Humor me.

[MadRiver]

Since it is a slow day at work and the campus is filled with visiting parents and potential students, my mind is harkening northward towards the peaks of the White Mountains, so I thought I would ask a simple question. As someone who tends to over pack in anticipation of a worse case scenario, I have often wondered what others do in similar situations. To make it easy, let us use Mt. Washington as our example.

Whenever I decide to venture out and hike to the summit, I carry enough gear that will sustain me if the weather takes a turn for the worse. Obviously, I do not bring a sleeping bag, snowshoes, crampons, or an ice axe on a lovely summer day, for the chances of a freak blizzard in August is negligible. I do, however, bring foul weather gear, extra gloves/mittens, extra fleece, and a few odds and ends that would make a quick shelter if the need arises. I have it down to a science so I do not think twice about what I am carrying.

Inevitable, I will encounter along the way a legion of hikers ill prepared for even the slightest change in the weather as they head to the summit in their finest summer attire unaware that a swift change in the weather could spell disaster. Yet, 9 times out of 10, these ill prepared hikers will make it to the summit and back not needing anything other than their cashmere sweaters that hang stylishly around their necks. I, myself, have had to use my complete foul weather gear only twice in all the times I have hiked Washington. Occasionally I will put on an extra layer or a pair of gloves or lend a child my gloves because the parent didn’t think he or she needed gloves since the weather at the base was in the 80’s. But only twice have I had to hunker down and wait out a storm.

An evil part of me wishes that just once I could encounter a group of ill prepared hikers heading to the summit just as the weather takes a turn for the worse. I’m not talking severe weather, just a stray lighting bolt in the distance, or a sudden gust of wind coupled with a 20 degree temperature change. Nothing apocalyptic, just a slap up side the head to get their attention. I know this is evil, petty, vindictive, and childish, but what the Hell, it’s Friday and I am bored.

 

[SAR-EMT40]

Yet, 9 times out of 10, these ill prepared hikers will make it to the summit and back not needing anything other than their cashmere sweaters that hang stylishly around their necks.

This is correct. The god of disaster doesn't poke his finger into everybodies eye. If he did he would not be able to kill anyone. He is smarter than that. He will let 99 out of 100 pass unscathed so that he can get that 1. That is what makes his plan so cunning. He lets the unprepared think that this is the normal way to travel in the mountains and them wham. He shows you the truth, sometimes in very graphic ways.

I pack very similar to the way you pack.

Keith

 

[cbcbd]

An evil part of me wishes that just once I could encounter a group of ill prepared hikers heading to the summit just as the weather takes a turn for the worse. I’m not talking severe weather, just a stray lighting bolt, or a sudden gust of wind coupled with a 20 degree temperature change. Nothing apocalyptic, just a slap up side the head to get their attention. I know this is evil, petty, vindictive, and childish, but what the Hell, it’s Friday and I am bored.

I see where you're coming from, but I guess I haven't really paid too much attention to the tourists on the mountains to really annoy me - although it worries me more than it annoys.
It would be nice to give them a wake up call, although I would leave out the lightning storm - that's one thing that you can't control purely with gear.

 

[Sean]

I think that if more people got slapped around by the weather, more people would be prepared, and therefore less rescues would be required. So don't think of yourself as evil, petty, vindicative, or childish. Instead try pragmatic, thoughtful, and kind.

I feel bad for people who have not had their tail kicked by the White Mountain Weather every now and then. What fantastic experiences/ I know that all of the great hiking and skiing stories that I have involve pain, suffering, and at least 1 spruce trap. No one cares about sunny days on a ridge, they want to hear about pain and suffering. So much the better if they get to tell the story.

And don't feel bad about overpacking. I have only used emergency equipment once, but that one time made it worth the effort later.
Sean

 

[vegematic]

Yup, I'm what some consider an "overpacker". When I get back from a hike and unpack there is typically one or two layers that never got worn and several (typically lightweight) bits of safety equipment that didn't get used. But those few times that I did use everything in my pack? I was sure glad it was there! For me, it made up for all the "useless" weight that I carried on those other hikes.

An evil part of me wishes that just once I could encounter a group of ill prepared hikers heading to the summit just as the weather takes a turn for the worse. I’m not talking severe weather, just a stray lighting bolt, or a sudden gust of wind coupled with a 20 degree temperature change. Nothing apocalyptic, just a slap up side the head to get their attention. I know this is evil, petty, vindictive, and childish, but what the Hell, it’s Friday and I am bored.

