Wilderness safety: Where even the smallest things can become big problems
This popular and beautiful place was the scene of death for a Wyoming hiker last week.
I’ve seen some stories lately that bring to mind some wise words and a few bad memories. They mostly deal with people getting hurt or even killed while trying to enjoy the outdoors.
Last week, a Wyoming man was hiking a mountain called Quandary Peak near Breckenridge, Colo. Quandary is a busy peak, and its famous east ridge is thought to be the ideal place to try summiting a 14,000-foot peak for people who have never done one before. In other words, it’s a beginner route.
Even so, that doesn’t mean it’s “easy.” And it’s not always safe. This same man, in his early 50s, had already hiked up the most strenuous portion of the route, a somewhat steep final pitch just below the summit. Two-hundred feet below the top, he went into cardiac arrest and died. Had he been hiking anywhere else but there, he’d likely be alive today, but a pre-existing heart condition was magnified under extremely physically taxing conditions.
This is not an isolated incident. Although Quandary’s east ridge is not considered dangerous, its altitude and the sheer number of people who try it make the mountain one of the most common places for search-and-rescue calls. No doubt, this is because people think of the peak as “safe” and may or may not take the endeavor as seriously as they should.
I’m reminded of stories closer to home that have ended badly. Like the Texas man a few years back hiking around Mount Scott in the middle of a winter storm. He fell, broke his leg and spent several days in cold, harsh conditions exposed to the elements before he was found by a couple of hikers. Luckily, this man lived. Going solo in a winter storm on a rugged place like Mount Scott showed some disregard for the risks at play in what many might think of as a pretty tame environment.
Lastly, I remember back to my own misadventures that occurred exactly a year ago today. I was in Colorado, climbing Mount Yale. A pre-existing respiratory condition that seemed minor that morning blew up into full-blown edema and pneumonia once I reached the summit and made for a dangerous and potentially deadly situation for me. I’m grateful to have survived it and recovered.
I’ve related this story to friends and co-workers, but have been hesitant to tell it here. But after reading about last week’s tragedy on Quandary Peak, I figured now might be a good time to relive last year’s Labor Day climb of Mount Yale and all the things that went wrong. I’ll be doing that in a series starting tomorrow. So please check in and take a look at what I fully admit was a series of mistakes that I made which cost me dearly.
Bob Doucette
‘Alone in the Wild’ update: Health concerns mean Ed Wardle has to pull the plug early
A couple more videos from Ed Wardle, who is attempting a three-month solo stay in the Yukon wilderness in Canada. It’s not going well for him right now, as his body, starved of nutrients, is beginning to slow to the point of shutting down. Here’s the first video:
Not a good sign. You catch that about his heart rate slowing to the upper 20s? Here’s the second video:
You can tell by watching that the emotional toll of being alone on meager rations has been high. It looks like he’s about done. Ed and everyone involved in the project decided to cut the experiment short from the planned three-month stay. A promo on the Web site looks like it will be cut to about 50 days or so.
Fascinating look at what happens to people in a harsh wilderness setting when all they have to live off is what they can carry, catch and gather. Ed said he feels like he failed, but I disagree. The show will begin airing next month.
Bob Doucette
bdoucette@opubco.com
Oklahoma climbing: Crab Eyes revisted
Crab Eyes formation, Wichita Mountains, near Lawton.
A long time ago, I planned to add some photos to this trip report. Instead of doing that on a blog post that’s nine months old, I figured I’d update/repost this and, finally, include photos of the route to the top of Crab Eyes, a small peak in the Wichita Mountains near Lawton.
We don’t have much in the way of mountains in Oklahoma, but these qualify. They’re rugged and filled with routes to their summits that range from easy hikes to severely advanced technical climbs.
What’s better is that they’re smack in the middle of a wildlife refuge. There are places where the public can’t go, but plenty of room for hikers, climbers and campers. On any given outing, you can see all matter of game fowl plus buffalo, longhorns, elk and other species. They’re all wild (something to remember before venturing too close).
Buffalo in the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge.
We drove to Elk Mountain — essentially a plateau massif that dominates the center of the refuge — and started out on the trail to Charon’s Garden. If you stick to the trails, you’ll be rewarded with easy hiking and plenty of opportunities for photos and wildlife spotting. You can camp here with a permit.
