Man on Cell Phone Falls off Mt. Whitney Trail

[Kevin Rooney]

Some states are passing laws which prohibit cell phone use while driving. Maybe the USFS should consider a reg to restrict their use while hiking?


http://www.ksrw.sierrawave.net/site/content/view/1331/48/

 

[Jay H]

You sure he wasn't pushed??????

Jay

 

[WhiteMTHike]

I can think of a few places where those things should be banned.

No sympathy from me on this one.

 

[Kevin Rooney]

You sure he wasn't pushed??????

Jay

Jay -

Am headed up there for a dayhike tomorrow. If I hear anything pertinent, I'll update the thread.

Am a little surprised he got cell phone service below Lone Pine Lake. The canyon is pretty narrow right there, and usually the signal strength is low/non-existent.

 

[Maddy]

The canyon is pretty narrow right there, and usually the signal strength is low/non-existent.

Maybe that was the problem. He wandered to close to the edge trying to capture a signal.
"Slip-sliding away"............(I love that song!)

 

[Tom Rankin]

"... the man who complained of back pain and head injuries". Were the head injuries suffered before the fall?

 

[Kevin Rooney]

"... the man who complained of back pain and head injuries". Were the head injuries suffered before the fall?

That's similar to what someone else wondered on another BB. Another wondered about a possible nominee for a Darwin Award, but another pointed out "Surviving an incident disqualifies a person from the Darwin awards".

I did get a bit more info. Got an email from a friend, and it turns out a mutual friend was on the trail (Dennis). The email reads in part "This was on the switchbacks between Lone Pine Lake and Outpost around 6:30 PM, so it was light. We usually miss these with our shortcut. Dennis participated. Said the man was initially unconscious. An EMT happened along soon after, and had the victim "packaged up" when the rescue folks reached him with the one wheeled stretcher. The evac was straighforward and fast. Even then, the victim's partner was upset that it took more than an hour for anything to happen."

As for the partner who was upset - I guess it's only human to worry about an injured companion, but still ... it's a heck of job to hump one of the big stretchers two miles up a trail, especially at altitude. And the EMT's did it faster than I can hike it.

 

[erugs]

We had cell phone service last week at the Portal store at the trailhead, and our guide also used his at our secret camp which above tree line on the way to the East Face climb, which surprised me.

 

[cbcbd]

This is why I refrain from shaving or putting on makeup while hiking.

 

[Kevin Rooney]

We had cell phone service last week at the Portal store at the trailhead, and our guide also used his at our secret camp which above tree line on the way to the East Face climb, which surprised me.

Apparently if you have Verizon you have a better chance of connecting. I have AT&T, and it's spotty up high.

 

[BlackBuffalo]

Dumb accident. If the article has any accuracy, this is proof that most people shouldn't "walk and chew gum at the same time."

I hope this can shine more light on the problem cell phones cause as a distraction.

DaveG.

 

[una_dogger]

Jay -

Am headed up there for a dayhike tomorrow. .

Go ahead...rub it in some more for us Flat Landers!!!!



Hoping for a trip report and pics!

 

[leaf]

This is why I refrain from shaving or putting on makeup while hiking.

Save that for when you're roped up, right?

 

[skiguy]

Apparently if you have Verizon you have a better chance of connecting.

Can you hear me now? Can you hear me... nooooooooooooooooooow!!

 

[dr_wu002]

Seems pretty harmless to me...

The volunteers packed the hiker into a wheeled litter and carried him down the trail. Two and a half hours after starting down the trail with the victim, the carry-out team reached the trailhead at Whitney Portal.

Probably a decent practice session for the volunteers... keep 'em on point and alert.

You can play games on your phone these days, like solitaire and sudoku. I can see how it's getting harder and harder to walk in a straight line these days, especially when you're drunk.

-Dr. Wu

 

[TomD]

CA just passed a law banning texting while driving. People complain about too many laws, but some people are obviously too clueless to realize what a bad idea this is.

Apparently in NYC, there has been an epidemic of people being hit by cars while texting and walking out into the street against traffic.

 

[woodstrider]

Cell phones

I have often observed here in the big city that people talking on a cell phone have difficulty in walking at the same time. This, of course is related to that old saying about being able to walk and chew gum at the same time.

Of course- there is so much more "stuff" to dodge on the sidewalks of New York then on your average trail.

My heart goes out to any one who is injured, even by their own stupid actions- But I am especially concerned for those that must go out to rescue them.