went through their old records and checked old newspapers to see if any local people were reported missing in 1930's to early 1940's but didn't find anything. So in this case remains were found, but the identity of the person will probably never be known.
Its absolutely WILD how many people just disappear without a trace, to never be seen again..
With 8 billion people? Not wild at all.
Yeah, in this case he probably fell, and died of hypothermia. From there I bet a wild animal got ahold of his dead body and thats why he was never found. Mans got eaten. Probably only bones left, scattered around who knows where.
That he simply vanished is unbelievable!
To blame the organizers is a sign of this crazy world! We are adults and responsible for our choices. It’s insane
I think part of his disappearance is the fact that he was wearing black clothing and likely more difficult to find.
@@ItsAllOpticsIt was also raining, freezing and poor visibility from low clouds that day, I was on the mountain when this happened.
It makes zero sense that he just vanished.
UFO
POINT OF SEPARATION....D.P.411
The fact that you're still producing content for us whilst sick is true dedication! Thank you Kyle and get well soon.
the show must go on! thank you for watching
@@KyleHatesHiking I appreciate your dedication, have been enjoying your videos. Take care of yourself, too. We need you healthy!
@@KyleHatesHiking❤ TAKE GOOD CARE KYLE! THANK YOU FOR YOUR VIDEO WHILE SICK. HOPE YOU FEEL BETTER SOON 🙏❤️
@@KyleHatesHiking For someone that is sick, You wear it well. Feel better soon.
I grew up on the Kenai Peninsula and watched this race many times. My dad ran it once and after he came down, in near last place (and bleeding due to a faceplant) said, Never again. It's very rough terrain on an unmarked course and the weather can change on a dime.
I wonder if Mr. Lemaitre "bonked" due to exertion/low blood sugar, then got disoriented and succumbed to hypothermia somewhere out of reach of SAR.
A very good episode. Hope you feel better soon. (And thank you for the donation to the Seward FD! 💯)
You definitely have a good point
I feel so sorry for the Time Keeper. I hope he doesnt live in guilt.
Micheal chose the risk fullstop .
Don't feel bad for the Time Keeper. The Time Keeper has a duty and failed in that duty.
@@michaelsmith9102 Agreed!. The time keeper was in his wright to leave after waiting for 45 minutes and being told that there were no other people but he should have told LeMaitre to go back when they exchanged words and not leave him to finish alone.
@@michaelsmith9102 You are so off base. He waited 45 minutes AFTER a guy who said he was the last racer. He was done. He was a volunteer. Le Maitre was not a racer. He was a joker, a pretender. Nobody owed him anything.
@@paulevans6403 He waited 45 minutes after HE WAS TOLD BY A RANDOM PARTICIPANT that there was no one else. It should be the organizers responsibility to make sure that every person that started the race passed the time keeper. That's why people get the numbers and register at the start. Of course Le Maitre made many bad decisions, but that doesn't mean that the organizers are guilt-free. If you organize this sort of event, it shouldn't be acceptable to just have people sign the weaver that everything that happens is their fault. The waiver should protect the organizers in the case of people trying to sue them for blisters or a broken leg, but not let them LOSE contestants. Sorry, but that's ridiculous.
@@michaelsmith9102Exactly! How come they didn't check in individually? Isn't that what checkpoints are for?
This is an older man with a big ass ego. It's freaking Alaska! He was warned and didn't listen.
Exactly
Alaska strikes me as a big ole no-guardrails state where you definitely have self preservation at the top of your mind all the time because Alaska is always trying to kill you.
Guy had guts. Gotta respect that tho
Five observations in three sentences. None explain the case even remotely.
@@adamantium4797Doesn’t count if you are dead. That is called stupidity.
His wife suing is ridiculous. Her husband was a known risk-taker. It’s very sad that their family had to grieve like this, but it wasn’t the event’s fault.
Edit: I’ve been thinking about this video a lot. I do wonder if they weren’t able to draw a life insurance benefit, because he was participating in a high risk race like this. Many insurances won’t pay if that’s the case. If that’s what drove his wife to feel the need to sue then I understand (I don’t agree, but I understand how desperation could cause that). Pure speculation, but I sincerely hope his family are coping and healing well. Risk takers are so often larger than life incredible people to their families. I’m sure that’s a large hole move forward with.