I've been in just such a few situations, sometimes severe. It makes an impact on most of the people caught unprepared, but not all. I find it uncomfortable because I am torn, as I think most of us would be, between trying to help my fellow hikers and wanting to take care of my own butt. Fortunately I've never had to leave someone in a real perilous situation.
-veg

 

[BorealChickadee]

I'm an "overpacker" too. (Sounds like an AA meeting) Overpacker in quotes because I take what I want and it's overpacking by someone else's standards, not mine. And you're right, the extra layer has rarely been used but when it is, I'm happy and warm.

What gets to me is my purely green eyed jealousy. I've taken my son into the woods since he was a little guy and thus had to carry 99% of the weight in the early years. Actually carried the pack and him when he was two or three, what percent is that?!? Now that he's a big guy he gets more than his share of the water (he's the water donkey) but I'd see these girls(women, females, call 'em what you want) with either absolutely nothing extra, or maybe a water bottle held delicately in their hand, maybe just maybe a small fanny pack (fresh nail polish? brush? breath mints?) and their sherpa carrying all thier worldly needs happily trailing the damsel. And I would sigh, and think how nice it must be.

 

[Jeff-B]

I feel the same way too. Many Summer people hike illprepared.
Just stand trailside on Lincoln-Laffayette Ridge and take inventory of what people hike with or without!

The Boyscout in me is always "Be Prepared"
I pack everything I want and need, which pretty much covers what Madriver has in his pack too.

My rule of thumb goes:
Pack something 10 times and NOT use it, then try the next time without it, if sensible.

Example: The extra fleece shirt or the extra pair of mittens.

I am never hiking in Whites without complete apparel for any weather, just add more of it for expected worsening conditions.

And for humor today....check out my new avitar..!

Yup, it's slow here at work too...

Thanks to all the brave Veterans who risk thier lives so we may live free!

 

[NYBRAD]

This is why I enjoy bushwhacking and slide climbing so much. When you stay off the main trails, the only person to scrutinize is yourself.

 

[MadRiver]

Never mind!

 

[Daniel Eagan]

Every now and then I go through my daypack and discover that I'm carrying three flashlights, and extra batteries, and bulbs. That's underneath the extra socks and moleskin. So I qualify as an overpacker.

The nuts I see on the trail don't bother me that much. Like the couple in spandex my wife and I saw on Indian Head last summer around 4:00 in the afternoon. They were stumbling around looking for the trail to Colvin and Blake. When we told them that it would take them some time to go there and back, they assured us they would be fine. With a quart of water each, flimsy little packs, no extra clothes, and no hope of getting back to the Lake Road before dark. I figure they deserve what they get.

No, what bothers me are the ones who don't know any better, and who still get away with it. I'm struggling through the middle of the Knife Edge, burdened down with food, water, clothes, emergency gear, etc., and here come two teenagers bounding down from Baxter Peak. Shorts, T-shirts, no packs, a quart Nalgene in one hand, and unlaced sneakers. Having the time of their lives, absolutely unconcerned about anything, and destined to remember their day forever.

I dream of hiking unencumbered, but when I got to Hamlin that afternoon and put on my windbreaker and changed my socks and had some cheese and sausage and nuts and pulled out my maps and reread the trail descriptions from Stephen Clark's book and changed the film in my camera, I realized I'm too old to be cured of overpacking.

 

[cbcbd]

I dream of hiking unencumbered, but when I got to Hamlin that afternoon and put on my windbreaker and changed my socks and had some cheese and sausage and nuts and pulled out my maps and reread the trail descriptions from Stephen Clark's book and changed the film in my camera, I realized I'm too old to be cured of overpacking.

It's funny, seems like it should be the other way around - the younger you are, they more you can probably handle to carry...
I tell my dad all the time, as he complains about his feet, that he should lighten up. He still insists on taking every little luxury item with him.
I, on the other hand, am much younger than him and try to lighten up as much as I can - my knees are already feeling it and this is just the beginning!

 

[Tom Rankin]

I feel the same way too. Many Summer people hike illprepared.

And for humor today....check out my new avitar..!

Thanks to all the brave Veterans who risk thier lives so we may live free!

We *HAVE* encountered people that the conditions got the better of. I did not feel vindictive at all, just sorry for her. We helped her get back on her feet, literally...

I *LOVED* Quisp and Quake! Bring them back!

And yes, thanks to all the Vets!

 

[king tut]

I am sometimes puzzled by people who carry next to nothing in the presidentials. When i did my two day trek thru the presidentials this summer, we spent the first night at hermit lakes below tuck's. As the sun was going down around 6'ish or so, there were still people climbing up the ravine that did not appear to be staying overnight. They also were not carrying very much. We also encountered some city slickers headed up around 4 or so at the top of tuck's, who planned on descending later in the evening. I felt bad for them, i think they said they were from Mass, but i didn't hold that against them. You could tell that they had been coming up for a long time, they had that hand on the knees, exhausted look. There seemed to be a "hiking" friend higher up the trail that they were not going to talk to after the hike ever again.

