Jason Berard
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 28, 2006
- Messages
- 1,321
- Reaction score
- 212
About three weeks ago, I started to think about hiking somewhere on the 18th, and was considering either the Kinsman's up from Lafayette CG, or Madison up from Appalachia. I called a few friends to see if they were interested, and Greg Cook, and Don Kollisch were able to join me. Don wanted to do Madison,for reasons that became clear to Greg and I later. I decided we would go up Airline, and down Valley way, since the weather looked like it would be OK. The high summits forecast was temps around 20 degrees, and winds 20-30 mph, with the summits in and out of the clouds all day.
Greg and Don arrived at my house around 6:30 friday night, and we headed for Billings Lodge, a DOC cabin near the appalachia trailhead. As soon as we were underway, Don told us that the reason he wanted to do Madison was that in late October of 1999, he and his primary hiking buddy, Doug Thompson, had hiked Madison. Tragically, Doug had a massive heart attack halfway up the summit cone and died instantaneously. Don has not hiked Madison since, although he does a hike each year around late October in his memory. Don recounted the details of the hike;the help he recieved in administering CPR, the hiker who called 911 on a cell, (which got the D.A.R.T. rescue helicopter dispatched from Dartmouth Hithcock medical center, although thy couldn't land) the group of hikers who fashioned a litter from hiking poles and a climbing rope to transport Doug to the shelter when they realized CPR wasn't going to resussitate Doug, and the people who hiked down with Don, when they realized they didn't have enough people to take Doug down the mountain that night, and they would have to leave him,wrapped in an emergency blanket, under the hut until a SAR group could be assembled to do the carry out the next day.
Without realizing it, I had created a re-enactment of their hike. The same trails, the same time of year....we even ended up hiking down part of the way in the dark, as he had done in '99. We discussed if Don felt ready to do this, over scotch at Billings that night, and he said that's why he had voiced his preference for this option at the beginning of the planning process. We went to sleep, and as I was laying there, in my bunk, I saw a shooting star. I guess this was part of the Leonid meteor shower which was at its height the next night, but it seemed like some sort of sign, or omen....
We got to the trailhead around 7:30 the next morning, and were all in good spirits, and quite talkative as we hiked up towards Durand ridge, up Arline. The sky was clear, and the temp was around 32. A perfect day for hiking. As we gained elevation, it was actually warming up. By the time we got to treeline, it was 40 degrees, and the sky was still clear. The views from Durand were spectacular! Looking across King Ravine, we could see, and hear roaring waterfalls. I guess thats one plus of all the rain we got last week! At the airline cut-off we asked Don if he still wanted to Madison, or head to Adams instead. He said it felt like the right time to do Madison, and off we went towards the hut. The conversation grew quiet as we approached, and when we got there, Greg and I wanted to eat lunch. Don said he wanted to go up to the summit, alone, and given the weather, and the circumstances, it didn't seem we should get in his way. Don went up while we ate lunch with a couple of AMC winter caretakers who were there to check on the hut. We headed up about 20 minutes later. The summits were still clear, and there was almost no wind. As we ascended Madison the views to Star Lake, Adams, and Washington were incredible! We met Don near the summit, and he thanked us for letting him go alone, and seemed at peace. We hit the summit( still little wind), and headed back down. Don was sitting against the hut eating, and we talked a while before heading down Valley Way. It wasn't until we were 1/3 the way down that we all realized how late it was and that we were going to hike out in the dark. I think the combination of the beautiful weather, and the circumstances of the hike, had us distracted enough to forget how early it gets dark this time of year. As we lost daylight Don got really quiet, and later said it was like he was having flashbacks. We got back to the trailhead at 5:30, hopped in the car and headed home. Don thanked us for being with him on the hike, and we both said we were honored.
The ride home was as full of conversation as the beginning of the hike had been, and it seemed like we were back in the Upper Valley in no time. It was a good hike, and a healing experience for Don. Something none of us will ever forget.
In memory of Doug Thompson, and with special thanks to all the people who helped Don, and Doug on those two days. The spirit of comraderie in the mountains lives on!
Greg and Don arrived at my house around 6:30 friday night, and we headed for Billings Lodge, a DOC cabin near the appalachia trailhead. As soon as we were underway, Don told us that the reason he wanted to do Madison was that in late October of 1999, he and his primary hiking buddy, Doug Thompson, had hiked Madison. Tragically, Doug had a massive heart attack halfway up the summit cone and died instantaneously. Don has not hiked Madison since, although he does a hike each year around late October in his memory. Don recounted the details of the hike;the help he recieved in administering CPR, the hiker who called 911 on a cell, (which got the D.A.R.T. rescue helicopter dispatched from Dartmouth Hithcock medical center, although thy couldn't land) the group of hikers who fashioned a litter from hiking poles and a climbing rope to transport Doug to the shelter when they realized CPR wasn't going to resussitate Doug, and the people who hiked down with Don, when they realized they didn't have enough people to take Doug down the mountain that night, and they would have to leave him,wrapped in an emergency blanket, under the hut until a SAR group could be assembled to do the carry out the next day.
Without realizing it, I had created a re-enactment of their hike. The same trails, the same time of year....we even ended up hiking down part of the way in the dark, as he had done in '99. We discussed if Don felt ready to do this, over scotch at Billings that night, and he said that's why he had voiced his preference for this option at the beginning of the planning process. We went to sleep, and as I was laying there, in my bunk, I saw a shooting star. I guess this was part of the Leonid meteor shower which was at its height the next night, but it seemed like some sort of sign, or omen....
We got to the trailhead around 7:30 the next morning, and were all in good spirits, and quite talkative as we hiked up towards Durand ridge, up Arline. The sky was clear, and the temp was around 32. A perfect day for hiking. As we gained elevation, it was actually warming up. By the time we got to treeline, it was 40 degrees, and the sky was still clear. The views from Durand were spectacular! Looking across King Ravine, we could see, and hear roaring waterfalls. I guess thats one plus of all the rain we got last week! At the airline cut-off we asked Don if he still wanted to Madison, or head to Adams instead. He said it felt like the right time to do Madison, and off we went towards the hut. The conversation grew quiet as we approached, and when we got there, Greg and I wanted to eat lunch. Don said he wanted to go up to the summit, alone, and given the weather, and the circumstances, it didn't seem we should get in his way. Don went up while we ate lunch with a couple of AMC winter caretakers who were there to check on the hut. We headed up about 20 minutes later. The summits were still clear, and there was almost no wind. As we ascended Madison the views to Star Lake, Adams, and Washington were incredible! We met Don near the summit, and he thanked us for letting him go alone, and seemed at peace. We hit the summit( still little wind), and headed back down. Don was sitting against the hut eating, and we talked a while before heading down Valley Way. It wasn't until we were 1/3 the way down that we all realized how late it was and that we were going to hike out in the dark. I think the combination of the beautiful weather, and the circumstances of the hike, had us distracted enough to forget how early it gets dark this time of year. As we lost daylight Don got really quiet, and later said it was like he was having flashbacks. We got back to the trailhead at 5:30, hopped in the car and headed home. Don thanked us for being with him on the hike, and we both said we were honored.
The ride home was as full of conversation as the beginning of the hike had been, and it seemed like we were back in the Upper Valley in no time. It was a good hike, and a healing experience for Don. Something none of us will ever forget.
In memory of Doug Thompson, and with special thanks to all the people who helped Don, and Doug on those two days. The spirit of comraderie in the mountains lives on!
Last edited:
