Technology Leads More Park Visitors into Trouble

[Brad]

Yes, they went up Tuckerman Ravine trail to the summit. It was a good thing they had a pretty good day. They had no wind breakers or rain gear. It could have gotten very nasty for them and they were not in any shape to take any steps going down.

[Charlie]

im glad you helped and im sure you gave them some advice all the way down

[mahony]

Brad, very kind of you to help them out. I'm sure that there are many people who manage to get down the mountain and still don't realize how close they were to having a major problem.

When I took drivers ed. as a kid we watched a movie called the Final Factor. The basic premise is that accidents are caused by a stacking of factors and many, many times we are driving around with enough stacked factors and only the final factor remains.....the one that causes the accident. How many MW hikers have stacked factors against themselves (t-shirts, no water, cotton etc.) and only miss the Final Factor by the grace of God or luck. Gates, signs, bridge trolls, permits, classes, and trail quizzes won't help; people will get themselves in trouble regardless...glad you were ther to bail them out (and to recognize that they had a problem in the first place).

[Knapper]

Similar story was on NBC Nightly News with footage of the Touron getting chased by the buffalo that was also in the NY Times piece. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540...40373#38840373

[hague8]

About 35 years ago an acquantance invited me on a hike up Mt Washington. A real last minute thing. The plan was to go half way up as a tuneup for him to run the road in a few weeks. I had no clue. I had done a few hikes in my teens. Also had hiked Tuckermans in the spring coming off a 3 day party to watch the skiers. No problem. So up we go me in new Nike sneakers (not the nice ones they make today) shorts t shirt no pack no nothing although my friend had a few snacks and a sweater. We headed up the Jewell trail well after noon. And we flew. The halfway hike turned into a summit hike done in about 2 hours and 20 minutes according to my older but not wiser friend. It was 93 at the bottom and starting to snow at the top. And I was spent. I think my friend duked one of the Cog guys and we rode down. Another close call in my foolish youth. I just started hiking again a couple of years back. Try to carry appropriate items etc. Jeeze what an idiot!

[Charlie]

when i was taking SAR classes they had a film of mom,dad ,2 little kids and a dog hiking .the kids were talking the parents to hike to the next hill that looked close but was over 3 miles away . so off they went it was sunny and nice ,well the weather turned and they did not have any thing with them . the person talking in the film said a search team found them the next day and they were found dead of hypothermia but the dog survived
i wish i could find this short clip so they could play it for the people that need it before they head out

[BAXTERCA2]

Similar story was on NBC Nightly News with footage of the Touron getting chased by the buffalo that was also in the NY Times piece. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540...40373#38840373

Saw that piece last night too. Love the Griswold's movie clip.

[Snow Miser]

About 35 years ago an acquantance invited me on a hike up Mt Washington. A real last minute thing. The plan was to go half way up as a tuneup for him to run the road in a few weeks. I had no clue. I had done a few hikes in my teens. Also had hiked Tuckermans in the spring coming off a 3 day party to watch the skiers. No problem. So up we go me in new Nike sneakers (not the nice ones they make today) shorts t shirt no pack no nothing although my friend had a few snacks and a sweater. We headed up the Jewell trail well after noon. And we flew. The halfway hike turned into a summit hike done in about 2 hours and 20 minutes according to my older but not wiser friend. It was 93 at the bottom and starting to snow at the top. And I was spent. I think my friend duked one of the Cog guys and we rode down. Another close call in my foolish youth. I just started hiking again a couple of years back. Try to carry appropriate items etc. Jeeze what an idiot!

We all did stupid, crazy things when we were teens. Fortunately, we're among the lucky ones still here to talk about them.