# Hiker falls to death on NH's Mount Washington



## billski (Nov 22, 2009)

MOUNT WASHINGTON, N.H.—Officials say the body of a 62-year-old hiker has been found after he apparently fell to his death on New Hampshire's Mount Washington.



Officials say hikers found the body of Dr. Wieslaw Walczak of Bedford, N.H., at 9:50 a.m. Sunday in the steep headwall area of Tuckerman's Ravine on the east side of the mountain.

Fish and Game Lt. Douglas Gralenski says Walczak apparently fell to his death, although the time and circumstances of the fall haven't been determined.

Walczak was reported missing Saturday night by his wife, who described him as an experienced hiker who knew the area well. Officials said Walczak was a physician.


source
http://www.boston.com/news/local/ne...hiker_falls_to_death_on_nhs_mount_washington/


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## andyzee (Nov 22, 2009)

Sucks.


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## wa-loaf (Nov 22, 2009)

billski said:


> MOUNT WASHINGTON, N.H.—Officials say the body of a 62-year-old hiker has been found after he apparently fell to his death on New Hampshire's Mount Washington.
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> ...



Hits pretty close to home eh?


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## billski (Nov 22, 2009)

wa-loaf said:


> Hits pretty close to home eh?



Yep; it's a double whammy.  I was out in the Berkshires bushwhacking today, and the forest is damn wet and slippery.  The heavy moss,combined literally with little brooks pouring down the mountains, leaves heavily covering anything that might have been a path or road, made for very dicey footing.  This was my first time out since July.  Not only am I out of shape, but I found a little bit of self-doubt creeping in, a new experience for me. 
I understand it was fairly icy in Tucks yesterday.
Makes me wonder if my approach to skiing will change.  I'll just take it slow.


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## Johnskiismore (Nov 22, 2009)

Thoughts to his family


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## Connecticut (Nov 24, 2009)

I'll be surprised if they don't charge his family $25K.


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## billski (Nov 24, 2009)

Connecticut said:


> I'll be surprised if they don't charge his family $25K.



NH F&G was quoted in last month's _Appalachia_, regarding recovery operations after a death.  "No fine will be imposed; they already paid the ultimate price."


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## Mike P. (Nov 24, 2009)

Connecticut said:


> I'll be surprised if they don't charge his family $25K.



Sarcasm, IMO with very poor timing.

Now I do believe $25K for young Mr. Mason is a tad steep, however, his escape route in April on a very warm weekend was poorly thought out.  I can't even knock him too much for going uphill with a sprain ankle as I've gone out 11 days after sustaining a chip fracture.  (My one cavaet was that Franconia loop is not the Northern Presidentials & I've had this injury several times, I don't know how many sprained ankles he's had or how often he has hiked with one)

High marks for staying out those four days (three unplanned nights if I remember correctly) & in reality not needing a rescue to save his life.  (now had it been cold & we had a Nor'easter blow in on Sunday or Monday we might be talking about a recovery.)  What I don't know is how much experience he had planning hikes & changing his plans when unexpected events happened.  there are plenty of people who are experienced who always hike with their friend who does all the planning.  

Several years ago, another doctor was rescued on Mt. Washington.  He had been to Kilimanjaro & another of the 7 summits & some peaks out west.  We was recovering from a knee injury & went up Washington solo in a cold October rain, his partner bailed because of the weather.  He decided to keep going up Lion's head & to crossover to the auto road because his knee was bothering him & a descent of Lion's Head wopuld be painful.  Plenty of experience following a guide on big peaks & doing what the guide told him.  Not enough experience makeing decicions out in bad weather & the fit hit the shan.  (His side of the story I believe can still be found on the www, try searching Mt. Washington Misadventure.  He's using the experience to market financial planning & I believe speaking at events.  

Oddly, in young Mr. Mason's case & a recent Owl's Head search, family members called because their family member was overdue.  That's one of the things you are supposed to do, leave your plans & expected return time with someone so they can call if overdue?  That's different than if a co-worker a couple of days later is upset because they have to do your work & you don't even call in sick or your Mom calls your office to see how you are doing & she's told no one has heard from you since Friday.

I was hiking that same day in CT, it was the only 90+ day in the first seven months & I forgot sunscreen & also forgot that there were no leaves on the trees.  In that kind of extreme early heat it wasn't hard to figure that snow was going to be real soft & melting real fast.


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## Connecticut (Nov 26, 2009)

I would say that the sarcasm above was perfect timing.

The fella probably couldn't afford the rescue anyway.  (I acknowledge that this was a bit harsh.)


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## Mike P. (Nov 27, 2009)

Connecticut,

May you never require a rescue, if you do I should hear about, I live in your backyard.  He was an MD, and well liked,   had he been just injured & billed, it would not had been an issue at all.

On another note, there is a rumor that the Masons & the state of NH settled confidentially


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## abc (Dec 1, 2009)

I guess I missed the story about Mr. Mason...


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## Mike P. (Dec 6, 2009)

Which part did you miss abc;  the whole search back in April, F&G giving him a bill or the rumor of it being settled.    As far as I know, nothing on the settlement.    A lot of debate on other bbs on whether he was negligent or not.  (MPOV, bad escape plan) 

See story when found:   http://www.wmur.com/news/19311072/d...man_break&ts=T&tmi=man_break_1_09510104282009

Or read below:

PINKHAM NOTCH, N.H. -- A teenage hiker missing in the White Mountains since Saturday has been found.

Scott Mason, 17, of Halifax, Mass., hadn't been seen since Saturday morning, when he headed out alone for a 17-mile hike on Mount Washington.

News 9's Ray Brewer reported Tuesday morning that Mason had been found in the Mount Clay area and was in good condition. His family got the news at about 10:40 a.m.

"We were just elated," said his father, Mike Mason. "It's great news. I just had a feeling today. I thought they were going to get him today."

Tuesday night Mason was admitted to Androscoggin Valley Hospital in Berlin. He is listed in fair condition.

Scott Mason is an Eagle Scout and a high school junior. Rescuers said he was hiking along the ridgeline when he decided look for a shortcut.

"He came down this trail, the Six Husbands trail, and came across a river, and he just could not cross the river," said Maj. Tim Acerno of the Fish and Game Department. "He couldn't get back up."

The snow conditions hampered rescue efforts. Acerno said even veteran searchers couldn't make much progress.

"Even with snowshoes on, they're still breaking through the snow," he said. "It could be up to their waist. And when they do that, they have to roll out of it, try to get their other leg up, so it is slow moving there."

A helicopter from the Vermont National Guard also assisted in the search. Mason eventually found hiking his back up toward the ridgeline on Mount Clay.

His father said he was confident his son would be found and that his Eagle Scout training would be put to good use.

"He bought some gear here in case he was stuck overnight and different items," Mike Mason said. "He was prepared."

Officials said Scott Mason was able to make shelters and fires. He had a small sleeping bag and enough food to get by. Most importantly, he avoided the urge to cross streams. Officials said his scout survival training saved his life.

"He was rescuing himself," said Freddie Wilkinson of Mountain Rescue Service. "He made a couple of bad decisions that got him into trouble, but he also made some very good decisions that got him out of the trouble."

Scott Mason was brought down in a Sno-Cat and reunited with his family.


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## Connecticut (Feb 27, 2010)

If loss of life, limb and possibly needing to be rescued are not deterrents from entering the backcountry unprepared, neither is a $25K fine.

- Live Free or Die...


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