missing hiker - Lancaster, NH

[hikerbrian]

I am so sorry to hear this woman has died. I knew the situation was grim as soon as I read the initial missing person reports. I feel terrible for those she left behind, especially her husband, who I'm sure will go to his grave second guessing his actions from Sunday morning. We'll probably never know the content of their final conversations. I suspect neither of them knew the true nature of the conditions she was heading into.

From the small amount of information available, I gather she was an adventurous spirit. This is an attractive quality, one that I'm sure made her one heck of an interesting person to know. It's worth mulling over the fact that her husband chose not to join her on the hike, but rather to pick her up at the end. It's a unique woman who would strike off on her own on such an itinerary, however flawed it may have been from the outset. Whatever mistakes she made, and there were probably several, I for one can appreciate individuals in the world who, whether ignorant or not, act on their sense of adventure. Almost no one sets out to freeze to death in a terrifying, lonely place by themselves. I'm terribly sorry to hear that's how she met her end, and I'm sorry for the folks who have to grapple with the hole she has undoubtedly left behind. I'm thankful to and sorry for the SAR folks who set out in horrific conditions and ultimately had the task of recovering a body. I suspect when one returns to safety, and the adrenaline wears off and the mission-focus subsides, the reality of the situation is heart-wrenching.

There may be something to learn from the details of her final hours, but probably not. The story is tragic and familiar: the mountains give a lot, and sometimes they take a lot. But actually they do neither; they just are and we make our own choices.

 

[Driver8]

I'm sorry this young woman has lost her life. In the end, everyone chooses their own path but there is a reason for the fact that everyone's head is spinning on this board. Attempting the described hike in these extreme conditions is not just inadvisable or even reckless. It is not pushing the envelope. It is a virtual suicide mission. Whoever said that the fatal mistake was made in the parking lot is right on target.

She had reportedly summited Mt. Elbrus and Kilimanjaro, so she had skill. She had reportedly, per NH newspaper and TV reports, set out to traverse from Appalachia across Washington in a day in those conditions. It appears she may have been unaware of the level of difficulty presented by these relatively small, by world standards, mountains in such conditions or, somehow, didn't know how bad the conditions would be. We'll probably never know the full story of what she experienced over the weekend.

 

[Mike P.]

Her pack in one of the pics [on the link for post 30, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...hire-treacherous-conditions-100mph-winds.html ] looks very full. In fact she seems to be wearing a absolute down suit below tree line. That seems to me imho she was prone to getting cold. Also she seemed very small to begin with. One more thought, if she activated her beacon earlier in the day maybe she got cold when she got above tree line. just my 2 cents..Homework was Not done on this climb...

I don't believe the photo of her with the large backpack was taken that day as she departed at 5:00 AM and it would have been dark. I believe it was one on file, possibly from FB.

 

[pedxing]

Years ago - a VFTT regular remarked that in evaluating a potential winter mountaineering partner, he was more interested in summits missed than summits accomplished. As a stubborn person who hates to see plans ruined, this has stayed with me. Without a willingness to accept and recognize defeat, one is never properly equipped for a winker hike in the mountains.

 

[Brambor]

Judging by the size of the pack that she packed a shelter.

Most of us here know that it is extremely difficult to pitch a tent under such fierce winds that were up there and that a pitched tent under those wind loads could be shredded in a short time if parts of the fabric repeatedly hit rocks.

Seems to me she was 'prepared' but the conditions were simply too harsh and compounded a series of problems that caused her not to be able to utilize shelter.

Doing Killimanjaro doesn't really count as people are GUIDED. Not sure about the other big mountain but there is a huge difference when being on a guided trip where decision making is up to the guides as opposed to being solo.

Her pack in one of the pics [on the link for post 30, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...hire-treacherous-conditions-100mph-winds.html ] looks very full. In fact she seems to be wearing a absolute down suit below tree line. That seems to me imho she was prone to getting cold. Also she seemed very small to begin with. One more thought, if she activated her beacon earlier in the day maybe she got cold when she got above tree line. just my 2 cents..Homework was Not done on this climb...

 

[Mike P.]

She had reportedly summited Mt. Erebus and Kilimanjaro, so she had skill. She had reportedly, per NH newspaper and TV reports, set out to traverse from Appalachia across Washington in a day in those conditions. It appears she may have been unaware of the level of difficulty presented by these relatively small, by world standards, mountains in such conditions or, somehow, didn't know how bad the conditions would be. We'll probably never know the full story of what she experienced over the weekend.

When I see lists including the 7 summits I think of people who went with guides. The guides make the decisions on when and in what conditions they hike. The climbers have agility, stamina & a love of the outdoors but decision making is done by the guides.

Did IME, Chauvin, EMS or other guides lead groups on Sunday? My past experience with EMS (90's) on a -10 and very windy day after a 10" snowfall was they highly recommended we switch from Washington to Adams by Valley Way. They later decided the hut was as far as we would go that day. We stuck our heads out all layered and covered up, took a quick photo and departed.

 

[sardog1]

Judging by the size of the pack that she packed a shelter.

Most of us here know that it is extremely difficult to pitch a tent under such fierce winds that were up there and that a pitched tent under those wind loads could be shredded in a short time if parts of the fabric repeatedly hit rocks.

Seems to me she was 'prepared' but the conditions were simply too harsh and compounded a series of problems that caused her not to be able to utilize shelter.

Not from what the Concord Monitor reports. According to Lt. Wayne Saunders of the Fish and Game Department: "She had no intention of staying overnight. What she had was sufficient for a day hike in decent weather[.]”

