[pct-l] Another missing hiker found

[Scott Williams]

Sounds like a pretty good Mom to me.  Thanks for all you do Andrea, and
none of it is silly.

Shroomer


On Thu, Oct 10, 2013 at 8:10 AM, Andrea Dinsmore <
andrea at dinsmoreshikerhaven.com> wrote:

> Wally..........maybe I was being a little too emotional when I wrote this.
> Had been dealing first hand with the hikers who were going out of my home
> into terrible conditions with most of them so unprepared and zero
> experience in the snow. It was a lot of the "smart ass" attitude from some
> of the guys who had gotten snow shoes, trying to drag (talk into) a group
> of hikers with no winter supplies, not enough food and not with the
> clothing to get them and their gear dry for hiking in deep snow. This year
> we saw more of this irresponsible behavior than ever before. Last year I
> felt everyone but one geared up and tried once then returned. Ian was out
> 19 days with no food for the last 5. He was my last hiker of the season and
> almost died.
>
> This year I was prepared for packing 9-10 days of extra food for each hiker
> heading north along with revamping their plan on keeping everything dry. We
> had groups 10-20 hikers we did chats with on what they were hiking into and
> the safety extras they needed to take. We kept them updated on what was
> going on with the guys who had gone out before them and succeeded or
> failed. We offered known reroutes and places to escape if needed. I know
> from watching them this year I need to get a loaner plan for snow shoes,
> more rain gear and a bunch more food. We have been collecting extra food
> for the end of season for the last couple years. I'm also looking into the
> possibility of joining with a PLB outfit to get a loaner plan going for
> emergency conditions. Was contacted by Everett Mt. Rescue to help with an
> idea of reminding the hikers as they head north when the snow is going to
> hit. The kids just aren't prepared for the shocking weather that usually
> dumps on us up here. I want them to go through and finish their complete
> hike. It almost killed my heart last year coming so close to loosing Ian.
> This year, Taka. I get emotionally involved with the safety issue partly
> because I end up spending a good week with each hiker. You develop this
> Mom....kid relationship of love and worry. A lot of crying goes on from
> each side as they leave. Attitudes from a few is what makes me so anger.
>
> Take care,
>
> Andrea......maybe a silly Mom that worries and loves too much.
>
>
> On Thu, Oct 10, 2013 at 5:19 AM, Wally Neal <wallyneal at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > "...  They go out into what SAR agencies consider hazardous weather
> > conditions just because they have this personal need to finish ... if the
> > rest of us don't like what you are doing then we can stuff it ...
> > HYOH......just don't ask anyone to risk their lives to come get your
> silly
> > ass. Just HYOH on your own ... YOU PAY FOR THE RESCUE"
> >
> > Andrea, I agree, basically, with this post and your others ... except ...
> > you need to consider what we all know is likely true - every single
> person
> > these people know or have encountered since deciding to hike the PCT have
> > told them "That's crazy ... stupid ...dangerous ... You could die ...
> > Others
> > have died ... You can't do that" - over and over and over. Yet, there
> they
> > are just 100 or so miles short of their 2650 mile goal. And they got
> there,
> > especially those hiking a long distance for the first time, largely
> through
> > sheer persistence, stubbornness, and determination, including a lot of
> > painful miles through ice, snow and cold ... much of it "hazardous" ...
> and
> > none of it requiring SAR. All those months and months of negative words,
> > followed by triumph, have produced a very effective mental filter of "I
> > have! I can! I will!" ... and, yes, "I must!"
> >
> > I can't think of what words you might use to get through that mindset and
> > communicate that "this time, it's different" ... but that mindset, which
> > produced success to the point you are talking with them, is the problem
> ...
> > not "personal need".
> >
> > -Walljito
> >
> >
> >
> >
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