Agree. If you're an adult and you know the risk and still do the race, then take responsibility for the result
Ya she is so greedy. Awful.
Yes and no. In this specific case Michael’s poor physical condition likely played too much of a role. But 2 other serious injuries occurred that race and the officials reworked the entire safety system as a result of the lawsuit. It may not have been full-blown negligence but there was certainly improvements to be made.
@@MjDudz99the race has been going on for 100+ years, it's just not built for the elderly or soy boys
He was in his 60s and had his faculties. You can't sue because someone decided to ignore their limitations. There are quite a few things I can't do now that I could when I was younger. I'm also smart enough to realize that fact.
If they had a race around the rim of an active volcano, runners would eagerly compete and die, and their families would sue for unforseen negligence.
I'd be all for having a race like that. There are people who need challenges and risks. It's up to them if they want to chance it.
As a first responder, thank you for recognizing and supporting the search and rescue team and the Seward FD!
I was in Seward right after the race (my first time in Alaska) and I remember being very sad for the man and his family. That being said, I approached my visit to the state with as much caution and research as possible. It is not a place where normal safety parameters will protect a person. Respect to all involved and to you, Kyle, for reporting on Mr LeMaitre’s disappearance.
This guy researched, too. He asked an expert - Timothy Treadwell.
I think searchers underestimate how far a lost person can travel while trying to save themselves.
I find it odd they didn't have a volunteer acting as the final sweeper, to confirm there were no more stragglers. I can't think of any technical trail race I've been in that didn't have one.
I don't know anything about trail races but that would be common sense. Also people might have lost things on the trail?
They probably did. That doesnt mean that person can always find the last person in the race. It could take 10 seconds for someone to get lost and never found
So it's only around a mile and a half up and the checkpoint guy waits 45 minutes AFTER a guy who says he's the last racer. I say kudos to him for being that diligent. Sorry, but this Le Maitre guy wasn't even in the race, bib or not. He was a total pretender. He lived 65 years, probably had a decent life, not so bad. But when he pretended to do this race, he got what he deserved.
True, but it may not have prevented someone from going off the race trail and getting lost. The only way to know for sure that there were no stragglers left behind would be to check who had and hadn't crossed the finish line.
Shouldn't they have some kind of trackers, like in gravel bike races, so that the organisers know where people are, for both safety reasons and ensuring that no one is cheating? I'm sorry, but that's ridiculous to me that the organisers just lost one of the contestants.
I think we need to go back to how things were in my era. When a sixty five year old man takes responsibility for his own decisions
Unfortunate that he was wearing black instead of fluorescent colors, too.
Good point!
Yeah that was dumb on his part.
Better to be visible than cool@@lakeshoreshepherds741
I mean, that would be an easy rule for the organizers to institute
@@no_peace super easy.
But they like the danger⚠️ /s
The organizers should disqualify from the lottery anyone who had not previously climbed the mountain.
But how would they prove someone had or hasn’t? There’s no official roster of people who climb each mountain. All they can do is ask, “have you been up there before?” and if the runner says yes, they don’t have much else to go on.
@@samanthawright8830 and? That's fine. Lying means no winning a lawsuit
It would be easy to set up a few safety regs that would not ruin the race but prevent many issues with inexperienced people and people who don't understand the area
Like wearing colorful clothing.
@samanthawright8830 if you had to submit a photo of yourself at the turnaround point that'd be fair proof
I am an older woman who enjoyed a very active outdoor life until I wasn’t able to but I have to tell you of all the videos I watch that are similar in genre to yours that yours is my favorite. You are knowledgeable , compassionate and a natural storyteller. You put the listener right THERE like few can do as well. So thank you! I am a fan. Thanks also for your reminder to donate to Search and Rescue.
The SO-CALLED LINE is Drawn, When it comes too LIABILITY of your OWN SAFETY. IT IS YOU !
Thanks for encouraging donations to the Search and Rescue groups - most of them are volunteer and do need donations.
Thx for the video Kyle. I lived in Fairbanks, AK for 15 years, when the weather starts to turn you need to take action because hypothermia is a real thing, if that's the case and he did get hypothermia he could have wandered around in a delirious state and who knows what might have happened after that, especially if there are bears in the area. We live at a time of ease and I think many people don't think anything bad will ever happen to them and therefore they don't pay attention to warnings. I feel bad for his wife and family and like you said hats off to the search and rescuers.
