Unprepared Katahdin Hikers Burden Baxter Park Staff

[TJ aka Teej]

Unprepared Katahdin Hikers Burden Baxter Park Staff
By Phyllis Austin, Maine Environmental News (www.meepi.org). 10/25/04
http://www.meepi.org/files04/pa102504.htm

From the story:
"The search and rescue efforts were highlighted by park director Buzz Caverly at the October 15 meeting of the Park Authority because "it was amazing" to have people in that age category on Katahdin. "Older people decided it was time to conquer Katahdin, without realizing you don’t conquer the mountain," he observed.

Dan Martin, one of the authority’s three members and head of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, responded that his agency is "seeing the same thing" with search and rescue of more older people outdoors. "These are people in their 70s, 80s, early 90s," he said. "They give out . . . are ill-prepared." It’s especially difficult for searchers to find lost seniors who have made "tragic mistakes" and paid with their lives, Martin said.

Baxter Park had 33 search and rescues during the regular 2004 camping season. Two people died – one of them on Katahdin. Caverly estimated that 100,000 people visited the park this year and that 50,000 of them climbed Katahdin, the state’s highest mountain. Thirty-three incidents may not seem like a high number, given park use level, he said, but search and rescue is increasingly costly to the park.

The park’s fiscal 2004 budget included $36,000 in a contingency account to pay staff overtime for search and rescue. Caverly said this year’s incidents ate up a lot of those funds. The costs to the park would be much high if not for the critical contribution of volunteer search and rescue organizations. Also, the Air National Guard does not charge for helicopter evacuations. The Guard absorbs the cost because they treat them as training operations."

[Tramper Al]

I have to say I don't like to see this sort of condemning generalization from the park authority.

Certainly we all have known competent and well prepared hikers in their 70's and 80's.

What's next? Complaints about people with missing limbs? Young people? People who live in cities?

[TakeABreak]

I think you are correct on this note Tramper, on thru hike, and on all of the hikes I did in and out of the smokies and nearby area's, it was the older hikers or day hikers that i found to be unprepared, it was from people mpstly in their 20's, 30's, 40's and 50's, and with the case of 2 dehydrated hikers that wander into my camp, they were about 20 years old.

The section hikers I did come across that were in their 60's & 70's, were probably the most responsible section hikers on the trail and were less apt to take unneccessay chances than the younger ones were.

I do not recall giving water, directions telling a 70 or 80 year old the were going the wrong on a trail an hour before in the smokies, but I did do this plenty of times, more than I can remember as a matter of fact to people in the 20 - 60 age range, while training in the smokie mountains for my thru hike.

[The Solemates]

This year on our hike, we ran into EZ1 three times, as he was thru-hiking via a multi flip-flop method. He is 81 years old and looks to be in better shape than a lot of 40 year olds I know. Certainly they are out there...

[TDale]

Unless the point of the article is to start the dialogue about charging for rescue, I don't get it.

The anecdotal stories don't even represent that point. You have one octogenarian too tired to walk down, and apparently unprepared to spend the night, then another that apparently was and "rescued" herself the next day. One group caught by bad weather. Gee, that never happens. A group with a cerebral palsy sufferer that didn't make time they expected to but again, rescued themselves.

While these people can be faulted for not having perfect foresight, they should be applauded for their courage and intrepidness. The author has clearly got issues.

I hope I'm climbing Katadin with two women when I'm 81.

[blindeye]

let's hope the park rangers don't get pissed at people with heart disease or who are visually impaired because then i couldn't thru hike SOBO in 06!!

[bearbait2k4]

Well, perhaps they should start giving a little fiscal responsibility to those who have to be rescued from Katahdin.

If you read the full article, you can pretty much tell that these are people that are being rescued are not thru-hikers, off to complete the last few miles of their trip. Those who may not realize what the hike up to Katahdin really entails.

Maybe they should just put a "Rescue Rates" sign up, with descriptions and prices for various rescue plans. Or maybe post each previous year's total rescue costs, including fatality reports. That may make some people put in more effort to be prepared, or decide that maybe climbing this mountain is not for them.

[Jack Tarlin]

Bearbait is correct. I think some of the people who first posted on this thread didn't read the entire article. If you do, then it's apparent that nobody at Baxter has a problem with the elderly......they have a problem with ill-prepared, ill-equipped hikers, REGARDLESS of their age. This past summer, there were evidently a few noteworthy incidents that did indeed involve older hikers, and I think this is where Buzz Caverly's comments originated.

The folks who run Baxter State Park, including Buzz Caverly, who has made the preservation of the Park his life's work, don't discriminate against anybody. They do, however, have a problem with foolish, reckless people who put themselves----and their rescuers----at risk each year.

In some areas, Park and State officials have reserved the right to bill the offending party for a Search or Rescue that is deemed un-necessary or preventable. In New Hampshire, there is now a State law to this effect.

Speaking for myself, I applaud this.

[The Solemates]

I second the fiscal responsibility idea. That sounds great. Take responsibility for your actions, no matter the consequences.

[Flash Hand]

let's hope the park rangers don't get pissed at people with heart disease or who are visually impaired because then i couldn't thru hike SOBO in 06!!

They cannot do any discrimination but if they found out that you ignore your doctor recommend you NOT to hike up the Katahdin because of heart condition. Then they have reason to be pissed of.

