"Solo Hiker" Syndrome

[knelson]

So I guess this isn't a "solo hiker" thread, but a "stupid hikers in the Grand Canyon" thread, since it keeps getting steered back to the GC.

 

I would propose that maybe some of the rescues in the canyon (but obviously not the one just mentioned) are due to misinformation from NPS rangers or staffers. My wife and I were receipients of just plain misinformation down there back in the late '90s that still pisses me off to this day.

 

We had a permit, obtained by mail, to do the Hermit Trail in late May. Our plan was to go down that trail, connect up with the Tonto and stay the night at Monument Creek. We were going to head down Monument Creek the next day and bask around the Colorado and come back up to camp that night. We'd head back out the next day.

 

When we checked in at the Backcountry Office, I specifically asked if there was any other way to get to the trailhead, other than the tourist shuttle bus. (We'd driven down there in our own car.) The trailhead is located at the end of Hermit Road behind a "locked" gate that keeps the public out. To gain access to that part of the Canyon, you have to take the NPS shuttle bus. I explained that we wanted to get an early start... like sunrise, which was like 5:30am or something like that. Nope, says Mr. Ranger. Only way is the tour bus. Are you suuuuuuure, I ask. I explained that I'd really like to be in camp before the heat of the day hits. Nope - take lots of water, I was told. Fine.

 

So we get on the tourist bus, lugging our way-too-heavy, canyon-newbie packs, and hit every freaking bus stop along the way, letting out the tourons. Our trailhead is at the end of this road. We finally get on trail at something like 8:30-9:00am.

 

Even though this was late May, they were having extreme temps... even for the Canyon. Great. We hit an area just before dropping down onto the Tonto Plateau - the oven - and run into a guy that we'd been leapfrogging all morning. He was taking a long rest in some rocks and we stopped and chatted. Turns out he worked off and on for the NPS as some type of laborer, and he'd hiked the canyons tons, and knew the ins and outs.

 

I asked him how he got on trail so quick since we didn't see him on the bus. He chuckled and said something like "Oh... they didn't tell you did they." He went on to explain that with our backcountry permit came the ability to drive our personal car to the trailhead - the gate that keeps the general public off the Hermit Road wasn't locked, we just needed to drive up, open the gate, drive through, and close the gate behind us. The 4-6 cars at the trailhead now made sense, as we couldn't figure out how they got there when we showed up on the tour bus.

 

I told the guy about my conversation with the Ranger and he just chuckled and said "Yeah... they don't really like to give out that information."

 

Like the newbies we were, we left him and continued our hike into camp. When we hit the Tonto we realized we were screwed - it was something like 100+ degrees. There was no shade. We ran out of water - even though we brought more than what was recommended. We stopped sweating. The whole heat exhaustion/stroke thing, per the book.

 

To cut a long story short (somewhat), we stumbled into Monument Camp, pumped a crap load of water, and drank and drank. Next morning we were still so dehydrated, we decided that a trip down to the Colorado was out of the question. Instead, we just followed the shadows around camp, and rehydrated the entire day. We were up at 3am the next morning to start the hike out, and made it out with no problems.

 

If we wouldn't have been using our heads, we could've died down there. And I'm sure we would've been classified as "inexperienced hikers" not carrying enough water. Yeah... we should've stayed off the Tonto Plateau until later in the day and showed up in camp in the dark - that was our beginners mistake. But the fact that we WANTED to start at o-dark-thirty and didn't because of misinformation from the NPS wouldn't have ever been documented. In my mind, THAT would've been the root cause of the deaths.

 

-kurt

[catbirdseat]

Bummer. It's tough enough without the NPS giving out misinformation.

 

I hear that it doesn't really get all that much cooler at night, but it would have to feel a lot cooler without the sun beating on you.

[knelson]

Seems to me it got down in the 80s during the night. I don't really remember.

 

The most vivid thing I do remember though is getting to Monument Creek. We dropped our packs at a camp site, dug out the water purifier, and headed down toward the creek. We got to the creek bed to find... dry rocks. No water. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO", I screamed. I'm sure they heard it on the rim. That's another thing I'd asked the ranger - there IS water running in Monument Creek right now, isn't there? Yup, treat it - was the reply.

