[pct-l] Was: Excessive, now dying on the trail.

[Jeffrey Olson]

On a section hike a friend and I started just east of Stevens Pass and 
as we crested the ridge that would bring us to the PCT proper, we walked 
upon a group of oldsters on a dayhike.  They were out on a dayhike, two 
men and six women.  Two women were giving CPR to a man, and had been for 
two hours.  He was obviously dead.  We'd talked to a man at the 
trailhead who said one of his party had collapsed, and he'd "run" down 
the trail to get his cell phone to call the SAR people. 

As we stood there listening to what happened a helicopter landed in a 
meadow a 100 yards away or so.  The SAR people ran over with their 
paramedic gear and when they found out the guy hadn't responded to CPR 
for two hours they visibly relaxed, almost in disgust.  Primed to save a 
life they now had to transport a body. 

One woman's comment has stayed with me.  With red-rimmed eyes and a 
pensive look she said, "You know, it's not a bad way to go.  My husband 
took a year to die, and that was awful."  Watching my parents age, and 
approach the end of their lives, I concur with her sentiments.  I can't 
imagine a better way to go than dropping dead while hiking...

Jeff, just Jeff...