Mt Washington Hiker

[FlyingScot]

Originally Posted by 8gv

Unfortunately a life was lost, but...

Why Christmas eve?

Why on an extremely cold day that followed rain and or snow?

Why do this with a lack of experience and possibly a lack of proper equipment?

My sympathy goes to the search party, not the deceased.

At what point do they just say "It's too risky for us tonight"?

Yes. I had not thought of suicide, which you seem to imply. But it is very hard to understand how an inexperienced person is not so overwhelmed by the cold that they turn round after just 15 or 20 minutes

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by FlyingScot

Yes. I had not thought of suicide, which you seem to imply. But it is very hard to understand how an inexperienced person is not so overwhelmed by the cold that they turn round after just 15 or 20 minutes

For anyone who has not seen this, an article by Ty Gagne about a man who went up to Washington to kill himself and was saved by a good samaritan. This is the basis for the movie Infinite Storm.

https://www.outdoors.org/resources/a...tional-rescue/

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[LikeLakes]

We watched the movie a few months ago. Definitely a few differences in the movie, but such a difficult story from the all angles.

[FlyingScot]

Originally Posted by thinkxingu

For anyone who has not seen this, an article by Ty Gagne about a man who went up to Washington to kill himself and was saved by a good samaritan. This is the basis for the movie Infinite Storm.

https://www.outdoors.org/resources/a...tional-rescue/

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Good movie!

For those who enjoy mountaineering movies, I also recommend Free Solo and Into Thin Air

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by FlyingScot

Good movie!

For those who enjoy mountaineering movies, I also recommend Free Solo and Into Thin Air

Was it good? If I recall correctly, the reviews were awful.

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[pondguy]

The movie can be found on Youtube

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by pondguy

The movie can be found on Youtube

We don't have YouTube premium, but looking at the ratings—hovering in the 5/10 range—I'm not sure it matters!

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[LikeLakes]

It's not great, but an interesting enough watch that I didn't regret it. I was bothered that the backdrop wasn't the White's, not sure where it was.

[Mr. V]

What is with you people denigrating the 19 year old who died recently?

He was young and inexperienced.

Probably he had no mentor to teach him, with his family on the other side of the world.

As for hiking on xmas: that is a holiday for christians, and he might not have been one.

Cut the dead guy some slack...

[WinnisquamZ]

Originally Posted by Mr. V

What is with you people denigrating the 19 year old who died recently?

He was young and inexperienced.

Probably he had no mentor to teach him, with his family on the other side of the world.

As for hiking on xmas: that is a holiday for christians, and he might not have been one.

Cut the dead guy some slack...

Absolutely not. His stupidity risk lives of other. I will not feel sorry for this stupid individual


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[pondguy]

Originally Posted by thinkxingu

We don't have YouTube premium, but looking at the ratings—hovering in the 5/10 range—I'm not sure it matters!

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You don't need premium just sign in with an email address, let me see if i can find a link. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MXI_zfGScA

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by pondguy

You don't need premium just sign in with an email address, let me see if i can find a link. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MXI_zfGScA

Thanks for the link. I just started it and, yes, it's weird that not only is it not filmed in the Whites but they don't even really try to make it look like it. The AVSAR patch and map in her house are the only references...so far.

Oh, and I'll add that NH hikers are nowhere near that friendly in parking lots!

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[FlyingScot]

Originally Posted by thinkxingu

Was it good? If I recall correctly, the reviews were awful.

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I enjoyed it. But I really enjoy that sort of thing, so maybe it was not a good movie and the subject mater was enough for me? Given that you've recommended the Ty Gagne book numerous times, I think the movie is worth a look, at least for you. The other two movies I recommended are excellent, and have been enjoyed by wide audiences

[LikeLakes]

Originally Posted by FlyingScot

For those who enjoy mountaineering movies, I also recommend Free Solo and Into Thin Air

Add The Alpinist to the list. It is a must see. If something can induce more stress than Free Solo, than this movie is it. Alex Honnold appears in it as well.

[FlyingScot]

Originally Posted by LikeLakes

Add The Alpinist to the list. It is a must see. If something can induce more stress than Free Solo, than this movie is it. Alex Honnold appears in it as well.

Watched it last night on your recommendation--WOW! Even separate from the mind-bending mountaineering, it's a terrific movie about an extraordinary person. Thanks

[Susie Cougar]

Originally Posted by FlyingScot

Yes. I had not thought of suicide, which you seem to imply. But it is very hard to understand how an inexperienced person is not so overwhelmed by the cold that they turn round after just 15 or 20 minutes

My son, who is no slouch when it comes to hiking, said the story just doesn’t make any sense. He didn’t leave until 11:00 AM with only five hours of daylight for an 8 hour hike. He heard that the hiker was a student at MIT. I know the Chinese are especially hard on their children educationally and maybe he wasn’t making the grade.
Both the stories of the 19 year old and now this 28 year old are just heart wrenching. I did read that they had put up an additional hundred or so signs on the trail heads warning people of the conditions on the mountains.

[DickR]

Originally Posted by Susie Cougar

... He didnÂ’t leave until 11:00 AM with only five hours of daylight for an 8 hour hike.... I did read that they had put up an additional hundred or so signs on the trail heads warning people of the conditions on the mountains.

I really doubt that Li's death was anything but just another case of a lone hiker unfamiliar with the terrain up on the ridge in winter conditions, in the extreme weather up there that day, and lacking some essential equipment for such a hike. Of critical importance, ultimately, was his not having any light source, such as a headlamp, for descent in darkness. From this source: https://www.boston.com/news/the-bost...f-lone-hikers/, “He was wearing goggles, but… we could not find any kind of a light source that would’ve aided him after dark. Simply just finding the trail markers without a light in pitch black is next to impossible.”

