[pct-l] "WILD"...You "ain't" seen nothing yet

Sun Oct 20 18:28:37 CDT 2013

I came away from reading WILD thinking the PCT is anything but easy, and
Strayed was a blithering idiot who was damn lucky to survive, both
emotionally and physically. I guess others (who have never experienced
serious blisters, lost toenails, and nearly getting raped) might say "if
she could do it I can do it." But they're blithering idiots too!
On Oct 20, 2013 11:58 AM, "Lindsey Sommer" <lgsommer at gmail.com> wrote:

> I think that a better way to put this is "anyone can do it... if you
> PREPARE." I think yes, in theory anyone, with the right preparation can be
> a successful thru-hiker.
>
> But, it does in a way perpetuate this idea that anyone can go from not
> hiking, to suddenly hiking 20 miles a day for 5 months, and then happily
> wander into Canada and have gained all this self confidence.
>
> Andrea put it perfectly: "They need to know before they hit here in mid
> Sept. what to expect."
>
>
>
> On Sun, Oct 20, 2013 at 11:50 AM, Andrea Dinsmore <
> andrea at dinsmoreshikerhaven.com> wrote:
>
> > Great post.......we are preparing for the "anyone can do it" reasoning.
> > Have gotten started the idea of making around 50 posters to hang at all
> the
> > normal hiker haunts from the Mexican border to Cascade Locks. Real pics
> > showing what's up here in the North Cascades and what the timing for
> > arriving up here should be to have the best chance of finishing the hike
> > before too much snow hits. Everett Mt. Rescue is helping me with that
> > project. Also working with the Snohomish Co. SAR on an idea to make a
> video
> > of rescues and examples of how treacherous it really is when a big storm
> > like this year hit early.
> >
> > We spent a lot of time trying to educate the late hikers on what they
> were
> > walking into and the need for at least 10 days of food and snow gear. We
> > supplied the extra food. Had a few smart asses but the majority followed
> > our advice. Brought in a SAR officer that is the one in the copter who
> > rescues the hikers. Hoping that his advice on preparedness would impress
> > the serious nature of the weather.
> >
> > They need to know before they hit here in mid Sept. what to expect.  I am
> > hoping a gentle reminder as they head up the trail how important timing
> is.
> > We dealt with the Taka rescue this year and the Ian Sarmento rescue last
> > year. It's hard on the heart when you know a hiker is in trouble and are
> so
> > far away to save them myself.
> >
> > Our idea on fore warning the hikers on timeline is to hopefully make for
> > fewer in danger and less rescues for the SAR folks. Whether the hikers
> take
> > to heart what the posters are telling them.....we can only try.
> >
> > Hugs,
> > Andrea
> >
> >
> > On Sun, Oct 20, 2013 at 10:01 AM, Reinhold Metzger
> > <reinholdmetzger at cox.net>wrote:
> >
> > > [pct-l] Rescued PCT hikers
> > >
> > >
> > >   Well said Steve,...but you  "ain't"  seen nothing yet.
> > >
> > > Used to be that "thru-hiking " the PCT was best left to experienced
> > hikers.
> > >
> > > For some time now statements on the list, like the ones below, have
> > served
> > > to mislead inexperienced hikers about the true nature of the trail and
> > draw
> > > and entice an ever increasing number of novice, inexperienced hikers to
> > > attempt to "thru-hike" the PCT without realizing what they are getting
> > > into.
> > > The result is an ever increasing need for SAR rescue missions.
> > >
> > > Ooohhh....the PCT is a piece of cake.
> > > Anybody can do it....grandma can do it.
> > > You don't need experience, you learn as you go.
> > > You don't need a map or compass...the trail is easy to follow.
> > > And, if you get lost you can always call 911.
> > > SAR will rescue you...for free.
> > >
> > > But,  you  "ain't"  seen nothing yet Steve.
> > >
> > > The book "WILD"  has taken that..."Ooohhh,...it's a piece of
> > cake...grandma
> > > can do it" attitude nationwide...even world wide.
