# Lost Hiker in WMNF Found Dead



## thetrailboss (Feb 16, 2015)

Not a good time to be stuck on the side of the Northern Presidentials....

http://www.wcax.com/story/28118133/rescuers-search-for-missing-hiker-in-white-mountains

http://www.wmur.com/news/rescuers-search-for-missing-hiker-near-mt-adams/31294362

Sorry for the family.


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## billski (Feb 16, 2015)

My sympathies to the family.  Sometimes the risk you take is not just you, but it's the loved ones you leave behind.
I have to agree with F&G, this was crazy weather to go above the treeline, with or without companions.


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## dlague (Feb 16, 2015)

I don't understand why someone would hike that alone especially with the winds we were having.  And.... her husband dropped her off.  I would have said hell no!  I feel bad for her family and the discussions they may be having with the husband.


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## thetrailboss (Feb 16, 2015)

dlague said:


> I don't understand why someone would hike that alone especially with the winds we were having.  And.... her husband dropped her off.  I would have said hell no!  I feel bad for her family and the discussions they may be having with the husband.



With all due respect to the family and the deceased, I think that this just shows that she did not appreciate the risk she was taking or the real dangers.  So many folks think that if they wear an expensive jacket and carry a safety beacon (like she did) they are all set.  I'm not in NNE anymore, but based on my discussion this weekend with family members and what I am seeing and hearing on here and online about the weather, this was NOT a good day to be outside, let alone in the Northern Presidentials alone and above treeline.


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## deadheadskier (Feb 16, 2015)

thetrailboss said:


> this was NOT a good day to be outside, let alone in the Northern Presidentials alone and above treeline.



or in a sail boat in the Atlantic........

https://www.dvidshub.net/video/391352/coast-guard-rescues-sailors-winter-storm#.VOKjN_nF-VM


RIP to the deceased


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## thetrailboss (Feb 16, 2015)

deadheadskier said:


> or in a sail boat in the Atlantic........
> 
> https://www.dvidshub.net/video/391352/coast-guard-rescues-sailors-winter-storm#.VOKjN_nF-VM
> 
> ...



WTF?  :blink:  It reminds me of the sailboat in the "Perfect Storm."


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## thetrailboss (Feb 16, 2015)

Wow, I can only imagine what it must have been like for the rescue teams:


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## from_the_NEK (Feb 17, 2015)

thetrailboss said:


> Wow, I can only imagine what it must have been like for the rescue teams:



And the windchill chart stops at 60MPH. The winds were sustained over 100mph and gusting over 140! Just trying to stand upright in that wind is nearly impossible.


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## Puck it (Feb 17, 2015)

I would like to know what the reason for going for a hike alone was in those conditions.  And the husband must be a no idiot too.


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## Abubob (Feb 17, 2015)

Just not a good weekend to be outside? http://www.wmtw.com/news/wardens-searching-for-teens-who-didnt-return-from-snowmobiling/31310566


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## Abubob (Feb 17, 2015)

Puck it said:


> I would like to know what the reason for going for a hike alone was in those conditions.  And the husband must be a no idiot too.


Gotta wonder if these high powered NYC tycoons would try to sue NH Parks for not rescuing her. Obviously it would get thrown out but money knows no reason IMHO.


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## Abubob (Feb 17, 2015)

They found the kid's but then there's this guy: https://bangordailynews.com/2015/02...te-skiing-accident/?ref=moreInlewiston-auburn


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## thetrailboss (Feb 17, 2015)

Abubob said:


> Just not a good weekend to be outside? http://www.wmtw.com/news/wardens-searching-for-teens-who-didnt-return-from-snowmobiling/31310566



Sounds like an episode of North Woods Law!


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## o3jeff (Feb 17, 2015)

Have to give thanks to the search and rescue teams(which I think are volunteers) for going out that Sunday afternoon in those conditions and then again Monday.

Couple of quotes from one of the SAR guys on the team that found her from one of the facebook hiking groups "We climbed up, got tossed around in the frozen winds up there, literally  having to crawl at times to conduct our search, but we did recover the  missing hiker. Unfortunately, in those  conditions, "rescue" is unlikely. This is extremely sobering. Many of us  shared deep feelings about it all afterward. It's scary, sad, and  unfortunate in how unnecessary it all was. Another day, a better  forecast, and better results. To my fellow hikers, please use your head  and be safe out there."