If you circle Elk Mountain and head back east, you head to a boulder field in a ravine between Elk Mountain and a nearby ridge to the south. There’s a lot of fun to be had there, but that’s for another day. We intended to go deeper into Charon’s Garden and climb to the top of Crab Eyes.
Crab Eyes is a minor peak distinguished by two precariously perched boulders sitting atop its relatively small, airy summit. They look a lot like the eyes of a fiddler crab you’d see scurrying along the beach and can be distinguished from a couple miles away.
Good trail and easy hiking on the way to Crab Eyes.
Our plan was to go to the top of this peak via the non-technical north ridge route. After hiking up to the peak, you traverse its east face, then follow that to a 100-foot rock wall that serves as the base for the boulders that are the “eyes” of Crab Eyes.
I should mention that from here, you can reach the top via an extremely challenging technical climbing route on the west face. I could be wrong, but the slabby, overhanged east face looks unclimbable though I’ve been told otherwise. In any case, all of that is way beyond any capability I have. We decided to get to the top by scrambling up the north ridge.
This is considered a non-technical route. Non-technical routes range from Class 1 (easy trail hike); Class 2 (steep, difficult hiking); Class 3 (climbing, having to use hands and feet to ascend and descend); and Class 4 (harder climbing; use of ropes should be considered). Class 5 is technical climbing, where use of ropes and climbing equipment are required.
View from halfway up Crab Eyes.
The crux of this climb includes wedging yourself between two granite slabs, reaching for handholds and footholds inside and shimmying your way up for about 10 feet. From here, you keep going by balancing on a 2-foot-wide exposed slab (a 50-foot drop to your left) or crabwalk between two large rock slabs to the right. The first one has more exposure, though risk exists with both methods. (For example, a fall off the slab to the left would likely be deadly; a fall in the crack between the two slabs on the right could be very injurious or worse.)
I consider this portion of the route Class 3, though I saw another report on summitpost.org where a climber had it rated Class 3 to 4. Once below the eyes, you continue scrambling up another slab until you get to the eyes themselves.
Scrambling toward the crux of the climb.
The eyes are perched on a really small base. How they stay up there and balanced, I don’t know. It was worth seeing. Don’t climb them. This eliminates the possibility of a “true summit” climb, but there’s no telling what might happen if someone tried to scramble to the top of them. At worst, it could create a deadly rockfall and permanently damage the formation. There’s not a lot of room for people by the eyes. I’d say three at the most, and that’s crowded.
Johnny Hunter starting the crux. Wedge in the crack and shimmy up to the ridge.
From there, we headed back down the north ridge and went west into Styx Canyon. This is all off-trail and is pretty rough going with route-finding, boulder hopping and bush-whacking all the way till you eventually hit Prospector Trail. Finding a high overlook helps with route-finding. It’s really easy to go along and suddenly cliff out. If you do, retreat back and try to find another way. No sense trying to descend something blind. Either way, you’ll likely run into some places where a few Class 3 scrambling moves and odd-angle crack climbing are needed to continue down.
Me starting the crux (photo by Johnny Hunter).
Along the way, we saw wild bison, quail and some incredible rock formations. The area has a solid mix of evergreen cedars and blackjack oak. During the fall, the contrast of changing broadleaf oranges and yellows mix beautifully with the green cedars and the pinks and beiges or the surrounding rock. During the spring, the Wichitas light up with green flowering plants and bright blooms. At the end of the day, drive to Meers and stop in for a Meers Burger. A great way to end what should be a pretty incredible day.
Johnny Hunter on the summit, below the eyes.
Probably one of the best things about Crab Eyes is it gives hikers and climbers an opportunity to ascend this unusual formation and test technical and non-technical climbing skills. I highly recommend it.
Ouida Plumlee under one of the eyes (photo by Johnny Hunter).
Bob Doucette
bdoucette@opubco.com
Bear escape: Trapped in skate park, bear uses ladder to get out
Frame by frame of the bear's ladder rescue. (AP Photo)
From the AP wire:
SNOWMASS, Colo. (AP) — A bear that wandered into a sunken skateboard park and got stuck was rescued when officials lowered a ladder so it could climb out.
The bear was discovered Tuesday morning in the Colorado resort town of Snowmass. Officials say it apparently was in the park all night, and couldn’t get out because of the steep concrete sides.