I was on the mountain the day he went missing and it was freezing! I had my ski clothes and a hat and gloves.
Well said.
IMO this was a case of "he tempted fate and fate happened." That's on him. I wish we'd stop turning folks who have mishaps in the wilderness into victims: these are not crimes, but reflect personal choices and risk assessment. Next thing, we'll have random folks suing mountains and forests for surprise fatalities.
Suing grizzlies for taking an opportune meal.
No body;
Death certificate granted;
Received settlement money;
No. Body.
They live happily ever after
Sounds like a Perry Mason insurance scam plot!
Very interesting take on the no body but insurance is given.
My thought
@@ohsweetmystery There's no scam here, they made an offer and she accepted. Where's the scam?
@@gointothedogs4634 The scam is ,,,He's not dead . brains.....And is there life insurance?
Respect for the Volunteer Fire/EMS/S&R shoutout.
This case has always been bizarre to me.
Him passing away after getting lost isn't that weird, it's sad, but understandable... However, the fact that they've never found his body or even any trace of him for over a decade is just beyond crazy.
Look up ..... way WAY UP .
not THAT crazy... if an animal dragged him into the bush, then through predation and decay he got spread around... dragged further into bushes/crevices/animal burrows... there's a LOT of dense bush out that way. You can be 10 feet away from something and not see it. Plus, he was wearing black - not an easy color to spot among boulders, underbrush, etc.
Like a lot of Paulides' stories
@@jlt131 Where's his clothes & shoes ? NO body eats shoes .
@@vivianpatton5692 Probably stuck under dense vegetation. Or in a creves.
I listened this story from another youtuber,who is not a hiker or anything.they were very critical of the event organizers. It's really interesting how people with different experience levels on the issue have also different views
He was made aware of the risks and made the decision to participate. People need to take responsibility for making informed decisions. Life is never risk free.
It appears these days there will always be those taking on dangerous endeavors with a Walt Disney World mentality.
News flash to those that "think" that way;
People die at Disney World too!
He was warned multiple times and he signed a warning. The race organizers need to ensure they have an ironclad release.
Unfortunately, a lawyer can always pick apart a waiver.
it's also not the first time he took risks. He ran out of luck this time.
Only in the US can a person be warned multiple times about the danger of an event and then sue when things go bad. No self responsibility for anything.
So true 😞
The law industry has created this mentality.
No..not only in the US.
Not so, we hear about Americans only because of media like this. If you look at Everest/Alps climbers, there are quite a few that have tried to sue for their own failures.
Man, the ill prepared people I see trying to through-hike the Appalachian trail! One was a peeling lobster from intense sunburn (sunscreen was deemed too heavy to carry), while most are dehydrated and out of water because they "didn't think they'd consume that much". People really don't realize what trouble they can get into.
Thank you for your donation to the search and rescue team, as a retired firefighter's wife and ex medic myself, the acknowledgement of these under reconised and so often under funded services, I salute you and your cause.
Its pretty frustrating to see how many people feel that the event organizers are even somewhat to blame. "Every racer was told specifically that they should not attempt the race if they had not climbed the mountain before." He was given many, many warnings, he was an adult of sound mind and chose to go ahead with it anyway. That is 100% on him. People need to stop depending on nanny government to put the guardrails on everything and instead take responsibility for the choices that they make.
How do you know how his mind was during the race?
@@genericamerican7574 That has nothing to do with his choice to participate in the first place. You missed the point.
@@gointothedogs4634 so if you -go hiking- organized a similar event with a group of people and someone falls behind because they can’t keep up for _whatever reason,_ your point is that it’s their choice and leave them?
I think I understood that just fine.
@@genericamerican7574they still havent found his body, 10 years later. If hes under a heap of shale, or carried off by a bear into their den... someone waiting/looking for him, an hour later, won't help.
He shouldn't have been in that race. Thats on him.
@Maddy-me5hz why does this activity exist?
I get put in white padded rooms when I say I want to be put in dangerous situations to feel better. But this, this is just "fun"? How?
