Acadia Rescue

[ChrisB]

Here's an interesting long-line off the Precipice Trail this week.

 

[Andrew]

Precipice is non-technical in the non-winter, but geez it may be so in winter conditions (from a non-technical- non-climber). These used to be my favorite types of 'hikes', until one day I was clinging to a set of rungs 3/4 of the way up and had a moment of concern/fear. The next thought was there is nothing to fear as these protection devices are totally solid and all I need to do is climb and hold; then I started to think of what might happen if I could no longer hold, and what type of things would cause it so I could not hold- like something as simple as a bee sting. This was the changing point of endless youthful confidence and ability to be comfortable on exposed steeps.

Thanks for the post Chris. Always interesting to hear news from one of my favorite places in the world- New England's wonderland.

 

[Mike P.]

I am assuming Belfast Maine, surprised it was his first visit but the weather would have been about the same at home. Belfast is 60 miles away and on the water also so fog and ice should be common there also. Guessing he had not lived in Belfast all his life.

 

[jfb]

It seems weird that he was able to climb to wherever he got stuck with no traction, but rescuers were unable to get to the same location.

 

[JustJoe]

My guess this is just another rescue of a "Covid Newbie Hiker" Anyone familiar with hiking at all in winter knows open ledge hikes are pretty much always icy. Snow-melt-freeze, rain-freeze, etc. No even slightly experienced hiker would attempt that trail without having both spikes and crampons with them. I've done the Jordon Cliff Trail in winter which has much wider ledges and had to change from spikes to crampons at one point. No idea what the SAR laws are in ME but I'm going to assume that's going to be one expensive helicopter ride.

 

[Andrew]

I have gone to Precipice a couple of times early in the spring with the intent of just going up to the base of the really challenging areas and returning, just since I wanted to get there before the peregrine falcons nested and closed the trail. This would have been times back with only instep crampons. I would guess what happened is what is in many of our minds some times before experience and wisdom takes over; 'If I just make it up through this part maybe it won't be as bad a little farther', then all of a sudden realize they just went over areas they can't get down and it ain't gettin easier. Being from Belfast this fella may have spent time on the trails in Camden Hills State Park and had an impression from those less challenging hikes.

added:
Joe's question about SAR law in ME made me curious as to who has jurisdiction on NPS lands in Acadia. I didn't find the answer but assume it may be the NPS since I see no mention of this mission on the ME Warden's Service press releases or FB page. I did find this story in a bit more detail from the rescuers perspective on a Facebook post, https://www.facebook.com/MaineSAR/ I don't do FB myself, but I can read most content until an annoying log-in banner fills the screen (but can reduce it).

 

[Breeze]

Andrew, I do think it is NPS that is responsible for directing SAR in Acadia, but there has always been ( in my lifetime) a robust volunteer SAR organization on MDI. Considering the frequent necessity of rescue assistance for climbers at at Otter Cliffs, the folks in the MDI branch of MaineSAR are highly skilled individuals and a working team for which we should all be grateful. At least on Precipice. no one has to worry about the tide coming in !

 

[egilbe]

Precipice was scary enough in the fall. I can't imagine trying to do it in Winter without any technical climbing experience. As much as I'm afraid of heights, I was still able to hike it the 2nd attempt. I wasn't frozen in fear like the young man plastered to the side of the cliff. I have no idea what he was doing on that trail. My first attempt, I was the typical out of shape tourist doing something they had no business doing, carrying a three liter water bottle, dressed in jeans and cotton. It took me two hours to get to the base of the cliff. When I looked straight up, I said "Nope!, Not today!" and walked off the trail, through the woods down to the road. The next year, after hiking Katahdin, we went back to Precipice trail and it took only took 30 minutes to get the same point where I turned around the year before and I was so surprised that it came so quickly. It was much easier after spending a year training to hike Katahdin.

I once was the touron that routinely makes the SAR blogs so interesting reading.