"Update, we found the hiker about .5 from Madison Spring hut, down the hill SE of Star Lake, well off the trail. Sadly, she wasn't alive when we finally located her. We did recover her body. The winds up there were completely off the hook, we got blown over and at times we literally had to crawl to conduct the search. The hiker was pretty experienced and decently prepared, including lots of electronics(one of which helped us find her), but the one thing she did wrong was go up despite the weather, and solo no less. My condolences to the family."


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## from_the_NEK (Feb 17, 2015)




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## Nick (Feb 17, 2015)

I had jsut read this story yesterday. Sad. She looked like she had mountaineering experience .. but still, Solo, during a Storm, to Mt Washington? Everyone knows that's a bad idea, experienced or not! 

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/nyc-hiker-found-dead-n-h-mountains-article-1.2118000


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## thetrailboss (Feb 17, 2015)

Nick said:


> I had jsut read this story yesterday. Sad. She looked like she had mountaineering experience .. but still, Solo, during a Storm, to Mt Washington? Everyone knows that's a bad idea, experienced or not!
> 
> http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/nyc-hiker-found-dead-n-h-mountains-article-1.2118000



I was going to say that based on information I had seen today that she was indeed a serious climber and it looks like this was a training run of sorts.  If what the NY Daily News says is accurate, then her plan to hike from Route 2 up over the Northern Presidentials to Washington and back in one day was overly ambitious on a summer day and simply absurd in these conditions.  It looks like she really did not understand the terrain or the real challenge that laid ahead.  It just shows that the Whites can kill even those that have experience hiking higher peaks.


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## AdironRider (Feb 17, 2015)

So this chick thought she was going to the entire Northern Presidential range in a day hike? 

That's a tall order for someone in shape in the best conditions during the summer. Assuming she didn't do a loop from Pinkham (which if memory serves is 11 miles or so just out the the Madison Hut), its still like a 20 miler. 

Anyone who thought that was even possible already had a death sentence.


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## JimG. (Feb 17, 2015)

Death by mountain.

Maybe she had an incurable illness.


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## thetrailboss (Feb 17, 2015)

JimG. said:


> Death by mountain.
> 
> Maybe she had an incurable illness.



You know.....that has happened before.  Multiple times.  *This guy's death was particularly controversial.*


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## hammer (Feb 17, 2015)

And skiers/riders never go driving out in blizzard conditions or a major snowstorm to get to a mountain for a powder day...and don't say it's OK just because one has AWD and winter tires...

Unfortunately, enthusiasts in many sports will take risks, some worse than others.


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## AdironRider (Feb 17, 2015)

hammer said:


> And skiers/riders never go driving out in blizzard conditions or a major snowstorm to get to a mountain for a powder day...and don't say it's OK just because one has AWD and winter tires...
> 
> Unfortunately, enthusiasts in many sports will take risks, some worse than others.



Go back to your Nanny State in the flatlands of Massachusetts. These scenarios are not even remotely close.


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## JDMRoma (Feb 17, 2015)

JimG. said:


> Death by mountain.
> 
> Maybe she had an incurable illness.



That's exactly what I was thinking !
Something was wrong somewhere..... Work / health or marriage !


Sent from my iPhone using AlpineZone


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## dlague (Feb 18, 2015)

thetrailboss said:


> You know.....that has happened before.  Multiple times.  *This guy's death was particularly controversial.*



Holy crap that is a long read!

But you might be on to something!


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## mlctvt (Feb 18, 2015)

anybody who is planning to hike the Presidentials even in summer should read the book  "Not Without Peril: 150 Years of Misadventure on the Presidential Range of New Hampshire". Its a great book explaining each death in the region over the last 150 years. One guy died in the same area this woman died in the Summer of 1986 in a snow-storm!
My wife and I had to turn back from a Mount Adams hike in July due to incredible wind and below freezing cold. That as before we read the book! We were not prepared.


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## thetrailboss (Feb 18, 2015)

mlctvt said:


> anybody who is planning to hike the Presidentials even in summer should read the book  "Not Without Peril: 150 Years of Misadventure on the Presidential Range of New Hampshire". Its a great book explaining each death in the region over the last 150 years. One guy died in the same area this woman died in the Summer of 1986 in a snow-storm!
> My wife and I had to turn back from a Mount Adams hike in July due to incredible wind and below freezing cold. That as before we read the book! We were not prepared.



That is a very good book even if it is grim.


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## noreasterbackcountry (Feb 18, 2015)

Here's an interesting and fairly plausible take on what might have gone wrong from one of the climbing guides on Mt. Washington.  

http://nealpinestart.com/2015/02/18/a-young-climber-perishes-on-mt-adams/

He indicates he has guided groups to the top in similar conditions and that a trip up there wasn't "per se" insane.

