Ice Climbers Rescued On Mt. Washington
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hikerfast
Active member
wonder where (if) they slept. be good to know the story, glad they are ok. I was up wildcats, real cold and windy, one is very aware of wondering what it must be like across the street. I kept wondering how many people were up there, and how warm one's hands are holding onto an ice axe. i carry mine as a walking stick and had to switch hands cuase it made my hands cold thru my gloves.
Panama Jack
New member
Me too
I also would be interested to know the rest of the story. The part that is difficult to glean from the article is how they made out overnight and did they simply decide to "stay put" while they sorted out their situation.
I always wonder about what the situtaion was really like when people WALK out of the woods in a rescue.
I guess rescue always conjures up thoughts of people being carried put.
Unless of course they are simply lost and are found.
I also would be interested to know the rest of the story. The part that is difficult to glean from the article is how they made out overnight and did they simply decide to "stay put" while they sorted out their situation.
I always wonder about what the situtaion was really like when people WALK out of the woods in a rescue.
I guess rescue always conjures up thoughts of people being carried put.
Unless of course they are simply lost and are found.
S
Sherpa John
Guest
They should install a Lost and Found box for rescued hikers at Pinkham Notch.
I too would love to see the rest of the story. Were they ill prepared? What prompted a stay for the night? Where did they stay? Why the heck did they walk down?
Also... in other news.. the guy who fell 30ft off of Arethusa Falls 2 weekends ago was released the same day from Valley Hospital in N. Conway. He was back at the falls ice climbing this past weekend. NICE!
I too would love to see the rest of the story. Were they ill prepared? What prompted a stay for the night? Where did they stay? Why the heck did they walk down?
Also... in other news.. the guy who fell 30ft off of Arethusa Falls 2 weekends ago was released the same day from Valley Hospital in N. Conway. He was back at the falls ice climbing this past weekend. NICE!
afka_bob
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BrentD22
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Sar
During a rescue if the victim/s can walk they walk out of the woods. In this particular case if they littered the victims it would have required the help of at least 20 or so SAR personal to carry each of the victims. That makes 40 or so volunteers out in conditions less than ideal. It would have also extended the amount of time the victims spent in the backcountry in the cold. Being hypothermic this would only have worstened their condition as well as put the recuers in more danger.
During a rescue if the victim/s can walk they walk out of the woods. In this particular case if they littered the victims it would have required the help of at least 20 or so SAR personal to carry each of the victims. That makes 40 or so volunteers out in conditions less than ideal. It would have also extended the amount of time the victims spent in the backcountry in the cold. Being hypothermic this would only have worstened their condition as well as put the recuers in more danger.
dr_wu002
Well-known member
There is a little bit more info on the Mt. Washington Observatory Site:
http://www.mountwashington.org/weather/index.php
They seem to indicate that the Ice Climbers were a bit naughty for leaving late, ignoring weather forecasts, not taking shelter along etc.
If you want to do silly things, that's your business but I think about the search and rescue fellows who really had to go out into some dangerous conditions to get these people. And, like we heard, those people are lucky to be rescued because the rescuers almost turned back.
-Dr. Wu
http://www.mountwashington.org/weather/index.php
They seem to indicate that the Ice Climbers were a bit naughty for leaving late, ignoring weather forecasts, not taking shelter along etc.
If you want to do silly things, that's your business but I think about the search and rescue fellows who really had to go out into some dangerous conditions to get these people. And, like we heard, those people are lucky to be rescued because the rescuers almost turned back.
-Dr. Wu
Gremlin
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God bless SAR people everywhere.
Doug
Doug
Pucknuts61
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The 2 were on the Boston news last night. The girl looked OK but the guy looks like he'll lose part of his nose to frostbite. He said they made a snow shelter once the weather got so bad that they couldn't find their way, and then started again in the AM.
In addition to SAR, cudo's goes out to the Pinckham Notch visitor center too. They notified SAR at 9:00 PM when the 2 hadn't returned.
This was her first winter hike, but he was supposedly very experienced and was just caught too high on the mountain when the weather deteriorated.
At least it's a happy ending........
In addition to SAR, cudo's goes out to the Pinckham Notch visitor center too. They notified SAR at 9:00 PM when the 2 hadn't returned.
This was her first winter hike, but he was supposedly very experienced and was just caught too high on the mountain when the weather deteriorated.
At least it's a happy ending........
S
Sherpa John
Guest
Right on Obs member!
I particularly admire the Observtaories thoughts on this issue. You'd like to think that more people would use their GD brains while up on Mount Washington being that it is the "worst weather in the world" and most notably so for its winter climate. Of everything one could pack for a trip.. why is their brain the last thing they remember? In all honesty its quite aggrivating and to think of those who then risk life and limb to go find the absentminded ding bats. I hope thir trip was as enjoyable as planned. But then again, we most times don't take the amount of risk/danger involved into consideration until we have experienced it first hand.
Also.. not to step on any toes across state borders. But I have been keeping track of where the people whom get in these "incidents" are from.
Since 1987: ALL SEASON
41: Massachusetts
27: Connecticut
12: New York
6: Canada
6: New Hampshire
3: Maine
0: Vermont
*note: this is not a count of people or deaths. Just simply the incidents as a whole and is not 100% accurate. 98% accurate is more like it.. I may have missed one or two. Information has been collected from News Paper reports, NH Fish and Game Reports and SAR reports open in public file with the state of NH.
