Hiker Death on Garfield

[peakbagger]

https://patch.com/new-hampshire/concord-nh/hike-dies-nh-white-mountains-apparent-medical-emergency

I was out hiking yesterday, despite the forecast for reasonable relative humidity, the heat and humidity came on early.

RIP

 

[DayTrip]

Reasonable take: This is tragic and I'm sorry for his family's loss. These stories come up from time-to-time and it's always sad and reminds us of our mortality.

Cynical take: I assume hiking with a medical condition is reckless and his next of kin will be sent the bill for the recovery.

These are always tough ones to call/judge without more information. It always sucks when someone dies doing something they enjoy regardless of the reason. I'd much rather be ripping his decision process while he recovers at home. A lot of times it isn't true negligence per se but a combination of the right circumstances that adds up to it being "your day". Hopefully we'll learn more in the coming days about the circumstances.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

It says "medical emergency" not "medical condition".

Tim

 

[ChrisB]

Wow, this is a tough crowd.

If I code (instead of my usual bonk) on a hike at some point in the future be nice, OK?

I wonder how Guy Waterman's end would be construed today? Pay for the carry out?

 

[jfb]

I expect that someday something similar will happen to me. How many other activities put as much stress on the body as hiking up a mountain? It's sad that he was only 57. I don't see any recklessness.

 

[sierra]

Wow, this is a tough crowd.

If I code (instead of my usual bonk) on a hike at some point in the future be nice, OK?

I wonder how Guy Waterman's end would be construed today? Pay for the carry out?

He had his friends go up and get him, I believe. I think his end would be a contentious discussion. Personally, I understood what he did and frankly feel like, it was his life to do with what he pleased.

 

[Grey J]

https://patch.com/new-hampshire/concord-nh/hike-dies-nh-white-mountains-apparent-medical-emergency

I was out hiking yesterday, despite the forecast for reasonable relative humidity, the heat and humidity came on early.

RIP

Olav ha-sholom. All things considered, I'd rather die on Garfield than in a hospital bed or in my little work cubicle "on the 31st floor with a gold plated door." Damn, he was younger than me.
Makes me want to climb Garfield again.

 

[CaptCaper]

I expect that someday something similar will happen to me. How many other activities put as much stress on the body as hiking up a mountain? It's sad that he was only 57. I don't see any recklessness.

More folks drop dead of some form of a sudden heart attack which is probably what it was just hanging around the home or work then hiking so. It can happen anytime. Better up there then driving his grandkids to a practice.

And signs for it aren't always there to give a heads up. With all the aches and pains I have that don't go away or change weekly I always wonder if I'm going to drop any time.

 

[maineguy]

Will Rogers had it right...

 

[iAmKrzys]

I assume hiking with a medical condition is reckless [...]

My cousin who is a medical professional once told me: "there are no people who are in perfect health, there are only those who have not been examined thoroughly enough."

 

[jniehof]

He had his friends go up and get him, I believe.

Yes, he and Laura had made arrangements for the recovery. Unfortunately there was a storm coming in sooner than originally forecast so they did send up a helicopter (contrary to what Guy probably would have wanted) to confirm the location before the team went in. (This is my recollection from Laura's book, not first-hand.)

 

[Mike P.]

A few years ago before a Scout Trip to Mizpah, a scout leader from another state apparently had a heart attack coming off Pierce, next Sunday, my wedding anniversary, I was going to hike Garfield with my two kids. It's all random, is it? I'm looking at hiking Friday and Saturday with total mileage under what my son & I did on last Saturday on Cliff in the ADK. Garfield is not steep except at the end, however for those older men, like myself thinking their in shape, for someone well past mildly obese..(me, I don't know what this guy looked like). Hot and humid may be worse than technical. (At least last weekend it snowed, lightly, most of the morning in the High Peaks)

It's doubtful there will be any fee & over the last two years, I've been a virtual (as in scoped, scanned, ultrasounded) pin cushion. Thinking Sunday we may opt for Middle Sugarloaf so we can get home earlier.

 

[skiguy]

Reasonable take: This is tragic and I'm sorry for his family's loss. These stories come up from time-to-time and it's always sad and reminds us of our mortality.

Cynical take: I assume hiking with a medical condition is reckless and his next of kin will be sent the bill for the recovery.

Whoa!!!!!!!

