Using Google -- type in "hiker rescue ham radio" without the quotes and get
many more incidents where Amateur Radio was instrumental in rescue
operations and saving lives.

Cellphones don't always work.

Hike and carry a transceiver, a GPS unit, and lotsa water.

Elmer E Ing -- Old Hiker
No Calif Sierras
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FROM THE ARRL WEBSITE: http://www.arrl.org/

Ham radio key in California hiker's rescue (Jul 24, 2003) -- The San
Diego Union Tribune's SignOnSanDiego.com Web news service reports that
a hiker in the El Capitan open space preserve suffering apparent heat
exhaustion was rescued July 19 after his hiking companion used ham
radio to relay a message to authorities. ARRL member Rod Dinkins,
AC6V, of Oceanside picked up the distress call from Tim Slaby, KG6QPL,
of Spring Valley and alerted the San Diego County Sheriff's
Department's Santee station.

Slaby resorted to his handheld transceiver after discovering that his
cellphone
wouldn't work in the wilderness.

KG6QPL was able to raise the Palomar Amateur Radio Club
repeater some 40 miles away, however. Slaby, who also carried a GPS
unit, was able to provide the pair's precise location. A sheriff's
helicopter crew rescued the exhausted hiker--identified as Thomas
Sayer--and airlifted him to an ambulance, which transported him to a
hospital, authorities said. He was treated for dehydration and
released about four hours. "For hikers in need of help, Amateur Radio
worked where their cell phone didn't," said ARRL Vice President (and
former Southwestern Division Director) Fried Heyn, WA6WZO. Nice job, Rod and
Tim!

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Rod is well known in another direction, he's the ownwer/webmeister for
one of the best ham websites out there, great resource.

http://www.ac6v.com/