Boston Globe article on Mt Washington hiking

[MichaelJ]

Buying cog tickets ahead of time (they must have bought full round-trips) is still not safe. There is no way to know that the trains are actually even running, due to inclement weather or even mechanical failure. Plus, I highly doubt they run those trains with empty seats if there are other people waiting, and that would mean no seat for you on the ride down.

If you don't have a guaranteed plan for getting down, which includes being prepared to hike it, you shouldn't go up.

 

[sapblatt]

another nation heard from

Below you will find my letter to the author and his response...I do understand that the article was edited (we had no way of knowing how well equipeed they were or were not, or that the ranger they were told they would probably be OK) - but I still stick to my guns that if his kids (10 years old and younger) were shivering, he pushed it too far...I also stick to my position that he was gambling on the cog being there for them...giggy's point is well taken - this is one thing for adults, but another thing to gamble with children...I guess the point that bothered me the most is the something of a "macho" attitude that say "I can do anything" - yes you can - but that includes being involved in a tragedy - I would not have ventured far beyond treeline on this particular day - and I am reevaluating tomorrow's plans in light of the new forecast (possible t-storms) - maybe I am overly cautious - I don't know - but as we say - getting back to the car is not optional...

My e-mail to Steve:
Dear Stephen -

Much has been made about the wrath of Mount Washington. The highest winds ever recorded, 231 miles per hour, occurred atop the peak on April 12, 1934. Every year, search-and-rescue squads have to save at least 100 people in the White Mountains who fail to understand the vast difference in weather between the parking lot and the summit. And those are the ones who are fortunate. Walk into the Pinkham Notch Visitors Center at the base of the mountain and an interpretive display tallies the number who have been killed in the Presidential Range: 139. - Stephen Jermanok

I would say you were quite fortunate to have not added to either the rescue or death total - as an avid hiker (NH 4ker and then some) and a father of two young boys, the eldest of whom has been hiking since he was about 2 1/2 I am amazed that someone who I assume is qualified to write for Outdoors magazine would so carelessly lead children into a known bad situation - you showed no sense in my opinion heading up into those conditions - sleet and hail on Mount Washington are often accompanied by lightning - this was not a freak surprise storm - you knew what you were heading into. I routinely hike with people as experience as me, or even more experienced and we would not go into such a situation knowingly - we have been caught in enough of these storms by accident.

I hope I do not sound like some over cautious jerk - I hiked 24 of my 48 4ks in pretty heavy rains - and I hike in winter, and I recently had my son in 40-50 mph winds, but we were not hours from safety, it was a smaller mountain - weather is a constant up there, and if you are going to bale on every forecast you will never hike - but, what is the harm in having a back up plan? There are tons of hikes you could have done that day that would not have left your children shivering. Lastly, I would like to add that using the cog as a planned method of descent is crazy, and is a great way to get into a lot of trouble. What would you have done if the Cog was not running (this does happen)? It seems to me like you went into this expecting to be rescued by the cog, or someone else. Search and rescue operations are costly and dangerous and better planning on all hikers parts should be done, so that none of us needlessly endanger rescue folks.

Lastly - the sense of bravado you are placing on your sons is dangerous - the idea that they can do anything is great, but coming from you is seems like it is just wrapped up "do it at all costs" and never turn back. Please be careful - you do not get replacement sons.
Take care,
Mike

Steve's response to me:

Hi Mike,

Thanks for your email. You should never come to conclusions about a person from one article in a newspaper. This story had to be cut dramatically. Important information like Steve Ahearn's second comment to me, "that if you have the proper gear, you shouldn't have a problem" was unfortunately cut. As was his third comment, that there's "a steady stream of hikers who've already started up." It was perfect conditions all the way up Lion's Head to the top of the ravine. That's when I had to make a choice to either go back down again or continue along the ridge. All three children are strong hikers who I've climbed with extensively, so I never once thought we couldn't make the lodge. Also, it was our intention to take the Cog down the entire day. We had already booked our tickets.

