Solo Hiker rescued off Madison

[B the Hiker]

http://www.unionleader.com/article....rticleId=4943731f-3be4-4a04-89b9-cf376d65f19d

Wow, he went in up to his neck and his cellphone still worked! This is one very lucky man indeed.



Brian

 

[Kevin Rooney]

As always, reading reader's reactions is most interesting. I especially liked this one:

"Which scenario ultimately costs taxpayers more money? Helping out this and other hikers who sometimes get in over their heads or funding medical costs for couch potatos who sit around all day eating chips, smoking and drinking beer.

Going solo is fine if you have the ability to navigate in whiteouts. If not, you shouldn't go above treeline. That said, at least this was one American getting exercise!
- Lincoln, Woodstock"

I agree wholeheartedly with this comment!

 

[Bob Kittredge]

I knew there was a reason I pack my cell phone in a zip-lock.

 

[sardog1]

As always, reading reader's reactions is most interesting. I especially liked this one:

"Which scenario ultimately costs taxpayers more money? Helping out this and other hikers who sometimes get in over their heads or funding medical costs for couch potatos who sit around all day eating chips, smoking and drinking beer.

Going solo is fine if you have the ability to navigate in whiteouts. If not, you shouldn't go above treeline. That said, at least this was one American getting exercise!
- Lincoln, Woodstock"

I agree wholeheartedly with this comment!

Bravo!

(Plus some more characters, to satisfy the minimum required to post. Strunk & White would be so disappointed. Mebbe I should add the lyric to a famous Python song . . . .)

 

[DougPaul]

I knew there was a reason I pack my cell phone in a zip-lock.

Same here--it is my understanding that cellphones in general aren't very water resistant.

Doug

 

[marty]

Same here--it is my understanding that cellphones in general aren't very water resistant.

Doug

I found that out the hard way, when I dropped my cellphone in the toilet.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

I heard something recently (on NPR I think) that said diabetes is (or soon will be) the most expensive condition covered under insurance. So in reality, paying for a few rescues here-and-there if it gets people out and exercising might be a net win.

Tim

 

[DougPaul]

There is a lot of noise in the Union Leader report about weather and limited visibility. It also says he fell into Snyder Brook, but not where on the Brook except that the rescuers walked him "down more than 2 miles to the trailhead" (which would be from just below the crossing of Watson Path at 2.4 mi). (Snyder Brook parallels Valley Way). The WMG doesn't mention any crossings of Valley Way, nor does the map show any, but certainly other nearby trails do cross or access the brook.

The report doesn't say what route he was taking down, but it does say that the rescuers headed up Valley Way. IIRC, Valley Way is the most popular route to Madison and certainly the best in bad conditions.

[speculation]
It has been a long while since I have hiked up that way, but navigation should not be difficult once one enters the trees if he was indeed taking Valley Way down. If so, I would not expect the limited visibility to have been an issue.

Quote from the article:
"His gear and his experience were up to snuff, but he was soloing and was goal-oriented and he didn't make the right decisions when the conditions deteriorated."

Huh? He fell into a brook. Last I knew, that was called an accident. (I guess that one is expected to be wearing cold-weather diving gear if there is a chance of falling into water.)
[/speculation]

The report leaves some important details out--hopefully other reports will supply them.


BTW, I was taught that if one falls in water, one should roll in the snow to "sponge" as much of the water out of one's clothing as possible. And change into dry clothing ASAP. Beating the ice off one's clothing may also help. (That extra gear discussed in "Insulated Pants-outerlayer" http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=38519 might be helpful here...) This is one of the few instances where a fire can be useful. A helper or two might also be handy.

Doug

 

[DougPaul]

I found that out the hard way, when I dropped my cellphone in the toilet.

There are certain advantages to corded phones...

Doug

 

[TomK]

Regarding wet cell phones

Several months ago I found my cell phone at the bottom of the washing machine How'd *that* get *there*? Took the battery out, got a zip lock bag and filled it half way with rice, then buried the phone in the rice and zipped the bag close. About 4 days later, put the battery back in, charged it up, and son of a gun if it didn't work! Been working fine ever since. Your mileage may vary, but worth a shot.

TomK

 

[DougPaul]

Several months ago I found my cell phone at the bottom of the washing machine How'd *that* get *there*? Took the battery out, got a zip lock bag and filled it half way with rice, then buried the phone in the rice and zipped the bag close. About 4 days later, put the battery back in, charged it up, and son of a gun if it didn't work! Been working fine ever since. Your mileage may vary, but worth a shot.

