SkierSteve
Member
It can happen in an instant, and it did. We, (myself and two of my usual hiking buddies), had just finished a fun climb to the top of Mt. Jackson on a great day. Ice everywhere but no problem ascending. We dropped down over the cone and headed for Webster, anticipating an enjoyable ridge walk.
On one of the steep little pitches just beyond the summit, my feet came out from under me and I was off to the races. I came to a sudden stop, hitting a cut off tree stump with my lower rib cage and I knew I was in trouble.
I've had a fair amount of First Aid training. So after the initial pain passed, I tried to take inventory and think. I knew immediately that I had fractured ribs but my major concern was that the impact had gotten under my ribs and gotten into my spleen. I was at least three miles from the highway, most likely a three hour walk in my present condition. If I was bleeding internally, well I was pretty concerned about getting out.
The big question was; should we go back up and over the summit and deal with an icy descent, or take the ridge trail to Webster and down. The second option would be longer but an easier walk. I chose the Webster option and I think it was my second mistake.
Mistake #1: I had shiny new Microspikes which I just had to try on a day when full crampons were warranted. I was clearly under gunned.
As it turned out, it tour four hours to get out. The pain became tollerable, but every time I had to ascend and started to breath harder and expand my lungs, it basically dropped me to my knees. The good news was, after every minute passed, I was feeling more confident that my spleen had been spared and I would get out.
At the hospital emergency room, my diagnosis was confirmed, fractured ribs with no collapsed lung or internal bleeding. I dodged a major bullet.
Which brings me to my point. What would you do, did I do anything wrong or just plain dumb? How do you deal with what could have been a major injury with internal bleeding a long way from help? How quickly can a rescue hope to get to an injured hiker? Thanks for any response or wisedom.
On one of the steep little pitches just beyond the summit, my feet came out from under me and I was off to the races. I came to a sudden stop, hitting a cut off tree stump with my lower rib cage and I knew I was in trouble.
I've had a fair amount of First Aid training. So after the initial pain passed, I tried to take inventory and think. I knew immediately that I had fractured ribs but my major concern was that the impact had gotten under my ribs and gotten into my spleen. I was at least three miles from the highway, most likely a three hour walk in my present condition. If I was bleeding internally, well I was pretty concerned about getting out.
The big question was; should we go back up and over the summit and deal with an icy descent, or take the ridge trail to Webster and down. The second option would be longer but an easier walk. I chose the Webster option and I think it was my second mistake.
Mistake #1: I had shiny new Microspikes which I just had to try on a day when full crampons were warranted. I was clearly under gunned.
As it turned out, it tour four hours to get out. The pain became tollerable, but every time I had to ascend and started to breath harder and expand my lungs, it basically dropped me to my knees. The good news was, after every minute passed, I was feeling more confident that my spleen had been spared and I would get out.
At the hospital emergency room, my diagnosis was confirmed, fractured ribs with no collapsed lung or internal bleeding. I dodged a major bullet.
Which brings me to my point. What would you do, did I do anything wrong or just plain dumb? How do you deal with what could have been a major injury with internal bleeding a long way from help? How quickly can a rescue hope to get to an injured hiker? Thanks for any response or wisedom.