Most of the negative emails I received from this piece were from people like you who hike extensively and already know that the weather above treeline can change on a dime. They would have preferred I climb back down Lion's Head and try again. But I continued onward. I'm happy to tell an honest story of forewarning to climbers who aren't educated as you might be. And those are the people who thanked me for giving them a frank assessment of what Washington can be like in inclement conditions. They'll think twice about heading above treeline with the possibility of poor weather.

So don't be so quick to judge.

Steve

 

[MadRiver]

I find it interesting that the email he sent to you is the same one he sent to me, and all I did was send him the original link to the thread. Sounds like he had his response already typed before the paper even ran the article.

 

[Tuco]

OK, I’ll play. There are a few things here that I want to comment on; but I’ll start by saying I won’t judge the decisions made since I wasn’t there and don’t know the conditions. But..

The notion we shouldn’t judge since the story was edited is wrong. Seems to me if the story was meant to be a forewarning of inclement weather it really sounded more like a statement of don’t worry, you can conquer the unpredictability of the MW weather. That’s something IMO that shouldn’t be focused on since lots of novice hikers will read these articles.

Next, there was a mention of looking in the kids eyes and seeing frightened eyes and having to trying to keep them from panicking. Having a 10 year old I would hope I never put him in a position that had him feeling frightened or panicked (those are not my words, but the authors). Whether in this case the author could have possibly known that continuing up would have caused this I can’t know, but even if my son finished it I’d feel bad for him being frightened during the hike.

As MikeP mentioned earlier, on 6/23 Rols Ryan and I aborted a Presi Traverse at the Madison hut due to freezing temps, 40-50 mph wind gusts, misting and light rain, and general hypothermic type conditions. Mind you that on the way up Valley Way we were wearing T-Shirts. That was our choice, the people I hike with generally avoid taking the risk of bad weather- its not just hypothermia but on the rocks you can slip and fall and be stuck up there. Key is we always check the forecasts like crazy and set up the hike so an easy decision can be made to bail if the forecast is bad (i.e. retreat is always an option).

Lastly- and this may be just me- in general I don’t enjoy hiking in the rain. In NH, you have to get used to it or not be able to hike. But I really have little interest in hiking for periods of time in cold rain. The rain may be unpredictable, but the cold is usually right on. So if it’s going to be cold and a chance of rain we usually plan accordingly.

There’s been a lot of talk on whether anybody was really in danger on this hike. Maybe 1 in a 100,000 people/kids would have had serious issues on that hike. But I am pretty sure that my wife (and I) wouldn’t be able to accept the argument that the odds were in my favor if anything happened to my son, just bad lack for us.... We try and plan accordingly. If the unpredictability of MW weather is well known, doesn’t that make it predictable??

Again, I was not on this hike and these comments are about me and how I hike and not the hike itself….any issues with my thoughts contact my attorney.

 

[giggy]

guess the moral of the story here is folks take different risk thresholds with their kids. To each their own I guess.

There probably is some truth as the chance of a problem happening is very small, but with my son - I wouldn't take that chance if given a choice.
Makes more sense to experience the peak on a bluebird day.

If the goal was to bag the peak to knock off some list - than I guess thats one thing. The mountain was "conquered" and thats great for the kids - after the fact, it was probably a huge confidence builder for them. Not taking anything away from that - I think its awesome they did it.

Based on what read, and the canned emails back from this man. I would have liked to see the adults turn the group around and discuss the merits of saving the peak for another day due to potential hypothermnia risk. I would guess for the average hiker - from the top of lions head to the summit is at least a 2 hour hike avove treeline. The presidentials are not in the same league as bigger mountains and i won't try and kid that they are - but they are unlike most other "hiking" terrain in the northeast. They are totally exposed and it really doesn't take much wind and cold rain to have hypothermia risk. I would say, there is a much greater risk for hypothermia there than in the woods. At least thats what I always tell myself, but - I like to return to the cold beers at night

Many of us here (including myself) test this all the time becuase we move faster than the "average hiker", can keep heat generated and quite frankly, mentally know the terrain - which I think is huge. I think back to the first time I climbed washington and I recall that memory as it being very hard and it was a long hard day.

I guess the thing that bothered me, was many here seem to focus on this as if it was an adult hike. To a kid that age, Washington might as well be Everest.

