[pct-l] Falling on the Trail

[mardav at charter.net (Marion Davison)]

Hiker97@aol.com wrote:

>I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts about the hikers who died  or got 
>hurt last winter and this spring/summer hiking on or around the  PCT?  It 
>seems the common connection is falling and falling on  snow. 
>
There were 8 deaths in the San Bernardino/San Gabriel Mts. in a little 
over a month in the winter of 2004.  The local papers discussed it 
thoroughly, and the consensus was that conditions on the trails were 
extremely unusual.  There was a very wet ice storm around New Years'.  
It caused flash floods at lower elevations that killed 15 people in two 
locations.  In the upper elevations it laid down a layer of ice that was 
later covered with a thin layer of snow.  Then people went for winter 
hikes in the areas of San Gorgonio Wilderness and Mt. Baldy.  Some of 
these people were very experienced and had hiked these trails in winters 
past.  But they had no way of knowing that they would encounter these 
unusually icy trails.  So there were several deaths caused by people 
falling off the slick icy trails and falling great distances.
As for the deaths and the people gone missing this year on the PCT, it 
is hard to speculate on cause of death when you don't have a body.  We 
have two deaths by falling (both were peak-bagging hikers) and one death 
by drowning, falling thru ice.  The others that I am aware of are still 
missing, unconfirmed deaths.  If we find a body at the bottom of a cliff 
then we can confirm.  But death by falling, or hypothermia following an 
injury or storm seem like the two most likely causes.
I always hike with two poles even on dry ground, and they have prevented 
me from many falls and from drowning.  I studiously avoid any situation 
that would require crampons or ice axe for safety.  I once fell on snow 
on the Baden-Powell switchbacks (in June) and slid down to the next 
switchback on my toes and elbows.  Not fun and I wouldn't want to do it 
again.  So I am officially disqualified from thru-hiking because I am 
too risk-averse  (aka a big wuss).
llamalady