It does make sense going forward that officials remain at their stations until the last runner is accounted for. And it wouldnt be difficult to have participants log in as they complete the race, and that information be sent to officials stationed along the race course in real time. I will say that when participating in equine endurance racing there are check points for each rider along the route. At each checkpoint the horse is accessed for signs of physical distress. Horses found to be outside of normal parameters are disqualified from continuing regardless of how far they have progressed
It's sad but there comes a time in your early 60s you realize you are not what you were in your youth. Really enjoying your stories, Mr. Kyle.
I was at the race but the general public didn't know what happened until late that night or the next day. It seemed next to impossible for someone to vanish like that as there are so many people around. The speculation in the weeks following was it was a life insurance fraud case when he was not found. Although the terrain is very steep and it is challenging it is not as dangerous as the video implies. Thousands of people hike up and down every summer.
I guess we won't know unless someone finds a foot, like that Australian fraudster.
Maybe he got disoriented and ended up hurt & totally off course? If off course, maybe he was injured & wound up as a bear snack? Unfortunately, a lot of questions.
That too is a possibility.
I was there too, it was such a cold dreary day.
Surprising lack of empathy for this poor man...clearly a lack of judgement on both ends.
Classy move with the donation. Another great vid!
i want to start calling out a volunteer S&R or charity organization related to every video!
@@KyleHatesHiking and this is why I will keep following you! (well i might've anyway, but i'm glued in now)
A shale slide could have covered his body and would be a very dangerous place to search
That timekeeper will spend the rest of his life remembering this. He doesn’t need any ignorant second guessers shooting off their opinions!
The timekeeper did a good thing per their race structure by reporting the particulars regarding Michael. SAR got out ASAP. 👍
I have family in Alaska (Nome/Fairbanks/Anchorage). I’m in Minnesota. We’ve discussed this race because we have a few of us who are interested and then some who are just baffled by the people who do it & would never want their family to. I hadn’t heard about this man’s story until now, though. Thanks for sharing. I’ll have to tell them about it (maybe they know but didn’t say anything).
I am someone who tends to love the thrill, but Mt. Marathon makes me a bit nervous. I have done various other races, but not of this caliber. I’ll be climbing it like they recommend before I even touch the actual race. - if I ever actually get around to it. NEVER go into a climb or hike or race when unprepared. It really just isn’t worth it if you run into an unfortunate situation. There are other feats on my radar that are (typically) safer. Alaska isn’t a place you want to F around with. It’s easy to have a mishap, and it’s very easy to run into a bear (or something else hungry that may find you enticingly tasty).
Much love to this guy’s family. He was doing something he loved, I would imagine, and I’m sorry that there are so many questions left unanswered. I’ll bet he knew the risks going into it. If he didn’t listen, that sounds like a him problem. I know I’ve done it (go into something unprepared, having a blast, but then you realize in a split second how unprepared you are). Speculation sucks & in this situation it’s all people have left to do.
He did an unsafe thing, and likely met an unsafe outcome. Thanks for your coverage on this. Sad, but informative story.
kudos for the donation and the suggestion we all do the same. If not to the ones in the video, please help out your local SAR - they do risky work, and are there when we need them - but hopefully none of us will!
I walked around some trails on Mt Rainer when it was a foggy day and realized how easy it would be to die there. Theres no visibility outside of 10 feet and if you go off the trail only luck will save you.
We live in a litigation prone society.
In Oregon, we have Mt. Hood. I have never personally climbed it. But because I live nearby, I have learned a few things. There is a world famous lodge at the treeline. It's location can trick the inexperienced and uninformed into complacency with dire results.
It's human nature. When lost, especially if exhausted and suffering from exposure, that we begin to walk in a path of least resistance. Many people, if not staying alert, or if lost, will think that they are descending down a correct route; but the mountain has some shoulder areas that veer the person away from safety. Instead of dropping down towards the ski area and then the lodge, they descend, out of site, into a wilderness area. That area is very difficult to climb back out of. It's extremely difficult to skirt the treeline back over to the lodge, due to terrain.
Those who have this knowledge, realize what they have actually done by accident. They climb back up the slope, away from the treeline, as much as possible. They know to get back up into the sunlight and to then stop and wait. There is a better chance of ANG helicopters, along with S&R, to find them as one of the first locations to be checked. Once someone makes the incorrect decision to attempt to skirt the treeline, thus expending energy, and or going down into the trees, thus losing radiant heat and visibility to searches, those people are rarely rescued. Sometimes, those people are not even found and recovered.
