A deadly slip in Glacier National Park
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@ash78 Yeah, I’ve always hiked in sneakers to keep weight down, but also spend a lot of time walking barefoot in the desert, and lift weights barefoot on occasion, so my feet are pretty accustomed to rough terrain. Not recommended for the casual hiker, though.
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@RiceRocketeer Dios mio. My dad got yelled for smoking cigarettes while hiking down the Grand Canyon when he first moved here from New Jersey. Apparently they had never met a guido before.
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@DipodomysDeserti Is smoking not allowed in the park?
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@ibRAD I’m pretty sure you can’t smoke on the hiking trails now, but this was in the early ‘80s, so it was probably legal then. However, we was being led down by tribal members who live in the Canyon and they did not appreciate him smoking cigarettes in their sacred canyon.
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@DipodomysDeserti Here, tobacco is one of the four sacred herbs as I understand it. Cedar, sage and sweetgrass are the others. I'm not sure how casual usage is viewed though.
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@RiceRocketeer — Meanwhile, at the Grand Canyon, someone attempting the allowable-but-discouraged feat of hiking down and back up in a single day has died on the Bright Angel Trail. The cause has not been disclosed and may not yet be known, but rangers took the opportunity to feed news outlets a warning that it's starting to get hot.
The 36-year-old victim was from Indiana. I assume that she was generally fit and in good health just to attempt such a hike, but her familiarity with the conditions is not stated. The effect of the elevation — and how easily one can become thirsty and get your electrolytes all out of whack, two different but adjacent problems— should not be taken lightly.
Or maybe she did everything right, but some kind of previously unsuspected time bomb in her body was triggered. It is uncommon but possible for someone seemingly in great shape to catch a bolt from the blue during a game or workout, for reasons they probably don't screen for unless there's a specific reason.
With sympathies to all concerned...
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Would you believe that this is the deadliest river in England? All of 6 ft across.
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/30/world/what-in-the-world/six-feet-across-and-full-of-peril-englands-killer-creek.html -
@bison78 Creeks like that normally look that that here have taken out whole families during flash flood season.
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@Ad-absurdum-per-aspera "River and back in a day" is definitely on my bucket list, but finding another person to join me has been the hard part...waiting for my 12yo to get older and a little fitter...which doesn't exactly help me at 44
On paper, it's not that bad, but the whole "mountain in reverse" aspect is really hard to quantify. You can easily burn out your quads on the way down, face 100+ temps at the river, and THEN have to do the even harder part in the afternoon.
That's really hard to plan for. I think I would only do it when there's still snow on the rim. High temps and exertion are a bad combo. Another fun one is Mt Humphreys in the morning and GC in the afternoon (camping by the river). Top of AZ to bottom of AZ in about 12 hours if you're good.
Speaking of time bombs, I know 2 people in my immediate community who dropped dead in their 30s, despite being triathletes, marathoners, etc. Ironically, fitness can often cover up other issues, as well as doctors' need to test for things that aren't apparent (which is a bigger discussion about preventive/holistic healthcare, especially in the US)
The earth is round, but even-numbered BMWs don't really exist.
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@ash78 My SIL ran rim to rim last year. She doesn’t look like a runner (short and curvy), and has almost drank me under the table several times. Her and my wife come from gypsy stock and are clearly built a bit differently. I was going to do a rim to rim trip with another teacher and a group of kids a few years ago, but Covid ruined our plans.
They’re uncle completed Iron Man’s in his fifties, but almost died of a heart attack last year. Some shit can get you quick.
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@DipodomysDeserti Rim to rim is pretty nuts, especially with how the north rim is another ~1,500 higher (or close?) and much more remote. Just the logistics of having to arrange a pickup ride -- as a visiting tourist, at least -- gives me a headache
The earth is round, but even-numbered BMWs don't really exist.
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@ash78 Our plan was for each group to start at opposite rims and swap keys at the river. I’ll do it one of these days, but not in one day. I want to enjoy my time. That river has been sustaining me my whole life and I really enjoy taking it slow and appreciating it whenever I’m near it.
Yeah, the north rim is a whole other world. You’re in a beautiful alpine forest up there. A thunderstorm was rolling through the last time I was up there. It was awesome.
