You do everything right. You carry the Ten Essentials and know how to use them. You leave your itinerary with someone you trust. You have extensive backcountry experience in a variety of conditions and terrain. Yet the worst can still happen. You or somebody in your group takes a terrible fall, has a heart attack, shatters a leg, gets whacked in the head, starts bleeding internally, falls into a crevasse, or experiences some other life-threatening incident. Death is a real possibility. You need a rescue ASAP but cannot go for help yourself—you’re too deep in the backcountry or are immobilized by injury. What are your options? 

PERSONAL LOCATOR BEACONS PLBs are the gold standard for backcountry emergency responses. Once triggered, these pocket-sized devices transmit a 406 MHz signal to the orbiting Search and Rescue Satellite Aided Tracking (SARSAT) system operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Each PLB sends a unique signal that identifies its registered owner; most are GPS-enabled and transmit location as well. In the U.S., PLB signals are routed to the SARSAT mission control center in Suitland, Md., where operators monitor several types of land, air, and sea distress signals. SARSAT first communicates with the owner’s emergency contacts to rule out a false alarm, then notifies the agency responsible for search and rescues in the area. As responders approach within a few miles, they are able to lock in on the PLB’s low-power 121.5 MHz “homing” beacon and quickly pinpoint the user’s exact location. PLBs work anywhere on Earth and have been successfully used in hundreds of rescues. They are meant only for life-or-death emergencies. A handful of manufacturers produce PLBs, including ACR Electronics (MicroFix, $600) and McMurdo (FastFind series, $300-$600).

SPOT ON? In 2008, Globalstar introduced its SPOT satellite messenger, a GPS-enabled device that allows users to transmit their location through the company’s private satellite network. Hit the SPOT’s “OK” button and it sends an e-mail or text message that lists your current coordinates to designated friends and family. In a life-threatening emergency, the SPOT features a “911” button that alerts the GEOS Emergency Response Center, a private operation based in Houston.

DID YOU KNOW?
In 2008, the SARSAT system marked its 6,000th rescue in the U.S.

As with SARSAT, GEOS contacts the relevant search-and-rescue agency after ruling out a false alarm. Unlike PLBs, which cost nothing beyond the purchase price, SPOT is a subscription-based service. After purchasing a SPOT unit ($150), you can sign up for the basic plan ($100/year; includes all of the above features) or add a tracking service (additional $50/year) that shows your current location on a Google map. SPOT is a great device for checking in, but is not on the same level as PLBs when it comes to fail-safe emergency response. Globalstar does not offer a global satellite network; coverage in the Northeast is good but significant gaps exist in many of the world’s remote wilderness areas. In an emergency, you are relying on a private company—rather than the federal agency that has coordinated PLB responses for more than 20 years—to quickly initiate an appropriate search and rescue. And SPOT lacks the localized homing beacon provided by PLBs.

CALL IT IN If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to acquire a cell phone signal from (or near) the emergency site; ridge tops and summits are your best bet. But the odds are against you, especially in the furrowed mountains of the Northeast. When it comes to calling in, the only sure bet is a satellite phone. A handful of companies provide this technology, most notably Iridium, which seems to enjoy the best reputation for coverage and reliability. The latest sat-phones are lightweight (less than 10 ounces), compact, have good battery life (up to four hours of talk time), and work anywhere. Sound good? Just fork over $1,500 for the phone and $1-$2 per minute of talk time. Online rentals are available for more reasonable weekly rates ($100-$200).