The well-known scenarios that I have just described are before adding in the additions of exposure, lack of supplies, lack of clothing, disorientation, vision issues, and injury.
I wonder if an inexperienced person can make the same errors on the race mountain? I'm not familiar with its terrain.
Both mountains also have the added wilderness hazards of wildlife that can lead to a cause of demise and/or distribute evidence of remains afterwards.
I lived in Oregon for a decade. That is some deep dark forest. The biggest thing I have to add, is that there is no way to tell what direction you are facing when you cannot see the sun, and have no shadows.
@@valsptsd814I guess nobody carries them anymore but a compass could tell you your direction
@@2gunz122 a lot of people don’t know how to use compasses either. And a lot of people won’t learn to use a Compass before they go hiking because they think they’re not going to get lost.
@elizabethbottroff1218 That was so well written! I really envy your perfect writing skills.
As for what you conveyed was absolutely correct. Good point. 😊
I'm from Oregon and I've climbed Mt Hood. Now I live in Alaska and I have a hard time knowing which direction I'm going. The proximity to the far north can be very disorienting. But that';s not relevant in the case of Mt Marathon. It's baffling that this guy disappeared. Thousands of runners have run this course over the years and so far only one has disappeared. The guy making this video is obviously not an Alaskan. He's got the facts right but misses the essence of the race. The first official running was 1915.
I’ve done long hikes in the snow, the rain etc. I’ve been prepared but at the end of the day I did that. I swim in cold water, I dive in cold water. I make decisions about my limits. I take every reasonable precaution.
But hypothermia sets in so fast when you are that physically exhausted, that lightly dressed. You have to keep going.
You cannot stop.
Reaching the top is one thing, but if that’s a struggle, turn around and go back. Only you know how you feel. You can’t get up and collapse, you have to get down. There is no half way drop out, and successful runners/hikers make it out alive, not having completed part of the course and died.
How would the time keeper know that Michael hadn’t climbed the mountain before? How would they know how he felt?
I’ve walked miles on a severely damaged ankle, because ankles heal, worsening hypothermia does not.
These things should automatically be considered "Enter at your own risk". They know that what they are doing is health and/or life-threatening.
I think it's unfair to blame that timekeeper for anything. These people have had multiple warnings of the race conditions and they're adults, who don't want people to second-guess their decisions, especially if there is no indication they are in distress. The timekeeper is blameless IMO.
I agree he told the race officials that there was still a racer going up the mountain. So someone should’ve been waiting for him. Not just his wife. I get it’s a little heartless to leave a racer on a mountain alone but if I were wet and freezing I can’t say I would stay for this idiot to finish a race. 🤷🏻♀️
@@candacegutherie have you ever been delirious from hypothermia before?
@@genericamerican7574 no but I’d definitely be delirious if I decided to conquer a mountain I’ve never hiked before, being proud to the point of ignoring your faults. Yeah I’d say that delirium.
@@genericamerican7574 What's your point? She's agreeing.
@@candacegutherie they didn’t have to stay but they also couldn’t call for backup if they couldn’t/wouldn’t. I agree they didn’t have to stay but someone should have been able to replace them or just call for help. I don’t agree with leaving anyone behind alone like that. Do you think he would have gone missing if that happened?
There is no one to “blame” but the man himself… We are responsible for ourselves and adults don’t need babysitters.
if he went up the mountain by himself on some random day alone I agree. however he was involved in an event with a structure and organizers. the facilitated the initial lure of the mountain with the thrill of this race and this competition. then the timekeeper failed to tell him to get his ass back down the mountain. like it or not this was a failure on the part of the race organizers to ensure that everyone involved in the race actually made it down the mountainside and wasn't abandoned to wander alone and obviously incapable.
We only know now that he had unusual risks, because he didn’t return. If he’d made it down the mountain, no one would be the wiser. Only the runner knows his risks and limitations, and he apparently didn’t share that info with anyone who could have made a difference.
As for the time keeper, he himself, was alone up there for 45 minutes before descending, in cold, wet, risky terrain, and shifting weather. Expecting that one person to have saved the last runner is beyond reasonable, considering the conditions.
Where are his remains?
@@stephaniekitchen4819But it is that persons job, isn't it? How can the organizers not keep track of the participants? How is it possible that he didn't know how many people should have passed him or which number hasn't gone by him yet? It sounds like a very poor organization to me.
