Oh and a pair of radios can be had for under $100.

GuildenNL, that's why I said you need a GRMS radio as well. Most new ones are good for over 18 miles or more line of sight and you can relay your coordinates to those out looking for you. They will work where your cell phone doesn't. How much money are these search and rescues costing us when a radio and GPS can save hours of search time. Welcome to the 21st Century.

I'm glad they found him......I bet he didn't get much sleep alone in the desert last night. (and I'm sure he heard every single little sound!)

If you have a GPS unit and not enough water your DEAD regardless. This guy did the right thing he stayed with his ATV didn't wander around finding his way back.

Hate it when my atv breaks down...Must not have had a signal on his cell...then again maybe he can't afford one now. Gas is cheap...

GuildenNL, you can get a yellow E-Trex for $100 or less which can be used to show where you started, and where you are, and can easily be used to get back to where you came from. It also will give you your current Lat / Lon which would allow anyone to find you with those coordinates entered into any GPS unit, including another inexpensive E-Trex. Go to Sportsmans Warehouse and sign up for a class on using a handheld GPS unit...you'll learn a lot.

AZBang, I doubt if the dude was lost. Problem was he was too far back to walk out, so a GPS wouldn't have helped him. He would have known where he was (which he probably did anyway) but having a GPS doesn't allow someone to find you. You need a tracking device that works off of the GPS system, not the phone system. And those puppies are run $200-300.

This has a good ending because others knew where he was going AND he stayed with his ATV. Thanks go to the Search and Rescue VOLUNTEERS for their efforts.

at last a happy ending...

I am posting the same comment here as I did for the lost hiker as this applies to people using our public lands too. With as cheap as these items are now a days there is no reason for going off without them. I still believe that it should be mandatory for all people using our parks and national forests that they are required to carry along with a cell phone a GMRS radio, as cell phones don’t always work, and a GPS device. This would make finding folks that get into trouble a whole lot easier.