O.A.P. = Old Age pensioner.

S.K.I. = Spending Kid's Inheritance.

C.D. = Coffin Dodger.

G.O.D. = Grumpy Old Dad.

G.O.W. = Grumpy Old Woman. (His wife).

When the woman was found, she was comatose, responding only to a
sternal rub. It was sleeting with wind gusts nearby recorded at
100 MPH. She was wearing a Goretex coat, pile jacket, t shirt
and nylon wind pants. Had a large pack full of backpacking gear
nearby.

"Had a large pack full of backpacking gear nearby."

Then I guess it was NO-No #2: Stop and hole up while you're still in good shape. Waiting until you're wet and hypothermic is not good.

If they had gear, I guess none of them were thinking much... ... unless ... There were three women and one man. I've been in enough similar situations to suspect that the women may have wanted to stop, and the guy kept saying, "Oh, it's just a little further -- we can make it!" and the women went along, against their better judgment, rather than insisting.

I'm glad none of the guys HERE would do anything like that.

Sue

Ouch. That's really sad. Sounds like they were at least somewhat prepared. Susan, you're 100% right -- hole up while you're still in good enough shape that you can.

I wish we knew more details. Perhaps they were in a steep area that would have been very difficult to set up a shelter in? Perhaps they were pushing to get into a more sheltered place? In any event, it's a really unfortunate occurance.

What is it that they say in mountaineering training? "The mountain is neither good nor evil. The mountain simply does not care." Something like that.

"the snow doesn't give a soft white damn who it touches..."
ee cummings

He didn't mention the stupid or the careless either, being a poet and all...

John E

Are group shelters or Bothy bags commonly used in North America?



These group shelters are invaluable in the type of weather this unfortunate group had to deal with.

Combine a 4 person Bothy bag (500gms) with lightweight Thermarest lite seats (each at 100gms can be compressed enough to fit a pocket) and this may have saved this womans life. They can even be used to change into dry clothes stored in a dry sack or even get a hot drink going with a lightweight gas stove and pot.

http://www.thermarest.com/product_detail.aspx?pID=45&cID=4



A few pounds weight shared 4 ways amounts to virtually nothing!

Hilleberg,the tent people make a very nice group shelter.Silnylon seconds from Thru-hiker could be made into one with just some simple sewing--all long seams--and holes with hoods...it sounds like there was a "people problem" and not a gear problem..i have been out on canoe trips with friends who did not want to admit they were cold or tired and i ended up pulling in and make them get more or dryer clothes on..my wife had a bad habit of packing for local weather and then being cold in the camp--i never did get my poly-fluff pull over back--

The deceased hiker separated from the group the prior evening
during bad weather. Apparently she told the others she was going
to set up camp as she didn't want to keep up with the others. The other three hiked over the next peak and
spent the night huddled in a tent. They called 911 to let
authorities know of their predicament but said not to send help
yet as they had spoken on cell phones to the single hiker and she
had told them she was okay. The next morning they called back
saying she wasn't answering her phone and so the search was
initiated.

That doesn't sound good, particularly in bad weather. Seems like I hear "got separated" or "was separated" a lot when problems occur.

I may not know the whole situation, but it seems almost negligent for the party to have left one person alone while the rest of the party went on, particularly in bad weather. I wonder what the "back story" is there. Given that she had said that she was going to set up camp, I wonder if she freaked out during the storm and tried to join the others.

Of course recriminations are of little help once a tragedy has occured, but perhaps she didn't die in vain if we all take the lesson to heart.

Thanks for the group shelter photos and ideas. I don't believe I've seen something like that before.

Core temperature at the hospital was 73 degrees F.

Rescue was performed by 5 SAR members who carried her
by hand, without litter, over a mountain 1/2 mile
through 6" mud to get her to a site where a 4 wheel atv
was waiting with a stokes litter. This after they jogged
5 miles to the search site. One member said it was the
hardest thing he had ever done in his life!

Helicopters tried twice but were rebuffed by clouds and
high wind.