[pct-l] Fatalities on the PCT?

[Edward Anderson]

Hi Steady Sr,
 
You have made a very good point. Being on a schedule can be risky. It you are determined to get somewhere to meet a resupply person or for any other reason (like being determined to make those extra miles), you put yourself under pressure and might try things that you should not. That can be life-threatening and end in tragedy - as was the incident that you describe. It is wise to stop and think if you come upon a situation that you perceive as being risky. Take the time to consider the options and the possible consequences of each. Since I was riding a horse on the PCT, I often had to do just that. Stop, and think it over. Often, I would tie my horse and hike ahead to check it out. Find a safe way past or around an obstacle.  Turn back and detour if necessary. Ifa downed tree blocked the trail, I sometimes had to cut it. I cut about 50 of these during my journey to Canada. I rode alone, resupplied myself by driving my rig ahead and
 caching, hitching back to my horse, and I mostly lived on the trail.When I rode to where I had parked the well stocked rig, I could also resupply from there and take a 0 day while I packed my caches for the trail ahead. I would then leave my horse in safe care (pre-arranged) and move the rig north, caching as I went.  I took my 0 days on the trail and brought along a solar shower. I could be independent and self-reliant, didn't need support resupply people. I was never on a schedule. Whenever possible, I camped well off the trail - out of sight of it. When leaving, I tried to leave no trace.
 
MendoRider-Hiker
 

________________________________
 From: "rbelshee at hotmail.com" <rbelshee at hotmail.com>
To: CHUCK CHELIN <steeleye at wildblue.net>; sabi <noself at gmx.at> 
Cc: pct-l at backcountry.net 
Sent: Monday, April 16, 2012 2:58 PM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Fatalities on the PCT?
  
If strictly counting statistics for thru hikers, the Sandy River incident does not count.  

If instead you are looking for learning lessons it does count.  The incident was during the middle of the herd in that area (it was the day after I went through) and it was an experienced hiker (she was hiking the full loop around Mt Hood).  She had the schedule pressure of wanting to finish so she could go to work the next day even though she arrived late in the afternoon - so that is the lesson: don't let schedule concerns drive you through dangerous streams in the afternoon when you should wait until morning or find a safer place.

Steady Sr


----- Reply message -----
From: "CHUCK CHELIN" <steeleye at wildblue.net>
Date: Mon, Apr 16, 2012 2:19 am
Subject: [pct-l] Fatalities on the PCT?
To: "sabi" <noself at gmx.at>
Cc: <pct-l at backcountry.net>


Good morning, Sabi,

In addition to the unfortunate incidents Brick mentioned, a hiker drowned
at the PCT ford of the Sandy River on Mt. Hood.  During the normal NoBo
season a PCT hiker is at some risk of getting the soles of his/her sneakers
damp at that crossing.

http://www.traditionalmountaineering.org/News_Hood_HikerDrowned.htm

Steel-Eye

-Hiking the Pct since before it was the PCT – 1965

http://www.trailjournals.com/steel-eye

http://www.trailjournals.com/SteelEye09/


On Sat, Apr 14, 2012 at 12:56 AM, sabi <noself at gmx.at> wrote:

>
> I am not scared and I don't want to worry people but I couldn't find any
> statistics about fatal accidents on the PCT, only some anecdotal remarks
> like the citation below? And for what reasons get hikers killed on the
> trail
> - hypothermia, drowning, falling, infarct ...?
> I suppose to see the numbers should actually put the risk in the right
> dimension compared to what can happen to one when getting into a car.
>
> sabi
>
>
_______________________________________________
Pct-L mailing list
Pct-L at backcountry.net
To unsubcribe, or change options visit:
http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l

List Archives:
http://mailman.backcountry.net/pipermail/pct-l/
All content is copyrighted by the respective authors.
Reproduction is prohibited without express permission.

_______________________________________________
Pct-L mailing list
Pct-L at backcountry.net
To unsubcribe, or change options visit:
http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l

List Archives:
http://mailman.backcountry.net/pipermail/pct-l/
All content is copyrighted by the respective authors. 
Reproduction is prohibited without express permission.