[pct-l] When to Ask For Help

Tue Oct 16 16:05:21 CDT 2012

I think I should have replied to the list and not just Chuck.  To all of you, I do really appreciate the thoughtful replies.

With a couple of additions, here's pretty much what I replied to Chuck:

Jon is retired Army Special Forces ( Green Beret 20 years), so I know he's got the skills.  He's got the experience:  he's backpacked about 16,000 miles since I've known him.  If it matters, he'll be 66 and turn 67 on this hike. He's in good physical condition with no health problems.  He hikes solo.

What does concern me?

1. Hypothermia.  Jon is particularly prone to hypothermia.  On his '97 PCT, he bailed out of snow, sleet, rain mix  in Washington and went down the western side of the slope.  Ended up with a three-day walk in an Indian reservation, from which he eventually got back to town.  IMHO, the fact that he bailed on the western slope may be an indication that he was hypothermic enough to not be thinking well as that side tends to be the least populated in Washington.  

2.  On that same PCT hike, he fell in a particularly bad stream crossing and gashed his leg in such a way that it took months to really heal.  He admitted to being scared on this incident--almost scared enough to jettison his pack in the stream.  (But, of course, he kept the pack and  finished the hike.)

3.  In 1997, he also had to self arrest with his ice axe. I learned about this from someone else's online journal.  He never mentioned it.   At that time, there were other hikers near by.  My concern here is if there hadn't been anyone nearby and he ended up in a broken heap at the bottom of the slide.  

Guess that's about it for my concerns.   I have enough experience hiking and backpacking to be relatively unconcerned about a lot of things. Which still leave me wondering how many days should go by before I call for a rescue?????? 

When I stop and think about it, if his schedule allowed for 5 days between towns and he were injured on Day 1, it could be 5 +3 days before I got worried.   I could drive myself crazy with this, but usually don't. 

And, yes, I will discuss the topic with Jon.

Thanks to all!

Joan

-----Original Message-----
From: Ned Tibbits <ned at mountaineducation.org>
To: CHUCK CHELIN <steeleye at wildblue.net>; PCT listserve <pct-l at backcountry.net>
Sent: Tue, Oct 16, 2012 3:20 pm
Subject: Re: [pct-l] When to Ask For Help

Truly, Chuck is one of our more experienced (and wisened for it) mountainmen 
ut there. His perspective is laudable, tested, and worthy of consideration. 
e is "out there" each year and not just talking his opinion about past 
rips and situations. We should listen when Steel-Eye speaks.
"During the hiking season" is worth just a little clarification. These days, 
here are so many hikers on the main "highways" in the mountains that you 
on't have to wait long for help or assistance. I would say that this season 
s between Memorial Day and Labor Day and applies to popular routes and 
ertainly not off trail and otherwise lesser-known trails.
If you want to hike all 4-seasons (or at least the "bumper seasons" of Fall 
nd Spring), be aware that there will be far fewer folks out there upon whom 
o rely for help while there will be more circumstances that may cause you 
rouble. Therefore, the "hiking season" is safer and help not as far away 
now, what that help can do for you which may or may not get you to 
efinitive care quickly is another story). However, bad weather can blow in 
uickly and fiercely in the Sierra during any month and accidents can happen 
o even the experienced.
With proper preparation for the realities of the trail (what realistically 
appens out there) and more than a little conscious attention to the 
ver-changing trail environment as you wander through it, every trip in will 
ring a lot of pleasure and minimize discomfort and the possibility of 
alady.
When to ask for help when someone you care about is late to call in would 
epend on a number of factors like how experienced he is, how well he knows 
he topography and route, how realistic and thorough he was in his planning 
nd preparation, his maturity and group size, distance and number of 
bstacles since his last call-in, and many more. From the SAR point of view, 
his is what we'll ask you when evaluating our response level. Even the 
xperienced can make stupid decisions under bad conditions and get in 
trouble." This is why every person who enters the wilderness should have 
omeone at home who knows their route and ability level. It can make the 
ifference between a response into a pin-point target area and one that has 
o start in a wide-spread response pattern that will take more time.
Sure, a SPOT or other ELT/GPS device, if operating correctly, helps us find 
ou quickly (so you don't have to wait so long in pain or wet and cold), but 
verything in the mountains is so very situational; did the victim trip, 
urt his ankle, and can't walk out or did he fall into a snow-bridge and is 
anging on under the ice in the stream? SPOT can't tell us how to respond, 
ust that we need to respond.
The first-in don't know what to bring since they don't know the nature of 
he call (injury or illness, for example), thus they are called the "hasty" 
eam. Once on scene, at least they have a radio to request specific gear, 
lothes, and food to help you out, but this takes more time. Pain relief? 
orget it. That comes with the helicopter and the Paramedic operating under 
he license of his Medical Director at a nearby Base Hospital. The foot 
oldiers are just EMTs and can't dispense medications or perform any 
dvanced Life Support functions (at least in California). So, know what meds 
ou're likely to need in the backcountry and bring them along; you can 
ngest, inject, inhale, or topically absorb any medication you choose or 
our doctor gives you. Without these, even a bad stomach ache can be misery 
n the woods.

Ned Tibbits, Director
ountain Education
ww.mountaineducation.org
----Original Message----- 
rom: CHUCK CHELIN
ent: Tuesday, October 16, 2012 6:29 AM
o: PCT listserve
ubject: [pct-l] When to Ask For Help
Good morning, Joan,
There’s no easy answer.  I suppose there could be situations where a
0-minute response time would be too long, but:
First: There really aren’t many dangers out there during the hiking season.
ttp://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=167914
Second:  It’s rare that there isn’t help within some reasonable time and
istance.
I once broke a bone in my foot on the PCT in N. California and I had to
acktrack about 3 miles before taking a side trail another 3 miles to get
ut.  In that first 3 miles I encountered 6 other hikers whom I knew, and
ach offered to help in any way they could.
Steel-Eye
-Hiking the Pct since before it was the PCT – 1965
http://www.trailjournals.com/steel-eye
http://www.trailjournals.com/SteelEye09/
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