Saturday, Feb 17, 2024: Mt Washington rescue, frozen hiker

[codeman671]

Originally Posted by ApS

From the link in FLL's article:



The fatalities from climbing Mount Everest numbers 330.

Not sure where you were going with this, but in comparison Everest is almost 5x taller than Mt. Washington and only has twice as many fatalities. Everest is extremely regulated on who can climb it whereas Mt. Washington is a free for all.

Its a stark reminder of how dangerous it can be.

Their slogan is "the home of the worlds worst weather". No joke.

[Descant]

"Not Without Peri 150 years of misadventures in the Presidential Range of NH White Mountains" is a good read. Author Nicholas Howe brings out significant history of trail and bridal path development as well as development on the summit of Mount Washington.

[tis]

I read a book about Everest and althoughI forget the name, I had no idea what those guys go through to try to get to the top-and how many die trying. Grueling.

[DickR]

Originally Posted by tis

I read a book about Everest and althoughI forget the name, I had no idea what those guys go through to try to get to the top-and how many die trying. Grueling.

That might be "Into Thin Air," by Jon Krakauer, about the 1996 expeditions, which together saw around a dozen deaths.

[tis]

Originally Posted by DickR

That might be "Into Thin Air," by Jon Krakauer, about the 1996 expeditions, which together saw around a dozen deaths.

That might be, it sounds familiar. He had climbed a lot of mountains and wrote about it, that's how he made his living. Is that the one?

[fatlazyless]

In the Boston Globe's Feb 20 front page story on this Mt Washington rescue, it says that the 22-year old hiker made it to the cave ..... aka the dungeon ..... in the foundation of the Lakes of the Clouds Hut. The report says he was so cold that had he not been rescued by Fish and Game that he still would have froze to death despite being inside the dungeon. This refuge room has six wood bunks, walls made of stone and an unlocked heavy steel door with a gate style latch. It has no source for heat like a wood stove.

He's still alive unlike a few other recent hiking deaths so paying a Fish and Game rescue bill of $7500 or something will be a low price to pay, all things considered. If there was a helicopter involved probably the rescue bill would be a much higher $30,000-price or something.

At the end of the day, he's still alive with what sounds like minor frost bite on his feet according to the Globe report.

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

In the Boston Globe's Feb 20 front page story on this Mt Washington rescue, it says that the 22-year old hiker made it to the cave ..... aka the dungeon ..... in the foundation of the Lakes of the Clouds Hut. The report says he was so cold that had he not been rescued by Fish and Game that he still would have froze to death despite being inside the dungeon. This refuge room has six wood bunks, walls made of stone and an unlocked heavy steel door with a gate style latch. It has no source for heat like a wood stove.

He's still alive unlike a few other recent hiking deaths so paying a Fish and Game rescue bill of $7500 or something will be a low price to pay, all things considered. If there was a helicopter involved probably the rescue bill would be a much higher $30,000-price or something.

At the end of the day, he's still alive with what sounds like minor frost bite on his feet according to the Globe report.

That room is no warmer than outside and, though it helps to shield from the wind, the stone—if someone doesn't have an insulating layer—will just pull heat from your body.

Ty Gagne () goes into the nature of convective and conductive heat loss in The Last Traverse—his belief is that the man who perished on that hike might have survived had he had an insulating layer between him and the rock slab he slept on overnight. James Osborne, the survivor, was insulated by his companion.

I've been interested in how aggressive the F&G and Observatory posts have been lately—they are clearly frustrated with the number of unprepared hikers putting themselves, and rescue workers, in danger.

I hike a dozen or so times in winter, but with my (teachers) hiking group and always with careful attention paid to the weather. We also typically choose more popular trails as, even though we appreciate solitude, the number of hikers on the trail in winter is much reduced to begin with.

Finally, we pack for the worst possible needs: overnight gear, a stove and tealight candle to melt snow for water/start a fire, headlamps and batteries, emergency shelter, etc.

It can be done, but preparation and good decision making matters.

Sent from my SM-S911U using Tapatalk

[John Mercier]

A bill from F&G is only reimbursement for their costs.
A helicopter rescue cost only comes into play when the NG doesn't right it off as a training op.

F&G is frustrated because of the risk to the volunteer force.

[LIforrelaxin]

My Brother worked for the US Forest Service, and rescued many at different times in the White Mountains, and on Mt. Washington. The story is always the same, people pushing on when they shouldn't. At times it is because of inexperience, at times it is because of stupidity, and on the rare occasion bad luck...

Unfortunately Many of the incidents don't get the press they should. People don't here enough about the dangers.... How many of us would have had no idea had FLL not posted about this?

At the end of the day, even when you have the right equipment things can unexpectedly happen. As mentioned here earlier "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakkaur is a good read....

When living in Vermont, I used to hear about rescue crews having to go up into the the Notch, between Smugglers Notch, and Stowe. People on snow shoes, and cross country skiers would get up in there unprepared, all the time...

[ApS]

Originally Posted by codeman671

Not sure where you were going with this, but in comparison Everest is almost 5x taller than Mt. Washington and only has twice as many fatalities. Everest is extremely regulated on who can climb it whereas Mt. Washington is a free for all. Its a stark reminder of how dangerous it can be. Their slogan is "the home of the worlds worst weather". No joke.

You pretty-much caught my drift.


Covering nearby ranges of four states, the book, "The Gentle Mountains" included New Hampshire's mountains.

One is not so gentle.


Fallen rescuers included one from Tuftonboro, which moved the Legislature to extend new benefits to these intrepid mountaineers.