Rescues In The Mt. Washington Area - 10/06/2007

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BIGEarl

BIGEarl

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Last Saturday when I was hiking down from Mt. Washington and Monroe there was a steady flow of people hiking the opposite direction on the Crawford Path and Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail. A very large percentage of these people seemed completely unprepared for hiking in the area. Today I started to hear about rescues that were needed late in the day when the weather turned.

I don’t know of any information posted anywhere concerning these problems. I am interested in learning more about the late-day events on Saturday. Can anybody point me toward a source for this information?

Thanks.
 
Looks like it was a busy day for S&R. Heading to Jewell from Monroe on Saturday we ran into a number of people who were ill prepared for the later conditions. Flip flops seem to be the footwear of choice.
 
DrewKnight said:
I heard at least two mentioned on NHPR on Monday morning. The Union Leader mentioned rescues on Mt. Lafayette , Chocorua, and Mt. Cardigan.

Here's a link to the Union Leader article:

http://www.unionleader.com/article....rticleId=cdcab105-0bbb-465f-aafd-5bc082bc8354
Click to expand...

WOW! - That seems like a LOT of activity for one day. It makes me wonder if search & rescue teams get burnt out from handling so many of these Saturday night rescues of unprepared hikers n the Whites.
 
Maybe it's time for preventative care from SAR -- sit some folks at popular trail heads on busy weekends such as this and make sure people don't head up in flip flops, tank tops, etc.

Maybe there could be a patch -- for doing the 48 and sitting at 48 trail heads for a day each, handing out safety brochures ;) OK, 48 hours (6 days) of volunteer work is more realistic...

Tim
 
bikehikeskifish said:
Maybe it's time for preventative care from SAR -- sit some folks at popular trail heads on busy weekends such as this and make sure people don't head up in flip flops, tank tops, etc.

Maybe there could be a patch -- for doing the 48 and sitting at 48 trail heads for a day each, handing out safety brochures ;) OK, 48 hours (6 days) of volunteer work is more realistic...

Tim
Click to expand...

The various SAR teams are always looking for more volunteers, but 6 days (or 48 hours) are unrealistic, as much more time for SAR work and training are required than that.

This past weekend's SAR events were not at all unexpected, given the Monday holiday, autumn foliage, changeable weather, and early sunsets (hmmm, you mean it gets dark at 6 pm and I might need a headlamp?). Fortunately, the rain on Monday sent a lot of folks home early, as the SAR teams, not to mention NH Fish & Game, were pretty well spent by then.

Dr. D.
 
I meant contributing 48 hours of trailhead service. You don't need to be SAR trained to spot the folks who are likely to get into trouble....

Just be a pamphlet hander-outer, that's all. It's like the insurance companies being in favor of preventative care. It's cheaper and safer for everyone.

Tim
 
bikehikeskifish said:
I meant contributing 48 hours of trailhead service. You don't need to be SAR trained to spot the folks who are likely to get into trouble....

Just be a pamphlet hander-outer, that's all. It's like the insurance companies being in favor of preventative care. It's cheaper and safer for everyone.

Tim
Click to expand...


Got it, Tim. Good idea, but not sure how many would heed advice. But, the HikeSafe program has a nice little pamphlet that would be appropriate as a handout.

http://www.hikesafe.com/index.php/planning_your_hike/seasons
 
cell phones.. cell phones ...cell phones...
Seems to be the common denominator in many of these.

I rememeber a few years back Fish and Game said these things are going to run us ragged with people calling for rescues all the time.
Seems they were pretty well right...
 
We are so lucky to have SAR & the Fish and Game.
Thanks to all of you for all your hard work.
 
Most of these were walking people out who forget it does get dark at 6:00 - 6:30 this time of year. It takes far less to get these people out than arranging for a litter carry out. You might be able to say the cellphones allowed SAR to communicate with these people & help allocate the proper number of SAR personal for the job.