Wet electronics can often be rescued by removing power (eg batteries) ASAP, rinsing with clean water (if it got wet with anything other than clean water), and careful drying.

Drying is hard to do outdoors in winter...

Doug

 

[Kevin Rooney]

On the digression into waterproofing phones - I don't carry mine in a ziplock, but when my AT&T plan was up for renewal, I took advantage of replacing my phone with a "ruggedized" version, which for AT&T is made by Samsung and "Certified to Military Standard MI-SID-810F, it will withstand dust, shock vibrations, rain, humidity, solar radiation and altitude and temperature extremes" if you believe the marketing hype. About all I know for certain it that it has much better battery life. I got the yellow case version to make it easier to spot. And they are tough - a hiking friend watched another friend back over her's with a pickup, and it wasn't damaged. I got mine via Amazon Wireless for about $25.

Another point - according to a cell phone rep I talked with, cell phones have some type of water-sensitive paper or dot somewhere in their innards which changes color when exposed to moisture. Apparently it doesn't have to be immersed to turn color - a very humid environment (like too close to a sweaty body) will do it. He said this indicator is the first thing checked if you complain your phone isn't working properly. If the color has changed - whether you immersed it or not - they may well refuse warranty service.

I don't know how informed this fellow was - but he seemed credible enough to me that I'm relaying the info here.

 

[MichaelJ]

I can corroborate what Kevin reports. Phones do have "got wet sensors" often in the form of a water-sensitive material. Some models look like a small polka-dotted sticker. They're usually in the battery compartment (they have to be easily visible to first-line service).

 

[DougPaul]

Another point - according to a cell phone rep I talked with, cell phones have some type of water-sensitive paper or dot somewhere in their innards which changes color when exposed to moisture. Apparently it doesn't have to be immersed to turn color - a very humid environment (like too close to a sweaty body) will do it. He said this indicator is the first thing checked if you complain your phone isn't working properly. If the color has changed - whether you immersed it or not - they may well refuse warranty service.

I don't know how informed this fellow was - but he seemed credible enough to me that I'm relaying the info here.

Now that you mention it, I vaguely recall reading something similar.

A quick search agrees:
http://www.google.com/&q=cell+phone+water+damage+sticker and even brings up instructions on how to save a wet cellphone: http://www.wikihow.com/Save-a-Wet-Cell-Phone (I agree with most, but not all of the recommendations.)

Doug

 

[peakbagger]

I use a Casio G-zone cell phone for work, it is a flip phone rated for use underwater and is designed for impacts (dropping). I have inadvertently tested the phone for both claims with good sucess. Its a "dumb" phone, but they do sell updated versions with addtional features.

 

[TEO]

I can corroborate what Kevin reports. Phones do have "got wet sensors" often in the form of a water-sensitive material. Some models look like a small polka-dotted sticker. They're usually in the battery compartment (they have to be easily visible to first-line service).

I noticed a similar sticker on my battery, too--near the contacts. I'm curious, if both the phone (LG) & battery have a pattern of red "x"s, does that mean it's been exposed to moisture?

 

[erugs]

I tried some of the tips mentioned in the link Doug included, but wouldn't have thought of the vac. When mine became a "bubble level" on Day Two of a rainy Presi traverse I took it as far apart as I could, hand dried what I could, and then, when I got home, stuck it into the oven as though it was a pair of SOLE inserts. It worked fine, but like a fool I brought it to the dealer to see if there was anything else I should do and I came out with a new phone. They said they could see corrosion already taking place. Although, a year later when my "new phone" died, I went back to the old one and it worked fine for another two years when I decided to upgrade. So there, cell phone company.

 

[una_dogger]

I found that out the hard way, when I dropped my cellphone in the toilet.

However- one can send an IPOD through the washer and dryer without deleterious effects...which leads me to wonder, would an IPHONE survive?

 

[Bob Kittredge]

We did Madison back on Oct 23 on a brisk and windy day (30 degrees with 70 mph wind at the summit).

On the way down, as we neared the Snyder Brook, we could hear men whooping and hooting. A group of middle-aged backpackers had stopped to skinny dip in the stream. Oh my! We averted our eyes as we passed.

 

[Maddy]

However- one can send an IPOD through the washer and dryer without deleterious effects...which leads me to wonder, would an IPHONE survive?

Sabrina...would you test that out for us?