> > > And now the movie version will glorify that ...."ooohhh"....attitude
> and
> > > novice
> > > hikers from all over the world will be dying to "thru"  the PCT.
> > >
> > > After all, if grandma can do it everybody can do it and if we get lost
> > > or get a
> > > blister we can always call 911.
> > > Those nice folks at  SAR  will rescue us and we get a free helicopter
> > ride.
> > >
> > > So....Steve,  Ned,  Ron,....get those SAR teams ready.
> > > Something tells me you guys will have some busy seasons ahead of you.
> > >
> > > Like I said......."YOU  AIN'T  SEEN  NOTHING  YET."
> > >
> > > JMT Reinhold
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > >
> > >
> > >   [pct-l] Rescued PCT hikers
> > >
> > > *Steve Rolfe* steve.rolfe at comcast.net
> > > <mailto:pct-l%40backcountry.net
> > >
> >
> ?Subject=%5Bpct-l%5D%20Rescued%20PCT%20hikers&In-Reply-To=CABAzAtGS%2BP-6bxMGybqD0JB0sPcfHn33pHGzPUbkHFgiN3kS8g%
> > > 40mail.gmail.com>
> > > /Thu Oct 3 22:54:10 CDT 2013/
> > >
> > >
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > >
> > > Steve wrote:
> > > For the past week I've been very worried about thru-hikers still
> > > on the trail.
> > > The conditions must have been/still are miserable, or worse --
> > > life threatening.
> > > It seems my concern was valid, I suspect we will hear in the next
> > > few days more are in trouble.
> > > I hope not.
> > >
> > > The quote copied from a post on this list serve yesterday disturbs
> > > me.
> > > "We finally made it to Trout Lake today and another huge storm is
> > > rolling in," Arnold wrote.
> > > "Everyone says we can't make it because of the weather situation,
> > > and to be honest it's quite terrifying, but I can't fathom coming
> > > this far and giving up."
> > >
> > > For many years here in Washington I was involved in search and rescue.
> > >
> > > Bringing back bodies in bags is disturbing, especially since I
> > > cannot remember a case where the cause was an "accident".
> > > Every time the people involved ignored risks that should have
> > > been obvious, and were obvious to the many others who avoided
> > > those risks.
> > >
> > > Long ago I learned success in a climb is not making it to the
> > > summit, but making it back down -- alive.
> > > The same applies to a thru-hike.
> > >
> > > For some there is a mindset that virtue is how much punishment
> > > one can take.
> > > Please don't misunderstand me; I don't mean to criticize the
> > > person who recently posted this story on the list serve.
> > > Stories about hiking 200 miles in sandals because of gigantic
> > > blisters are entertaining and educational, but the goal of a hike
> > > should not be how you persevered through hardship, but how you
> > > wisely avoided hardship (and danger) in the pursuit of joy.
> > > I'm glad this person was capable of dealing with their blisters.
> > > But, shouldn't they have known enough to deal with this problem
> > > before it became a calamity.
> > > Stopping at the earliest signs of a blister and taping one's
> > > feet is good practice -- it is not "giving in" to one's pain.
> > >
> > > Many thru-hikers prepare carefully and are safety conscious.
> > > Typically those are the ones who are successful and enjoy their
> > > experience.
> > > I'm concerned, however, by the attitude of a few I read about in
> > > this list serve that glorifies the achievement, but neglects to
> > > understand or acknowledge the true character of the challenges.
> > >
> > > Stopping one's thru-hike because the weather is life threatening is
> > > not "giving up".
> > > It is an honest recognition of the risk and challenge.
> > > It shows maturity, judgment and character.
> > >
> > > Steve
> > >
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>
> --
> Lindsey Sommer
> MLIS Candidate 2014 -- University of California, Los Angeles
> lgsommer at gmail.com
> M: (808) 298-1116
> http://www.linkedin.com/pub/lindsey-sommer/7/7b1/454
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