[pct-l] physiologic effects of icy cold immersion

[Will Hiltz]

There is also a risk in being too blase about the dangers one faces on the
trail.  There were certainly, even in '07- a low snowpack year- dangerous
stream crossings that I encountered and I say this as someone who has
actually hiked in Alaska and crossed raging rivers like you are describing.
Crossing Milk Creek alone at 1pm ranks up there with the sketchier things
I've done and I've done some sketchy things.  I'm not saying to BE TERRIFIED
but a clear-eyed assessment of potential dangers is not fear-mongering, nor
is it unreasonable to consider such things before going out on your hike.
Just my .02... whats the harm in having this info out there???  Probably
less than if everyone just said "oh, its just a hop-across"!


YITOOD,

Easy

On Tue, Feb 3, 2009 at 11:39 AM, Diane at Santa Barbara Hikes dot com <
diane at santabarbarahikes.com> wrote:

>
> On Feb 3, 2009, at 12:33 AM, pct-l-request at backcountry.net wrote:
> > ...BEYOND YOUR CONTROL.
> > ...YOU WILL INHALE WATER, AND
> > CANNOT STOP THIS FROM HAPPENING.
> > ...YOU WILL NOT STOP
> > TRYING TO PREVENT YOUSELF FROM DROWNING TO UNCLICK YOUR PACK STRAPS.
> > ...This is serious stuff.
>
> Again this list fans the flames of fear. Please be realistic. We are
> crossing Evolution Creek, Bear Creek, Mono Creek and whatever the
> others were in the summer. We are not crossing some raging riving in
> Alaska. We are not forging ahead into the unknown on some wild
> expedition in the dead of winter. We do not have to be prepared for
> every possible thing that can happen anywhere in the world. We are
> all on a planned itinerary with known hazards. We only need discuss
> the hazards we are actually likely to experience on the Pacific Crest
> Trail.
>
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