Search & Rescue

Post #9 in the series...
Near the end of our ordeal, when I thought I couldn't take another step, Mark said he would carry me if he could, but he had a 40 lb. backpack on his back. I, being the crazy woman that I was at the time, said, "Let Kim carry your backpack and you carry me!" Sorry, Kim! It was the delirium talking. We kept going and going and going. We finally saw lights nearby. We heard people shouting our names! After 21 hours on that mountain, we were finally back! 

All the guys had waited with Sean for our safe arrival. They waited at Whitney Portal for hours! They had discussed a plan. If we had not come out by 10:00pm, they were putting on their backpacks and walking in until they found us. They would pitch tents and help us get out in the morning. Their kindness and good hearts brought tears to my eyes. I sobbed as they put me in the backseat of the car. We were hungry. We were thirsty. We were off that damn mountain!! Thank God!!!
Remember that musty motel? It looked pretty good to me at 10:00pm that night. For whatever reason, my hotel key would not open the door and I had to slowly walk down to the office to get a new one. The night manager said, "Your daughter has been calling and calling. She is very worried about you. I think she called Search & Rescue. Checking my phone, I found both she and my son had called me several times leaving me messages because they were so worried about us. Sorry for the scare, kids, but it does a mother's heart good to see that her kids care so much.
Search & Rescue had told Amber that hopefully, we happened upon some benevolent hikers that had let us hunker down with them for the night because weather was coming in and it wasn't good. If she still had not heard from us by 9:00am the next morning, she should let them know and they'd start the search. Thank goodness that was not necessary! I had my own Search & Rescue. His name is Mark Svoboda.