About the hallucinations...
This is an experience survivors of extreme, peril have described. It is known as the
third man factor. John Griger wrote a book by that title, expounding on this phenomenon. It is a compelling read. He documents the accounts of mountaineers, seafarers, combatants and others confronted with protracted, dire circumstances, where they perceive the presences of an apparition. It can be vivid as a full blown personage of a family member, or as ethereal as a faint whisper in the wind, or just the sensation of something in your presence. Most members of the ill-fated Scott Antarctic expedition independently wrote in their journals of having experienced the third man factor. Religious folks tend to associate it with God or angels, while the atheistic are comfortable not assigning a label to the apparition. My hunch is the third man factor is an evolutionary survival feature, that help humans (maybe other creatures as well) to marshal our will to survive and get through danger, when we were more vulnerable in our primitive past.
Planning XC treks:
This case drives home the challenge of finding persons who vary off their route. It is hard enough to spot someone among rocks or flora several hundred feet below an aircraft, even when you know their approximate location. Attempting to find someone that has deviated from their route gets reduced to a crap shoot, especially if such rescue efforts lack access to infrared imaging technology. In this case the hiker was only one basin off the his planned route; but since his itinerary notes lacked field contingency details, SAR efforts were left to second guess his whereabouts when he was not located along his nominal route. They guessed wrong. Thus route plans left back home should include contingency routes, in case SAR activities are activated. Traveler(s) should attempt to make every effort possible to keep on a track that conforms to the intended primary and alternative routes. While a lot of folks carry a satellite communication device, all XC trekkers should consider also carrying RECCO reflector devices. RECCO technology does not need batteries or a clear line of sight to satellites in order to work. If you carry a RECCO device, this consideration should also be noted in the itinerary plans you leave back home.
A comprehensive template for documenting a trip itinerary was develop by the HST moderator,
@ Maverick . It is in the forum topic mentioned by
@ austex :
https://reconn.org/. Thanks, Mav!
Ed