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Missing hiker found dead in the Whites
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Home › Forums › General Forums › General Lightweight Backpacking Discussion › Missing hiker found dead in the Whites
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Feb 22, 2015 at 7:05 am #2176598
"A good article.
The details are enlightening.Thanks."
+1
Feb 22, 2015 at 7:21 am #2176606In response to my inquiry…
Tom,
Preliminary information that we have received is that this model is a “Class 2 Beacon” only rated to -4 degrees (class one beacons are operational to -40)which may have contributed to the erroneous readings. You may want to contact the company directly with questions about the device as this information came from a third party.
Take care,
JimLt. James Goss
NH Fish and Game Department
Region 2
Box 417
New Hampton, NH 03256
Tel: 603-744-5470Feb 22, 2015 at 7:26 am #2176608Class 2: -4F
I never paid any attention, until now.
I'm not camping in sub-zero weather, but many are, and this could be significant.Thanks.
Feb 22, 2015 at 8:55 am #2176631Good article!
Thanks for sharing!
Feb 22, 2015 at 3:30 pm #2176766What are the class 1 PLB devices that operate at lower temps accurately? My google search was fruitless?
Feb 22, 2015 at 4:49 pm #2176786Class 1 or 2 relates to the battery
"When researching which PLB to buy, there’s no reason to choose an aviation-specific model. In fact, there’s really no such thing. You’re better off selecting a unit based on features and battery life. COSPAS-SARSAT rules require all approved PLBs to operate for a minimum of 24 hours after activation, but there are two battery classes. Class 1 heavy-duty batteries must be able to transmit for 24 hours at -40 degrees Fahrenheit while Class 2 batteries must transmit for 24 hours at -20 degrees Fahrenheit."
ref: http://www.flyingmag.com/avionics-gear/pilot-supplies/buyers-guide-personal-locator-beacons
Feb 22, 2015 at 5:51 pm #2176804Seth,
I too looked for a Class 1 PLB to no avail. I found plenty of references to Class 1 standards and batteries, but no actual devices.The battery weight difference was about 4 ounces, and I assume a bigger housing would be needed. Weight could be an issue.
If one were spending time below -4℉ I think a Class 2 at body temperature would suffice for 30 to 60 minutes in the elements. Is that enough? Not for me…, but as I mentioned, at those temps I'm, sitting by the fireplace.
If you or anyone else finds a Class 1, please post.
Feb 23, 2015 at 12:51 am #2176906The Boston Globe article establishes that – taking the tracking info off of her personal GPS – she reaches the top of Mt Adams and then turns back down towards Star Lake & presumably just a bit further, Madison Spring Hut and survival. But the article leaves us assuming that she can't make enough headway or walk at all to reach it because of 100+ mph winds blowing directly in her face. Certainly I've never experienced, let alone tried walking in winds anywhere close to that… but apparently the search & rescue folks were able to. So – why couldn't she reach the hut? Lost in the whiteout? Too cold / beat / frostbitten / disoriented to walk any further? Terribly tragic – the hut's just 900' or so / a long NYC city block away, although I don't know how boarded up / difficult it might be to break into.
Feb 23, 2015 at 2:15 am #2176910Article said she was blown off trail.
Feb 23, 2015 at 2:19 am #2176911http://www.equipped.com/plb_chart.htm for some class 1 examples.
Becker.com.tw has class 1
Feb 23, 2015 at 4:02 am #2176915Greg, I looked up SPOT just to see what they claim and it's -30. I agree, not that big an issue as I'm on the couch with the cat when it's that cold.
Peter, she was probably near hypothermic breakdown by the time she reached Star Lake. It took her 10.5 hours to cover a relatively short distance. The SAR folks went straight to the lake without summitting either peak(I presume). It's a short hike once you're out of the trees. The hut was closed and offered no rescue.
John, thanks for the list.
Feb 23, 2015 at 10:43 am #2177034^^ agree. The summits are on spur paths from the main trail so you can bypass them. All of it is super exposed.
take in consideration that she was in crampons not snowshoes.. so any drifts or deep snow would have been very difficult to move through. I think the article said chest deep in some spots. That will slow down and exhaust someone.
As much as the PLB stuff is useful for everyone else. The issue in this case was leaving the car. or in the very least.. going past Madison Hut once she got out of the trees. I had friends on lower mountains that had no problems.
Hut is quite boarded up. I'm not sure what they lock all the shutters with but i'm guessing it would not be easy. Would involve prying off shutters, breaking locks and glass more than likely. the main entrance is actually buried in that drift.
(not my pic)
100mph on mt washington.. century club (weather observers on the deck)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCbaFEYldUgFeb 23, 2015 at 1:55 pm #2177101i looked but could not find any account of anyone ever breaking into one of the huts in an emergency… and from the picture it looks unlikely she could have managed to get in even had she reached it. And you are certainly right: 10+ hours out, no snowshoes, chest high drifts, hypothermic breakdown, 100+ mph winds, white out conditions, exhaustion…
Feb 23, 2015 at 2:28 pm #2177112You know, I am staring at that hut photo. It seems to me that if a person had any sort of digging tool, they could dig themselves a tunnel into that snow drift. It might not be warm, but it would get you out of the wind. How many winter hikers carry a digging tool with them on a dayhike? It could save your life.
–B.G.–
Feb 23, 2015 at 3:19 pm #2177131"How many winter hikers carry a digging tool with them on a dayhike? It could save your life."