Flash Hand

[saimyoji]

I also agree with the "take responsibility for your own actions" idea. I teach high school biology and zoology, too many younger people (kids and adults) shirk responsibility. Whatever happened to: "the buck stops HERE"? Its become "pass the buck to whoever is stoopid enough not to realize they're being a** reamed by someone else." Sure, people make mistakes, its how we learn. But when people's lives and livelihoods are in question, we need to hold people to a higher standard.

GO RED SOX

[TakeABreak]

Well spoken people, everyone does make mistakes, but as stated, when it is blatant f^&* up, like climbing Katahdin in bad westher or flat being unprepared for the elements or ignoring doctors orders, or just good ole common fricking sense, then I say bill them for all cost involved, to include paying the volunteers the same wage as park officials, when they are rescueing morons.

This will make fiscally resonsponsible. We have been trying to get the coast gurad and other rescue services to that here in michigan, for the ice fishermen they have to rescue every year.

I have ice fished in past and always did in responsibly in when I was 3 mile out onto lake erie, but every year there are people rescued because they go out to early or too late in the season, or when the ice is just not safe. It cost the tax payers upwards of 10K for every rescue mission.

I say charge people for their ignorance the funds set aside for rescue missions should be for unforseeable emergencies on Katahdin, such a slip breaking a leg or ankle by a prepared and proper outfitted individual. Not a slip and break by a fool wearing flip flops up the mountain.

[White Oak]

Must be like Springer with all the mobs of idiots, plus snow and ice.

[TDale]

I like the "Rescue Rates" signage idea. It would be a good place to inform people of the condition they need to be in and the equipment they need to take. It would also be a good place for a rescue fund donation box.

[creaky bones]

Well, I climbed Katahdin this summer. I'm an avid hiker and relatively new backpacker and my parents had taken me up Katahdin when I was a young teen-ager. I don't remember a lot from the trip except I thought Knife's Edge was 'no big deal'. So in July we packed carefully and set off to climb Katahdin with my young adult children. The young people bounded off ahead and left me and my hiking companion. The ranger directed us up the Helon Taylor trail because of the threat of afternoon thunderstorms which would then come after we had crossed knife's edge. I trusted the ranger rather than myself.

We were by far the oldest climbers on that trail that day, but still we didn't clue in.

The short version is that it never dawned on me that we wouldn't make it to the top. That wasn't even an option. Before we even reached Pamola we had to turn around. It was a disgrace. We were exhausted. The disappointment was palpable. That decision to turn around ranks as one of the hardest of my life. It just wasn't to be. I'm normally a very sensible, rational and careful person.

My point is, hindsight is 20/20. It's easy to underestimate a mountain. It's easy to underestimate a situation. It's easy to rationalize risks you wouldn't consider under other circumstances. Making better decisions come with experience. I could have easily chosen to attempt to finish and been on the mountain when night and coldness fell.

My other point is, those rangers have no budget, and after rescuing and recovering mistaken judgment after mistaken judgment off the mountain it must start looking like stupidity. Hiking in flip flops (which I saw that day) probably is stupidity- or ignorance. But those people give up early on...usually...

When I went to Switzerland and went out hiking it was clear that the Swiss government charges for rescues (think about the cost of rescue in a place like the Alps!) and it made me think about my decisions.

And in case someone is thinking about highlighting "It was a disgrace"- I don't feel that way now. I see that experience as a very positive one. I learned a lot more from that than any other single hike. It just felt like a disgrace then. My plan is to get a reservation in and make it a two-day hike next summer. I will prevail!(safely)

[Crash]

.
In some areas, Park and State officials have reserved the right to bill the offending party for a Search or Rescue that is deemed un-necessary or preventable.

BUT REMEMBER THAT WHEN YOUR POLICE AND FIRE DEPT.S START SENDING YOU A BILL FOR THEIR SERVICES OVER AND ABOVE THE TAXES YOU PAY.

[Percival]

Bearbait is correct. I think some of the people who first posted on this thread didn't read the entire article. If you do, then it's apparent that nobody at Baxter has a problem with the elderly......they have a problem with ill-prepared, ill-equipped hikers, REGARDLESS of their age.

Exactly. Earl Shaeffer was more prepared in his 80s during his second thru-hike than many weekenders who decide to "bag" a peak with no idea what they're doing. All comes down to how fit and prepared someone is.

[bearbait2k4]

"BUT REMEMBER THAT WHEN YOUR POLICE AND FIRE DEPT.S START SENDING YOU A BILL FOR THEIR SERVICES OVER AND ABOVE THE TAXES YOU PAY."



Welcome to Texas. We usually have to pay for, at least, the Fire Department services.

I think that comparing this to irresponsible people being rescued on a mountain is like comparing apples to oranges. Seriously.

[mdionne]

i liked your post. i'll advise that if you wan't to make reservations for baxter, you'd better be on the ball come january.

[creaky bones]

Haven't they changed the process? I know people used to line up outside the office in East Millinocket on Jan 1 for a spot, but I thought they'd changed it to taking reservations only 3 months in advance- meaning I need to be on the ball in March or April. It grieves me that Baxter can't move into cyberspace and insists on snailmail for communication. I guess they've taken Mr. Baxter's request to remain primitive to the nth degree.

Am I right? Has the process changed for reserving a campsite at Chimney Pond?