Thank you for doing this video although you were sick. I hate that he has disappeared. But he was clearly given the warning and signed the waver. We are 90% in control of our own lives. The other 10 % is the unknown that we can't control. Also, we don't give enough recognition to search and rescue and volunteers fire departments. So, think you for mentioning them.
Watched 2 of your videos last night... another popped up this morning and i've been sucked in all morning!!!
Planning a big hike in the Cohutta wilderness tomorrow....this reminded me to charge my Zoleo satellite locater .
What's your point exactly? Don't forget your selfie stick.
Hopefully you will get lost and never be seen again. We will talk about you on a future video.
I hope it’s a great trip you make it back from. I would love to hear that you were more prepared than you needed. Those are always the best trips. I miss a campfire🔥 have you ever had campfire roasted persimmons? Apples are great too. I probably tried roasting everything on the fire. Roasted chestnuts 🌰 🤤
🖖👣🌲🕊️
Have fun! Safe journey!
In any of the serious races on the Cumbrian mountains (and we only have little ones but sometimes long routes) there are a number of checkpoints that tick-off each person so if someone goes missing you know which section. They also have to carry a silver foil emergency blanket, emergency food such as energy bars and a certain amount of water. It is common for harder races to have prerequisites that you provide evidence of previous races.
For a race like this it would have been sensible to have a few checkpoints and tell people to turn back if they didn't reach them by a certain time.
That said, he knew what the race was about, he knew the conditions he ignored the instruction not to do the race if he hadn't been up the mountain first. He could have easily gone a few days earlier and hiked up, but was too arrogant and thought he knew better. It was entirely his fault.
As to what happened to him, with that much scree it is possible that if he slid down, he dislodged enough to cover himself, especially if he went into a crevasse.
Unfortunately, and this does sound rather mean to the deceased, I suspect turnaround times hadn't been set on the race because they had no expectation or experience of people taking long enough to warrant it on a three mile race. Same with the turnaround point guy leaving before the last competitor, it's likely he wasn't briefed on what to do (which should have ideally been to tell him no, you need to turn around, and then to accompany him down at least until they found another person) because it just didn't occur to the organisers that it would happen.
@@Ellie-rx3jt Yes, I'd agree they didn't think anyone would take that long, but in that case given the turnaround point guy a time to come down and tell him to tell anyone he sees still going up that they have to head back down.
It is often the case with evens that clear procedures aren't set. It really doesn't take much to do and can make a big difference to the smooth running and safety of events.
Thank you for appreciating Search and Rescue. I'm in Australia, (SES) we do serious car accidents, searches, trees down etc. We are all volunteers and are out their all night, in rain, see terrible things and its nice to be appreciated.
Boy thank you soooo much for continuing to cover individual stories. I thought you had stopped doing this but we enjoy them sooo much
I've run up and down some serious mountains as a teenager... to the point of not feeling my legs and several times taking a tumble because. I would hope that in my older years I can discern what is out of my scope, and simply stop.
I've done Pikes Peak and they are serious about their cutoff times probably for similar reasons.
I LOVE that you've started donating to the S&R teams
My parents lived near Palmer Alaska and I went and visited them when this took place. We drove to Seward a couple of days before the race. A few days later we heard about the missing racer. It was crazy that I was there around the time it happened.
This story is so extremely haunting and sad. I can't help wonder what the mindset of this 65 year old man was.
Probably early dementia
Interesting story. I believe he bears the majority of the responsibility. That being said, I feel for his family and friends and can't imagine not knowing what happened to your loved one. Hope you feel better soon!
I honestly don't care who is responsible, but it would be very easy and effective for the organizers to change things to make the exact same course safer and put the liability primarily on participants
I never thought l would be hooked on Deaths while hiking but l am
I think your enthusiasm ti telling these stories is what keeps me coming back for more.
Keep up the great work.
Same. And I’m not even a hiker lol
😂😂If l ever had urge to go hiking this has changed.my mind for sure.
Calling out the groups and organizations who do this rescue work is fantastic, great idea Kyle!
I can never understand the kind of mindset of people who sue or try to close these things down. If you dont want to particpate, dont, but if someone who knew the risks, accepted the risks then suffered the results of some of those risks wants to do it, thats life and more to the point thats their life to make their own decisions with.