I particularly admire the Observtaories thoughts on this issue. You'd like to think that more people would use their GD brains while up on Mount Washington being that it is the "worst weather in the world" and most notably so for its winter climate. Of everything one could pack for a trip.. why is their brain the last thing they remember?
In all honesty its quite aggrivating and to think of those who then risk life and limb to go find the absentminded ding bats. I hope thir trip was as enjoyable as planned. But then again, we most times don't take the amount of risk/danger involved into consideration until we have experienced it first hand.Also.. not to step on any toes across state borders. But I have been keeping track of where the people whom get in these "incidents" are from.
Since 1987: ALL SEASON
41: Massachusetts
27: Connecticut
12: New York
6: Canada
6: New Hampshire
3: Maine
0: Vermont
*note: this is not a count of people or deaths. Just simply the incidents as a whole and is not 100% accurate. 98% accurate is more like it.. I may have missed one or two. Information has been collected from News Paper reports, NH Fish and Game Reports and SAR reports open in public file with the state of NH.
Pucknuts61
New member
Yes, Sherpa John I agree but didn't want to comment on the stupidity of the situation....just their condition.
Also, it was the Harvard Cabin caretaker that alerted SAR, not Pinkham Notch.
I apologize for not giving the proper person credit.
Also, it was the Harvard Cabin caretaker that alerted SAR, not Pinkham Notch.
I apologize for not giving the proper person credit.
S
Sherpa John
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fair enough friend
Grumpy
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Sherpa John said:
This is pretty interesting. I note from Census figures that the populations of these states run thus (rounded figures):
MA - 6.3 million
CT - 3.4 million
NY - 19.0 million
NH - 1.2 million
ME - 1.3 million
VT - 0.6 million
Canada (Ontario & Quebec) - 18.6 million
From this, weighed against the where-they-hail-from observations, it becomes quite clear that New Yorkers and Canadians must be considerably smarter, on balance, than New Englanders except for those sly old Vermonters. Don't we just love playing games with statistics like this!?!
G.
jfb
Active member
When I lived in Florida, there was a saying that the locals didn't get sunburns because they were smart enough to stay out of the sun. I guess Vermonters are smart enough to stay home when it's cold.
bill bowden
New member
To Grumpy and Sherpa John
I've become more impressed with the good judgment of California natives who have completely avoided disaster in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, now if we can just do something about earthquakes, wildfires and mudslides...
My vague memory is that two ice climbers who were caught in Huntingdon ravine in 1995 were from New Jersey.
Perhaps I've not been paying enough attention to the media but we're into the last week in January with this the first recue I recall so perhaps the educational efforts are making some headway.
I've become more impressed with the good judgment of California natives who have completely avoided disaster in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, now if we can just do something about earthquakes, wildfires and mudslides...
My vague memory is that two ice climbers who were caught in Huntingdon ravine in 1995 were from New Jersey.
Perhaps I've not been paying enough attention to the media but we're into the last week in January with this the first recue I recall so perhaps the educational efforts are making some headway.
afka_bob
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Even more amazing...
... China has over 1 billion people, and none of them where silly enough to get into difficulties in the White Mountains. The inhabitants of India demonstrate a similar devotion to White Mountain safety. I think the wisdom and caution of the citizens of these two nations are unsurpassed by Grumpy's metrics.
... China has over 1 billion people, and none of them where silly enough to get into difficulties in the White Mountains. The inhabitants of India demonstrate a similar devotion to White Mountain safety. I think the wisdom and caution of the citizens of these two nations are unsurpassed by Grumpy's metrics.
Grumpy
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An oversight . . .
My apologies to the Rhode Island-ites among us.
Rhode Island has a population of about 1.1 million people, and evidently none of them have been involved in the White Mountains incidents capsulized above. That makes them just about as wily as those Vermonters.
The Green Mountains denizens still may have a little edge in this, though, living so close (cheek by jowl) to the lure of the Whites and yet able to evade (or avoid) the snare. The RI folks at least are insulated from seduction by the span of a whole state.
I pretty much discount as inconsequential the absence of stats for incident-involved people who hail from outside the NE region. This is based on a time-proven premise that the real test is how closely you can snuggle against temptation without falling prey to it. Those Californians and others . . . well, they may have been saved by the accident of their own insularity and nothing more.
The truth invariably is revealed by the way you look at things.
G.
My apologies to the Rhode Island-ites among us.
Rhode Island has a population of about 1.1 million people, and evidently none of them have been involved in the White Mountains incidents capsulized above. That makes them just about as wily as those Vermonters.
The Green Mountains denizens still may have a little edge in this, though, living so close (cheek by jowl) to the lure of the Whites and yet able to evade (or avoid) the snare. The RI folks at least are insulated from seduction by the span of a whole state.
I pretty much discount as inconsequential the absence of stats for incident-involved people who hail from outside the NE region. This is based on a time-proven premise that the real test is how closely you can snuggle against temptation without falling prey to it. Those Californians and others . . . well, they may have been saved by the accident of their own insularity and nothing more.
The truth invariably is revealed by the way you look at things.
G.
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