The man from Hartford will be sending a Thank You card to...

[Mike P.]

Jennifer who decided 6:00 PM was the time to start hiking Monadnock on Easter. No food, no water, no light source.

https://nhfishgame.com/2021/04/05/lost-and-injured-hiker-monadnock-state-park/

 

[peakbagger]

There were two rescues in Maine not worth a thread, that boiled down to not enough equipment for the conditions.

 

[Mitts]

Rare insight into pre-accident mindset and thought process in the three videos from the day of the accident on the individual's Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/jenniferpublicover/

 

[Rhody Seth]

I wonder what prompts a person to start hiking up a mountain at 6 PM with no supplies and seemingly no knowledge of what they are getting themselves into? I always think these people were touched by some epiphany - a sudden undefined yet very real urge to scale a peak, climbing upwards towards heights unknown. As they climb they can feel self-doubt falling away. As they climb above the trees their purpose will be revealed and their path forward will be made clear.

Or just a head full of mushrooms. Either way, I'm glad she made it. If she hadn't been able to make that call...

 

[Rhody Seth]

Rare insight into pre-accident mindset and thought process in the three videos from the day of the accident on the individual's Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/jenniferpublicover/

Man, I wasn't far off.

 

[skiguy]

Sounds like she took quite a tumble. Hope she heals well and fast.

 

[peakbagger]

There are actually quite a few folks who do late day starts to be at summits after dark and in the past year I have seen several groups heading down from successful attempts to see sunrise from the summits while I head up in the AM. Unlike the subject of the thread they seem to be properly equipped.

 

[Mike P.]

I think you'll see more people doing it, however, I'm thinking they would be the experienced. I've started several Monadnock hikes in July at 7:00 and it's a nice spot for sunsets over the Greens. I always want to be at the trees before needing my headlamp as picking my way through just the rocks could be difficult. Once you've reached the trees, it's not bad, with a light. I like the sunrise from Wachusett, I may try the sunset next week. The road walk down in the dark with a light should be pretty easy.

 

[Mike P.]

Hoping she heals week and picks up some gear and researches her travels better. Couldn't look at the Instagram stuff yet but looked at the short youtube vidoes. While you can question several things, I agree with her, generally speaking, waterfalls are better from November through March, usually more water and ice too. (Walking near icy waterfalls is inherently dangerous and usually also icy nearby.) Nice in April usually also but may or may not have ice depending on location in the Northeast. One I want to check off my list is Peekamoose Falls in the Catskills when the water is flowing, it was one of my first that I stumbled upon not knowing it was there.

 

[DayTrip]

I wonder what prompts a person to start hiking up a mountain at 6 PM with no supplies and seemingly no knowledge of what they are getting themselves into? I always think these people were touched by some epiphany - a sudden undefined yet very real urge to scale a peak, climbing upwards towards heights unknown. As they climb they can feel self-doubt falling away. As they climb above the trees their purpose will be revealed and their path forward will be made clear.

Or just a head full of mushrooms. Either way, I'm glad she made it. If she hadn't been able to make that call...

I met a guy on a sunset hike on Monadnock a few Autumns back that was tripping big time on mushrooms (by his own admission after I asked him if he was alright because he seemed out if it). No light, no food, no water. Just up there groovin'. So maybe that is what happens....

 

[Andrew]

Night time and rainstorms used to be my favorite times to hike this mountain, since it was when most people were gone.

 

[ChrisB]

Night time and rainstorms used to be my favorite times to hike this mountain, since it was when most people were gone.

When I lived in Peterborough in the early 80s I used to hike Monadnock once a month year round.

Thought I was cool until I met the guy who had been hiking it every DAY for many years (before he went to work)!

Like the young lady who occasioned this thread, we all have our place on the spectrum.

 

[skiguy]

Like the young lady who occasioned this thread, we all have our place on the spectrum.

I agree and thank you for saying so. One of my favorites on the Spectrum is Dick Williams. To quote from gunksapp.com “ Around 1958 a group challenging the status quo appeared on the scene, the notorious Vulgarians. The 60s brought us unprecedented social upheaval and drugs, so it is without surprise these names came to us from that decade: Cascading Crystal Kaleidoscope (1968) and Psychedelic (1965). Beside these innocent names, the Vulgarians also introduced names that purposely flouted the stodgy establishment of the time... the Appalachian Mountain Club or "Appies”.