Second, he points out the change in forecast wind direction and how that made a big difference in the difficulty of the hike itself, and the emergency egress route.


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## Abubob (Feb 18, 2015)

JimG. said:


> Death by mountain. Maybe she had an incurable illness.





thetrailboss said:


> You know.....that has happened before.  Multiple times.  *This guy's death was particularly controversial.*





JDMRoma said:


> That's exactly what I was thinking !
> Something was wrong somewhere..... Work / health or marriage !





noreasterbackcountry said:


> Here's an interesting and fairly plausible take on what might have gone wrong from one of the climbing guides on Mt. Washington.
> 
> http://nealpinestart.com/2015/02/18/a-young-climber-perishes-on-mt-adams/
> 
> ...



I also doubt her death was intentional in any way. If it were, why even bring a beacon let alone use it if your intent was to die? Plus she wasn't far from the hut where she could have found some shelter. It's just another example of blundering into death. She was knowledgable, she was prepared but as the Bible says, "...nor do those with knowledge always have success, because time and unexpected events overtake them all". Ecc 9:11


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## dlague (Feb 18, 2015)

Abubob said:


> I also doubt her death was intentional in any way. If it were, why even bring a beacon let alone use it if your intent was to die? Plus she wasn't far from the hut where she could have found some shelter. It's just another example of blundering into death. She was knowledgable, she was prepared but as the Bible says, "...nor do those with knowledge always have success, because time and unexpected events overtake them all". Ecc 9:11



True, skiers and snowboarders are possibly one edge catch away from disaster at times.  Think about it - how many times have you hauled ass down a run not really knowing what is ahead, or skied powder along the wood line not really knowing what is underneath, or skied the trees and hit ice, a stump or rock or got tripped up by branches.  Our sport has its own risks that are not understood by those who fear what we do.


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## hammer (Feb 18, 2015)

dlague said:


> True, skiers and snowboarders are possibly one edge catch away from disaster at times.  Think about it - how many times have you hauled ass down a run not really knowing what is ahead, or skied powder along the wood line not really knowing what is underneath, or skied the trees and hit ice, a stump or rock or got tripped up by branches.  Our sport has its own risks that are not understood by those who fear what we do.


These scenarios are not even remotely close...:roll:

;-)


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## catskills (Feb 18, 2015)

deadheadskier said:


> or in a sail boat in the Atlantic........
> 
> https://www.dvidshub.net/video/391352/coast-guard-rescues-sailors-winter-storm#.VOKjN_nF-VM
> 
> ...



Arrrgh.  Free abandoned sail boat after coast guard rescue.  If you can board her and get her home she is yours to keep. Arrrgh.  

The video listed the coordinates 38.48310N,69.01186W.  

How bad could it be.


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## thetrailboss (Feb 18, 2015)

This was the Number One search item on Yahoo tonight.....

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...np-paribas-trader-dies-in-mountain-hike-at-32


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## Johnnyboy (Feb 19, 2015)

thetrailboss said:


> You know.....that has happened before.  Multiple times.  *This guy's death was particularly controversial.*



I've read everything I can find on the net since reading of Kate's death.  That's how I ended up on this forum.  It's very upsetting and too close to home for me.  I've been to the Whites about 20 times over the past 35 years, mostly solo as I prefer it that way.  I've gotten myself into and out of trouble in Huntington Ravine in the winter and turned back on Lion's Head after 45 minutes above treeline in 70-80mph winds with blizzard conditions.  I couldn"t see my own footprints because the wind just washed them away.  My thought was...I'm a father...I've got no business going any further.  Next day I summitted Washington in 40 degree weather with a 5mph breeze.  All of my climbs have been enjoyable, there's something magical above treeline in the winter.

I don't subscribe to the sentiment that Kate died doing something she loved.  I'm fairly certain that she would rather be in a warm bed with her husband tonight.  I do know, however, that we come to this life with a certain number of breaths given to us.  And Kate has taken her last, and it was not up to her.  She is now on to her next leg of her journey.  I hope she is well.

Guy Waterman's story has always disturbed me, even closer to home.  How could a man who lived and idealised so much of what I aspire to take his own life?  Perhaps the answers are not above treeline after all, I never found them there.  Perhaps Guy has finally found some peace. 

Hey, what's worse...dying or not living while you're alive?  Since I'm still breathing, I'll be seeking these answers whether I'm in Times Square or the Himalaya, it doesn't much matter...if I take a higher perspective.

