Another rescue on Mount Washington

http://nhpr.org/post/mount-washington-rescue-hunkering-down-among-rocks-spooning-and-hoping

And another, different group

http://nhpr.org/post/ice-climber-mount-washington-lost-and-found

Sigh..... Glad all were rescued without any apparent physical injuries. Cold weather coming back in for the end of this week.

that will be $ 40 grand please, cha-ching....Maybe they should not have summited under said conditions?

But the report said they "do this every year" - so they are experienced, right?

I met a wonderful group of hikers yesterday on the Carter Dome and Nineteen Mile Brook Trail. First let me say they were really very nice folk. They were from the Harvard Outing Club and had on gear from the club's collection. They were all wearing mountaineering crampons and carrying snowshoes. And they all had on headlamps, which was good because we were all coming out after dark. But many, if not all of them, had on three season hiking boots. I know my toes were chilly from time to time in my winter boots, so I just could imagine how they were feeling.

2 rescues. Guess which news release this quote is from:

"Authorities want to remind all outdoor enthusiasts that there are strength in numbers, especially when it comes to situations in the backcountry,” the news release said. "

Hint: It probably isn't something you say after rescuing a group of four.

Was "Group #2 listed in NHPR stories above really ice climbing? Or were they hikers climbing on and around ice flows as many of us have seen this month in the mountains?

Tim Seaver said:

2 rescues. Guess which news release this quote is from:

"Authorities want to remind all outdoor enthusiasts that there are strength in numbers, especially when it comes to situations in the backcountry,” the news release said. "

Hint: It probably isn't something you say after rescuing a group of four.

Click to expand...

This was the last line of the first article.

"Guidelines for hiking safely say groups should never split up."

It's not a quote so may be the author's addition. There are situations which absolutely call for a group to split up for safety. One example: in a group of four when one person stays with an injured party while the other two leave to get help. I've been seeing a lot of blanket statements associated with these rescues.

Red Oak said:

that will be $ 40 grand please, cha-ching....Maybe they should not have summited under said conditions?

Click to expand...

It would please me greatly if these rescuees ( or Bloomberg Uni) ponied up some money and DONATED it all around the block so that everyone who was up there with them Sunday night got a thank you they could use in the economy. Getting somebody out of a warm home on a Sunday afternoon ( with the AFC game, no less!!!!!!!!!!!) to go spend 10-12 hours on Mt Washington dealing with the Hissy fits of Agiocochook in the depth of winter surely should be worth more than words.

But then, the USFS doesn't bill, Mountain Rescue doesn't bill , NHSP doesn't bill, Harvard Mountaineering doesn't bill, AMC doesn't bill.

I'm sitting here scratching my head wondering whether one or both of the State Park snow-cats was at the summit Sunday night, or whether the usual situation applied where one was at the base and one was at the top ( yep that is a safety thing) . The snow-cat driver roster is a pretty short list, even when you add MWOBS drivers names to the experienced. Bring it on a full dark night in blowing drifting snow above treeline, thats some stuff I can only admire.


Breeze

coldfeet said:

Hi, was up at Carther Hut this Sunday with my nephew Matt and Liz...wonder if we spoke at the hut that night? I saw the young group coming up the trail as we were going back to the car Monday morning I guess around 9:30. Had a lovely time at the hut...watched many people go all over, I just hung out...didn't want to do the steep decent with sore knees. Did a few water trips at the pond to help the caretaker Zak.

Click to expand...

Wasn't us. We were on a day trip to hit Middle and South for our winter peaks list. This is such a different winter snow wise but we did enjoy ourselves. There was one ice bulge on the Carter Dome Trail that gave us pause. Two of us went across the top of it, holding on to branches, another slid down at the beginining and became twisted, arms and legs, with trees. I wouldn't have wanted to descend Carter Dome to the hut. Last time I did that I slid quite a way! Good you had fun, and take care of those knees.