Disagree, the organizers have a responsibility to ensure the safety of their participants. Had that single time keeper had waited the man wouldn't have disappeared or at least been discovered.
@@mmabri And when the runner saw the timekeeper leaving did he not have a choice to turn around? Was he not an adult able to make his own decisions?
@@paulosullivan3472 The runner probably didn't know that there was no one at the top, the fact that the timekeeper asked him for his number doesn't mean that there was no one at the top.
These people are weak with no backbone...
@@TheActiveLifeLived These people are just sad, angry and want someone to pay for their pain. I don't think it's right or helpful, but it's human and I can understand these people somewhat.
Whoever was responsible for safety should have had someone clearing the course after ALL contestants left the turnaround.
Thank you. The first thing I learned as a hiker was to never leave people behind.
All the trail races I’ve been in had a sweeper at the end to find any stragglers.
Hard to imagine that there was only 1 timekeeper, but it was less than 200 racers, “only” 5km, and they would have been pretty spread by then.
Feel very sorry for the family, and the time keeper. I’ve done ultra races as runner and volunteer at aid stations or checkpoints. I think I would have either watched him go the 200 yards and do the turn, gone with him, or told him to turn around then when I saw him. He, the runner, should not have been out there alone. Unfortunately, he didn’t heed the warnings from race directors, and race organizers had a terrible eye opener on needed safety protocols. There have been disastrous events in some ultras too, and some very experienced runners have died usually from exposure/bad weather combo, or falls down cliffs. Thanks for covering this and thinking of the s&r teams.
Yes, the person monitoring could have a checklist with their bib numbers, instead of relying on a participant assuming that he’s the last one.
Have you heard about the hiker trapped under a river boulder on the Thorsborne Trail, Hinchinbrook Island, Australia. Added bonus of flash flooding. Also, thank you great stories and story telling
Thank you for sticking with your awesome content and not following so many others down the political road. I love your channel!!!
Very frustrating case, either he had an escape for his current life and wanted to start anew or most likely his risk taken finally caught up to him.
I've heard this story told a few times before but never with this amount of attention to detail!
Hell yeah Kyle, volunteer stations generally don't get nearly enough funds. You're fabulous and thanks for the video ❤
Well, I’ve been subscribed for some time and still am and if it makes you feel any better Kyle, this “UA-cam unsubscribed me” answer has been given to many channel owners within the last few years. I do know that UA-cam have made an effort to get rid of bots making up subscription numbers and every channel owner I’ve heard on the subject is astonished by the number of people not subscribed to their channel far outnumbering those who are.
I found the video interesting as I’m from the north of England and used to do many organised runs and challenge events. One in particular sounds very similar to this race, which would always have a sweep, as well as places where everyone’s number would be checked off on a chart and anyone not passing that checkpoint searched for immediately. I know this because once it was me, getting lost near the beginning of a much longer event, having gone back to the start to retrieve a forgotten walking pole. Admittedly the Search and Rescue organisation were the ones running the event, but the ensuing embarrassment when I later heard that early finishers had gone straight back out again, joining the Search & Rescue to look for me was not something I wanted to repeat. It was also a very humbling experience, but if the Mount Marathon race had even had half the responsibility extended to all race runners here, the chances are he’d still be alive. At the very least, every checkpoint has a closing time and the sweep would assess the condition of anyone timed out and if they insisted on continuing, they’d be told their participation in the event was now over and they were assumed to be out for a walk in the hills.
Of course we don’t have bears or any other deadly wildlife, which I was sure you were going to end with saying this had happened to Michael - I didn’t realise he was *still* missing.
Hey Kyle 👋🏻 first time commenter, been listening for some time. We just wanted to say thanks for raising awareness to the search team efforts and creating a focus on donations.
We find the recounts of these events interesting, as fellow hikers we like to learn with you. Hope you feel better soon.
I've heard this case before but it's a lot better to hear it from a hikers point of view.
Your voice was fine. I've seen a few videos on this man's disappearance and it just boggles the mind. The guy who saw him last should have seen the shape he was in and knowing the weather conditions and that he was going to be alone up there, should have told him "sorry but you have to come down with me." I don't understand how they never found any sign of his body. With drones and dogs and who knows what else we have available these days to find bodies, something by now should have been discovered. Very sad story.