(In cases like these, do SAR ask the people, what do you have & if they have clothing for but no light, is teh message to hunker down & wait until we get to you or come on down in the dark & risk injury? I'd doubt that but i don't know)

Would posting the monthly sunset times at the trailheads help? Maybe a simple sign at the parking lot, Don't forget your light, some people carry flashlights in their car for road emergencies but don't think of headlamps. (It's probably a hard concept for us to figure out as more of us probably don't have flaslights in our car but have a hadlamp or two laying in the trunk ready for thr same job or an impromptu hike :D - something to do with our hold heavy Petzl's)

Without the cellphones, would more difficult rescues been required or body recovery been needed? OKAY, I know they are not meant to replace common sense, if you start a hike at 2:00 or later, bringing a light should be a no brainer, most of us probably carry them all the time, I make sure I have mine 90% of the time. (maybe not on a morning trip on something I know well Bear, Greylock or Monadnock in summer but I since I usaully leave one or two in the car, I likely do have it + I have a light on my keychain, just in case :) )


Rescue beats retrieval...
 
My headlamp is in the same ziplock as my TP so I always have one. Even if I plan on being off the mountain before dark, I might encounter an injured hiker who needs assistance and the slower descent might have us at the trailhead after dark.
 
Yes - I always have one readily available and a second in my emergency bag...I have a small Ultrasil Bag that I move from pack to pack - it basically has the things I would not want to be without no matter where I am...
parachute cord/shoelaces, extra headlamp, extra batteries (I use nickel lithium coin cells - they weigh next to nothing and work well in freezing temps), bivy bag (AMS one), matches/firestarter, ankle brace (s), first aid, meds, water treatment, etc.) I find this works real well - all I have to do is put the one bag in whatever pack I am using and I am all set - of course I still need other things like appropriate clothes, map, compass, food, etc - but I can at least be sure I have the basics.
 
A different mind-set.

Most of us on this BBS are experienced hikers--we think about things that can go wrong (or remember a time that they did go wrong...) and what we should bring/do/learn to deal with them. Many of those rescued are simply out for a nice little walk in the woods.

I invited a friend out on a hike (Franconia Ridge loop in summer) once. When I listed the gear that we should have, her response was "why be so pessimistic" or something to that effect.

In general, this inexperienced crew would still get into difficulty with or without cell phones. IMO, it is probably better that they are able to call for help or assurance (and give the authorities some idea of their location and condition) rather than some worried friend/relative having to call for a full search.

Doug
 
Cell phones certainly have their place (enables SAR to locate people more easily, etc), but I think in many cases it creates a false sense of security. How many people head out with their cell phones, but not proper gear?

And I'm not sure if pamphlets or people at trailheads giving advice would help any. I get the feeling that many people are going to do what they want no matter what and don't want anybody else telling them what to do.
 
pudgy_groundhog said:
Cell phones certainly have their place (enables SAR to locate people more easily, etc), but I think in many cases it creates a false sense of security. How many people head out with their cell phones, but not proper gear?
Click to expand...
I doubt that the people in question think that far. However, many (most?) routinely carry their cell phones, few routinely carry a light. Besides, how else are you going to make the traditional "Guess where I am" call...

And I'm not sure if pamphlets or people at trailheads giving advice would help any. I get the feeling that many people are going to do what they want no matter what and don't want anybody else telling them what to do.
Click to expand...
Posting advisories at the trailheads may be the best that one can do. (And there is already advisory info at many and yellow signs at T-line.)

Doug
 
Last edited:
If they passed out pamphlets they would be strewn all over the mountains. The AMC info volunteers do a good job at Pinkham and they always have safety displays up, but you see hundreds of people ignoring good advice/info and most get away with it.

The SAR folks are wonderful.
 
I wonder if Fish and Game is actually charginbg some of these people for being lost.

Not these incidents in particular, but reading reports in the Union Leader about folks hiking and getting lost after dark, and then calling to get "bailed out" by F and G is intriguing.

Do they know the days are shorter in late October, I just don't know.......

They should be charged for the cost of the "rescue"! :) :)
 
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