[pct-l] Sarah Bishop or death of a hiker

[tahoe.cat at verizon.net (Cathy)]

Wayne thanks for the info  when you write to the list you never know the
response. I sent this on to my Grandson so he could get the safety tips, I
think this was a good thing to do so we all think about what we are doing
when we are out and about.   Thanks again   Ground Pounder Bill
----- Original Message -----
From: "Wayne Kraft" <waynekraft@verizon.net>
To: <pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
Sent: Thursday, September 02, 2004 7:34 PM
Subject: [pct-l] Sarah Bishop or death of a hiker


I am mostly a reader of this list and not a contributor.  After the reaction
to my last post, I am sort of inclined to go back to just reading.  I don't
think I have never before in my life participated in a pack weight
discussion.  I don't care about the weight of anyone's pack but my own. If
you grow weary because yours is too heavy, I'll switch with you for awhile.
Just ask me.  I mentioned the weight of Sarah's pack because the SAR
director mentioned it to me.  I am probably a little dense, but until it was
mentioned in relation to this incident, I had not even considered pack
weight as a saftey issue.

I don't personally know how heavy the pack was. I relied on information from
the SAR director who said  the pack "probably weighed in at about 60 lbs.
dry weight."  We exchanged emails and those were his exact words.  He's a
straight-up guy and he doesn't make statments you can't take to the bank. I
specifically asked his permission to share these three bits of information
(pack weight, straps on and trekking poles present), which weren't mentioned
in the general media accounts of the tragedy, with the participants in this
list. He thought it was a good idea.

I do not desire to participate in a debate about trekking poles either. I
don't know if Sarah was using the poles to cross the river or, if she was
using them, how she was using them. All I know is that she had them.
Someone contacted me off list to suggest it is a bad idea to use the wrist
straps on poles while fording because they are hard to get off if you fall
in.  Seemed like a reasonable comment to me, but I've never tried to take
them off in an emergency.

Wayne Kraft
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