White in NH...Presi Traverse...missing hikers

[Lawn Sale]

This all assumes competence on the part of the hikers. Not always a valid assumption. And even competent hikers sometimes make decisions that don't seem to have been the best in retrospect.

You have to agree there is some controversy as to the definition of the term "competence" in this case. I have hiked in conditions others would not consider prudent, and others have hiked in conditions I would do the same. This does not mean each was incompetent, just had differing levels of acceptability.

In this particular case, they were staying at the shelter at Lakes of the Clouds Hut and Ammo Ravine Tr leaves from the corner of the hut, goes straight downhill, and funnels into the trees. This isn't obvious from the map, but the guidebook does say that the trail leaves from the corner of the hut. The current version of the report* states that they "searched around for some trailheads with no success" and '"They left Saturday morning with the intention of going to Dry River -- they thought that was their escape route," Gralenski said. "They bushwhacked over there and were going to follow the river to find a trail."'

<speculation on>
This is easy to suggest in retrospect (particularly since I have hiked ART to the hut), but it would appear that they lacked sufficient knowledge to find what should have been a fairly easy-to-find trail.
</speculation off>

I have had to use a GPS to find Lakes before, when the visibility was +/- 20' and the trail was blown clear. It's very easy to do on that side of the mountain in the winter. How many of us have had a hard time finding the treeline entrance to the Jewell trail on a nasty day? Granted it's the primary reason for bringing the gps (emergency use), but I can completely understand not being able to find the trail and cannot fault them for it.

 

[DougPaul]

Since they were found on the Dry River Cutoff, I wonder if the intent was to descent to the Cutoff and then come back to Crawford via Mizpah. If one were worried about the wind, and didn't know the Dry River valley is never broken out, it might seem reasonable to be in the lee of the ridge for awhile.

It could also just be coincidence, of course

The report just says they were found near the Dry River Cutoff, not which direction they were traveling, nor whether they were following the DRC or just near it. The report also says they were "going to Dry River" and "were going to follow the river to find a trail." I think it is more likely that they were trying to go out along the Dry River rather than risking going back up to the ridge. (I suspect that either route involved heavy trail breaking--up the Cutoff would be uphill and following the river would be mostly level to downhill.)

Doug

 

[DougPaul]

You have to agree there is some controversy as to the definition of the term "competence" in this case. I have hiked in conditions others would not consider prudent, and others have hiked in conditions I would do the same. This does not mean each was incompetent, just had differing levels of acceptability.

Competence is not a yes/no scale. It is a sliding scale and must be judged with respect to the task. This crew was doing a Southern Prezie traverse and should be judged accordingly. (IIRC, one of the earlier versions of the report said that their car was at Pinkham.)

I have had to use a GPS to find Lakes before, when the visibility was +/- 20' and the trail was blown clear. It's very easy to do on that side of the mountain in the winter. How many of us have had a hard time finding the treeline entrance to the Jewell trail on a nasty day? Granted it's the primary reason for bringing the gps (emergency use), but I can completely understand not being able to find the trail and cannot fault them for it.

Have you ever hiked Ammo Ravine Trail? It goes straight downhill (NW) from the west corner of the Hut. (They were already at the hut.) Trees on either side of the trail form a funnel which will guide you to the treadway. It should be easy to find in poor visibility and you are in the trees within 100 yards or so. (There is a minor difficulty after trees have closed in--you have to cross from the SW to the NE side of the stream.) My guess is that the hikers had never done this before or they would have been able to find it.

Doug

 

[Waumbek]

This crew was doing a Southern Prezie traverse ...

I have read that they started at Grey Knob/Adams. Is that incorrect?

 

[beverly]

not incorrect

I have read that they started at Grey Knob/Adams. Is that incorrect?

According to the news:

The pair was last seen Wednesday, departing the Randolph Mountain Club’s Gray Knob cabin on Mount Adams, where they had spent Tuesday night. They had planned to camp Wednesday night near Mount Eisenhowerand come out late Thursday at the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Highland Center at the top of Crawford Notch, Gralenski said.

http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Two+Canadian+hikers+missing+in+Presidential+Range&articleId=a1d3e173-c205-4801-b7e3-fb067b2ba243

 

[DougPaul]

There are now at least two versions of the story available online:
1) "Missing hikers found in Presidential Range" dated Sunday Feb 15 http://www.unionleader.com/article....rticleId=a1d3e173-c205-4801-b7e3-fb067b2ba243

and

2) "Rescued hikers had hunkered down" dated Monday Feb 16 http://www.unionleader.com/article....rticleId=198ba306-1635-4973-a7bb-c5e82a217211

* Both say they stayed Tuesday night at Gray Knob.