Workers from the Parks and Recreation Department lowered a long ladder. The bear eventually climbed the ladder and wandered away.
No injuries were reported to people or the bear.
Bear sightings have been common this summer in the Colorado mountains. Authorities are pressing residents not to leave out food or trash that attract bears.
Most bears are trapped and relocated after encounters with humans. More aggressive bears are shot.
Fall foliage: Tours available starting in October in the Wichitas
Fall foliage on Mount Sheridan near Lawton.
I plucked this from the Friends of the Wichitas Web site. It’s hot out there now, but starting in October, fall will be uopn us and so will the change of color in local foliage. Have a look:
The Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge will be conducting “Fall Foliage Walks” for the general public from during November. The interpretive programs take participants into Hollis Canyon for a one mile walk through black jack and post oaks, chinquapin and red cedar into a stand of sugar maples. Reservations are required and may be made by telephoning the Visitor Center on the following line only: (580)429-2151 on the dates specified in the tour schedule.
As fall advances, plants react to the changes of temperature, humidity and day length by reducing food production. Leaves, no longer receiving chlorophyll, begin to change and colors of red, yellow, orange and brown begin to appear. Depending on weather conditions, participants will view natures changes and will enjoy an opportunity for fall nature identification. As with any outdoor experience, the observant eye catches subtle and unexpected surprises which excite the mind and make the outing more meaningful.
Program participants will meet at the Visitor Center. Visitors may obtain a refuge leaflet from one of the dispensers located at each of the five entrances. The Visitor Center location is noted on the leaflet. Participants will be taken by bus to Hollis Canyon where they will begin their walk which is led by members of the Association of Friends of the Wichitas.
Tour participants should wear sturdy shoes and dress appropriately for the season. A canteen of water may be a welcome treat. Each hike will last approximately two and a half hours. Due to the length of the program, children must be at least 8 years old to participate. There is a $5 reservation fee per participant which will be collected at check-in. Reservations will be retained until 10 minutes before the beginning of each program. After that time, stand-bys will be accepted. If the bus seating capacity is filled after accepting stand-bys, late arrivals with reservations will not be able to participate in the program.
Interested persons are advised that the refuge’s public programs are intended for individuals and family units. The Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge requests that participants respect the tour program regulations. Interested people are invited to call for reservations which are taken on a first-come, first-served basis.
Some more information:
The tour and walk includes a bus tour and a moderately strenuous hike. Tour dates are Oct. 31, Nov. 7 and Nov. 14. Those wanting to go should meet with the group at the refuge’s Visitor Center. Want to know more? Go to this site: http://www.friendsofthewichitas.org/
Bob Doucette
Oklahoma triathlons: A Web site to see them all
Ran into this site looking up triathlons. Decent clearing house, with links. You can also look back at past triathlons to get a read on times.
Here’s the site:
http://www.trifind.com/ok.html
Bob Doucette
Videos: Scariest hikes in the world
Saw these two clips and just had to share. Not sure where the first one is, but I think it’s in China or Spain. The second one is in China. Excuse a little of the profanity in the second video; if you can get by that, you get a real sense of how ridiculous these paths really are, and how shoddily constructed/maintained they are. And don’t be surprised if your palms get a little sweaty just watching.
First one, with no commentary:
Second video, with commentary (and a little “adult language”):
‘Alone in the Wild’ update: Ed Wardle’s liking his new campsite
Ed likes his new camp, and offers some insight on what makes for a good campsite in bear country. But you might also notice that he’s dropping weight fast. Being forced to eat lots os plants and not much meat will do that to you.
Nat Geo’s cool ice climbing video
A promo for a show on “Killer Ice.” Don’t know about the program, but this video is pretty cool.
Oklahoma City deals: OKC Outdoor Nework offering free membership
Have fun outdoors and meet new people in OKC-ON
Got this piece of news from Bill Becquart, who heads up the Oklahoma City Outdoor Network: The group is offering free membership, waiving the sign-up fee and renewal fees.
If you’re looking to network with people who love the outdoors, this is a good group to get involved with. I have a couple of friends who have joined and have been able to go to wilderness first-aid courses, hikes and other activities. They’ve offered a whitewater rafting course. There was even a group that hooked up for a multi-day trek through the wilds of the California mountains.
You can learn more about the group by going to its Web site here: www.OkcOutdoorNetwork.org
Bob Doucette
