PSA: Most modern hiking backpacks have a whistle built into the buckle on the chest strap. Unless you know that, it'll just look oddly shaped to you. So you might be prepared even without realizing it!
Ah, just looked, sure enough, it is there, and even colored orange contrast. But man, it is weak. A full size signal whistle is still worth it. The built in is better than nothing.
This reminds me of a hike wife and I did in glacier np years ago.... My guess is there were many others on the trail so others told them to turn the hell around or they would be stuck out there all night.
My war story. We make it to the top of Mt. Leconte where there are rustic cabins you have to sign up for a year in advance, and pay. We were enjoying our hot chocolate on the porch, at sunset, with rain looming, when a family wanders up, complete with two kids, one a baby, being held by the parents.
"We're here! Where's the lobby?"
Uh oh. We directed them to the manager. We knew the place was full and all hikers were accounted for with no more expected. There was zero chance this family could leave, what with darkness, wildlife and the load they were carrying.
I saw him in the morning and asked what happened. He said he didn't want to talk much about it, and was very ashamed of his mistake. He did share that they were given shelter in the storeroom or some such building. This is not standard and I don't think management wants it to be a habit so you hear nothing of it. Anyway, the gentleman clearly "got religion" from someone on just literally how much danger he put his family in. But mercy came to them and they were given a safe, dry space for the night.
It seemed to me he was "daring the system" to find space, as in a regular room. It doesn't work that way in a small, rustic place like that.