 

[Andrew]

Monadnock is interesting in that it's visitors are such a broad group of people magnified with the high use. I really came to appreciate the diversity of hiker types there, one being many who actually preferred hiking at night, some just due to life circumstances of maybe working second shift. Most might think some hikers like to do a 'sunset hike' to view a spectacular sunset from a peak or ledge, but this is always a wonderful time to be in the woods and hike or sit into the gathering darkness. Only recommended though to those who have developed the ability to do this safely. Most people seem scared to be in the woods after dark, and yes - sometimes you do have plenty to be scared about.

I know, this has nothing to do with this persons circumstances as evidenced by the outcome. Hiking into the woods without the ability to travel safely after dark, makes as much sense as Kramer thinking he could drive forever when the gas tank needle is on E.

 

[ChrisB]

I agree and thank you for saying so. One of my favorites on the Spectrum is Dick Williams. To quote from gunksapp.com “ Around 1958 a group challenging the status quo appeared on the scene, the notorious Vulgarians. The 60s brought us unprecedented social upheaval and drugs, so it is without surprise these names came to us from that decade: Cascading Crystal Kaleidoscope (1968) and Psychedelic (1965). Beside these innocent names, the Vulgarians also introduced names that purposely flouted the stodgy establishment of the time... the Appalachian Mountain Club or "Appies”.

Wasn't Williams co-owner of Rock and Ice, the climbing shop in New Paltz? I think he also authored a Gunks Guidebook.

Not bad for a Vulgarian!

And was it John Standard who replaced all the rusty iron pins in the Trapps with shiny new stainless steel ones?

 

[Tom Rankin]

I suspect huge crowds filling up parking lots has something to do with late/early starts.

 

[OldEric]

Wasn't Williams co-owner of Rock and Ice, the climbing shop in New Paltz? I think he also authored a Gunks Guidebook.

Not bad for a Vulgarian!

And was it John Standard who replaced all the rusty iron pins in the Trapps with shiny new stainless steel ones?

Dick Williams did indeed publish a number of guidebooks over several decades starting with the "Blue Dick" in 1972 - followed by red, grey, black... He was also the subject matter for an iconic photo on Shockley's ceiling - neither the photo or route name will fly in today's culture.

John Stannard (not Standard although he did make standard angle pins) was indeed the maker of some very durable pins that were intended to be used once (not driven and removed by the second) in an attempt to preserve the rock. However just slightly later he became a proponents of clean (LNT) climbing and was responsible for tracking the first clean ascents of many routes.

 

[Tom Rankin]

Wasn't Williams co-owner of Rock and Ice, the climbing shop in New Paltz?

To be precise, 'Rock and Snow'.

 

[TEO]

. . . makes as much sense as Kramer thinking he could drive forever when the gas tank needle is on E.

If you ever owned a Saab 900, you'd know that what Kramer did made a surprising amount of sense. I suspect that there was a 1/4–1/3 of a tank left when the needle first hit the E and I also suspect that it was a misguided attempt to keep people from running out of gas, because the assumption was that people would refill on hitting "empty," but that they'd have a significant reserve in case there wasn't a gas station nearby. The problem was that once you figured out that E did not equal empty, you'd do exactly what Kramer did, especially if you were a dirtbag college student. IIRC, I once drove from BTV to Mad River Glen and back on "empty." I also ran out of gas twice. Sadly Keith Hernandez wasn't with me on either occasion.

 

[Mike P.]

If you ever owned a Saab 900, you'd know that what Kramer did made a surprising amount of sense. I suspect that there was a 1/4–1/3 of a tank left when the needle first hit the E and I also suspect that it was a misguided attempt to keep people from running out of gas, because the assumption was that people would refill on hitting "empty," but that they'd have a significant reserve in case there wasn't a gas station nearby. The problem was that once you figured out that E did not equal empty, you'd do exactly what Kramer did, especially if you were a dirtbag college student. IIRC, I once drove from BTV to Mad River Glen and back on "empty." I also ran out of gas twice. Sadly Keith Hernandez wasn't with me on either occasion.

E, doesn't that stand for Enough?