[pct-l] Hiker Safety

[Bob]

> The scariest thing I heard about was someone fell into Woods Creek and got
stuck in the water for an hour.

Now you've done it.  Memory-time.  In 1986, I got to Woods Creek in the days
before there was any bridge there.  There was a red backpack wedged in some
rocks out in the middle of the really strong, forceful creek. From my log:

"They told us that a hiker (PCTer) yesterday, in trying to ford Woods Creek
up ahead, lost his pack and that it was downstream in mid-stream, hung up on
a log!  It seems he backtracked 4 miles and spent the night with a ranger.
Woods Creek, when we got there, was frightening!  There was the red pack,
stuck in the middle of the stream. Downstream, Jim bridged the worst spot by
throwing three logs across. Then, we waded the other two sections of Woods
Creek in our running shoes.  There was really tough, strong current in the
last one.  I don't think I could have waded the main stream. Starting on, we
ran into one of the park backcountry rangers.  She was quite concerned,
because a family of five was coming up the trail and she had never seen the
stream this high!"

I happened to run into the same ranger in 1988 and the postscript to that
story is that the PCT hiker came back a week later in 1986 with a friend,
and with the help of this ranger and some ropes, got to his pack in the
middle of the torrent, only to find a bear had gotten there first and ripped
out the food.

Dr Bob


-----Original Message-----
From: pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net]
On Behalf Of Diane at Santa Barbara Hikes dot com
Sent: Wednesday, November 26, 2008 6:30 PM
To: pct-l at backcountry.net
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Hiker Safety

Ssomeone I know took a wrong turn on the way up to Tehachapi and  
ended up back down in the Mohave desert. Fortunately someone drove by  
and gave him a ride. Can you imagine, though? There is no water in  
the Mohave.

If you ever find yourself at a confusing spot on the trail, sit there  
for a while and read the guide book, look around, look for footprints  
or other markers and just rest a while until you are certain which  
way to go. Never blindly blunder forward.

The scariest thing I heard about was someone fell into Woods creek  
and got stuck in the water for an hour.

I had one bad thing happen to me, but I won't mention it because I  
really don't want to hear your criticisms. But thanks, Jarrow, if  
you're out there, for being there.
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