[pct-l] PCT Thru hiker rescued....

[Stephen Clark]

One just has to wonder why a "thru hiker," or for that matter, any hiker including section hikers.... would place themselves in a position of pearl... 

Common sense dictates that one do what ever one can to complete the trail without unduly placing oneself in harms way.  

Some of the posts I see here baffle me to the point of "What are you thinking...?" 

Maybe we (us seasond hikers) need to provide a course in basic "common sense" for prospective PCTers.

OregonBound





> From: wb104475 at sbcglobal.net
> To: pct-l at backcountry.net
> Date: Sat, 25 Jul 2009 00:09:06 -0700
> Subject: [pct-l]  PCT Thru hiker rescued....
> 
> Wow, hope this guy hits the knees and gives thanks for getting cell reception
> 
> in Yosemite Valley while perched on a ledge 800 feet above the deck on a blustery 
> 
> day, being unable to ascend or descend from his position.  And this after TWO 
> 
> preceding falls.  Glad he's safe and (hopefully) sound! 
> 
> 
> 
>  
> 
> [pct-l] PCT Thru hiker rescued....
> jmy09 at aol.com jmy09 at aol.com 
> Fri Jul 24 23:48:18 CDT 2009 
> 
>   a.. Previous message: [pct-l] Fw: The Associated Press: Border Patrol agent shot to death in California 
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> 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> http://www.nationalparkstraveler.com/2009/07/know-when-say-when-stranded-visitor-rescued-tiny-ledge-yosemite-national-park
> 
>  
> 
> Rangers at Yosemite National Park have seen plenty of visitors in perilous situations, 
> 
> but apparently even they were shocked when they saw the dire situation of a man
> 
> stranded on a tiny ledge.According to a park report, Park dispatch received a cell phone 
> 
> call from climber Daniel Susman around 10 a.m. on Wednesday, July 15th, in 
> 
> which Susman reported that he'd become ledged-out while scrambling on a 
> 
> dome near Merced Lake and that he'd need assistance getting off the ledge. 
> 
> He said that he wasn't in any immediate danger, but that he was unable to 
> 
> ascend or descend from his location. 
> 
> 
> 
> Such situations aren't especially uncommon, but this visitor was apparently a master 
> at understatement. Upon flying past, rescue personnel were shocked to discover that 
> Susman had downplayed his predicament. They found that he was standing on 
> minuscule ledge, clinging to the rock on a nearly vertical wall approximately 800 
> feet above the valley floor. Susman's position was deemed to be too tenuous to try 
> to retrieve him directly by short haul.
>  
> The concern was that the buffeting winds from the aircraft might dislodge Susman 
> from his stance before he could be made secure. The pilot, Richard Shatto, and the 
> two spotters, Jeff Pirog and Boots Davenport, had a difficult time maintaining a steady 
> hover with the aircraft due to gusting winds. Ranger Keith Lober was short-hauled into
> a location 50 feet above Susman's perch where he power drilled three anchor bolts. 
>  
> Ranger Eric Gabriel was then short-hauled to the anchor station. Lober lowered Gabriel 
> down to Susman, who was then secured in a "screamer suit;" he and Gabriel were then 
> short-hauled off the face. 
>  
> Cell phone coverage in Yosemite backcountry is generally nonexistent. Susman was 
> incredibly lucky, as the location where he became stuck was just high enough for the 
> cell signal to peek over the surrounding rock faces and hit the Sentinel Dome repeater, 
> the only repeater in that area of remote wilderness. 
>  
> Incidentally, Susman had sustained and recovered from two short falls just before 
> deciding to stop and request help. Susman is reportedly on a long-distance hike and was 
> passing through Yosemite when he decided to try the climb. He was free-climbing, with
> no "protection" (i.e. ropes or anchors.) (He was also climbing in his hiking shoes)
>  
> Although it's a lot better to avoid getting into such situations in the first place, once things 
> start to go bad, know when to say when! This one had a successful ending because the 
> visitor followed rule #2-and a lot of things came together at the right place and right time
> for his sake, including a highly-skilled pilot and SAR personnel.
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