Rescue story in The Berlin Sun

[Scubahhh]

Hiker rescued from Mt. Adams

Published Date Tuesday, 23 September 2014 00:02
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News Bayou
By Erik Eisele
LOW AND BURBANKS GRANT — Rescuers braved blustery conditions in the Presidential Range on Saturday to help a Massachusetts woman who fell while hiking nearly five miles from the nearest road.
The call reporting 46-year-old Suzanne Chiarito, of Arlington, Mass., had fallen on slippery rocks reached Fish and Game officers at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, according to a statement from Sgt. Mark Ober. Chiarito had been hiking the Gulfside Trail from the Madison Spring Hut toward the Lakes of the Clouds, but her exact location was unknown. Initial reports indicated her injuries were significant enough she could not walk and would need to be carried off the mountain.
It took until 2:15 p.m. for first responders from AMC's Madison Hut and RMC's Gray Knob cabin to locate Chiarito, just past the junction of Gulfside Trail and Israel Ridge Path. The conditions on the ridge were wet, with winds around 50 mph, gusting to 60 mph, and temperatures in the 40s — prime hypothermia weather. The nearby summits and the ridgeline were in the clouds for most of the day.
Fellow hikers and AMC and RMC rescuers kept Chiarito warm and treated her injuries as they waited for a full rescue party. Fish and Game conservation officers, Androscoggin Valley Search & Rescue volunteers, Appalachian Mountain Club members and students from the Stonehearth Open Learning Opportunities wilderness medicine school in Conway all responded to assist, hiking in from the summit of Mount Washington, the Caps Ridge Trail off the Jefferson Notch Road and Lowe's Path off of Route 2 in Randolph due to Chiarito's initial unconfirmed location.
When conservation officers arrived at 4:52 p.m. Chiarito's condition was deemed not as severe as initially reported, and she was able to hike out with assistance. She and the rescuers hiked the nearly 5 miles down Lowe's Path to a waiting ambulance from Gorham, arriving at 12:30 a.m. Sunday. The ambulance carried Chiarito to Androscoggin Valley Hospital in Berlin for evaluation.

 

[RollingRock]

Kudos to all the responders who braved wet conditions and high winds to reach her. It appears the original assessment of her condition was incorrect because she eventually was able to hike out on her own. It's unfortunate an unnecessary amount of people was put at risk. That said, assessing someone's condition can be difficult and it appears once experts arrived at the scene [conservation officers] a more thorough assessment was performed.

 

[dug]

I read this yesterday through another media outlet, but the story is basically the same. Another case of "I'd love to hear more on this story", but on the surface, I can't imagine sitting on the side of a trail for four hours, in cold/wet conditions, to only end up "walking it off".....

 

[hikerbrian]

I read this yesterday through another media outlet, but the story is basically the same. Another case of "I'd love to hear more on this story", but on the surface, I can't imagine sitting on the side of a trail for four hours, in cold/wet conditions, to only end up "walking it off".....

Yeah, seriously. When I read the last couple sentences of the story, I was thinking, "What in the holy crap??!" But who knows, maybe in the 4 hrs that she was waiting in the wind and rain, she found a bit more motivation. And sometimes a couple vitamin I's can really turn things around - they may have taken effect after they'd already made the call. Pure speculation, obviously. I had a guy on one of my trips twist his knee. He was one of these uber-purity "my body my temple" types and refused ibuprofen at first. As it began to dawn on him that we were looking at bivying in the col between Pierce and Ike that early January evening, he opted to pop a couple of pills. Half an hour later he was damn-near skipping down the trail.

 

[sierra]

I do not know enough to comment on her situation, but it does bring up a point. In todays media and social network driven society, the amount of time for someone to call for a rescue has dramatically been reduced. I always, from the start of my hiking/climbing career have focused on self sufficiency. I have received flack on this board and others for some of my solo practices and protocol. I snapped my ankle while hiking in CO. I had no cell reception ( not that I would have used it ) and no plans had been left with anyone, ( nobody really to leave them with). As a result, I sat down evaluated my situation and figured out a way to get out. To be frank when I hear about rescues, I gather the facts and try to determine if the rescued party could have extracted themselves. Look self rescue is not easy, it can take a lot of time and pain, but in my mind, its part of the game. Put the phone down, figure out if and how you can get yourself out. When you do call in, you put other people at risk, make sure you take that responsibilty seriously, its your hike, get yourself out.

 

[DayTrip]

I do not know enough to comment on her situation, but it does bring up a point. In todays media and social network driven society, the amount of time for someone to call for a rescue has dramatically been reduced. I always, from the start of my hiking/climbing career have focused on self sufficiency. I have received flack on this board and others for some of my solo practices and protocol. I snapped my ankle while hiking in CO. I had no cell reception ( not that I would have used it ) and no plans had been left with anyone, ( nobody really to leave them with). As a result, I sat down evaluated my situation and figured out a way to get out. To be frank when I hear about rescues, I gather the facts and try to determine if the rescued party could have extracted themselves. Look self rescue is not easy, it can take a lot of time and pain, but in my mind, its part of the game. Put the phone down, figure out if and how you can get yourself out. When you do call in, you put other people at risk, make sure you take that responsibilty seriously, its your hike, get yourself out.

I tend to agree. To me, if you call for help or activate your PLB it is because there is a 0% chance of freeing myself from a dangerous situation. I've severely sprained an ankle and dislocated a shoulder while hiking and I never thought about calling anyone once it was clear I could move. They were unpleasant walks out to be sure but I didn't need anyone's help to do it. Discomfort (enduring some pain but able to move, spending the night out in the dark or cold, etc) are not legitimate reasons to call in the cavalry in my book. I would be embarrassed beyond belief to call 911 because it was dark and I forgot a flashlight. I'd sleep in the woods first.

 

[erugs]

Somewhere I thought I read it was a head injury and that she was dizzy. Did anyone else see that? I'm with those of you who have walked out with severe ankle pain. It wasn't fun but calling for a rescue was far from my thoughts.

 

[Daniel Eagan]

She may have felt something was torn or broken and did not want to cause further damage.

 

[jfb]

She may have felt something was torn or broken and did not want to cause further damage.

That's what I was thinking. Perhaps the rescue folks brought along something to stabilize an ankle or knee. It still took several hours to get down.