 

[bikehikeskifish]

AVSAR video of conditions during the search:



Tim

 

[peakbagger]

Years ago - a VFTT regular remarked that in evaluating a potential winter mountaineering partner, he was more interested in summits missed than summits accomplished. As a stubborn person who hates to see plans ruined, this has stayed with me. Without a willingness to accept and recognize defeat, one is never properly equipped for a winker hike in the mountains.

My criteria for determining if someone is truly a hiking partner is they aren't fully one until we have mutually decided to call it a day despite being 3/4 of the way up a summit. It took me 3 trys to get Adams in the winter and the two previous times I turned around in Madison col as the winds were too high. When I get blown off my feet its time to think about heading home.

 

[Driver8]

My criteria for determining if someone is truly a hiking partner is they aren't fully one until we have mutually decided to call it a day despite being 3/4 of the way up a summit. It took me 3 trys to get Adams in the winter and the two previous times I turned around in Madison col as the winds were too high. When I get blown off my feet its time to think about heading home.

One of my two favorite hikes from 2014 was the Kinsmen attempt in September. Turned back at K Pond - I could've gotten North K, but I'd've been bumbling down the steeper mile of Fishin' Jimmy in the dark. Know when to hold, know when to fold.

I figured this would be the result when I, too slow, made my way around the west side of Lonesome Lake on the way up. It was so beautiful and the light was perfect. As I'm taking about 100 pics in a half mile stretch and soaking in the spectacular day, my inner voice says, "this is why you're here today. If you summit, great, but no need to overdo it. Easy does it: if this is the highlight, it's plenty." It surely was, and in my relatively unfit shape, getting up and down FJ and safely back to my car, the easy last mile under headlamp, felt a decent accomplishment.

I go on, but the point is, it's important to let the mountains tell you what they're ready to give you that day, and to respect that. The one or two times I've pressed past that, it's led to frightful circumstances. Doubtless it's happened to most of us a time or two. What hurts about Kate's misfortune is that we all know that it could happen to any of us - we're all human, each tiny against the backdrop of the mountains and the weather they can visit upon us. Humbling, in a good, fearsome way.

 

[erugs]

The photo with the huge pack was from her FB page, not what she was carrying with her on Sunday. I've climbed Kilimanjaro and that doesn't qualify as a mountaineering experience, or anything close to it. It's a series of day hikes with a little extreme stuff here and there, but no use of crampons or harness/rope, or ice axe. Well, our guide used one to chip out a few steps. The only thing extreme about Kili is that elevation. Her E. trip was also guided. That makes a huge difference.

 

[Mac]

I was at Pinkham Notch from Thursday to Sunday. On Friday, a group of 3 experienced (several successful mid-winter MW summits) hikers turned back after experiencing above-treeline conditions on Lion Head winter route. They were attempting to summit and were well prepared/equipped. Another pair (guide, and fit but inexperienced client) turned back (fire road/start of winter route) after experiencing similar conditions. I overheard snippets of conversation while at breakfast, and the trio were definitely discussing go/no go criteria. I assume that the guide/client group had similar criteria, although possibly more conservative than that of the first group. Based on my abbreviated hike (Hermit Lake), I can't even imagine going to the top, or being on that ridge for any period of time. I do agree that conditions were relatively benign (minus 4, 35 mph winds) at first light on Sunday, but distinctly remember that temperatures were going to plummet by Noon, and that winds were forecasted to rise significantly. The searchers are to be commended, as one TV station reported a minus 73 degree windchill early on Monday morning at the MW summit.

 

[Brambor]

Looking at the first 25 seconds of the video puts things in proper perspective. No matter how well equipped you are...the wind will pick you up and on your way down you can encounter landing variations that could put you in peril. The last guy of the 4 in the video was pretty much picked up and smacked down on the rocks 15 feet below.

 

[Tom Rankin]

AVSAR video of conditions during the search:



Tim

Wow, the 2 people getting tossed around like rag dolls is frightening!

 

[Tuck]

The Northeast Peakbaggers were scheduled to do Madison, Adams and Jefferson on President's day. That hike was wisely rescheduled last Thursday when the forecasts were for treacherous weather. I was initially disappointed, but a great call.

Tuck

 

[Mike P.]

Years ago - a VFTT regular remarked that in evaluating a potential winter mountaineering partner, he was more interested in summits missed than summits accomplished. As a stubborn person who hates to see plans ruined, this has stayed with me. Without a willingness to accept and recognize defeat, one is never properly equipped for a winker hike in the mountains.

It may have been me, with people I don't know, I'm curious on why they missed the summits and what they thought of that trip. I know I usually think I've learned more about myself and the group I'm with when we've had to turn back or we had to change our plans midstream.

 

[TJsName]

Wow, the 2 people getting tossed around like rag dolls is frightening!

That kinda looks like fun, but I bet it doesn't feel or sound like fun.

 

[Chip]

If she got dropped off at 5am and didn't activate the plb until 3:30, she spent alot of time wandering around between Madison and Adams. May be a case where technology and her experience gave her a false sense of security, until it was too late. Sad and I'm glad no rescuers were hurt.

 

[Brambor]

That's a lot of time without much progress. She probably made it from the road to the hut in 3 hours...8am, could have summited Madison between 9 and 10 depending on conditions. She probably descended to the hut without issues and headed towards Adams at 11, maybe summited or not but from noon to 3:30 she could have been picked up and tossed around on the rocks and injured, went for the closest sheltered spot, activated PLB... pure speculation about the timeline.

 

[Stan]

... Without a willingness to accept and recognize defeat, one is never properly equipped ...

Informed judgement and realistic assessment of risk mistaken as a "defeat" strikes me as inviting more catastrophes.