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Lost! : A Ranger's Journal of Search and Rescue
07.20.19-C
- GenresNonfictionSurvival
180 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 1998
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304 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
December 16, 2017
This is another book I only found because of David Paulides, who uses it because of the strange disappearances of Dennis Martin (never found) and Geoff Hague (eventually found, but much too late). It's from a micropress, which is still going strong, rather to my surprise. It is, as it happens, signed, which as an unexpected bit of lagniappe made me ridiculously happy.
McCarter's a good writer, clear and vivid, and I learned a lot of things about Great Smoky Mountains National Park, about Search & Rescue, about tracking, about bears. (I had not known that bears bury their kills to let them "ripen" before eating them.) Like Koester, he mentions the likelihood that children will actually evade searchers. He discusses paradoxical undressing in a way that makes it make sense (one of the late stages of hypothermia includes the sensation that your hands and feet are burning, so you get rid of mittens and boots and start shedding the rest of your clothes), and also the strange trails of abandoned equipment that hypothermic hikers leave behind them as their fatigue gets worse and worse and they become helplessly more irrational. (Once again, a lot of Paulides' OMG SO MYSTERIOUS MUST BE SASQUATCH/ALIENS/LEMURIANS could be dispensed with if he'd actually use the information in the books he cites.)
Dennis Martin is still a mystery though.
This book is exactly what it is, neither more nor less. If you're interested in SAR or the Smokies (he sidebars all sorts of interesting tidbits about plane crashes and old mines and old logging camps and all sorts of things I had no idea those mountains were hiding) or what it's like to be a backcountry ranger, it's totally worth reading.
McCarter's a good writer, clear and vivid, and I learned a lot of things about Great Smoky Mountains National Park, about Search & Rescue, about tracking, about bears. (I had not known that bears bury their kills to let them "ripen" before eating them.) Like Koester, he mentions the likelihood that children will actually evade searchers. He discusses paradoxical undressing in a way that makes it make sense (one of the late stages of hypothermia includes the sensation that your hands and feet are burning, so you get rid of mittens and boots and start shedding the rest of your clothes), and also the strange trails of abandoned equipment that hypothermic hikers leave behind them as their fatigue gets worse and worse and they become helplessly more irrational. (Once again, a lot of Paulides' OMG SO MYSTERIOUS MUST BE SASQUATCH/ALIENS/LEMURIANS could be dispensed with if he'd actually use the information in the books he cites.)
Dennis Martin is still a mystery though.
This book is exactly what it is, neither more nor less. If you're interested in SAR or the Smokies (he sidebars all sorts of interesting tidbits about plane crashes and old mines and old logging camps and all sorts of things I had no idea those mountains were hiding) or what it's like to be a backcountry ranger, it's totally worth reading.
August 22, 2025
Dang, this just goes to show how quick hiking can go south. I love how humble Dwight is in his rescue missions. I also love the funny little excerpts he included along with the storylines.
May 19, 2020
I have no idea where I picked up this autographed copy of this book. The book recounts stories of search and rescue in the Smoky Mountains. I feel it’s a must read for hikers and intend to share it with my brother-in-law who someday wants to hike the Appalachian Trail.
March 18, 2018
Well, this was terrifying. How have I managed to backpack hundreds of miles by my lonesome and not gotten lost? Most of these people seem well prepared and experienced as well. This was great learning how to make myself be found, should I ever get lost and heartbreaking to read about those never found or those found too late. Absolutely riveting descriptions of people last seen and the searches to find them. The subject matter is, of course, very interesting to me, but the writing is easy and personable. I couldn't wait to read a chapter each night I went to bed and wished I had time to read at work!
October 28, 2020
Great book with lots of info on GSMNP and searches in and around the park. Great advice for hikers.
August 7, 2025
an easy book to read and I enjoyed learning more about the smokies!
