[pct-l] Falling on the Trail

[matt at mattmaxon.com (matt maxon)]

The way I see it, or more accurately I ask myself "Is this Risk Worth it?"
in riskyer situations the answer is generally no. The mountain isn't going
anywhere, I have been hurt enough and in situations of my own making to
better appreciate the consequences.

I don't consider myself a "wuss" or "chicken". But knowledgeable of the
risks, consequences, and my own limitations. With this information I make a
decision to go or not to go, with the caveat that I will have to get myself
out of any situation I get myself into.

I have put myself in several situations where I would have died and won't do
it again. Perhaps people have to test these limitations and will learn from
them or not.....

Trail90
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Marion Davison" <mardav@charter.net>
To: <Hiker97@aol.com>; "PCT List" <pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
Sent: Tuesday, August 02, 2005 6:55 PM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Falling on the Trail


> 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
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