June 20, 2024

While inReach® devices are widely known for SOS capabilities in emergency situations, sometimes the technology is used for good news. From avoiding missing the birth of their baby, to embarking on an epic post-wedding adventure, these customers shared how they used their devices for exciting life events.

A Wonderland Wedding

“My now-wife Louise and I got married at Mount Rainier National Park. We are originally from the East Coast but found our home here in Seattle. Aside from falling in love with one another, we consider ourselves so lucky to also have fallen in love with the Pacific Northwest (PNW).

When we thought about our perfect wedding, we envisioned a location home to us with the people we cherish. This was a problem. The disconnect was that the place we felt at home was the PNW, but the people we cherish were all back east. We wrestled with how to reconcile this.

In the end, we decided to bring our closest family (parents and siblings) to the PNW and experience the beauty of Mount Rainier National Park. We see marriage as an adventure, so we wanted to open up our marriage with an epic adventure.

Two days after our wedding, we set out on the Wonderland Trail — a 93-mile single track around Mount Rainier. Our families supported us at three aid stations, and friends joined us for the difficult sections. Unfortunately, we didn’t make it all the way around the trail. At 2 a.m., and 56 miles into the adventure, we used our inReach to organize a bail out from Rainier’s Sunrise Visitors Center. The following year for our 1-year wedding anniversary, we returned and completed the remaining 35 miles.

We used our inReach device to communicate with our family, organize logistics and use MapShare™ so others could follow along.”

Daniel Spangler

Daughter on the Way

“I purchased a Garmin Montana® 700i to have with me while I was out hunting. My girlfriend was 32 weeks pregnant — not due for almost another 2 months. We got the inReach as a backup just in case something went wrong for me out in the bush, but also in case something was going on with her and the baby so she could get ahold of me. The first night of hunting — well over 100 kilometers into the bush with no cell service — I received an inReach message at 10 p.m. that she was in labor and going to have the baby that night. Without hesitation I responded and packed all my gear. I was able to make it back for the birth of our daughter. If it had not been for the inReach, I would have missed the birth of my daughter (and been in big trouble, haha). No one would have been able to notify me in person. The satellite communication is what saved me.”

Kurtis Jung

Baby’s First Backpacking Trip

“On Aug. 29, we set out on a backpacking trip from Onion Valley trailhead in Independence, California, to the Whitney Portal along the John Muir Trail. There were seven of us, including my 1-year-old son, Forest (trail name “the Emperor”). It was a week of stunning views, hard passes and long naps for the Emperor as well as a lot of ‘wows.’ We summited Mt. Whitney on Friday and made Forest one of the youngest to reach the summit. I would not have felt comfortable spending a week in the backcountry without our inReach for daily weather reports from my dad, sending the grandparents updates on Forest and the peace of mind that comes from the inReach device. Cheers to raising our babies outside and companies like yours that help make it happen!”

Hannah

Proposal With a View

“My now-husband and I were camping and dirt bike riding in Gifford Pinchot National Forest where we have zero cell service. During one of our rides, Vinnie proposed and asked me to marry him. We were near the top of Tongue Mountain where we had views of Mount Adams, Mount Rainier and Mount St. Helens. It was perfect, and I was surprised. I said yes! After the proposal I was really concerned with how and when we would be able to tell our parents the news, and then I remembered the inReach Mini. I sent a text from the inReach to our parents, and they were able to respond with their excitement. It was a nice feeling to be able to contact our parents even if we didn’t have cell service, and I am thankful.”

Adrienne

Double Whammy of Wonderful

“We had booked a sought-after backpacking trip to Kearsarge Pass. I found out my son and daughter-in-law were expecting their delivery to occur during our trip. I bought an inReach not only for the SOS feature, contact with family and tracking, but for the texting feature so my husband and I would not miss out on the wonderful event.

At long last and to our delight, the text announcing Maxwell’s delivery arrived early in the morning of Aug. 19. Our son and daughter-in-law were proud parents after a long labor, delivering a 9-lb, 14.5-oz baby. What a thrill to receive that news via our inReach device in such a gorgeous part of nature. It was a double whammy of wonderful!”

Barbara MacDonald