Perhaps Kate can see clearer than any of us right now...
I'm afraid that Guy, since he took his own life, may not see as clearly.
Life is a precious gift..and a wonderful opportunity...enjoy each breath


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## thetrailboss (Feb 23, 2015)

This is a good video posted by Boston Globe is good:

http://www.boston.com/news/local/ne...s-mountains/WERYYqDEjwRbQH4sbLVgaM/video.html

It explains that she actually got the summits of Madison and Adams before trying to return.  The NH official also sums it up pretty well by saying that her plan "gave him pause" because it was not realistic considering the conditions.  I think that the other point that is key is that she was a very goal oriented person and that while that may work in finance it does not always work in mountaineering.  You need to be able to give up and turn around if things get bad.  The mountain will be there for another day.


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## JimG. (Feb 23, 2015)

thetrailboss said:


> This is a good video posted by Boston Globe is good:
> 
> http://www.boston.com/news/local/ne...s-mountains/WERYYqDEjwRbQH4sbLVgaM/video.html
> 
> It explains that she actually got the summits of Madison and Adams before trying to return.  The NH official also sums it up pretty well by saying that her plan "gave him pause" because it was not realistic considering the conditions.  I think that the other point that is key is that she was a very goal oriented person and that while that may work in finance it does not always work in mountaineering.  You need to be able to give up and turn around if things get bad.  The mountain will be there for another day.



Nor would she be likely to be deterred by anyone trying to convince her to not go.

What a tragic error in judgement; I feel badly for her and her family/friends. My comment referring to suicide came from confusion as to how someone with so much experience could die that way. It seemed like a possibility. Not so now after reading about her.


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## dlague (Feb 25, 2015)

The story of the rescue and a video showing guys getting blown around trying search for her.  That was nuts to be going out that day!

http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/20...BPucaGpA1Fun4R5uoj7K/story.html?event=event25


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## Not Sure (Feb 26, 2015)

dlague said:


> The story of the rescue and a video showing guys getting blown around trying search for her.  That was nuts to be going out that day!
> 
> http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/20...BPucaGpA1Fun4R5uoj7K/story.html?event=event25



Wow , incredibly sad . Leaves me with a question about NH rescue policy and previous discussion about a hike safe card or lack of.
If a person passes away does the State send a bill to the relatives?


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## ScottySkis (Feb 26, 2015)

Condolences so sad sorry I think it kind if neat the way she checkout loving hobby now at work. Still terrible lives ahead for family .


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## thetrailboss (Feb 26, 2015)

Siliconebobsquarepants said:


> Wow , incredibly sad . Leaves me with a question about NH rescue policy and previous discussion about a hike safe card or lack of.
> If a person passes away does the State send a bill to the relatives?



I'm not sure that this would be a case that would be billed. She had the right gear and experience. I think that the policy is designed to deter folks who strike out for Mount Washington with a water bottle, sneakers, and a cell phone and nothing else.




Sent from my iPhone using AlpineZone


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## Abubob (Feb 26, 2015)

One thing I've wondered about and the graphic showing her route even makes me wonder more - she was found "a few hundred feet below the trail" - Was she blown off the trail and hurt - possibly with a sprain or break?


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## Abubob (Feb 26, 2015)

I'll answer my own question. This from further in the article -



> Her pack was off, and her face was scraped and cut. Her headlamp was still in place.
> “It looked like she got blown off the Star Lake trail,” Pelchat said. “A big gust of wind picked her up and blew her off the trail.”


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## thetrailboss (Feb 26, 2015)

Abubob said:


> I'll answer my own question. This from further in the article -



Wow.


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## Johnnyboy (Feb 16, 2016)

thetrailboss said:


> Wow.



It's now been a year since Kate passed.  Bumping this thread in remembrance of her...


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## Abubob (Feb 16, 2016)

Johnnyboy said:


> It's now been a year since Kate passed.  Bumping this thread in remembrance of her...


It was a terrible, albeit avoidable, tragedy. And the one year anniversary of a death is almost as difficult to deal with as one day after.


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## Johnnyboy (Feb 16, 2016)

Abubob said:


> It was a terrible, albeit avoidable, tragedy. And the one year anniversary of a death is almost as difficult to deal with as one day after.[/QUOTE
> 
> Yes, an avoidable tragedy, but Kate live her script just as we all are living ours day to day.  In case you are wondering if you are living yours, just look down at feet and check where you are.  I thought of her this morning as I was out for an early walk in an ice storm.  I love the ice and snow.  You have a great quote as your signature line Abubob...reality minus expectations


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## Cannonball (Feb 16, 2016)

Johnnyboy said:


> Yes, an avoidable tragedy, but Kate live her script just as we all are living ours day to day.  In case you are wondering if you are living yours, just look down at feet and check where you are.