July 9, 2018
A good read for those interested in the outdoors, search and rescue, or just rescue stories in general. Lessons learned are abound as to what to do and not do when hiking/camping the great outdoors. Well balanced to both happy and sad endings for each episode.
January 9, 2017
Each chapter of Lost!: A Ranger's Journal of Search and Rescue details a disappearance in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and subsequent rescue effort as told by ranger Dwight McCarter. The introductory text describes the circumstances that necessitated the search and rescue effort. McCarter's journal entries outline his role once he joins the search, and he details the terrain, weather, evidence found by the searchers, and most interestingly, his impression of the decisions and actions of the lost party.
The writing is clear and direct, favoring the factual over the dramatic, yet doesn't miss McCarter's love for the land, appreciation of its beauty, and emotional involvement with each search and rescue. The stories are memorable, sometimes tragic and sometimes happy. The willingness of the searchers to trek through the treacherous backcountry and "laurel hells" of the Smokies in any weather, day and night, is inspiring even when the outcome is sad.
As an avid hiker and frequent visitor to the Smokies, I found this book to be very interesting for several reasons. I'm familiar enough with many of the trails and areas described that I can very easily relate to the rescues. I appreciated reading about the park from the point of view of someone whose intimate knowledge of its terrain gave me extra insight into the park; even walking GSMNP's trails doesn't give more than a hint at how rugged and wild a place it is. The line between finding a lost person and recovery of a body often comes down to pre-hike preparation combined with sound decisions, and this book highlights how both are essential when conditions worsen or the unexpected occurs. I also found it very interesting that there are a number of airplane crash sites in the Smokies (McCarter often checked those to see if lost parties took refuge in the wreckage).
A quick and interesting read, Dwight McCarter's Lost! is a great addition for anyone who loves the outdoors.
The writing is clear and direct, favoring the factual over the dramatic, yet doesn't miss McCarter's love for the land, appreciation of its beauty, and emotional involvement with each search and rescue. The stories are memorable, sometimes tragic and sometimes happy. The willingness of the searchers to trek through the treacherous backcountry and "laurel hells" of the Smokies in any weather, day and night, is inspiring even when the outcome is sad.
As an avid hiker and frequent visitor to the Smokies, I found this book to be very interesting for several reasons. I'm familiar enough with many of the trails and areas described that I can very easily relate to the rescues. I appreciated reading about the park from the point of view of someone whose intimate knowledge of its terrain gave me extra insight into the park; even walking GSMNP's trails doesn't give more than a hint at how rugged and wild a place it is. The line between finding a lost person and recovery of a body often comes down to pre-hike preparation combined with sound decisions, and this book highlights how both are essential when conditions worsen or the unexpected occurs. I also found it very interesting that there are a number of airplane crash sites in the Smokies (McCarter often checked those to see if lost parties took refuge in the wreckage).
A quick and interesting read, Dwight McCarter's Lost! is a great addition for anyone who loves the outdoors.
June 14, 2008
this one will make you stop and take time to do some serious research before going hiking or camping in a big wooded area such as The Great Smoky Mountains National Park where these cases took place. You get to see the cases as retired Park Ranger and Tracker Dwight McCarter did through his personal journal entries. It tells how quickly the weather in the mountains can change and how drastic the change can be even on a warm sunny day in the Spring or Summer.
Disappearances have always interested me but with me living 25 minutes from The Great Smoky Mountains National Park and knowing Dwight McCarter personally when I was a child, I simply couldn't resist this book.
Disappearances have always interested me but with me living 25 minutes from The Great Smoky Mountains National Park and knowing Dwight McCarter personally when I was a child, I simply couldn't resist this book.
August 7, 2007
Great tales of the outdoors and the Smokey Mountains.
January 15, 2012
Great tales from the Great Smoky Mountain national park. It should convince backpackers and hikers to make more thorough choices before heading out into the wilderness.
April 4, 2016
Enjoyed reading. Also gives tips on do and don't of being lost
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews