hardrain
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Tragic News in NH
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WildPeaks
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Re: Solo
I've read most of the comments about the subject. Lots of good points. I myself have been frustrated beyond belief by the dumbest things companions have had for turning around within a few hundred feet of a summit or canceling out 3 days before trail time to go to a cookout or some other stupid reason. So I can appreciate the desire to go alone.
However, I can't agree with it in most situations. When the adverse times come, there usually is no warning! Having someone else with you can save your life!
I went on a below zero overnighter with my partner on one trip and in the first day we both helped each other out on two seperate occasions. When you get cold, I'm sorry, your not thinking as clearly as you think you are. So how do you help yourself if you don't even know there's something wrong??? With me on that trip it was a simple urging to put another top on. (moisture was wicking off my polypro top & instantly freezing on my goretex shell, so every time we stopped for a quick drink I was getting uncontrollable shivers with the glacier laying on my back) It sounds foolish but it's the truth & I was the more experienced one!
I don't know all the facts behind our fellow climber's tragic loss of life, but maybe if someone was with him, they could have helped!Sometimes it's just the end of the years God has given to each one of us!
Maybe you cannot get along with or don't have the patience to deal with someone else on the trail, that's for you to ponder, but I'll always prefer to put up with someone elses imperfect personality traits to know that he or she can help or be helped when the situation arises! (hmmm. let me see.....I might have a few of those traits myself.....?)
My prayers go out to those who feel the loss.
I've read most of the comments about the subject. Lots of good points. I myself have been frustrated beyond belief by the dumbest things companions have had for turning around within a few hundred feet of a summit or canceling out 3 days before trail time to go to a cookout or some other stupid reason. So I can appreciate the desire to go alone.
However, I can't agree with it in most situations. When the adverse times come, there usually is no warning! Having someone else with you can save your life!
I went on a below zero overnighter with my partner on one trip and in the first day we both helped each other out on two seperate occasions. When you get cold, I'm sorry, your not thinking as clearly as you think you are. So how do you help yourself if you don't even know there's something wrong??? With me on that trip it was a simple urging to put another top on. (moisture was wicking off my polypro top & instantly freezing on my goretex shell, so every time we stopped for a quick drink I was getting uncontrollable shivers with the glacier laying on my back) It sounds foolish but it's the truth & I was the more experienced one!
I don't know all the facts behind our fellow climber's tragic loss of life, but maybe if someone was with him, they could have helped!Sometimes it's just the end of the years God has given to each one of us!
Maybe you cannot get along with or don't have the patience to deal with someone else on the trail, that's for you to ponder, but I'll always prefer to put up with someone elses imperfect personality traits to know that he or she can help or be helped when the situation arises! (hmmm. let me see.....I might have a few of those traits myself.....?)
My prayers go out to those who feel the loss.
Thank you all for your appreciation of Ken and your good will towards his friends and family. I can’t say enough about Ken and what he meant to fellow rangers, hikers, trail runners, and the public. He was a tremendously enthusiastic and positive person with an ever-present contagious smile and a can-do attitude that I admired. He would give you the shirt off his back and he once ran up to the summit to get a tourist’s car keys.
He was always asking me questions about what it was like to be on high peaks in the Andes or the Himalayas and he wanted one day to go to one of them- and he would have no doubt made it quite high on those peaks if he could do well at altitude. But I had no idea he was planning this trip, even though we talked often and he asked me a lot of questions about gear for extreme conditions. He was very sociable on the one hand but kept to himself too, so I didn’t have a clue that he was actually quite experienced and also that he was planning this trip.
There are a lot of things I don’t understand about this and I stay up at night each night since last Thursday thinking about it. On the one hand, in theory, the math is simple- temps way below zero, distances in miles to help, and a very fit and driven young man with enough experience to get himself far into the deepest wilderness in New Hampshire but (perhaps?) not fully comprehending the narrow margin of safety that such low temperatures create.
On the other hand, in practice-to freeze in your tracks right on the trail…it’s a picture that’s hard to square with what I knew about Ken, who was physically extremely strong and very very concerned about safety in the mountains and could have pushed through almost anything to go that extra mile to get below the wind.
I got a call a week ago last Thursday from the park saying Ken was overdue and I was busy packing my 24 hour pack when I called F&G and then Ken’s wife and through her sobbing learned of the loss that I just couldn’t accept. I called a friend of mine who does SAR for the AMC and we were asked by Fish and Game to go to Galehead hut to pick up his pack and bring it back to them. We wanted to get to it Friday before the weather warmed on Saturday and people might disturb it.
When we left Jefferson early Friday the temperature was 22 below. So was the dew point- at 100% humidity the Whites were enveloped in an ice fog. As I hiked up I realized it was almost impossible to control moisture in this humidity. I thought of Ken every step in the snow and as we went above treeline the grim reality began to set in- the subzero cold I had hiked in the weekend before with friends in the Kinsmans, without significant problem- with a drying air mass and blue skies- had turned from frigid to deadly. The mile high fog of crystals that cast a pall on the Whites that week meant there was no refuge from moisture and we were immersed in an ocean of icy vapor. I went through three pairs of gloves- all turned into blocks of ice even with handwarmers.
Above treeline the spindrift swirled around Galehead hut and the trail up to S. Twin was foreboding and gray, covered in five foot drifts. We began to freeze as we temporarily stopped briefly to take in the ominous view of the Pemi. I had hoped that by volunteering to get Ken’s pack I could learn something that might help me understand what happened- but my mind wasn’t working at all at that low temperature- all I could think about was the wind and drifts that raged above Galehead and how hard it must have been for Ken and how to get out of there asap. I put on Ken’s pack and realized at once how uncomfortable it was, without modern load-lifters, etc., even though it was 20 pounds lighter – at about 50 pounds- than I was expecting it to be from reports we had before we left. We made some quick adjustments and literally flew down Gale River trail, going as fast we could to keep generating heat. We stopped once for a minute to drink and eat- it took ten minutes for my hands to recover from the cold after that. We didn’t stop moving until we were in the warmth of our cars. We turned Ken’s pack over to Troop F and talked for hours about what could have happened.
I think Ken’s friend Bob probably has done the best analysis but I will be in touch with Fish and Game this week to try to piece things together more and may return to this site afterwards if there is information I can share. His bag was rated to -30…but I saw the bag and it seemed like a -10 bag or so. He must have been very cold in the tent that night and I agree with Bob that he may have bolted Wednesday morning before dawn.
If anybody finds any piece of gear in the area Ken was in please let us know. You can call the park at 603-532-8862. Take photographs before moving anything and though technically by law you shouldn’t move it given the number of hikers not reading about this on this forum who might pick something up and keep it, it is probably better to note it’s exact location, photograph it, and bring it back to us or to Fish and Game. Right now we’re looking for two Nalgene water bottles and a small tent.
I’ve heard a lot of criticism about Ken with respect to his family; leaving them that is. He was doing something we all do- push the envelop a bit to get a different view of the from on high. Hiking alone has it’s risks but we’ve probably had as many rescues and searches for people who were in groups –certain college student groups come to mind- as we have had for individuals. Hiking with friends who will look after each other certainly helps and we always always recommend that, but I’ve also seen groups that weren’t working well.
One criticism I noted on the AMC site is the risk he posed to SAR. While it is technically true that we all place the rescuers in jeopardy when we need a rescue those of us who do SAR do so quite willingly. especially for someone like Ken who has participated in a number of rescues, and try to obey SAR rule #1- safety of rescuers is more important than the victim- to prevent injuries to ourselves. We do it because we enjoy the outdoors and like helping people, so the risk to SAR personnel from F&G the National Guard helicopter, AMC, etc. is in my opinion a risk that most of us gladly accept.
Ken was a purist when it came to the outdoors, and I have a lot of respect for people like that even though my wilderness ethic isn’t as pure. Ken may have left his children prematurely but he was a good dad who gave his kids an appreciation of the outdoor life that will last their lifetimes and spent time with them in ways that many parents don’t or can’t today. Their loss is huge but their brief time with him was well spent.
I think about this a lot and turn it over in my mind again and again, and so do other rangers, and those trail runners and hikers who knew him, as well as some of you who didn’t know him personally but can relate to his ethic or situation.
In the Fall we had a young man succumbing to hypothermia on the summit of Monadnock. The temps were in the 30s or 40s. The old treatment of getting somebody fluids and getting them to move around to generate heat using their large leg muscles didn’t work. His legs were cramped due to electrolyte depletion and he was as stiff as a board freezing to death. We got on the radio and began making arrangements for DHART helicopter to come and take him off while hikers warmed up IV bags and we fed, hydrated him, and began a litter carry down- either towards the LZ for DHART or down to a waiting ambulance. Later after he was safely off the mountain I talked at length with Ken and he couldn’t believe, I mean he was totally blown away by the fact that the guy was a marathoner- like he was- he just couldn’t accept it. I looked at Ken at that moment- fitter than almost any trail runner I knew- and thought to myself for a second ‘my God Ken you are in denial and with no body fat and such a strong drive it could happen to you in minutes’ but didn’t say anything, one of several things I feel bad about now.
Any contributions to the family fund mentioned on this forum would be greatly appreciated. Rangers don’t earn a lot of money so his kids could use every bit of help we in the climbing community can offer them.
Thanks for your help,
Dave Targan
Mountain Patrol Ranger
Monadnock State Park
Jaffrey, NH, 03452
I am a state employee but the comments I have made here are wholly my own and do not in any way represent those of the state of New Hampshire, the Division of Parks, or the Department of Fish and Game.
He was always asking me questions about what it was like to be on high peaks in the Andes or the Himalayas and he wanted one day to go to one of them- and he would have no doubt made it quite high on those peaks if he could do well at altitude. But I had no idea he was planning this trip, even though we talked often and he asked me a lot of questions about gear for extreme conditions. He was very sociable on the one hand but kept to himself too, so I didn’t have a clue that he was actually quite experienced and also that he was planning this trip.
There are a lot of things I don’t understand about this and I stay up at night each night since last Thursday thinking about it. On the one hand, in theory, the math is simple- temps way below zero, distances in miles to help, and a very fit and driven young man with enough experience to get himself far into the deepest wilderness in New Hampshire but (perhaps?) not fully comprehending the narrow margin of safety that such low temperatures create.
On the other hand, in practice-to freeze in your tracks right on the trail…it’s a picture that’s hard to square with what I knew about Ken, who was physically extremely strong and very very concerned about safety in the mountains and could have pushed through almost anything to go that extra mile to get below the wind.
I got a call a week ago last Thursday from the park saying Ken was overdue and I was busy packing my 24 hour pack when I called F&G and then Ken’s wife and through her sobbing learned of the loss that I just couldn’t accept. I called a friend of mine who does SAR for the AMC and we were asked by Fish and Game to go to Galehead hut to pick up his pack and bring it back to them. We wanted to get to it Friday before the weather warmed on Saturday and people might disturb it.
When we left Jefferson early Friday the temperature was 22 below. So was the dew point- at 100% humidity the Whites were enveloped in an ice fog. As I hiked up I realized it was almost impossible to control moisture in this humidity. I thought of Ken every step in the snow and as we went above treeline the grim reality began to set in- the subzero cold I had hiked in the weekend before with friends in the Kinsmans, without significant problem- with a drying air mass and blue skies- had turned from frigid to deadly. The mile high fog of crystals that cast a pall on the Whites that week meant there was no refuge from moisture and we were immersed in an ocean of icy vapor. I went through three pairs of gloves- all turned into blocks of ice even with handwarmers.
Above treeline the spindrift swirled around Galehead hut and the trail up to S. Twin was foreboding and gray, covered in five foot drifts. We began to freeze as we temporarily stopped briefly to take in the ominous view of the Pemi. I had hoped that by volunteering to get Ken’s pack I could learn something that might help me understand what happened- but my mind wasn’t working at all at that low temperature- all I could think about was the wind and drifts that raged above Galehead and how hard it must have been for Ken and how to get out of there asap. I put on Ken’s pack and realized at once how uncomfortable it was, without modern load-lifters, etc., even though it was 20 pounds lighter – at about 50 pounds- than I was expecting it to be from reports we had before we left. We made some quick adjustments and literally flew down Gale River trail, going as fast we could to keep generating heat. We stopped once for a minute to drink and eat- it took ten minutes for my hands to recover from the cold after that. We didn’t stop moving until we were in the warmth of our cars. We turned Ken’s pack over to Troop F and talked for hours about what could have happened.
I think Ken’s friend Bob probably has done the best analysis but I will be in touch with Fish and Game this week to try to piece things together more and may return to this site afterwards if there is information I can share. His bag was rated to -30…but I saw the bag and it seemed like a -10 bag or so. He must have been very cold in the tent that night and I agree with Bob that he may have bolted Wednesday morning before dawn.
If anybody finds any piece of gear in the area Ken was in please let us know. You can call the park at 603-532-8862. Take photographs before moving anything and though technically by law you shouldn’t move it given the number of hikers not reading about this on this forum who might pick something up and keep it, it is probably better to note it’s exact location, photograph it, and bring it back to us or to Fish and Game. Right now we’re looking for two Nalgene water bottles and a small tent.
I’ve heard a lot of criticism about Ken with respect to his family; leaving them that is. He was doing something we all do- push the envelop a bit to get a different view of the from on high. Hiking alone has it’s risks but we’ve probably had as many rescues and searches for people who were in groups –certain college student groups come to mind- as we have had for individuals. Hiking with friends who will look after each other certainly helps and we always always recommend that, but I’ve also seen groups that weren’t working well.
One criticism I noted on the AMC site is the risk he posed to SAR. While it is technically true that we all place the rescuers in jeopardy when we need a rescue those of us who do SAR do so quite willingly. especially for someone like Ken who has participated in a number of rescues, and try to obey SAR rule #1- safety of rescuers is more important than the victim- to prevent injuries to ourselves. We do it because we enjoy the outdoors and like helping people, so the risk to SAR personnel from F&G the National Guard helicopter, AMC, etc. is in my opinion a risk that most of us gladly accept.
Ken was a purist when it came to the outdoors, and I have a lot of respect for people like that even though my wilderness ethic isn’t as pure. Ken may have left his children prematurely but he was a good dad who gave his kids an appreciation of the outdoor life that will last their lifetimes and spent time with them in ways that many parents don’t or can’t today. Their loss is huge but their brief time with him was well spent.
I think about this a lot and turn it over in my mind again and again, and so do other rangers, and those trail runners and hikers who knew him, as well as some of you who didn’t know him personally but can relate to his ethic or situation.
In the Fall we had a young man succumbing to hypothermia on the summit of Monadnock. The temps were in the 30s or 40s. The old treatment of getting somebody fluids and getting them to move around to generate heat using their large leg muscles didn’t work. His legs were cramped due to electrolyte depletion and he was as stiff as a board freezing to death. We got on the radio and began making arrangements for DHART helicopter to come and take him off while hikers warmed up IV bags and we fed, hydrated him, and began a litter carry down- either towards the LZ for DHART or down to a waiting ambulance. Later after he was safely off the mountain I talked at length with Ken and he couldn’t believe, I mean he was totally blown away by the fact that the guy was a marathoner- like he was- he just couldn’t accept it. I looked at Ken at that moment- fitter than almost any trail runner I knew- and thought to myself for a second ‘my God Ken you are in denial and with no body fat and such a strong drive it could happen to you in minutes’ but didn’t say anything, one of several things I feel bad about now.
Any contributions to the family fund mentioned on this forum would be greatly appreciated. Rangers don’t earn a lot of money so his kids could use every bit of help we in the climbing community can offer them.
Thanks for your help,
Dave Targan
Mountain Patrol Ranger
Monadnock State Park
Jaffrey, NH, 03452
I am a state employee but the comments I have made here are wholly my own and do not in any way represent those of the state of New Hampshire, the Division of Parks, or the Department of Fish and Game.
sli74
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Thank you for your informative post Dave, I am so very sorry for your/our loss, he sounds like an amazing man whose time came too early.
sli74
sli74
NHRANGER said:
Dave,
Thank you for sharing. It really is a sad turn of events that ended so tragically. I’m so sorry about your loss – both personally and professionally. I had a childhood friend who died in an accident when he was twenty-one. I ran the what-ifs through my mind and felt bad about the things I could have said or done to prevent it. It doesn’t help. It’s terrible when these things happen in life. Sometimes people die too young. It’s just as simple as that. We can all learn from this but I hope any feelings of guilt or what-ifs give way to happy memories. I hope you and his family find comfort in each other and Ken’s memory.
hikerfast
Active member
the helicopter followed his tracks right on the trail from what i understand. he said the snow was about 2.5 feet deep when i talked to him. the trail between guyot and south twin is actually pretty level, there is a moderate 400 foot rise, with a final sharp rise of maybe 70 feet before the summit of south twin. with humidity at 100 percent, he could very well have been wet just backpacking
CaptCaper
Active member
I'm sorry for his loss and being a father also I feel for his family deeply. I know his familay was the only thing that was on his mind that last nite.
I'm glad that it is being investigated and the information shared so we can learn something from this to help us all. I'm sure Ken would have wanted up to know what he should have or shouldn't have done also. Correct me please if I'm wrong.
I'm not an advanced hiker by any means and I'm all ears when it comes to learning about situations one encounters.
Maybe down the line his friends can piece together some senarios that might or could have happened to share with us.
I am curious if he had snow shoes. I see so many that don't bother with them. I couldn't imagine what it might be like busting though 3 -5 foot snow drifts sweating,fighting the cold,making poor time.
Jim
I'm glad that it is being investigated and the information shared so we can learn something from this to help us all. I'm sure Ken would have wanted up to know what he should have or shouldn't have done also. Correct me please if I'm wrong.
I'm not an advanced hiker by any means and I'm all ears when it comes to learning about situations one encounters.
Maybe down the line his friends can piece together some senarios that might or could have happened to share with us.
I am curious if he had snow shoes. I see so many that don't bother with them. I couldn't imagine what it might be like busting though 3 -5 foot snow drifts sweating,fighting the cold,making poor time.
Jim
DeadFred
New member
Dave,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us all.
I can't begin to imagine how this has/will affect you and those who knew Ken, but please take comfort in the good memories of your friend and try not to second guess your own actions.
My heartfelt thoughts to all of you who knew him; may his memory live on through all of you and through the mountains we all love. Perhaps in death, his experience will offer life to others.
Fred
Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us all.
I can't begin to imagine how this has/will affect you and those who knew Ken, but please take comfort in the good memories of your friend and try not to second guess your own actions.
My heartfelt thoughts to all of you who knew him; may his memory live on through all of you and through the mountains we all love. Perhaps in death, his experience will offer life to others.
Fred
Tahinibrother
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Thanks for your observations, Dave. Like you, I have been grappling with understanding and coming to terms with Ken’s death, though I did not have the privilege of knowing him. Having hiked, skied, and camped extensively in the winter (primarily out west), I identify strongly with him and my heart goes out to you, his other friends such as hikerfast, his family, and the others of us who are affected by losing him. I called N.H. Fish & Game soon after the accident seeking additional information because the press accounts seemed so incomplete. This loss touches those of us in the hiking & climbing community. How can we help but identify with him and you, with those who take risks because of their love of the mountains and those who lose loved ones there? I, too, have lost friends in the mountains and have wondered whether I could have done anything to prevent it (in an avalanche on Mt. Ranier).
On the other hand, I, like you, have also been involved in assisting others in the woods: from rescuing people who could not get out without assistance (twice in the mountains surrounding the Pemi) to leading many wilderness trips in the Northeast. Many times anticipation, good judgment, and good fortune prevailed. On occasion we made miscalculations. I have taken risks like Ken did, for instance, soloing a 10,000 foot peak in Montana in the winter and camping on the summit. (I wound up buried beneath a tent fly after my snow wall caused the snow to pile up on top of me, rather than blocking it.) We all make calculations and take risks. Most of us are fortunate enough to survive, learn, and grow from them. (I now make it a practice to carry a shovel on all winter mountain trips so that I can build a snow cave quickly—should the need arise—not to say that this would have spared Ken.)
I have been moved by the compassionate words of so many here— the kindness and support expressed. I feel a strong kinship with those in this thread. We are a part of a community, a family of adventurers, whether or not we always agree with or understand one another’s choices. Thank you all.
On the other hand, I, like you, have also been involved in assisting others in the woods: from rescuing people who could not get out without assistance (twice in the mountains surrounding the Pemi) to leading many wilderness trips in the Northeast. Many times anticipation, good judgment, and good fortune prevailed. On occasion we made miscalculations. I have taken risks like Ken did, for instance, soloing a 10,000 foot peak in Montana in the winter and camping on the summit. (I wound up buried beneath a tent fly after my snow wall caused the snow to pile up on top of me, rather than blocking it.) We all make calculations and take risks. Most of us are fortunate enough to survive, learn, and grow from them. (I now make it a practice to carry a shovel on all winter mountain trips so that I can build a snow cave quickly—should the need arise—not to say that this would have spared Ken.)
I have been moved by the compassionate words of so many here— the kindness and support expressed. I feel a strong kinship with those in this thread. We are a part of a community, a family of adventurers, whether or not we always agree with or understand one another’s choices. Thank you all.
I appreciate the replies above.
Someone asked me if he was in fact wet. I don't know, but I don't think it would have been possible to be dry like you can get on a bluebird day if you wear the right wicking layer, control your pace, and wear something very breathable like softshell materials as an outer shell. Even with that gear the 100% humidity means you are drenched. When that happened to us when we were retrieving Ken's pack our solution was to- run like hell to generate heat. And I think that's what Ken did.
The only way I can think of at the moment to counter the evaporative heat loss is to generate more heat through such running or hard hiking. The other solution is to bivy, but it doesn't appear that Ken had what was needed to bivy, and it's hard to do that once you've committed to flying across the stretch between Bond and South Twin. He did have a shovel but the snowpack was deep enough to make it slow going but not so deep that you could easily build a snow cave, and it was wind-packed. His tent was nowhere to be seen but knowing Ken he wouldn't have been satisfied waiting inside a cold tent to melt and boil enough water to stay warm when he could make a run for it.
He didn't have a huge parka which some of us just put on over our shells at breaks to avoid heat loss. I'm guessing, and this is close to what Bob was saying I think, is that he kept on moving until he lost the battle of heat generation versus heat loss and became hypothermic.
Someone suggested for closure that a return to that area in fairer weather might be a good idea. I do plan to return to that area (in above zero temps) with at least one other ranger and/or his friend Bob. I will share any share-able information at this site because I realize how many of us could have been in his boots. I will need to check about this with his family first, but it is important because I think we can learn from this. Thanks again for your thoughts and wishes.
Dave
Someone asked me if he was in fact wet. I don't know, but I don't think it would have been possible to be dry like you can get on a bluebird day if you wear the right wicking layer, control your pace, and wear something very breathable like softshell materials as an outer shell. Even with that gear the 100% humidity means you are drenched. When that happened to us when we were retrieving Ken's pack our solution was to- run like hell to generate heat. And I think that's what Ken did.
The only way I can think of at the moment to counter the evaporative heat loss is to generate more heat through such running or hard hiking. The other solution is to bivy, but it doesn't appear that Ken had what was needed to bivy, and it's hard to do that once you've committed to flying across the stretch between Bond and South Twin. He did have a shovel but the snowpack was deep enough to make it slow going but not so deep that you could easily build a snow cave, and it was wind-packed. His tent was nowhere to be seen but knowing Ken he wouldn't have been satisfied waiting inside a cold tent to melt and boil enough water to stay warm when he could make a run for it.
He didn't have a huge parka which some of us just put on over our shells at breaks to avoid heat loss. I'm guessing, and this is close to what Bob was saying I think, is that he kept on moving until he lost the battle of heat generation versus heat loss and became hypothermic.
Someone suggested for closure that a return to that area in fairer weather might be a good idea. I do plan to return to that area (in above zero temps) with at least one other ranger and/or his friend Bob. I will share any share-able information at this site because I realize how many of us could have been in his boots. I will need to check about this with his family first, but it is important because I think we can learn from this. Thanks again for your thoughts and wishes.
Dave
revmrf
New member
Thanks, Dave for your post regarding this tragedy. I believe we've all learned some very important lessons in Ken's death. God be with his family and friends.
From an old mountaineer/hiker,
From an old mountaineer/hiker,
bobmak
New member
Thanks to NHRanger and hikerfast for sharing; I know how difficult it is to lose a good friend. This has been a hard thread for me to follow; I’ve been moved to tears several times while reading it. I think the reason is that it is so easy to identify with Ken. He had knowledge, gear, training, he was in shape, thought he was prepared. Each one of us has pushed the envelope at some point in our lives, some more often than others. We have just been lucky enough to have the deck stacked in our favor that day and we returned. I’ve never met Ken, but I will never travel in the Pemi again without thinking about him and without saying a silent prayer for him.
care of Athol Savings Bank
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Holmes Childrens FundNHRANGER said:
care of Athol Savings Bank
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Athol, MA 01331
CaptCaper had a really good question a few posts back about snow shoes. I just talked to my friend at AMC rescue and it turns out the snowshoes were recently found by the Zealand caretaker closer to the trail junction prior to the start of the Twinway, perhaps not far from where he was camped. The caretaker was originally sent out during the search but found no evidence of Ken. This time he found the snow shoes, and it would by his description have been hard to move on that terrain without snow shoes. It's hard to say why he would have taken off snowshoes but he may have already been hypothermic; in any event it would have been a huge effort to get to where he got without them. The wind he encountered there and on the way down South Twin, combined with the fact that he may have had a hard time generating heat going downhill, may have drained him of the little remaining energy he may have had. Thanks again for your thoughts, suggestions, and comments.
Best wishes to all,
Dave Targan
Monadnock State Park
Best wishes to all,
Dave Targan
Monadnock State Park
ChrisB
Well-known member
Ken's Weather
Dear all,
I’ve been unable to shake the thoughts of Ken’s plight as he struggled to deal with the conditions he faced. As a way of trying to understand what he was up against, I looked at the weather conditions for each day he was out. My hope was to piece together a profile of his days and nights as he might have experienced them on this gutsy winter solo of the Bonds
The results are frightening to say the least. I doubt that any of us would have faired better than he, had we been in his place. He was unlucky enough to be in a very exposed situation just as the bottom fell out.
For those that are interested, the balance of this post describes what was going on with the weather during his three days in the mountains.
Day 1 - Monday, January 12th
The day was probably a beautiful one for a hike. Whitefield recorded a high temp of 25 and light winds that afternoon, and even Mt. Wash got up to 9 F at noon with relatively light 40 MPH winds. It had snowed lightly in Whitefield the night before, but as the day progressed the sky began to clear with scattered clouds the rule by afternoon.
That evening, there was light snow and relatively mild temps. Whitefield reported 21 deg at 8 PM and calm winds. On Washington it was a mild +5 deg with 40 MPH winds. The nearly full moon might have lighted up the snow-covered woods as it rose around 10 PM. It would have been a nice night to camp in the Pemi woods.
Day 2 – Tuesday, January 13th
Tuesday started off normally enough: At 6AM is was +10F in Whitefield and winds were calm. High up on Washington conditions were a bit rougher, but not all that bad. The 6 AM temp was about +2 F. But the winds were picking up and gusting close to 60. Freezing fog and light snow was the rule up high, but in the sheltered forests of the Pemi it might have been a pleasant morning to cook breakfast, break camp and head for those prized winter peaks.
The balance of the morning saw relatively stable conditions. At noon it was a balmy 23 F in Whitefield and 8 F on Mt Washington. Not too bad, considering that this is January. But as lunchtime came and went, everything began to change. The bottom was about to fall out for Ken and there was very little he could do about it…except experience it.
The temperature profile for the rest of this day presents a sobering lesson in what can happen as a Winter high-pressure system moves across New England. The barometer in Whitefield bottomed out at noon. It then began a steady rise indicative of clearing and colder -much colder- weather. Winds also began picking up and by 4 PM were gusting to 97mph on Washington. Even protected Whitefield was seeing gusts over 30.
During the afternoon Ken might have made his way up Bond Cliff toward the summit of Bond, where he would eventually camp. As the afternoon progressed he faced increasing winds and falling temps. The wind was likely not his main problem however. It was the free-falling temperatures. According to reports, Ken had camped near the summit of Bond on Tuesday might. That placed him at approximately 5K feet. Conditions he would experience here were probably not that much different than those recorded on Mount Washington: Maybe 5 degrees warmer with a bit less wind. The following hourly observations from Washington tell the tale.
Noon: +9 Deg F
1 PM: +7
2 PM: +1
3 PM: -7
4 PM: -13
5 PM: -16
6 PM: -20
It must have been a cold and rushed super that night. But a good bag and sturdy tent would be up to the challenge, if the thermometer leveled off at -20. But unfortunately it didn’t. In a phone call with a friend that evening, Ken indicated that he wanted out, but seemed to be dealing well with the conditions and staying comfortable. However, things were going to get worse at 5k feet on the Bond ridge.
8 PM: -27
9 PM: -31
11 PM: -36
1200 feet higher on Washington, winds were averaging 80 mph and gusting into the 90s. At midnight Washington records –38. And the temperature keeps falling. For Ken the night from hell had arrived
Day 3 - Wednesday, January 14th
What can you do at –36? Is a sleeping bag, no matter how good, really able to keep enough body heat in to keep you warm? Do your brittle foam pads still provide enough insulation? Does the flapping of the tent tear it to bits or just keep you awake? The night progressed.
1 AM: - 40
3 AM: - 42
6 AM: - 43.6
Ken must have been a very courageous and amazing person. Under those unimaginable conditions he managed to rouse himself, pack up and move. The fortitude and stamina he mustered to do this is the stuff of polar exploration legend. On his ill-fated quest for the pole, Scott stayed in his tent (for days) when conditions became this severe. Ken apparently did not feel that was an option. He needed to get out, probably because he was unable to stay warm hunkered down in his camp.
As he turned into the wind and made his way north and west toward the Guyot and then South Twin, the cold did not relent. At 8 AM it is –42 on Washington and –20 far below the Twinway in Whitefield. At 10 AM Washington records winds gusting to 98 mph. At noon the temp has reached only –36. Oddly enough, visibility on Washington is pretty good at 70 miles. South Twin must have looked so close...
For the balance of the daylight hours on this record-breaking Wednesday, winds continue to pump in from the NW in the 70 mph range. The temperature never gets above –31 F. The National Weather Service posts wind chill warnings for all of New England.
And a good and strong man who loved the outdoors walks his last mile descending toward the relatively safety of the forest and the boarded up Galehead Hut. Half a mile from the hut he finally surrenders to the incredible cold. Cold the rest of us can only imagine and, god willing, will never face.
Note: The above historical WX stats are from here.
Dear all,
I’ve been unable to shake the thoughts of Ken’s plight as he struggled to deal with the conditions he faced. As a way of trying to understand what he was up against, I looked at the weather conditions for each day he was out. My hope was to piece together a profile of his days and nights as he might have experienced them on this gutsy winter solo of the Bonds
The results are frightening to say the least. I doubt that any of us would have faired better than he, had we been in his place. He was unlucky enough to be in a very exposed situation just as the bottom fell out.
For those that are interested, the balance of this post describes what was going on with the weather during his three days in the mountains.
Day 1 - Monday, January 12th
The day was probably a beautiful one for a hike. Whitefield recorded a high temp of 25 and light winds that afternoon, and even Mt. Wash got up to 9 F at noon with relatively light 40 MPH winds. It had snowed lightly in Whitefield the night before, but as the day progressed the sky began to clear with scattered clouds the rule by afternoon.
That evening, there was light snow and relatively mild temps. Whitefield reported 21 deg at 8 PM and calm winds. On Washington it was a mild +5 deg with 40 MPH winds. The nearly full moon might have lighted up the snow-covered woods as it rose around 10 PM. It would have been a nice night to camp in the Pemi woods.
Day 2 – Tuesday, January 13th
Tuesday started off normally enough: At 6AM is was +10F in Whitefield and winds were calm. High up on Washington conditions were a bit rougher, but not all that bad. The 6 AM temp was about +2 F. But the winds were picking up and gusting close to 60. Freezing fog and light snow was the rule up high, but in the sheltered forests of the Pemi it might have been a pleasant morning to cook breakfast, break camp and head for those prized winter peaks.
The balance of the morning saw relatively stable conditions. At noon it was a balmy 23 F in Whitefield and 8 F on Mt Washington. Not too bad, considering that this is January. But as lunchtime came and went, everything began to change. The bottom was about to fall out for Ken and there was very little he could do about it…except experience it.
The temperature profile for the rest of this day presents a sobering lesson in what can happen as a Winter high-pressure system moves across New England. The barometer in Whitefield bottomed out at noon. It then began a steady rise indicative of clearing and colder -much colder- weather. Winds also began picking up and by 4 PM were gusting to 97mph on Washington. Even protected Whitefield was seeing gusts over 30.
During the afternoon Ken might have made his way up Bond Cliff toward the summit of Bond, where he would eventually camp. As the afternoon progressed he faced increasing winds and falling temps. The wind was likely not his main problem however. It was the free-falling temperatures. According to reports, Ken had camped near the summit of Bond on Tuesday might. That placed him at approximately 5K feet. Conditions he would experience here were probably not that much different than those recorded on Mount Washington: Maybe 5 degrees warmer with a bit less wind. The following hourly observations from Washington tell the tale.
Noon: +9 Deg F
1 PM: +7
2 PM: +1
3 PM: -7
4 PM: -13
5 PM: -16
6 PM: -20
It must have been a cold and rushed super that night. But a good bag and sturdy tent would be up to the challenge, if the thermometer leveled off at -20. But unfortunately it didn’t. In a phone call with a friend that evening, Ken indicated that he wanted out, but seemed to be dealing well with the conditions and staying comfortable. However, things were going to get worse at 5k feet on the Bond ridge.
8 PM: -27
9 PM: -31
11 PM: -36
1200 feet higher on Washington, winds were averaging 80 mph and gusting into the 90s. At midnight Washington records –38. And the temperature keeps falling. For Ken the night from hell had arrived
Day 3 - Wednesday, January 14th
What can you do at –36? Is a sleeping bag, no matter how good, really able to keep enough body heat in to keep you warm? Do your brittle foam pads still provide enough insulation? Does the flapping of the tent tear it to bits or just keep you awake? The night progressed.
1 AM: - 40
3 AM: - 42
6 AM: - 43.6
Ken must have been a very courageous and amazing person. Under those unimaginable conditions he managed to rouse himself, pack up and move. The fortitude and stamina he mustered to do this is the stuff of polar exploration legend. On his ill-fated quest for the pole, Scott stayed in his tent (for days) when conditions became this severe. Ken apparently did not feel that was an option. He needed to get out, probably because he was unable to stay warm hunkered down in his camp.
As he turned into the wind and made his way north and west toward the Guyot and then South Twin, the cold did not relent. At 8 AM it is –42 on Washington and –20 far below the Twinway in Whitefield. At 10 AM Washington records winds gusting to 98 mph. At noon the temp has reached only –36. Oddly enough, visibility on Washington is pretty good at 70 miles. South Twin must have looked so close...
For the balance of the daylight hours on this record-breaking Wednesday, winds continue to pump in from the NW in the 70 mph range. The temperature never gets above –31 F. The National Weather Service posts wind chill warnings for all of New England.
And a good and strong man who loved the outdoors walks his last mile descending toward the relatively safety of the forest and the boarded up Galehead Hut. Half a mile from the hut he finally surrenders to the incredible cold. Cold the rest of us can only imagine and, god willing, will never face.
Note: The above historical WX stats are from here.
Peter Miller
New member
"Perfect Storm"
I appreciate the ongoing posts by Dave Targan, Hikerfast, ChrisB, and others. Many of us are still attempting to grasp what felled Ken Holmes that ill fated day.
The elements Ken chose to venture into remind me of the "Perfect Storm" - a very rarely encountered, supremely hazardous set of circumstances.
I wonder how informed Ken was of the weather forecasts, and I wonder what thought processes led him to choose to venture high in the Pemi. I hope the members of the party he was with before he hiked up Bondcliff will post on this thread.
I live in the NH Lakes Region. My recollection is that the arctic blast Ken encountered, the combination of high winds and record low temps, was accurately forecast at least two or three days in advance. I recall knowing that supremely bitter wind-chills were heading this way. The data ChrisB shares was predicted. The one thing that does surprise me is the humidity that Dave Targan describes. I am still trying to comprehend the atmospheric effect that occurs when both the temp and dew point are in the minus 20's. In my naievite, I would have assumed that the wind would have evaporated the moisture out of the air. Wrong. That humidity was the final element in the "perfect storm."
I was out hiking the morning Ken died - a mere 90 minute outing in the Lakes Region, far below and well to the south of where Ken was. My route took me across a large wetland that has a long north-south axis. I'm the kind of person who loves and thrives in polar conditions. But I won't soon forget what that wind felt like that morning crossing that bog. The route also crossed a large, high field. When the wind blows from the NW, there almost always is a gorgeous, perfectly clear view of the Sandwich and Waterville Mts, everything from Chocorua to Moosilauke. That morning, the mountains were bathed in haze. That puzzled me. I knew it couldn't have been snow. Now I know what it was.
Peter Miller
I appreciate the ongoing posts by Dave Targan, Hikerfast, ChrisB, and others. Many of us are still attempting to grasp what felled Ken Holmes that ill fated day.
The elements Ken chose to venture into remind me of the "Perfect Storm" - a very rarely encountered, supremely hazardous set of circumstances.
I wonder how informed Ken was of the weather forecasts, and I wonder what thought processes led him to choose to venture high in the Pemi. I hope the members of the party he was with before he hiked up Bondcliff will post on this thread.
I live in the NH Lakes Region. My recollection is that the arctic blast Ken encountered, the combination of high winds and record low temps, was accurately forecast at least two or three days in advance. I recall knowing that supremely bitter wind-chills were heading this way. The data ChrisB shares was predicted. The one thing that does surprise me is the humidity that Dave Targan describes. I am still trying to comprehend the atmospheric effect that occurs when both the temp and dew point are in the minus 20's. In my naievite, I would have assumed that the wind would have evaporated the moisture out of the air. Wrong. That humidity was the final element in the "perfect storm."
I was out hiking the morning Ken died - a mere 90 minute outing in the Lakes Region, far below and well to the south of where Ken was. My route took me across a large wetland that has a long north-south axis. I'm the kind of person who loves and thrives in polar conditions. But I won't soon forget what that wind felt like that morning crossing that bog. The route also crossed a large, high field. When the wind blows from the NW, there almost always is a gorgeous, perfectly clear view of the Sandwich and Waterville Mts, everything from Chocorua to Moosilauke. That morning, the mountains were bathed in haze. That puzzled me. I knew it couldn't have been snow. Now I know what it was.
Peter Miller
I am piecing together from all the above accounts a story of choices:
Choosing to continue on solo to one of the most remote areas of the Whites with record cold forecasted.
Choosing to overnight solo in an area that he wasn’t real familiar with. Hikerfast said, “He discussed the way out with me. I told him there was a hut down zealand, he hadn't been off guyot in that direction and wasn't sure how easy it was to follow that into the woods.”
Choosing to continue across Bondcliff trail in spite of wind pinning him down. Hikerfast said: “Another thing Kenny told me was he was pinned down on bondcliff by the wind, and had to wait for a break in the wind to run across it and continue up to Mt. Bond summit.” “The problem with where he was is the only way out was over an exposed ridge.”
Choosing perhaps to lighten his pack and leave the tent behind. NHRanger said, “His tent was nowhere to be seen.” “He didn't have a huge parka which some of us just put on over our shells at breaks to avoid heat loss.”
Choosing again maybe to lighten the weight so as to move faster he left the snowshoes behind. Hikerfast said, “he said the snow was about 2.5 feet deep when i talked to him.” NHRanger said, “I just talked to my friend at AMC rescue and it turns out the snowshoes were recently found by the Zealand caretaker closer to the trail junction prior to the start of the Twinway, perhaps not far from where he was camped. The caretaker was originally sent out during the search but found no evidence of Ken. This time he found the snow shoes, and it would by his description have been hard to move on that terrain without snow shoes. It's hard to say why he would have taken off snowshoes but he may have already been hypothermic;”
This isn’t meant to be critical of someone’s life but to emphasize how critical some of our choices may be. May we all take away the importance of making safe choices even in little things.
My heart is saddened for all involved.
Choosing to continue on solo to one of the most remote areas of the Whites with record cold forecasted.
Choosing to overnight solo in an area that he wasn’t real familiar with. Hikerfast said, “He discussed the way out with me. I told him there was a hut down zealand, he hadn't been off guyot in that direction and wasn't sure how easy it was to follow that into the woods.”
Choosing to continue across Bondcliff trail in spite of wind pinning him down. Hikerfast said: “Another thing Kenny told me was he was pinned down on bondcliff by the wind, and had to wait for a break in the wind to run across it and continue up to Mt. Bond summit.” “The problem with where he was is the only way out was over an exposed ridge.”
Choosing perhaps to lighten his pack and leave the tent behind. NHRanger said, “His tent was nowhere to be seen.” “He didn't have a huge parka which some of us just put on over our shells at breaks to avoid heat loss.”
Choosing again maybe to lighten the weight so as to move faster he left the snowshoes behind. Hikerfast said, “he said the snow was about 2.5 feet deep when i talked to him.” NHRanger said, “I just talked to my friend at AMC rescue and it turns out the snowshoes were recently found by the Zealand caretaker closer to the trail junction prior to the start of the Twinway, perhaps not far from where he was camped. The caretaker was originally sent out during the search but found no evidence of Ken. This time he found the snow shoes, and it would by his description have been hard to move on that terrain without snow shoes. It's hard to say why he would have taken off snowshoes but he may have already been hypothermic;”
This isn’t meant to be critical of someone’s life but to emphasize how critical some of our choices may be. May we all take away the importance of making safe choices even in little things.
My heart is saddened for all involved.
DeadFred
New member
Re: the snow shoes...
Is it possible that Ken intentionally removed them because travel in the fresh powder with snowshoes was too taxing and consumed too much energy?
I have experienced this problem a few times. When the powder is too deep you get so little floatation that it's exceedingly hard to move the shoes through the powder and snow (esp on unbroken trail), then they catch on branches and roots under the snowpack. Then you say: screw this, I'm gonna try barebooting through this section and push on through the snow before I put the snowshoes back on. Was the snow deep enough that day in this section on trail that Ken reached the conclusion (esp if he wasn't thinking clearly by that time) that barebooting would get him further and quicker than snowshoes?
Question: What brand/type of snowshoes was Ken using?
Is it possible that Ken intentionally removed them because travel in the fresh powder with snowshoes was too taxing and consumed too much energy?
I have experienced this problem a few times. When the powder is too deep you get so little floatation that it's exceedingly hard to move the shoes through the powder and snow (esp on unbroken trail), then they catch on branches and roots under the snowpack. Then you say: screw this, I'm gonna try barebooting through this section and push on through the snow before I put the snowshoes back on. Was the snow deep enough that day in this section on trail that Ken reached the conclusion (esp if he wasn't thinking clearly by that time) that barebooting would get him further and quicker than snowshoes?
Question: What brand/type of snowshoes was Ken using?
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Snowshoes and Tent...
Chris, great post and excellent conditions time line. I think there can be a lot of educated "fill in the blanks" that we can derive from your post.
And I agree with Peter Miller's assessment of the rare occurrence of the conditions. It would be interesting to note if the Wilderness Ranger station was open before he headed out on his trip, if he spoke with anyone there or what the Ranger Station may have posted for a weather forecast.
And Carole, I really liked your post, agree with it in theory but, and I'm not being critical when I say this, I honestly don't know what kind of choice Kenny may have had with either his tent or snowshoes. I do however believe the cascade of events. All did not help.
It's my belief that Kenny, at that time of the phone call, was 100% sure he could have extricated himself out of his situation, I doubt that he would have agreed to a rescue at that point even if it was suggested. Someone going over options for routes is someone who is planning a successful hike out. If he wanted a rescue he could have easily placed a call, he did not. Also, I ask all of you out there to be honest with yourself; if placed in the same situation how many folks would ask for a rescue? I venture a guess that NONE of us would.
There are many possibilities of what happened with the tent. It may have been left out of necessity. For instance, I'd say with an educated certainly that he was very cold waiting out the night for as long as he could. Not wanting to lose any more body heat he may have simply left it. As we all know it's very difficult to pack up a tent in severe winds and then to deal with tent poles and packing, standing around, can waste precious body heat. He may have tried to pack it up but it might have blown away. It appears that it was dark when he left. If it blew away it might have been very difficult to locate and retrieve it. It may have been damaged in high winds...there are several possibilities that come to mind with a tent in those conditions. We just don't know. I'd like to think under ideal circumstances that I would leave with all my gear but put in the same situation I'm not 100% certain what I would be capable of thinking or doing.
BTW, it might be a good idea to post a description of the tent so that if someone does find it they will realize it's importance and know to contact F&G.
And the snowshoe choice may not have been a choice at all. He might not have been thinking at 100% power and could have been hypothermic at that point. He might have tried to put them on but with the extreme cold simply did not have the dexterity to deal with straps and did not want to waste any more body heat attempting to secure them to his pack. We really don't know. I'd imagine that even the trip from the scrub just before heading up to Guyot in the open ridge area was an epic trip and took a lot out of him.
I'm sure that dehydration may have played a part in all this. Between the extreme temps in trying to melt snow on a stove for water and the difficulty in even stopping to drink must have been very difficult.
We will probably never have all the answers. These were HIGHLY unusual weather conditions. I truly feel he would have been ok IF just a couple of weather conditions had been in his favor, unfortunately, all were against him.
Chris, great post and excellent conditions time line. I think there can be a lot of educated "fill in the blanks" that we can derive from your post.
And I agree with Peter Miller's assessment of the rare occurrence of the conditions. It would be interesting to note if the Wilderness Ranger station was open before he headed out on his trip, if he spoke with anyone there or what the Ranger Station may have posted for a weather forecast.
And Carole, I really liked your post, agree with it in theory but, and I'm not being critical when I say this, I honestly don't know what kind of choice Kenny may have had with either his tent or snowshoes. I do however believe the cascade of events. All did not help.
It's my belief that Kenny, at that time of the phone call, was 100% sure he could have extricated himself out of his situation, I doubt that he would have agreed to a rescue at that point even if it was suggested. Someone going over options for routes is someone who is planning a successful hike out. If he wanted a rescue he could have easily placed a call, he did not. Also, I ask all of you out there to be honest with yourself; if placed in the same situation how many folks would ask for a rescue? I venture a guess that NONE of us would.
There are many possibilities of what happened with the tent. It may have been left out of necessity. For instance, I'd say with an educated certainly that he was very cold waiting out the night for as long as he could. Not wanting to lose any more body heat he may have simply left it. As we all know it's very difficult to pack up a tent in severe winds and then to deal with tent poles and packing, standing around, can waste precious body heat. He may have tried to pack it up but it might have blown away. It appears that it was dark when he left. If it blew away it might have been very difficult to locate and retrieve it. It may have been damaged in high winds...there are several possibilities that come to mind with a tent in those conditions. We just don't know. I'd like to think under ideal circumstances that I would leave with all my gear but put in the same situation I'm not 100% certain what I would be capable of thinking or doing.
BTW, it might be a good idea to post a description of the tent so that if someone does find it they will realize it's importance and know to contact F&G.
And the snowshoe choice may not have been a choice at all. He might not have been thinking at 100% power and could have been hypothermic at that point. He might have tried to put them on but with the extreme cold simply did not have the dexterity to deal with straps and did not want to waste any more body heat attempting to secure them to his pack. We really don't know. I'd imagine that even the trip from the scrub just before heading up to Guyot in the open ridge area was an epic trip and took a lot out of him.
I'm sure that dehydration may have played a part in all this. Between the extreme temps in trying to melt snow on a stove for water and the difficulty in even stopping to drink must have been very difficult.
We will probably never have all the answers. These were HIGHLY unusual weather conditions. I truly feel he would have been ok IF just a couple of weather conditions had been in his favor, unfortunately, all were against him.
sli74
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Wow, Ann, you took my thoughts right out of my head and posted them.
I had trouble in -15 to -20 temps trying to get my snowshoes on my feet, I can only imagine what trouble Ken would've had, That patch of scrub near Guyot is relatively short (distance and height). If the snowshoes were found lying around he must've had them off his pack in any case and left them behind because he couldn't put them on in the cold and wind. If he already had them on his feet, I don't know if he would've taken the time and effort to take them off. He didn't put on the extra clothes he had so I would assume if the winds and cold were too much to put those on any absolutely unneeded activity would've been reconsidered.
One of the posts mentioned that he had packed his backpack meticulously so the missing tent had to either be a well thought out decision or something out of his control. With winds that strong, the tent may have well been in no condition to be packed up and taken.
In any case, my heart just breaks for his children . . . this incident has been occupying my thoughts in a similar way as the story about the little boy near Loon Mountain last year.
sli74
I had trouble in -15 to -20 temps trying to get my snowshoes on my feet, I can only imagine what trouble Ken would've had, That patch of scrub near Guyot is relatively short (distance and height). If the snowshoes were found lying around he must've had them off his pack in any case and left them behind because he couldn't put them on in the cold and wind. If he already had them on his feet, I don't know if he would've taken the time and effort to take them off. He didn't put on the extra clothes he had so I would assume if the winds and cold were too much to put those on any absolutely unneeded activity would've been reconsidered.
One of the posts mentioned that he had packed his backpack meticulously so the missing tent had to either be a well thought out decision or something out of his control. With winds that strong, the tent may have well been in no condition to be packed up and taken.
In any case, my heart just breaks for his children . . . this incident has been occupying my thoughts in a similar way as the story about the little boy near Loon Mountain last year.
sli74
Peter you're right the haze was that cloud of tiny ice particles- 100% humidity, at least several thousand feet high. Last night as I was thinking about this I also thought of the perfect storm.
Ken did indeed know the weather forecast, but perhaps didn't fully grasp the meaning of it. There was some misinformation out there in early articles about this that he had started in a group. There was no group. He had a friend (not Bob) ski with him while he hiked that long flat approach from the parking lot. His friend warned him clearly about the weather, and even had showed him a printout of the forecast. His friend expressed his concern but Ken was apparently undaunted. Eventually they parted ways and when his friend looked at Ken's tracks he saw them heading up towards the Bonds.
I am not sure what Ken was thinking, but no doubt he had no idea what about the overpowering forces that would soon converge on him. I know sometimes I don't fully register the information in text forms of the various "five-day" forecasts unless I see the words "major snowstorm" or there are visuals depicting the sudden plummet that was predicted. A number of us do hike when there is a wind chill advisory- I tend to think of those NWS warnings as something for kids and the elderly and that with the best gear I can not worry about those warnings as much.
Ken had a very positive attitude and was very confident. He was also warned by the other mountain patrol ranger at the park that the trip was not a good idea. If Ken was like me when I was in my 30's I would have thought- 'well I'm younger and stronger than this older guy' and so downplay his advice. If he did have any concerns about the temps he may have thought in the back of his mind that he would have the strength (and he had incredible strength and endurance) to cover what ever distance it takes to bail. In any case I don't think he really grasped that there is a huge difference between minus 5 and minus 35. I myself had not until I got up there that Friday ever given much thought to what it would be like to hike in an ice fog- normally precipitation is associated with higher temps.
Thanks everybody for your thoughts and ideas.
Dave Targan
Monadnock State Park
Ken did indeed know the weather forecast, but perhaps didn't fully grasp the meaning of it. There was some misinformation out there in early articles about this that he had started in a group. There was no group. He had a friend (not Bob) ski with him while he hiked that long flat approach from the parking lot. His friend warned him clearly about the weather, and even had showed him a printout of the forecast. His friend expressed his concern but Ken was apparently undaunted. Eventually they parted ways and when his friend looked at Ken's tracks he saw them heading up towards the Bonds.
I am not sure what Ken was thinking, but no doubt he had no idea what about the overpowering forces that would soon converge on him. I know sometimes I don't fully register the information in text forms of the various "five-day" forecasts unless I see the words "major snowstorm" or there are visuals depicting the sudden plummet that was predicted. A number of us do hike when there is a wind chill advisory- I tend to think of those NWS warnings as something for kids and the elderly and that with the best gear I can not worry about those warnings as much.
Ken had a very positive attitude and was very confident. He was also warned by the other mountain patrol ranger at the park that the trip was not a good idea. If Ken was like me when I was in my 30's I would have thought- 'well I'm younger and stronger than this older guy' and so downplay his advice. If he did have any concerns about the temps he may have thought in the back of his mind that he would have the strength (and he had incredible strength and endurance) to cover what ever distance it takes to bail. In any case I don't think he really grasped that there is a huge difference between minus 5 and minus 35. I myself had not until I got up there that Friday ever given much thought to what it would be like to hike in an ice fog- normally precipitation is associated with higher temps.
Thanks everybody for your thoughts and ideas.
Dave Targan
Monadnock State Park
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