Will a little ol' hurricane slow you down?

vftt.org

Help Support vftt.org:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

DirtNap

New member
Joined
Jul 19, 2011
Messages
24
Reaction score
5
Location
Lawrence, Ma
With Irene slowly approaching, I began wondering where some of you adventurists draw the line in regards to hitting the trails/rivers in extreme weather.

I know that in terms of temperature, the window is virtually wide open. I've never said no to a snowshoeing trip due to cold weather alone. In contrast, I generally won't hike if its over 90 degrees because I simply cannot find a way to stay comfortable.

In terms of wind, its much harder to gauge. Probably everyone who has been on the Presidentials has dealt with near hurricane force winds at one time or another. During the warmer months, I think I subconsciously want the wind to be brutal up there. It makes me reach deeper and push harder to accomplish my goal. But in the winter, a windy day will keep me home.

So I'd love to get some feedback as to where you all draw your line. Will you be out anywhere this Sunday, and what will you be doing? If not, what conditions are you willing to endure? What will finally tell you that its not worth the risk? I know there are some who will always play it safe, choosing to not invite such danger that the bad weather brings. But on the other hand, there are a lot of well seasoned, experienced adventurers here that must be itching to test themselves in the unusually extreme conditions. For those who do, where do you go/have been in violent weather?

I'll be staying out of the woods that day, but thats just me.
 
For me its when I can't drive to the mountains and back to RI safely because of the weather. Or when the winds below treeline are what they usually are every few days up above treeline that's my limit, I don't feel safe when the tree branches start flying at me!

-Chris
 
You might also wish to consider blowdowns. Also known as widow makers... The streams are likely to be high and trails could be flooded.

The roads could be flooded or blocked too.

The local officials might have enough to do without worrying about tourists (eg hikers who don't have the sense to stay home).

Doug
 
During a lesser event 15 years ago, my brother and friends were trapped at the Basin in Evans notch for 12 plus hours. Two very sturdy looking shelters were smashed flat by trees. One of which they had been occupying but elected to move out due to the proximity of very large trees.

Most the trails in the whites and other areas of New England are either up on ridgelines that have heavy wind exposure or in valleys where ithere is flood potential. Many folks underestimate both, but the flooding is one that persists for quite a bit longer than the wind.

The most significant issue is that anyone venturing out in potentially dangerous conditions is putting others in danger as S&R folks potentially have to rescue them. Unfortunately there is no such a thing as a Do Not Rescue form that absolves them of having to go look for a person who has elected to temp fate.

I suggest its better to stay home and get ones trail clearing gear in order to be able to go out after the storm and get the trails reopened.
 
I'm staying home. Not only for the reasons outlined above but also because in the Adirondacks some of the roads to trailheads (Upper works, Coreys road, Elk Lake, Loj road) may be littered with blowdown when I want to drive home.
 
If you have ever been trapped on the "wrong" side of a flooded river, you already have your answer. I've been caught on two occasions where near-historic (my hyperbole) rains caused streams that could be rock-hopped acrossed turned into waist-deep wading. No thanks.
 
I don't tempt fate, too many other indoor and yard projects need attention.

WARNING: :mad: RANT: What I fear more than nature during these announced "emergencies" is other people. Folks around here are FREAKING OUT. Stores shelves are being emptied, red lights are being run, rudeness is on the rise. I hate to think how quickly things would deteriorate for most folks if there was a REAL emergency that lasted more than a couple days.
 
ehh. Lot's of nice days to go hiking. Not that I mind hiking or (trail)working in the rain. Tempting weather isn't my idea of fun.

I was going to do trailwork on the OBP on Saturday but lots of preparations at home to make. There will most likely be plenty of axe-work for me next week and beyond. So I'll be staying home sharpening my axes.
 
I don't tempt fate, too many other indoor and yard projects need attention.

WARNING: :mad: RANT: What I fear more than nature during these announced "emergencies" is other people. Folks around here are FREAKING OUT. Stores shelves are being emptied, red lights are being run, rudeness is on the rise. I hate to think how quickly things would deteriorate for most folks if there was a REAL emergency that lasted more than a couple days.
The Weather Channel is making a REALLY big deal of this.