Boy is that depressing.  (to me anyway).  I'd hate to think that we are simply living a script.  That seems to suggest that everything (including her tragedy) is actually unavoidable.  I prefer to believe that there is no script and we are writing our history as we go with the decision we make.


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## Johnnyboy (Feb 16, 2016)

Cannonball said:


> Boy is that depressing.  (to me anyway).  I'd hate to think that we are simply living a script.  That seems to suggest that everything (including her tragedy) is actually unavoidable.  I prefer to believe that there is no script and we are writing our history as we go with the decision we make.



I understand what you are saying.  A turning point in my life was adding Trust.  Trust answers all my questions.  Pain, suffering, death are all inevitable at some point.  I trust it has a purpose.
Much of my time in the mountains has been seeking higher meaning and understanding after plenty of personal pain, suffering, tragedy.
I've experienced the  "third man factor" in the Whites when I was guided each and every move by a clear voice when I was in trouble  over my head.  Many mountaineers have experienced such benevolent guidance.  Check out the website on the third man factor or the book.
We are all free to believe as we wish and think for ourselves.  I prefer to  add Trust to each and every move and believe in the order of things as viewed from high places.  Of course we need to do what we can to avoid tragedy in the mountains and elsewhere but if we take the risks with good judgement and Trust, then we can also trust that the consequences are meant to be.
When I initially learned of Kate's death and her climbing plan for the day, I knew she had an overambitious plan, at least no way I could do that route in a day in winter or summer.  So the consequences played out.  And so it is...maybe it doesn't even matter what you or I think, believe or feel.


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## Abubob (Feb 17, 2016)

Johnnyboy said:


> Of course we need to do what we can to avoid tragedy in the mountains and elsewhere but if we take the risks with good judgement and Trust, then we can also trust that the consequences are meant to be.
> When I initially learned of Kate's death and her climbing plan for the day, I knew she had an overambitious plan, at least no way I could do that route in a day in winter or summer.  So the consequences played out.  And so it is...maybe it doesn't even matter what you or I think, believe or feel.


You're still talking about FATE. As if it doesn't matter what _YOU_ decide. You are just following some unknown pre-described script?


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## Johnnyboy (Feb 22, 2016)

Abubob said:


> You're still talking about FATE. As if it doesn't matter what _YOU_ decide. You are just following some unknown pre-described script?



     I follow my heart, just as Kate did by challenging herself in the Presidentials in winter.  Our hearts are our connection to our Source. I trust the Source.
     I find day to day living in the workaday world very draining and unfufilling.  So I seek extreme stuff.  It is my nature.  I question everything, which has led me to places where others only shake their heads in disbelief and fear.   I am willing to bleed and die for my choices.  But at the same time, I use my mind for discernment.
            There is order in this world.  There are laws which no one is exempt from.  We don't control when we are born or when we die.  Trust that and you may see the beauty, the consistency of this thing we call life.  Life is not random.  

    Read through my other posts, if you see any inconsistencies, please point them out.  I'm always open to a higher truth.  I am always seeking, always questioning, always introspecting.  It's fun, it's extreme!


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## Abubob (Feb 22, 2016)

Johnnyboy said:


> I am willing to bleed and die for my choices.  But at the same time, I use my mind for discernment.
> There is order in this world.  There are laws which no one is exempt from.


I think this is a healthy attitude. One of the things that bothered me about Kate's death is that she ignored warnings from park rangers. 



> We don't control when we are born or when we die. Trust that and you may see the beauty, the consistency of this thing we call life. Life is not random.


I'm not prepared to die for my recreation. I don't need to come within an inch of my life to see beauty. We are surrounded by it. Certainly the trail is the place to be immersed in it. However, even though I listen to my heart, my head trumps my heart most - most - every time. So while I don't control the drunk driver I do have control over what I do and don't do. I don't drink and drive. I keep my tires and brakes in order and try to drive a reasonable speed. When I'm on the trail I carry extra food and water and some medical supplies as I'm sure Kate did but I won't knowingly walk into a tempest. So while life has it random moments I mitigate by my choices. It sounds as though you do as well but with your experience you can press a bit - maybe quite a bit - further than most. Kate, no doubt, felt the same way. Still I think her heart led her astray. In the mountains the consequences of a misstep and a random occurrence are much more dire as you are well aware. To me, life is sacred. I - and this is a personal choice - will not risk it unnecessarily.


