[pct-l] "Close Encounters with Hypothermia"

[Yoshihiro Murakami]

I read Ned's story, I thought about this situation, if did not have
enough rain gear, and met heavy rain,  I would stay one more day under
the shelter. They hiked ahead, because they did not have enough food.
We are taught to bring enough food in Japan, ---one days food for
emergency.

Even in summer JMT, hail and thunder occur. Last summer JMT is dry,
but we were greeted regularly by rain in the evening.  American hiker
may know the Lightning strike at the Guitar Lake:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-19326042

We camped at Long Lake the same day.
https://picasaweb.google.com/104620544810418955412/FromSouthLkToLonePine#5783123370416239874

At Guitar lake,  we camped at the remote area, near the small creek.
https://picasaweb.google.com/104620544810418955412/FromSouthLkToLonePine#5835061194724917858

During the night, the lightning occurred regularly. I was thinking
about staying  one more night, because we had abundant food( one or
two day stay was possible). I carried around 20 kg food ( for me and
wife ) from South Lake.  But the lightning end at the early morning. I
decided to start.

The thunder came back at 6:00 am. My wife was slow, we were still at
the switchback toward the Whitney trail. We sat down, and counted the
interval time between the lightning and thunder. It was 5 second. We
were in the range of the thunder. But, the thunder went away, we
started to hike.

https://picasaweb.google.com/104620544810418955412/FromSouthLkToLonePine#5783150771375823506

My wife was enjoying approaching the summit, but the dark cloud
proliferated. I know the meaning, but my wife did not know, and could
not walk as like American hikers.
https://picasaweb.google.com/104620544810418955412/FromSouthLkToLonePine#5783151838275401634

We were caught by thunder and hail at the lower place of Trail Crest.
There was no place to hide, so we hurried to hike down.
https://picasaweb.google.com/104620544810418955412/FromSouthLkToLonePine#5783122034327348082
https://picasaweb.google.com/104620544810418955412/FromSouthLkToLonePine#5783152127344074274

We wore rain suite and boots. so the snow and icy water was not a
problem, but many American hikers wore running shoes, and they were
very delayed at the many puddles of icy water.   It was August 23, the
last summer.

Later, I heard the lightning strike case from Crazy Doc, my American friend.


-- 
Sincerely
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Hiro    ( Yoshihiro Murakami  村上宣寛 )
facebook  http://www.facebook.com/completewalker
Blogs  http://completewalker.blogspot.jp/
Photo  https://picasaweb.google.com/104620544810418955412/
Backpacking since 1980 in Japan, A foreign member of PCTA
JMT, 2009, 2010, 2011(half), 2012
Handbook of Hiking will be published in 2013
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