"Irene is a strong, powerful hurricane which could have devastating effects on 50+ million East Coast residents. "

"The threat level is "EXTREME" along the East Coast from eastern North Carolina to southern New England. Irene is a hurricane that poses an extraordinary threat and is one that no one has yet experienced in North Carolina to the mid-Atlantic to the Northeast and New England. This includes Norfolk, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York City, Hartford, and Boston. This hurricane has the potential to produce flooding rains, high winds, downed trees (on houses, cars, power lines) and widespread power outages. Significant impacts along the immediate coast include high waves, surge and beach erosion."

I'm not in panic mode yet, but it's better to be prepared than caught with your pants down.

I'm going to go outside tonight and look around my yard, and take a few precautions.

And you always have food and water stored for emergencies, right? Not to mention batteries, candles, matches. No matter where you live, these things can come in really handy.

I just read that the #1 item that Walmart has a run on every time a 'disaster' is looming is ...











Hold for it










Pop Tarts! :eek:
 
The Weather Channel is making a REALLY big deal of this.

They live for this, all media does, more viewers/readers.

I'm not in panic mode yet, but it's better to be prepared than caught with your pants down.

I'd imagine most people already have enough food for at least two weeks, between refridg, freezer and pantry. Water might be a bigger issue, especially if you have your own well and electricity goes out. I personally maintain a 16,000 gallon reservoir in my back yard ;), which I almost forgot about the last time the electricity was out for a few days. It came in very handy for flushing toilets and could have been filtered and boiled if we got to that point.

The thing that always kills me, like in a blizzard forecast; Some people think normal rules no longer apply, like stopping for a red light becomes optional.
 
If I'm not mistaken, the local government here has ordered a mandatory evacuation for Fire Island off the south shore of Long Island and a Hurricane Warning is in effect for Sandy Hook, NJ...not far away as the crow flies. Chances are, we'll get some pretty bad weather in the northeast but probably nothing devastating. Yes...we should be prepared just in case.

HAHAHA...I just got back from the supermarket myself...mainly to stock up on beer for the weekend...but there wasn't an ounce of water left on any of the shelves. The place was packed!

A good book to read (or at least start...it's 600 pages) this weekend or for hurricane season in general..."The Great Deluge," about Katrina in 2005.

I unfortunately cancelled my post at the fire tower this weekend mainly due to the commute through NYC...that will probably be nasty.
 
The weather channel is an embarrassment. They take information that has always been available from NWS, repackage it with drama and advertising, and resell it like it was something exclusive. The suggestion that Irene is a threat the "no one has yet experienced" borders on offensive - it offends common sense; after all, Fire Island was cut right in half by the 1938 hurricane - and it offends people in SC who went through Hugo in 1989, and others (Donna, Hazel, etc.) Just embarrassing.
 
Question I've always wondered....

Say there was a major flooding event, could we all use our filters and get water from the flood? Or too much risk of a virus that the filters wouldn't be sufficient enough?
 
The weather channel is an embarrassment. They take information that has always been available from NWS, repackage it with drama and advertising, and resell it like it was something exclusive. The suggestion that Irene is a threat the "no one has yet experienced" borders on offensive - it offends common sense; after all, Fire Island was cut right in half by the 1938 hurricane - and it offends people in SC who went through Hugo in 1989, and others (Donna, Hazel, etc.) Just embarrassing.

While I agree they go overboard (panic sells), I would doubt that there hasn't been a hurricane that has touched, or has the potential to touch, as many people as this. Virtually the entire eastern seaboard could get hit. That is rare.
 
Strawberry, in particular. And no, I am not kidding.

Poptarts have been more then once voted worst food you could put into your body. Hard to believe when you take your brown sugar tart out of the toaster.:eek:
 
Question I've always wondered....

Say there was a major flooding event, could we all use our filters and get water from the flood? Or too much risk of a virus that the filters wouldn't be sufficient enough?

I'd think the bigger problem would be chemical contaminants in the water.
 
Question I've always wondered....

Say there was a major flooding event, could we all use our filters and get water from the flood? Or too much risk of a virus that the filters wouldn't be sufficient enough?
I'd add 1-2 ppm iodine to the filtered water to kill any viruses.

I also agree with MichaelJ--chemical contamination might also be a significant hazard.

Doug
 
I'd use mine, but depending, I might pre-filter through a coffee filter. Why do people buy water, any way? Most of us have drinkable water right at our taps. I didn't like the taste of mine when I first moved there, but now I'm accustomed to it. Still, I don't like how the water tastes at my BF's house in Kennebunk. I've stored more than I'll need and began making my own ice a few nights ago.
 
Top