"anywhere during the season we fly over alpine deserts, and when friends
start to search, it is typically after nightfall. Mountains at night don't
ressemble anything connected to the word "summer".

I regularly am on the searching end - whether it be the mountains or desert.
We had two different groups die in Oregon this year. Both made the national
news. In both cases, poor decisions were made, which cost lives. In
Oregon hypothermia occurs most often with above freezing temperatures and
precipitation. At least, during most of the soaring season, we do not have
much precipitation where we have to land out. And, while the temperatures
may get to cold at night, the insulation from a parachute will keep the body
heat where it belongs.

The question that I responded to was whether a pilot had died after landing
out. I know of a number of pilots of powered aircraft that have - but no
soaring pilots. At least in Oregon, during the winter there may be days on
end when the mountains are clouded in bad weather and searches are
difficult. That is not the case during most of the soaring season.

As I get older, I take less gear with me (when on the ground) so I can cover
sufficient territory. I bring enough to survive, not be comfortable. I
always carry a metal match with me and a pocket knife - and with that I can
stay warm. I do carry sufficient water and a filtration system. And, if I
would happen to get stuck out in the woods during a critical time, they
would find me when they came to put out the forest fire.

Colin