The popular Lafayette-Lincoln loop takes you up the Old Bridle Path (3 miles to the hut, 1 more to Lafayette @5260 ft), south along the ridge trail, over Lincoln (5089 ft) and on to Little Haystack (1.7 miles totally exposed). At LH, not on the 48 list despite being at 4760 ft, there are trail signs, including one for taking the Falling Waters Trail down to the highway (another 3.2 or 3.3 miles). From the top of Little Haystack, the trail drops down almost right away into the trees, affording a lot of protection from the winds.

Given where Li was found, in a ravine between Lincoln and Little Haystack, most likely he ran out of daylight, came to the shallow col between those peaks, and mistakenly headed downward rather than continue on to the trail junction at Little Haystack. Even then, without light, he perhaps would have missed the signs and kept heading down the ridge toward Mt Liberty. If he only had light, by starting the hike at 7-8am rather than 11 or by bringing a headlamp along (an essential item), he might well have finished the hike alive.

Also noted in the article is this: "While tragic deaths of young hikers have drawn more attention in recent years, officials said, there has not been an increase in fatalities. Li’s death marked the 21st hiking fatality of the year for New Hampshire, making 2022 consistent with the past four years, which saw an average of roughly 22 fatalities per year, officials said."

Further information on the trailhead signs is here: https://www.mountwashington.org/abou...ckcountry.aspx

Many hikers continue hiking the White Mountains through the winter. One good source of trip reports is here: https://www.newenglandtrailconditions.com/nh/

[FlyingScot]

Originally Posted by DickR

I really doubt that Li's death was anything but just another case of a lone hiker unfamiliar with the terrain up on the ridge in winter conditions, in the extreme weather up there that day, and lacking some essential equipment for such a hike. Of critical importance, ultimately, was his not having any light source, such as a headlamp, for descent in darkness. From this source: https://www.boston.com/news/the-bost...f-lone-hikers/, “He was wearing goggles, but… we could not find any kind of a light source that would’ve aided him after dark. Simply just finding the trail markers without a light in pitch black is next to impossible.”

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No matter how you cut it, there is no obvious explanation. On the specific point you raise--it would have been very unusual for him to not have a smart phone with a flashlight in his pocket.

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by FlyingScot

No matter how you cut it, there is no obvious explanation. On the specific point you raise--it would have been very unusual for him to not have a smart phone with a flashlight in his pocket.

I thought I read he was being tracked from China with his smartphone but that it ran out of juice.

Also, in terms of weather reports, there are two other sources everyone should check (if hiking in the Whites):

https://www.mountwashington.org/expe...-forecast.aspx

https://www.mountain-forecast.com/

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[LikeLakes]

Originally Posted by FlyingScot

No matter how you cut it, there is no obvious explanation. On the specific point you raise--it would have been very unusual for him to not have a smart phone with a flashlight in his pocket.

He had a smartphone, was navigating with it, it died, which was what prompted his family in China to notify authorities. So no phone light. And a phone light would be sketchy at best for finding trail signs, better than nothing but not very effective.

We walked on a few very local trails both yesterday and today, left around 3:30 and walked until after dusk. We each had our phones and I had 2 flashlights in my pocket. That's just me. On hikes I have 2 flashlights and spare batteries, plus a phone charge cord and power supply that can provide a full charge. Not saying I'm a genius, just these are minimum required items for safely dealing with mishaps.

[mowtorman]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

Lost souls on the verge of suicidal winter hiking without adequate warm clothing and a serious wind breaker, face mask, hat and large mittens would defer freez'n to death, up the cold mountain, when they can go rethink their life ending plan while enjoying a good hot coffee and a yummy old fashioned sugar donut. There's no yummy sugar donuts down there in Hell

So presumptuous, and so many assumptions. I guess you were on the trail that day?

So irreverence is your gig? Is it a gas? Does it give you a good kick?

Regular laugh riot over the hardships of others.

I knew 2 people that died on Washington. One an expert skier who fell into the rocks on the left gully. The other a rescuer that died in an avalanche chasing after people that put themselves in danger.

Unforeseen events have always happened on Washington. Never in my 6 decades have I encountered someone taking such perverse pleasure in it. The Reaper will be in your backyard one of these days hope you will have a good laugh with him when he comes for you.

BTW stopped at HOJO'S many times while skiing Tuckerman's in April and May. The drive up window must have been closed because at that time the sign at the scale at the bottom where you weighed in displayed the pack in pack out policy. No Burgers were being grilled, no soda fountain and the AMC pack mules ran up and down to trail with heavy packs loaded with supplies.

I really admired those guys they were as rugged as the mountain itself.

Your rants must be good for advertising or something.

[fatlazyless]

Getting back to the Cog Railroad engineer who fell to his death, sliding off the icy summit outlook cliff while hiking Mt Willard in Crawford Notch with his wife on Saturday, December 10, 2022, 10:20-am.

https://nhfishgame.com/2022/12/12/up...rawford-notch/

Believe this film clip by a 2022 Appalachian Trail thru-hiker includes his brief explanation to the thru-hiker, briefly explaining his job on the old Cog steam locomotive ....... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adB93tGMXqQ&t=164s ...... by him, the late Joseph Eggleston, age 53 ...... "yuh, I'm the engineer! ........ "

..... is just so sad! ...... https://www.wmur.com/article/willard...death/42218835 .... published Dec 12, 2022