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## wtcobb (Feb 29, 2016)

Another hiker fallen on the Castle Ridge Trail, not far from Mt. Adams and Starr Lake... From PVSAR's post:



> 2016-02-28 -- Callout #1 - Castle Ridge Trail.  Pemi supplied 11  people to the recovery effort that required upwards of 30 people from  multiple agencies.  The following article from the Union Leader gives an  accurate description of the incident:
> 
> Hiker found dead on trail in White Mountain National Forest
> 
> ...



Very sad. Condolences for the family.


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## wtcobb (Feb 29, 2016)

Something about Adams, man. My avi is the sign 1/2 mile below the summit from when I returned to hit it after failing coming up King Ravine, in September not winter. Just a brutal place.


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## yeggous (Mar 1, 2016)

He was identified as a hiker from New York:
http://www.conwaydailysun.com/newsx/local-news/124896-autopsy-done-on-hiker-s-frozen-body

Another year and another New Yorker found as a popsicle in the Presidentials. As a reminder, here is last year's version:
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/nyc-hiker-found-dead-n-h-mountains-article-1.2118000

This has become a trend. Somebody from New York thinks they know what it is like to hike in winter. He or she then feels that this qualifies them to tackle the Presidentials alone. Said person then freezes to death after realizing that he or she is no longer in Kansas.

I don't know why these people don't understand that the White Mountains are not the Catskills or Green Mountains. The White Mountains are much, much more severe and unforgiving than the rest of the East Coast.


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## wtcobb (Mar 2, 2016)

yeggous said:


> This has become a trend. Somebody from New York thinks they know what it is like to hike in winter. He or she then feels that this qualifies them to tackle the Presidentials alone. Said person then freezes to death after realizing that he or she is no longer in Kansas.



Well, he was an outdoor guide and former president of the New York State Outdoor Guides Association. I don't think the lesson here is that he didn't know what he was getting into - by all accounts he seems the most qualified to do so. The lesson is that it can happen to anyone. 

I was out in the Presidentials hiking alone (save for my dog) on the same day, and I even pushed my original plan to get another 3 miles. The mountains are fickle. What caused his mishap is still unknown, but I don't find it fair to question his ability, especially knowing his background.


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## Abubob (Mar 2, 2016)

This is sad to be sure. But...

Hiking alone and with no ID? Experienced? Guide? Oh yeah nothing suspicious here.

A quote from his website:


> In moving vessels at sea, it's necessary to pay great attention to details and logistics ... the particulars of the vessel, the waters, the weather.  Every consideration for safety must be taken.  The ability to implement backup plans has to be second nature.  Nothing can be left to chance.



How does someone so experienced so adamant about safety allow himself to be so careless?


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## yeggous (Mar 2, 2016)

Hiking alone is not being prepared. Some dude from Long Island goes for a winter hike alone in the White Mountains and freezes to death. We've seen this before.


Sent from my iPhone using AlpineZone mobile app


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## wtcobb (Mar 2, 2016)

Being alone doesn't indicate preparedness or lack thereof. You can have a group be much less prepared than an individual hiker. Saturday I had crampons, three extra layers, a bivy, a tracking beacon, and surplus water/food. I could have spent the night outdoors if something happened. A group of three on top of Eisenhower had one set of microspikes between them. 



> Hiking alone and with no ID? Experienced? Guide? Oh yeah nothing suspicious here. How does someone so experienced so adamant about safety allow himself to be so careless?



This does seem odd. Again, I find no issue with hiking alone, but the lack of ID and judgement are questionable (though an ID wouldn't save you...). And obviously, he perished that night. 

Did a lapse in judgement ultimately cause his demise? Obviously. But it's too simple to write off as "he didn't know what he was doing/getting into" or a lack of experience. It's insulting a man who just lost his life. 

John Bachar was extremely experienced. But he was involved in an inherently risky sport (free soloing), something went wrong, and he fell to his death.


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## ALLSKIING (Mar 5, 2016)

wtcobb said:


> Being alone doesn't indicate preparedness or lack thereof. You can have a group be much less prepared than an individual hiker. Saturday I had crampons, three extra layers, a bivy, a tracking beacon, and surplus water/food. I could have spent the night outdoors if something happened. A group of three on top of Eisenhower had one set of microspikes between them.
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We'll said!


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