 

After my scream stopped echoing off the surrounding walls, my wife and I plopped down on the rocks trying to figure out what to do. Then we heard a little trickle sound coming from under the rocks. Aha... the creek is running underground. So we hike on downstream until we find where it comes to the surface. Phew.

 

I've encountered the same behavior here at Rainier, that we ran into down with the Canyon rangers, on occasion. Depending on the individual that issues the permit, obtaining a cross-country zone or alpine zone permit can involve various levels of hoop jumping and answering questions in EXACTLY the right way before the permit is finally, almost grudgingly, issued.

[cj001f]

I've encountered the same behavior here at Rainier, that we ran into down with the Canyon rangers, on occasion. Depending on the individual that issues the permit, obtaining a cross-country zone or alpine zone permit can involve various levels of hoop jumping and answering questions in EXACTLY the right way before the permit is finally, almost grudgingly, issued.

I've had rangers do that for NCNP and easy ridge.

[daveLok]

This topic reminds me of the guy in colorado who had to cut off his own arm to survive. Now the only time I can justify doing serious stuff solo is if there is good cell phone coverage

[Bill_Simpkins]

I go by myself all the time. I have no outside pressure to turn around and I can completly listen to that inner voice, which has served me well so far. When I'm by myself I'm more in tune with worrying about what I'm doing and don't have to worry about other people. And I do worry about other people. Most accidents I have seen, I saw them coming from a mile away.

Sometimes when I go with other people I see them doing careless things. I think they do those things with or without people.

 

For example, on many occasions I've seen people acting carelessly on exposed ledges, with heavy packs, on unroped scrambles.

That stresses me out because I am super careful( not slow, careful).

 

Some people are careless. I think when careless people go solo, they are depending on luck not to get hurt. When careful people go solo, they don't have to depend on luck so much.

 

Am I careless sometimes, of coarse. But there is in inner voice in many of us that tells us when to bring it down a few levels. I think some people don't listen to it as much and it's their nagging careful friends that sometimes save their asses.

 

However, I do want to say for the record that some people appeared at the time to be careless when in fact, they were leagues ahead of me in skill and comfort.

 

I think the Grand Canyon is in many respects, like Mt. Rainier. Those placees are so popular that people travel from far away to be on/in them. You also get people that are not experienced with that kind of terrain and climate.

 

It is easy to get dehydrated in the Grand Canyon and people do crazy things when they are hot and thirsty.

I was on Mt. Olympus outside SLC and we ran out of water at the top of the slabs. It was 104 degrees that day. We were so thirsty we started to go a little crazy. We stumbled down a gully to a house hours later. I had a sense of urgentness I've never felt before. We were in true survival mode. Me and my partner helped each other through it. We helped each other down steep parts, routefinding and such. We are pretty careful as individuals, but being together made us stronger. If my partner was a careless person, I probably would have been better off alone.

 

I'm rambling. Good day!

[Chad_A]

Yup..I agree with TLG. I'm actually some-what wussie when I'm by myself. But with others I act all brave and strong. I'm definately less of a risk taker when I'm solo.

 

Happy birthday, Marie ; I agree with that, as well, by the way. When I'm by myself, I tend to back wayyyyy off. In the presence of others, I'm more comfortable with risk (maybe a false sense of security), and more apt to take chances.

[Norman_Clyde]

If any of you feel edified by reading the Grand Canyon stupid hiker stories, be sure to check out Death in Yellowstone.

[catbirdseat]

Here's another stupid hiker story from the book. A helicopter pilot was flying over Havasu Canyon, I believe and noticed a flash flood forming high in the canyon. Knowing that there would be lots of people hiking in the canyon, he decided to ignore regulations and fly down the canyon to warn people. He went from group to group using hand gestures to indicate they should leave the canyon. Most understood him and moved.

 

He came to a pair of women who were wading in the creek and when he signalled, they just waved back, thinking he was being just being friendly. When he persisted, they finally moved out of the water up onto the bank. The pilot continued down the wash to warn others. After he left, one of the two women went back into the water and SURPRISE! was caught by a wall of brown water with rocks and trees in it. She survived only by dumb luck when she was pushed against a boulder and was able to wriggle her way on top of it.

[Dru]

Man, they weren't even solo!!!! Wow! Some people sure are dumb ----> CBS that must make you feel mighty smart by comparison.