 

[DougPaul]

guess the moral of the story here is folks take different risk thresholds with their kids.

Another moral of the story might be that newspaper stories of hikes might end up being edited for drama in the eyes of a non-hiker rather than accuracy or a complete story.

Infotainment.

Doug

 

[giggy]

Another moral of the story might be that newspaper stories of hikes might end up being edited for drama in the eyes of a non-hiker rather than accuracy or a complete story.

Infotainment.

Doug

To be quite honest - I see no evidence of that. Doesn't change my opinion, my comments are based on what was laid out in article and the posted emails.

Just becuase steve at pinkham said they should be OK - means head up to cog not matter what? How much experience can 8-10 years old really have?

 

[bikehikeskifish]

This article appeared in the Travel section. It was not news. It was a story about an experience. I would not subject the stories in the Travel section to the same level of editorial scrutiny and journalistic integrity as I would the news section.

In light of the additional information presented by the author, I suspect we can all relax a little bit here and assume the danger wasn't really as big as the editing made it out to be.

If you still feel strongly about, I'd suggest writing a letter to the editor of the paper. As for canned responses from the author, what else would you expect? Same 'accusations', same 'defense'.

In the interest of full disclosure here, I have not yet hiked Mount Washington.

Tim

 

[sapblatt]

I just had another exchange with Steve - he asked me to post this (will be in the letters to the editor section.)

Mike,

This clarification will appear in the Letters to the Editor section of The Boston Globe some time this week. Please also post it on the VFTT site. Thanks!

See you on the trails, hopefully in better weather!

Steve

> To the Editor:
>
Steve Jermanok missed an opportunity in Mt. Washington Turns a
> Cold, Wet Eye on Boys' Rite of Passage (August 26, 2007) to display
> humility in the face of that mountain’s great power to destroy lives in an
> instant. I suspect his article started out to do just that, but somehow
> the more prominent tone was one of arrogance. The three adults in his
> group assumed the same attitude that 139 dead people assumed before them –
> that they were somehow better equipped to challenge Mother Nature. I
> wonder what their plan was to protect the three children who trusted the
> adults to make good judgments. I know from Steve’s other work that his
> children are experienced hikers, but this too, did not come through in
> this article. What probably started out as a cautionary tale was edited into
> one in which an unwitting reader is left with an ambivalent regard for a
> beautiful but potentially deadly mountain. I expect better from The
> Globe.
>
> Sincerely,
> John Hansen
> Member,
> Pemigewasset Search and Rescue Team
> Franconia, New Hampshire

Unfortunately, due to space limitations, the editor cut my last paragraph
where I wrote: "Even with all the energy I exerted that day, I couldn’t
sleep at night. Sure, I was happy we made it to the top, but we were hasty
and perhaps reckless with our decision to continue onward with the hike
after hearing the weather report." Also left out was the fact that
volunteer Steve Ahearn noted "if we have the proper clothing, we should be
okay." It was never my intent to come across as arrogant. Indeed, it was
my goal to present an honest assessment of what Mt. Washington can be like
above treeline. The weather conditions that day have been blown out of
proportion. We had a glorious hike with vistas of the entire valley all the
way to the top of the ridge above Tuckerman. It was only then that the hail
started. There was no lightening and the rain soon subsided, giving way to
a magical dusting of snow. As an experienced hiker and a dad, I would never
endanger the boys on this trip. They're all strong climbers, especially for
their age, and we had the proper equipment as outlined by the AMC in my
sidebar. The kids handled adversity well and now my son wears his "I
Climbed Mt. Washington" shirt with a renewed sense of self-esteem. It will
be something he will always remember. In this post "Into Thin Air" age, we
seem to equate any change of weather atop a mountain with death. That's
unfortunate. It was a merely a rain cloud that the kids worked through
brilliantly and I'm proud of their accomplishment.

Steve Jermanok

 

[dvbl]

After reading the Globe article in question, my strongest feeling is this: Man, what an amateur article. I thought you had to write better than that to work for the Globe. My college newspaper's editorial page had better writing than that, and that was just a silly left-wing twice-per-week whine-gasm. Many of the trip reports here blow away that article (McRat's, sapblatt's, Tim Seaver's, to name just a few).

