Missing hiker found

[carole]

Not a lot of details but I'm glad he is safe. WMUR link

 

[rocket21]

It'll be interesting to find out if he ended up postholing off trail. I find it dangerous to go above treeline with snow on the ground without snowshoes, even if the trails are beautifully packed...you just never know what might happen.

 

[Losthiker]

From the Manchester Union Leader:
"He had an 85-pound pack, but he had no map, no snowshoes or compass, and he ran out of food two days ago," Gralenski said.

Windship camped out as planned Saturday night, but on Sunday morning, he became disoriented in heavy fog and low visibility. Over the course of his hike, winds blew at up to 40 mph, heavy rain turned to freezing rain on Sunday and 5 inches of snow fell at the higher elevations of the Presidential Range.
Apparantly he was an experienced "summer hiker", is there anything more to say? He's a lucky guy.

 

[rocket21]

Union Leader article

 

[rocket21]

It'll be interesting to find out if he ended up postholing off trail. I find it dangerous to go above treeline with snow on the ground without snowshoes, even if the trails are beautifully packed...you just never know what might happen.

It wasn't his intent, but he went into the Dry River and got stuck in deep snow," Gralenski said, and Windship also got wet up to his neck trying to ford Dry River.

I had this discussion with another VFTTer last night, about how you may need to bail from above the treeline and suddenly need the snowshoes. This certainly re-enforces that!

 

[Jay H]

"He had an 85-pound pack, but he had no map, no snowshoes or compass, and he ran out of food two days ago," Gralenski said.

What, wasn't planning on bringing a map and compass to Rainier?

Glad he is safe and sound..

Jay

 

[giggy]

I had this discussion with another VFTTer last night, about how you may need to bail from above the treeline and suddenly need the snowshoes. This certainly re-enforces that!

What about the 99.9% of climbers that head into hunt ravine every winter and spring and don't bring them. they must all be reckless...and inexperienced.

quite honestly, when I trained for Rainier - I did the same thing he was doing...many times - hump a heavy pack up george and down.

 

[Mad Townie]

85 pounds? Is that really what you carry up Rainier? Sounds like a lot to me, and I've carried some pretty heavy packs.

 

[hikes-with-him]

Ok...so learning winter hiker here...

Does this mean that if hubby and I are planning Washington/Jefferson one day and then Carter/Hight another...we should bring snowshoes regardless? We were hoping to use day packs and leave those nasty things home...

Better to be safe than sorry, however.

 

[rocket21]

What about the 99.9% of climbers that head into hunt ravine every winter and spring and don't bring them. they must all be reckless...and inexperienced.

All of them for overnights, including summiting Washington?

Obviously it's a choice people are free to make, but I think this illustrates the need to carry snowshoes when venturing above treeline when there's still significant snowpack in the woods.

 

[--M.]

While I rejoice at the safe return of the intrepid...,

It appears from the article that the hiker's experience will serve as a data point for the public meaning of the SAR negligence law, which is reminding me more & more of SC justice Potter Stewart's "know it when I see it" definition of pornography.

I wonder if we could get a PIRG to go out and cry wolf a bunch of times in the Dry River Wilderness to see what does & doesn't trigger a negligence referral to the NH AG.

What would Dr. Hemlock do?

 

[Mike P.]

Giggy,

Please inform us, really....(not sarcastic this time...)

If you are bringing 85 pounds to Rainier (sounds like a lot) is the plan to get a permit yourself - or group - & go multiple days. (it's typically not a 1 day trip, I knew that part) Ropes, wands, tent, bag, clothing, stove, food, crampons, etc. No snowshoes for Rainier? if not guided, reading a map & compass in less than good conditions might be a nice skill.

If you were planning on paying RMI or other guide (did I read right that in the past year or so, other guide services have access) would you need 85 pounds? I guess you wouldn't 'need' the compass or map if roped to the team & listening to the guide. (M&C - less than a pound?) wouldn't group gear be split, part of tent, 1 stove per 4 people, etc....

As usual we lack some info....

If I was a summer only hiker with Rainier plans, would I only do this trip once for snow & ice practice. Article makes it sound like this was a first winter trip (okay it's Spring) I'd want to be real familar with those crampon things if I was a summer only hiker.

Did I read he was re-thinking Rainier plans or was that one of us? maybe Whitney would be better, it's higher, it's not glaciated & in summer they don't typically get winter weather. You don't need 85 pounds & if winter weather strikes, turn back, you don't have 85 pounds of gear to use.

What are some other High Peak Challenges? Elbert, Boundary, Humpreheys, Wheeler, The more southern ones may be better options too

 

[bobandgeri]

The F&G release stated:

He had planned to hike up the Tuckerman Ravine Trail to the summit of Mount Washington, then along the Crawford Path, winter camping for one overnight, then proceed down the Crawford Path, to arrive at Crawford Notch on Sunday.

 

[spider solo]

Glad he's okay. Dry River is a tough one, you're "playin for keeps" if you find yourself wandering through there. The River can surely wash you away given half a chance.

 

[RollingRock]

Having climbed Rainier without a guide, you don't need 85 pounds. Using the Dissapointment Cleaver route, it's a one overnight trip. I suspect this was, as the lost hiker said, a 'training trip", and he may have carried the extra weight for conditioning purposes.

 

[wardsgirl]

The Dry River Trail (AKA-the Bermuda Triangle of the Whites) sucks up another hiker

Any idea how he got on the Dry River Trail? We're going to need a template for that one!

 

[kevinmac]

Glad things worked out well for him and that he is home safe with his family.

 

[sli74]

On my 2 trips up Rainier, my pack weighed 57 pounds and 55 pounds respectively. The first year, the full pack only went to Camp Muir and the second year, it went to the Flats. On summit day each year my pack weighed probably about 25 pounds (mostly emergency gear).

85 pounds was probably just a training pack weight though I have carried nearly 70 pounds on winter solo overnighters in the Whites. Now that I backpack with a partner almost all the time, my pack weighs much less, closer to 50 pounds on a winter overnight.

 

[sli74]

Glad he got out safely.

 

[Chip]

If you are bringing 85 pounds to Rainier (sounds like a lot) is the plan to get a permit yourself - or group - & go multiple days. (it's typically not a 1 day trip, I knew that part) Ropes, wands, tent, bag, clothing, stove, food, crampons, etc. No snowshoes for Rainier?

Our IMG guided trip did not even carry snowshoes for Rainier at the end of May, just stayed in crampons. As far as 85lbs goes, you could traverse Rainier, up one side and down the other, and need to carry that much gear, maybe. Or if you were solo, you might want to carry that much to a base camp.

I think this guy was just taking the training for the Rainier trip seriously and got caught out. MANY people do not take it seriously. Many fly in, show up in Ashford, buy all their brand new gear at Whittaker and head out.