 

[sierra]

Whoa!!!!!!!

I know huh. This dude is not rescuing any ducks from a sewer anytime soon.

 

[ChrisB]

... Cynical take: I assume hiking with a medical condition is reckless and his next of kin will be sent the bill for the recovery.

Yet most rescues result from mental disorders: manic over confidence, delusional weather thinking, 10-essentials denial, phobias of the dark, etc. etc.

 

[egilbe]

I hiked Garfield today with my GF. We were on the trail at 5:20am. Up Garfield trail, over to GRT to Gale River trail, road walk back to the car at 2:30pm. I kept thinking that I didn't want anyone to carry my body out in this heat. Its the 2nd time we were on Garfield and both times, I didn't feel that great. Today was just a long day. I'm going back to bed after a couple ibuprofen. I'm in covid shape, not hiking shape, that was made known rather quickly today. Lots of younger hikers passed us, several small groups running the Pemi loop.

The gentleman who passed is younger than I am. I'm still not running the Pemi loop anytime soon.

 

[peakbagger]

Hot weather hiking can really drain a lot out of anyone. Once the temps and humidity goes up, it takes a lot just to stay cool. Along with the perspiration is electrolyte loss which also can make a hiker feel tired. It also takes acclimation. I used to start using electrolyte supplements later in the day but now I start out with it. I used oral replacement salts diluted by about half to start out in my water bladder and fill it with ice.

 

[CaptCaper]

Many years ago at the Pinkam AMC center I asked a ole timer working there what kills them the most on MT.W. She said "It isn't just one thing. Mostly a accumulation of a few or many factors". So it isn't so simple to figure out what that poor sole on Garfield went thru to reach his end.

If I went hiking these past two days I would have factors piling up on me. Old age,over weight, working hard all week,probably couldn't get up at 4 am and hit the trail early like I should in this weather.

We have skipped hiking this weekend due to the heat. I've had a few bad expierences in heat over the years that remind me what I may be in for. Never any bad ones in cold weather or winter hikes. Plus I had a super working hard week. Being a non-essential choice I'm staying off trail these few days until later this week when humidity break.

 

[DayTrip]

Hot weather hiking can really drain a lot out of anyone. Once the temps and humidity goes up, it takes a lot just to stay cool. Along with the perspiration is electrolyte loss which also can make a hiker feel tired. It also takes acclimation. I used to start using electrolyte supplements later in the day but now I start out with it. I used oral replacement salts diluted by about half to start out in my water bladder and fill it with ice.

I think many people seriously underestimate how much water they should drink, on hot days and normal days. Even if they never get into trouble the lack of water impacts performance, makes you more sore than you need to be, etc. I did the Southern Presidentials yesterday in the heat. I drank about 32 oz of water on the drive up, brought 4L with me on the trail with 2 scoops of CytoMax powder in each bottle and drank every drop. I was reasonably hydrated at the end but would have easily consumed more if I had had it. You see people out there with a 32 oz bottle of Gatorade or a 20 oz bottle of Poland Springs walking around all day. I think a lot of people confuse their fitness level being poor with not being properly hydrated and fed. I can definitely do hikes with minimal food and water but when I take the time to eat and drink properly I always feel better, before and after.

 

[CaptCaper]

I think many people seriously underestimate how much water they should drink, on hot days and normal days. Even if they never get into trouble the lack of water impacts performance, makes you more sore than you need to be, etc. I did the Southern Presidentials yesterday in the heat. I drank about 32 oz of water on the drive up, brought 4L with me on the trail with 2 scoops of CytoMax powder in each bottle and drank every drop. I was reasonably hydrated at the end but would have easily consumed more if I had had it. You see people out there with a 32 oz bottle of Gatorade or a 20 oz bottle of Poland Springs walking around all day. I think a lot of people confuse their fitness level being poor with not being properly hydrated and fed. I can definitely do hikes with minimal food and water but when I take the time to eat and drink properly I always feel better, before and after.

A factor not mentioned is the body's ability to cool itself. No matter how much water one takes if you don't cool your done. The body not being able to cool thru evaporation struggles in this humidity. Care must be taken. My make up requires lots of sweating. My son who's A1 shape inherited the same. I've hike out West inn 100 deg temps and never had a sweat drop down over my eyes and was fine with a large brim hat and water.