* 1) says they set off for a "southern traverse of the Presidential Range"
and
2) says "traverse of the southern part of the Presidential Range"

* (And it appears that at least 2) may have been updated after it was originally posted.

Doug

 

[Neil]

I read somewhere that they would not be charged for the rescue because they were well prepared, made the right decisions and carried a GPS. I disagree with the GPS as being part of the accoutrement of well-prepared hikers and what I see as the elevation of an electronic gizmo to this status.

I can carry one without having the foggiest notion how it works and also be map and compass challenged. But if the word on the street says that I better carry one or I'll get charged for a rescue then I may as well take one out of the box and toss it in my pack.

 

[hikes-with-him]

I have read that they started at Grey Knob/Adams. Is that incorrect?

They stayed at Grey Knob in Tuesday night...when they started their quest...we were with them on Tuesday into Wednesday am when we left

 

[DougPaul]

I read somewhere that they would not be charged for the rescue because they were well prepared, made the right decisions and carried a GPS. I disagree with the GPS as being part of the accoutrement of well-prepared hikers and what I see as the elevation of an electronic gizmo to this status.

I can carry one without having the foggiest notion how it works and also be map and compass challenged. But if the word on the street says that I better carry one or I'll get charged for a rescue then I may as well take one out of the box and toss it in my pack.

The same can be said for a map and a compass (or many other pieces of equipment)--they are of little use if you don't know how to use them. However, it is much easier (if less accurate) to count equipment than it is to evaluate skills.

In any case, I think it is pretty safe to say that you cannot use equipment that you do not have...


Unfortunately, the threat of a fine could create a de-facto required equipment list. (But if someone who is lost is found not to have at least a map and compass, he would likely be condemned on this BBS, so I'd say that a required equipment list already exists...)

Doug

 

[TrishandAlex]

I disagree with the GPS as being part of the accoutrement of well-prepared hikers and what I see as the elevation of an electronic gizmo to this status.

.... if the word on the street says that I better carry one or I'll get charged for a rescue then I may as well take one out of the box and toss it in my pack.

Amen to all of the above. I carry a GPS and I know how to use it, but I'd much rather do the map and compass thing. I like to leave electronics out of my hike as much as possible. I don't think one needs to carry a GPS to be well-prepared.

 

[hikes-with-him]

I can carry one without having the foggiest notion how it works and also be map and compass challenged. But if the word on the street says that I better carry one or I'll get charged for a rescue then I may as well take one out of the box and toss it in my pack.

Really good point...I think that I've heard many times it isn't anything to have the bestest gear and supplies...if you have no idea how to use them...

 

[dug]

So, in effect, if I ever need rescue for whatever reason I will be charged because I don't have a GPS? Interesting.

 

[hikes-with-him]

So, in effect, if I ever need rescue for whatever reason I will be charged because I don't have a GPS? Interesting.

As long as it isn't still in the box...and you do know how to turn it on...probably. Really sad isn't it.

However...I do think that these two hikers (from my discussions with them) did have the experience and physical abilities that they just got caught.

 

[TrishandAlex]

So, in effect, if I ever need rescue for whatever reason I will be charged because I don't have a GPS? Interesting.

Yikes, I hope not.

 

[sierra]

I agree with kevin, my first thought when i heard they went into dry river was WHY? I mean even in horrible conditions the ammou is right there. by the way compass only for me, gps units are really overated and lend very little to peoples navigation skills imo.

 

[DougPaul]

So, in effect, if I ever need rescue for whatever reason I will be charged because I don't have a GPS? Interesting.

I would expect that it would be taken into account in the official evaluation of whether you were adequately prepared or not. But it would also not be the only factor used.

Your objective should also be a factor: for instance I would expect that there is less perceived need for a GPS on a hike from Lafayette Place to Lonesome Lake than on a Prezzie traverse.