That being said, do not make washington your first hike. I did the washington hike from pinkham a few summers ago, after being heavily caffeinated. I got to the top in less than 3 hours, because i was almost running up. I am not a terribly quick hiker. My quads felt it on the way down. The next day, i could barely walk. I had to play golf w/ the relatives, and i looked like a cripple walking around. So, maybe lightning won't strike these people down, but i bet their quads will be mighty sore!

 

[sli74]

Women get away without having to carry anything because we men are, well.. pigs.

HEY . . . I am a woman . . . and more importantly I have a man, how come my pack still always weighs so darn much?

sli74

 

[dug]

I'm sure it would be quite funny if Jamling..Sherpa out for a walk to the summit ridges on a summer day visiting some friends in New Hampshire, and he came across one of us with a 2500 cu in pig hanging off our backs. He would wonder what could possibly be in there!

Do I generally agree with your point, sure I do. When you get the chuckle from someone who thinks you have wwwaaayyyy too much stuff, you have to almost hope for a quick sleetstorm to kick in, making your efforts worthwhile. Sometimes, that may mean a light sleeping bag, bivvy, and stove. Othertimes that may mean a map and some water. We shouldn't always be so quick to rag on someone because of what they have or don't have.

The way I figure it, no matter what I brought, there will always be some people who feel I brought to much....and some who feel I didn't bring enough.

I've been that guy running along the Gulfside Trail on a perfect 75degree day in August, only a water bag and a light jacket stuffed away. I've also been the guy who lugged his tent & ice axe with him to do a hike up Cannon.

 

[DaveSunRa]

HEY . . . I am a woman . . . and more importantly I have a man, how come my pack still always weighs so darn much?

sli74

Interesting, How long have you been married?

 

[king tut]

HEY . . . I am a woman . . . and more importantly I have a man, how come my pack still always weighs so darn much?

sli74

I would assume that you 2 are married. I believe it is a mating ritual in north america, where the male carries up the female's belonging's in order to impress her. I have a few jokes to insert here, but if i do, they will be deleted very soon. Just ask yourself one question, how often is there a correlation between a ring on a finger, and the contents of what is in one's pack? My dad must have missed this memo though, somehow he always gets suckered into carrying up my mom's stuff. I think that after marriage, the women just get a little craftier.

 

[TDawg]

I agree it is important to be prepared for the worst.

It absolutely blew my mind when my sister and I passed a couple with their 8-10 year old daughter who was hiiking in cheap teva knockoff sandals/no socks going up HUNTINGTON ravine. I know they made it up safely because we passed them while descending back down the top of Huntington Ravine Trail to the Alpine Garden trail. I bet their poor daughters feet were pretty sore or blistered by the days end.

Some people never cease to amaze me...

 

[Maddy]

I carry "it" and I have had to use it. All of it.
I don't usually advise the "nuts" because I have found that they don't want to hear it.I do give some recommendations it they ask.Isn't there a saying about giving advice? "Wise men don't need it and fools won't heed it."
I have a friend who climbed some major trail on the Rockpile every summer. She and her husband carried nothing but water and light wind breakers. Each year I warned her that it was only a matter of time before she encountered the wrath of the mountain gods.
Approx 3yrs ago her party of five were going to the summit wearing their usual attire. They all had shorts on. They encountered an an ice storm as they neared the summit. They warmed up in the observatory and headed down. The rocks were all ice and they had to work their way down the
Tuckerman ravine on their backsides. They could not stand and walk. They were very, very cold and soaked to the bone. They could hear the sand trucks on the auto road. She told her husband as she clung to life that everything I had warned her would happen was now reality. She admits that she was terrified and thought they would not get out of there alive. These are very smart people but they truly believed that nothing like this would ever happen to them. It was a beautiful day that turned deadly. The most definitely did not abandon their climb at the first sign of foul weather.
The mountain gods spared their lives and they have abandoned their annual hiking expeditions in the Whites. It's golf at the Mt. W hotel now.
I was talking with two officers from NH Fish and Game last evening at work about this very thing. They had to come interview one of our patients. It just reinforced to me once again that I would rather carry the weight and increase my chances of survival if I was injured or encountered foul weather.
I cannot imagine finding myself in a situation knowing that I was risking it all because I didn't want to carry a few extra pounds. After all carrying that weight does help to build character!

 

[vegematic]

“but hon, she is carrying the most important item of all”. “What is that”, she asked? “Why her perky breasts”, I said with a smirk. Women get away without having to carry anything because we men are, well.. pigs.

I bet I could land a grant to look for an inverse relationship between the weight of a woman's pack and her "perkiness".

Perky or not, I make a point of carrying my fair share of backpack weight.
-veg.