A bear or wolves possibly; with nothing left in the search area to find??
It's nobody's fault but his own for not being prepared for this hard of a race & trying to do it anyway.
Kyle I appreciate you always trying to help others empathize with people in these stories. Also you have the prettiest eyes.
I love when grown adults make informed and then blame other people.
Love when organizer's create an event and they take no responsibility for the racers by not having somebody at every point to make sure the last person has completed wherever they need to go per race plan
@@lorigbasmajian3843yeah they take on a bunch of responsibility by organizing it and accepting money. They are responsible for the image of the race that they put out. The image I get from their media is not "danger." They have a junior race for kids. The safety page "was not found" 😂
Make informed 😂
Don't know how he died but the reason probably started with the letter H. Hypothermia, Head-injury or Heart-attack. Interestingly he was wearing all black clothes. No cell phone in 2012?
Yes, and emergency beacons. Don’t think they would have been used by these runners. It could be considered excess weight.
We don’t even carry water in this race, definitely don’t carry a cell phone…..you don’t want any extra weight in this race.
The body never being found makes me think he fell down a crevasse or was buried in a rock slide. Think of how many people must have been all over that mountain in the years since.
Cellphones were no where near as prevalent in 2012, you don’t carry a lot of extra weight when running, and there’s a good chance there wasn’t cell service out there anyways.
We were still on blackberries, phones with keyboards, and flip phones with the first iPhone that really started to catch on having only been out 2 years. Cellphone culture has hugely shifted in 12 years, I’d find it almost weirder if he did have a phone on him out in the nasty weather while trying to run.
Great info. Thanks@@lisahoshowsky4251
We used to ride in an off road poker run called Hangover Scramble on new years day. It was miles of up and down mountains with heavy forest, huge rocks and mud bogs that could wholy swallow any motocycle. After the race, organizers and a few volunteers would ride the trails again to be sure no one was left out there, no matter how bad the weather was. And thank God they cared enough to be sure every single person got back, no matter what.
Blaming the organizers is like me blaming the Army for me being wounded in Vietnam after I volunteered to go. I wasn't drafted, and they didn't drag his butt out there and force him up the trail.
My Uncle won the Equinox Marathon one time overall and 30 years later he won his age group.
Want a cookie? 😂?
I’ve been wanting to run that race for years!
@@skierprincessakify His Friends Marcy Trent and her Son I think Greg Waldron were killed by a Grizzly in Chugiak Sate Park
@@skierprincessakify My Mother Won the Masters Division of the Boston Marathon when she was 42 years old. Her Brother my Uncle ran that too .. I was a Skibum for 3 Winters Two at Coper Mountain and one at Alta Utah ..
This is Mt Marathon, not a marathon.
The racer should have never done the race being it was his first time and was warned that a first timer should not race up Mount Marathon. I believe it is the individuals responsibility to take heed what they are about to do and not do it.
My heart goes out to his wife and family. They tried to talk him out of going.
Thanks for the story Kyle. Hope you will be feeling better soon. Now go to bed and get some rest!
Thank you for the donation Kyle. These people never get the credit they many deserve
Thanks for making this video while you're not feeling well. Take good care & get well soon!!
While many see the lawsuit as frivolous or greedy, please remember that other serious injuries had taken place. As a result of the lawsuit the race organizers completely reworked their safety protocols. So regardless of the initial suit, at least future runners were protected thanks to Michael and his wife.
What a tragedy! People have an assumption that any public accommodation has a certain level of safety, even though there may be some inherent danger…
I remember learning that you should never leave someone in your group alone just because they are straggling. My understanding was this was one of the most important rules in hiking. I guess that’s just me.
This is not a hand holding buddy bench hike. It's a deadly serious race!
I remember learning in life that you had better learn how to know what you're getting yourself into and it is on NOBODY else to save you.
Buddy systems, S&R teams, alert beacons, GPS and sat phones are all great, but none of them trump personal responsibility or choice, and especially not in a high risk situation where clear and obvious warnings are given.
This is 100% on him and the wife should have to pay every cent of the lawsuit cost.
@@marcariotto1709 Or donate the $20,000 to Seward Search and Rescue.
Love the idea of donating to the search and rescue teams!
Very good presentation. Thank you.
Get well soon, Kyle.
I hope Michael's loved ones get answers someday (soon).