For any excursions the are lengthy and/or above treeline and/or away from popular use, I always carry a shovel. For ANY day trip, I carry a Christmas tree storage bag. It is always in my winter pack. 4oz, $2 and makes a quick and dirty bivy shelter in an emergency.
http://www.pmags.com/quick-tip-xmas-tree-disposal-bag-emergency-shelter
The storage bag, with a shovel, provides some measure of safety and security if an emergency should develop.
Feb 23, 2015 at 3:22 pm #2177133Probably right Bob. Problem is they were well past that point when they got back towards that area. I think most locals, even if they had given just Madison a shot would have turned around at treeline just before the shelter. you come out of trees a few hundred yds north of the hut and it is all rock/scrub after that.
Snowshoes could be uses for digging.
Feb 23, 2015 at 5:32 pm #2177195Snowshoes make terrible shovels..even in an emergency.
If you want go light, these are good JIC type gear.
Not nearly as good as real shovel, but packs easier and is lighter. Only $20 as well.
Feb 23, 2015 at 6:47 pm #2177217good to know. I don't hike much in the winter.. i'm a skinny bastard who doesn't like the cold ;) If i did i'm sure i'd want a real avy shovel.
Feb 23, 2015 at 7:05 pm #2177228Real avalanche shovels tend to be shaped like grain scoops because they are intended to move a lot of snow in a hurry. As a result of their large size, often they are left behind in the car. As Paul pointed out, a Snowclaw is not as good as a real shovel, but it is compact enough that it is likely to be carried. If things get really bad, something as simple as a Sierra cup can be used, although this is very small and slow. I've dug out solo snow trenches before using the metal lid of a 4-quart cook pot. Crude, but effective.
–B.G.–
Feb 23, 2015 at 8:43 pm #2177266You can make two pretty substantial snow claws – larger than the manufactured one if you want – out of the sides of a 5-gallon bucket. I'd suggest filing down the business end to cut into packed / icy snow better. And wrap the handles with some duct tape / first-aid tape / pipe wrap / vapor-barrier tape or whatever your favorites are. Then you have some tape along, just as if you'd wrapped it around your water bottle, but it also pads and smoothes the edges of the handle portion.
The side of the bucket are just about right. A lighter weight version can be made from those roll-up HDPE sleds. But then I'd go a little smaller-sized snow claw – that gauge of plastic isn't as stiff.
I always keep a few of those roll-up sleds around, and snag any I see at garage sales, thrift stores, or end-of-the-season sales. It is a nice thickness for a variety of things, including sheet-frames in packs and HDPE is so very versatile over such a huge temp range.
Feb 23, 2015 at 9:43 pm #2177287David, that looks like something that I saw on the shelves at the Fred Meyer store in Anchorage.
–B.G.–
Feb 25, 2015 at 8:11 am #2177710AnonymousInactive"but apparently the search & rescue folks were able to. So – why couldn't she reach the hut?"
When researching for my own trip, local professionals (name withheld for liability sake) said body weight is one of the main factors in what wind you can walk in. Their rule of thumb is Half your bodyweight is "an" advisable limit. So whereas a 200 lb man could stand in upto 100 mph winds. A (150?) lb girl could be swept up in 75 mph winds. This girl seemed pretty lean.
In defense of the girl's judgement. She may have known early in the morning she wasn't going to finish the full trip and may have just been trying to summit 1 or two of the mountains before turning back for the car. That's based on what I have done in similar situations. 3:30 is late in the day to be above treeline, but from cycling I know its sometimes easy when making good time with the wind, to forget how much harder the return trip is going to be. Has often thrown off my estimated round trip time on a bike.
Alot of recent discussions have focused on her PLB, but I haven't heard much about helmets? My understanding was she got blown off trail and/or may have hit her head which ultimately stranded her. I haven't seen confirmation if she had a helmet. In my recent trip, neither I nor any of the other climbers wore helmets because we weren't concerned about falling rocks. Admitedly though, I have read stories where climbers fall, and a cracked helmet suggest it saved them from a concussion on landing.
My condolences to anyone who might have known the girl. Based on her posted expedition photos, she seemed like a pretty cool member of the outdoor community.
Feb 25, 2015 at 12:03 pm #2177805Rock/ice climbing helmets are meant to protect you from things being dropped from above.. falling rocks, ice, gear etc. They do not do a great job at protecting you falling into other things, especially the sides of your head. It may help some but not a sure plan.
Ski helmet would protect more but at that point most hikers wouldn't be going out if they envisioned that risk.
She wouldn't have to even be knocked out or injured to get stuck off of the trail. If you aren't on the packed down area it is quite deep. and who knows how the drifting was on that side of the peak.
Feb 25, 2015 at 4:27 pm #2177918"For any excursions the are lengthy and/or above treeline and/or away from popular use, I always carry a shovel. For ANY day trip, I carry a Christmas tree storage bag. It is always in my winter pack. 4oz, $2 and makes a quick and dirty bivy shelter in an emergency.
http://www.pmags.com/quick-tip-xmas-tree-disposal-bag-emergency-shelter"
Dang it, Mags. I try every way in the world to not click on blog links, but you sucked me in on that one.
Ryan
Feb 25, 2015 at 5:56 pm #2177939I'm obviously in thrall in to the Home Depot Christmas Tree Bag lobby..don't tell anyone! :D
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