Look at "The Ten Essentials"--a list of desirable items to carry when hiking. (There are, of course, multiple versions of the list. http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q="ten+essentials"&btnG=Search. REI gives a short history: http://www.rei.com/expertadvice/articles/ten+essentials.html.)

Look also at http://www.hikesafe.com/. It states: "The hiker responsibility code was developed and is endorsed by The White Mountain National Forest and New Hampshire Fish and Game".

One could easily see the Ten Essentials or the Hiker Responsibility Code (on hikesafe.com) be treated as evaluation lists by officialdom. It could also depend on the particular official: more competent mountaineers would likely be less list-driven than less competent mountaineers.

Doug

 

[AndyF]

At least one article, at one time, said their GPS wasn't working correctly. I have seen GPS's give bad readings plenty of times. GPS is a good tool must should not be relied on or given preferential treatment over what a map and compass say. I have seen hikers who go the wrong way because of what their GPS was telling them, whereas a map would show the right way clear as day.

I was hiking with someone and we agreed to split up and regroup at South Twin. I got back to South Twin and he was not there. Turns out his GPS gave an incorrect elevation reading so he did not believe he was at South Twin and continued on to North Twin before realizing his mistake. Word got relayed to me by other hikers, so no real harm. However simply looking at the map, trail signs, or a compass and ignoring the GPS reading would clearly show he was indeed at South Twin.

I wonder if blind obedience to their GPS is part of why they could not find the Ammo Trail as a bailout instead of taking the Dry River Trail.

 

[Neil]

The same can be said for a map and a compass (or many other pieces of equipment)--they are of little use if you don't know how to use them. However, it is much easier (if less accurate) to count equipment than it is to evaluate skills.

In any case, I think it is pretty safe to say that you cannot use equipment that you do not have...


Doug

Excellent points. Nevertheless, there's something that rubs me the wrong way about the gps "mystique" and the way it has seemingly been catapulted into the ranks of the 10 essentials. Cell phones will be next on the list of required "safety gear".

For the record, I will carry a GPS (equipped with NOAA radio receiver) in the bottom of my pack when I do a winter Presi traverse. (I even know how it works!.) I will also have a top of the line brain but I never read the manual so most of it goes unused I'm afraid.

 

[DougPaul]

Excellent points. Nevertheless, there's something that rubs me the wrong way about the gps "mystique" and the way it has seemingly been catapulted into the ranks of the 10 essentials. Cell phones will be next on the list of required "safety gear".

This is nothing new. For instance, there was the same outcry from the oldtimers (and/or Luddites) when pitons were introduced to climbing. "We managed to climb without; Why should the newcomers have it easier?;, etc... The additional safety allowed the adopters and newcomers to climb harder and longer routes. Similarly in boating, boaters used to navigate in the fog and storm without electronic aids, often with great skill. But they paid in sunken boats and lost lives. Electronic aids (eg radar, radio beacons, Loran, and GPS) made boating safer even for those who did not have the superb navigational skills.

For hikers, the additional navigation capability of the GPS can allow them to comfortably go in places where they might not otherwise go or help them get out of situations more safely. One of the weaknesses of map and compass is that you have to have a reasonable idea of where you are to use them. (Eg you can be lost 100 ft off a trail if the visibility is 20 ft and you don't know which side of the trail you are on.) GPS has no such weakness and can tell you where you are to very high accuracy without any prior knowledge.

I have read of climbers using a GPS rather than wands to mark a route through a glacier icefall. They didn't have to worry about the wands being buried or blown away. Similarly for marking caches...

GPS is clearly an advance in our ability to navigate, but it comes with some costs. IMO, the best thing to do is to look at the costs and benefits of each advance and take advantage of whatever part of it you choose. (And it is a personal decision, so ignore the chorus of Luddites.)

For the record, I will carry a GPS (equipped with NOAA radio receiver) in the bottom of my pack when I do a winter Presi traverse. (I even know how it works!.)

I also carry mine when hiking. Maybe it's on, maybe it's off. But it is available if I need it.

I will also have a top of the line brain but I never read the manual so most of it goes unused I'm afraid.

Which goes unused? Part of your brain or part of the GPS?

Doug

 

[dug]

It's getting so I just can't afford to hike anymore. I think I'll save my money, buy TV, and watch Discovery instead.