 

[sapblatt]

After reading the Globe article in question, my strongest feeling is this: Man, what an amateur article. I thought you had to write better than that to work for the Globe. My college newspaper's editorial page had better writing than that, and that was just a silly left-wing twice-per-week whine-gasm. Many of the trip reports here blow away that article (McRat's, sapblatt's, Tim Seaver's, to name just a few).

why thank you very much...

Not to be self serving towards just my writing, but I feel the same way - a lot of us here are very quick to point out the fun we had, what we saw etc - but we are also quick to talk about the bad, dissapointing and dangerous things we have encountered - I ahve written about many mistakes - it helps me recount what I did and hopefully avoid doing it again...the tr's are fun to write and read the comments, but I really hope when something crazy happens that it helps to educate other hikers to what can happen out there...

 

[albee]

There are a number of points that have not been discussed in this thread that I can see. Among them:

1) The decisions made by the trip leader would have been far different had they been heading for a peak other than Mt Washington and it's "attractive hazard", as Doug Paul so accurately called it. If they were going for, say, Mt Jefferson, then it would make perfect sense not to climb into worsening weather. Pushing on to the summit knowing there is no respite from the weather would be far more foolish and dangerous if poor conditions were upon them. On the other hand, when food, warmth, shelter, and your ride home is an attainable distance away, climbing to the summit (to me) makes more sense than a drawn-out retreat and continued exposure to wet and cold weather. (key word being attainable)

2) If they made it to the summit and the cog was not running, what would the dire consequences have been? Would the snack bar close up shop and kick them out, saying "Sorry, we're closed - you're on your own." Worst case scenario is they are provided with shelter until it is safer to hike out. Or maybe they break out the credit cards and buy some nice, warm sweatshirts. I'm not saying that should be the back-up plan, but it is what it is - that's what makes Mt Washington a caricature of the mountain it once was. If the forecast was for extended periods of winter-like conditions and the cog was likely to shut down, do you think Steve Ahearn would have given them the same advice? Do you think the adults on the trip would have arrogantly insisted on making it to the summit anyway? (Maybe it's all in the mindset of the reader - if I read it thinking "this guy's an idiot", I'd be more likely to find something wrong with everything he did.) ((Just like what you're thinking as you're reading this now! ))

3) I took the time to view the slideshow that came along with the article. There were a number of photos credited to a Globe photographer. This means that someone had to schedule a photographer to join them on the assignment. The other childrens' grandfather had flown in for the trip, meaning he had a limited window in which he could join them. So this all means that they didn't have so much flexibility in the date for this trip - they had the photographer booked and maybe they had to make a decision on whether to go through with the assignment despite the weather. In that case, you would assess the risk based upon the (actual and forecasted) weather as well as the (mental and physical) abilities of the kids and adults.

It is okay for you to form your own opinions of what you would do in that situation, but I personally think it is purely a subjective judgement and unbecoming to tell someone else what they should have done - especially given that none of us were "in his boots". I find it absurd that people in this forum have gotten worked up enough to research historical reports for what the weather from that day might have been. Is this some kind of lynch mob? If you are so offended, I hope you take a moment to ask yourself why.

Very early in this thread I mentioned that the only objection I had was the Globe printing something that would encourage people to imitate this trip. I still stand by that, but I am surprised to see so many closed-minded reactions and conclusions that some people have drawn. Constructive criticism is helpful when it is invited, but judgemental criticism is ugly when it is handed out by those that have annointed themselves morally superior. (In my opinion.)

Feel free to PM me with any flames - I don't take any of this personally so I encourage any of your personal feedback and constructive criticism of my opinions...

 

[Tim Seaver]

Another moral of the story might be that newspaper stories of hikes might end up being edited for drama in the eyes of a non-hiker rather than accuracy or a complete story.

Infotainment.

Doug

That was all NET, Doug.

SWOOSH!

Moving on to our next victim...

Anybody know the best way to sharpen a pitchfork?

