Mahoosucs Rescue 73 year old section hiker

[tdoczi]

Huh? I'm sorry but that comment doesn't make any sense. The amount of food you carry depends on your resupply plans, not whether your a section or thru hiking.

I do agree that it's entirely possible to become dehydrated and disoriented when hiking in the kind of heat we've had over the last week, especially if it involved getting lost or missing a planned water source. Hiking for a couple of hours without water during 90 degree heat and 100% humidity is somewhere between "really sucks" to "downright scary" The article is sufficiently scarce on details that it's pointless to try and conclude what happened. I'm glad she's alright and I'd also suggest only hikers who have never made a mistake on the trail should cast the first stones.

never made a mistake that required me to summon others to my rescue, no. i think thats (thankfully) true of most of us.

[kayak karl]

when some of the "hikers" on WB get lost, they don't call SAR. they call Tech Support

[atmilkman]

when some of the "hikers" on WB get lost, they don't call SAR. they call Tech Support

Now that's funny. Good one.

[Sarcasm the elf]

never made a mistake that required me to summon others to my rescue, no. i think thats (thankfully) true of most of us.

Nor have I, but all of us are just one bad slip away from needing SAR. There but for the grace of God...

From the bit that the article included, I think it was the trail angels that called in the Cavalry, not the hiker. Again, there wasn't enough info to make any sort of judgement, but I'll give her the benefit of a doubt. Either way she's safe, everything else is secondary.

when some of the "hikers" on WB get lost, they don't call SAR. they call Tech Support

Now that there's funny... Now if I could just get out more I'd probably laugh harder.

[hikerboy57]

when some of the "hikers" on WB get lost, they don't call SAR. they call Tech Support

I need to get out more.
Cant wait for my maine sectiom hike in august!

[tdoczi]

Nor have I, but all of us are just one bad slip away from needing SAR. There but for the grace of God...

i'm fairly religious and God's grace has nothing to do with it. there but for proper preparedness and enough common sense to not do anything foolish go I.

i would love to know what was said between her and trail angels and when. it might have been as simple as calling late in the day and trying to arrange a ride back to her car and they freaked when she didnt answer as they tried to call her back. this might all be an overreation on their part. thats about the most benefit of doubt i'm willing to give.

[SouthMark]

I'm 65 and in pretty good condition. I cycle about 5000 miles a year. In August 2009, only 20 miles into a 65 mile ride that I had done many times in the Alabama August heat, I became dehydrated and disoriented. Lucky for me a friend was along as I often ride solo. I was well prepared as always, power bars and plenty of water. What I did not know at the time was that my left renal artery had collapsed. Blood pressure had sky rocketed to 200+ over 110+. If not for my friend being along I would have been in serious trouble and in need of rescue. This could have very easily happened on a hiking trip in which case I surely would have needed rescue if I had been on a solo hike. As an experienced hiker I would have been well prepared but would still have needed help. You need to cut the lady some slack until you have all the facts and just hope that some of you hard cases can still cut the mustard at 73, the ones of you that actually hike that is.

[tdoczi]

I'm 65 and in pretty good condition. I cycle about 5000 miles a year. In August 2009, only 20 miles into a 65 mile ride that I had done many times in the Alabama August heat, I became dehydrated and disoriented. Lucky for me a friend was along as I often ride solo. I was well prepared as always, power bars and plenty of water. What I did not know at the time was that my left renal artery had collapsed. Blood pressure had sky rocketed to 200+ over 110+. If not for my friend being along I would have been in serious trouble and in need of rescue. This could have very easily happened on a hiking trip in which case I surely would have needed rescue if I had been on a solo hike. As an experienced hiker I would have been well prepared but would still have needed help. You need to cut the lady some slack until you have all the facts and just hope that some of you hard cases can still cut the mustard at 73, the ones of you that actually hike that is.

and if this woman was indeed in a serious emdical emergency then fine, i'm glad she was rescued and is ok. until theres something to indicate that this is the case though to just assume there was somethign terribly awry is giving way too much benefit of doubt.

my own conclusion- being off her schedule made her panic slightly and call trail angels (which, fyi, is the name of a business in the whites, some seem to not be aware of that) for help in getting back to her car that night, rather than spending an unplanned night in the woods, and for whatever reason trail angels passed the buck. ive had a similar experience with them. i once asked them for a shuttle and they instead called the local berlin taxi company on my behalf.

[tdoczi]

and as for the "dehydration"- probably every time ive been hiking in hot weather if someone had sent rescue personell looking for me and they found me they probably would claim i was dehydrated.

[Wil]

If we charge an old lady for rescue based on a judgement call do we charge the family of a young man who makes the wrong judgement on where to go swimming?

Gets to be a little complicated.

I don't know; I like the logic and would like to se it extended. What about the unprepared voters who put the bozos in charge? They should be charged for their wrong judgement, to pay for the everyday rescues needed to run continually-lost government.

[Driver8]

and if this woman was indeed in a serious emdical emergency then fine, i'm glad she was rescued and is ok. until theres something to indicate that this is the case though to just assume there was somethign terribly awry is giving way too much benefit of doubt.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJ_R-G_i4Xk

[coach lou]

The woman was dehydrated from extremely hot weather in a very tough section of the white mountains and she was 73.

[coach lou]

[QUOTE=kayak karl;1302761]when some of the "hikers" on WB get lost, they don't call SAR. they call Tech Support[/


Karl, always with that sage advice.

[mudhead]

i'm fairly religious and God's grace has nothing to do with it. there but for proper preparedness and enough common sense to not do anything foolish go I.

I'm not religious, but I do use that phrase in conversation.

I once thought I was invincible. A couple slips on greasy rocks that happened just like that- well, I have been lucky, or there go I.

So quick you don't even have time to hurt. But you know it will later.