 

[SherpaKroto]

albee: A quick question: do you have children? I suspect not. If you did you might see it differently (I'm not slighting you, just putting you in my shoes). As hikers we are stewards of the outdoors, as parents, we are protectors of our kin (and any others).

sapblatt: the fact that Steve is printing a "retraction" of sorts is again too convenient. I think he's hearing it from every angle. Alpinista can answer this a lot better than I, but doesn't the author see the story before it gets printed?

Steve mention numb hands, unable to write notes, shivering. Maybe it wasn't just numb hands, but clouded thoughts that prevented him from writing notes. Sounds like the first signs of hypothermia to me. If he HAD purchased the tickets in advance, I wonder how much thier cost entered into his decision

NO ONE will convince me that proceeding with 3 children from 8-10 was right. And the argument that they were thrilled to have made the summit? I think they would have been as thrilled once they met the weather, eyes wide. When they got back to the bottom, they might have been looking forward to their next attempt. I wonder if they feel that way now?

 

[timmus]

NO ONE will convince me that proceeding with 3 children from 8-10 was right.

Same for me : NO ONE will convince me that proceeding with 3 children from 8-10 was wrong.

This thread has been discussed ad nauseam, please let it go !!!

 

[Gris]

when food, warmth, shelter, and your ride home is an attainable distance away, climbing to the summit (to me) makes more sense than a drawn-out retreat and continued exposure to wet and cold weather. (key word being attainable)

i (politely) strongly disagree w/ this stmt. it is EXACTLY that type of thinking that has gotten people killed up there, as folks get into weather above treeline, lose their way and sucumb to hypothermia. besides didnt the guy say the weather was fine below treeline...?

OTOH, i completely agree that some have been much too "judgmental." we are all entitled to our opinions, but corresponding directly with the author is a bit officious IMO...

"This thread has been discussed ad nauseam, please let it go !!!"

Why? How far to go into the mountains with children is always a timeless and important topic.

 

[Mike P.]

I'll be the voice of reason

String up the editor!

I suspect the round trip tix were paid for in advance, space not an issue as it may have been an all expense trip.

Thanks Albee for pointing out the links.

Would I have done this trip with my kids, no, but they are 7 &4. I don't know the authors experience, we believe it's more than Monadnock & Mansfield & no one really injured here, better lucky than good, I don't think they would have closed the building up top. Mike Pelchat is a SAR guy & once posted here & at outdoors.org when it generated a lot of traffic.

They followed through with their plan, unsure at what point he would have turned around, we'll never really know

On the walk in the park trip mentioned a couple of pages ago, that trip comes from "Without Peril" & refers to Madison & Madison Hut. Weather wise really no different & the man still died.

 

[timmus]

Why? How far to go into the mountains with children is always a timeless and important topic.

In the same category as ''Are public schools bad'' and ''what age toddlers should be potty-trained''.

 

[dvbl]

In the same category as ''Are public schools bad''...

That thread could be summed up in one post...actually, in one word.

albee: A quick question: do you have children? I suspect not. If you did you might see it differently (I'm not slighting you, just putting you in my shoes). As hikers we are stewards of the outdoors, as parents, we are protectors of our kin (and any others)...

Hmmm... If one's having children would make him "see it differently", then wouldn't the author of the Globe article (who has children) "see it" as you do and thus wouldn't he have turned around when the weather went south?

For the record, I agree with your general point that he should've turned around and saved the summit for another day... and I do NOT have children. One either watches out for the little dudes or he doesn't, being a parent doesn't automatically make you more qualified to do it.

 

[Sleeping Giant]

Let's at least try to get our facts straight and make relevant, not desperate, analogies. The incident mentioned in post 84 and then again a few posts above has virtually nothing in common with the experience of the writer from the Globe. The weather wasn't remotely similar - it was a late August storm in which the wind revved up to around 120 that night. Donald Barr took his (teenage) son and a (teenage) foreign exchange student to climb Madison, not Washington. The Barrs had a great amount of experience climbing in the Whites. And his body wasn't found 500 feet from the hut, but about 50 feet from the summit. About the only thing the two groups had in common was that they kept going - but under completely different circumstances (and in different places). There aren't any buildings (or railroads) on top of Madison.