Category: health & safety

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Nepalese Government In Turmoil

BAD NEWS

… the Maoist faction has withdrawn from the provisional government in Nepal

Last year, the Maoist Rebels gave up their 10 year struggle, which was at times bloody, in order to take part in the process of forming a new government. They were one of eight factions that were trying to create a new system that moved away from the monarchy that has long been a part of Nepal’s history. Apparently, the discussions broke down when the Maoists accused King Gyanendra of attempting to influence and sabotage the elections, scheduled for November, in his favor. …

With the Fall climbing season upon us, any unrest now could be disastrous. In years past, trekkers and climbers were often beset by the rebels in remote areas and shook down for cash. With the signing of the peace accords last Fall, it looked like Nepal was finally going to have stability, allowing for safe travel once more. It also meant a likely end to the general strikes that plagued the country each year as the tourists and climbers arrived. Thankfully, most of the climbers have already left Kathmandu and are either on their respective mountains or at least en route.

Details – The Adventure Blog: Nepalese Government In Turmoil!

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lightning – serious backcountry hazard

A 21-year-old man John Cowan Jr. died when lightning struck near his tent in Colorado, the electric current traveling through the ground killing him.

Cowan had taken shelter in a tent with three others who suffered only minor injuries.

John Cowan Jr. and his three companions were hiking a trail near St. Peter’s Dome along Old Stage Road, about five miles west of the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs. They had hiked to a lookout point which provides a panoramic view of the Front Range.

Vail Daily

Lightning is one of the greatest dangers in the wild. I was well aware of the risk when caught in a number of extreme lightning storms in the Sierra Nevada mountains this summer.

Early one morning on the John Muir Trail a menacing cloud climbed up the valley and enveloped me.

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The storm began quickly. At one point the time between lightning flash and thunder clap was one second. Very conscious of the metal in my tent, I hid in the rain in low brush watching to see if it would be hit.

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Overall, in the U.S. there are between 50 and 300 deaths per year from lightning strikes. …

Lightning bolts can strike up to 10 kilometers in front or behind a thunderstorm cell. This explains the classic “bolt from the blue” — which is a real entity.

Since thunder travels at the speed of sound and the lightning flash travels at the speed of light, you can estimate how far the strike was from you with some simple math. Divide the time in seconds between the flash and the sound of a thunder clap by five and you get approximately the number of miles from you to the strike. Five seconds from strike to sound, and there was 1 mile from you to the lightning bolt.

So, how does one avoid being a victim of lightning? Here are some tips:

• Do not be the tallest object in the area when there are storms around.

• Don’t be next to the tallest object in the area when there are storms around. Move to lower terrain and protection.

• Stay off ridge tops and mountaintops if there are storms around.

• Remember a storm up to 10 miles away can reach out and touch you.

• If you are caught in the mountains, stay low, even in a grove of trees if you have to.

• If you are in a group in a storm, spread out so that one strike will not injure several people at once.

Dr. Collins: Lightning can be a backcountry hazard | Idaho Statesman

I did not see any lighting strike during several storms this summer. But it was hairy.

Be careful out there.

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Rick the nude hiker

Not me.

That would be Rick of the Nudehiker blog.

I once on this site — like many others — made light of the sport of hiking sans clothing. Rick challenged me to try it first before mocking others who enjoy walking in the buff.

Well, Rick …

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That’s me. I walked away from my tent one morning in the Sierra Nevada mountains feeling very … breezy.

Though there was almost zero chance of encountering (offending) others I still felt somewhat nervous and did not get comfortable at any time over the (admittedly brief) venture.

Seems to me that most aboriginal cultures cover their genitals, if only for safety.

But I do promise to try it again, Rick, in future. Perhaps, with time, I can get to relax and then enjoy the sensation.

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Torngat Mountains National Park, Labrador, Canada

One of the classiest and best travel photo sites is BluePeak edited by Rogier Gruys.

He is one of the few who have travelled to remote Torngat.

Even better, Rogier created a superb landing page for the Park where the rest of us now have a chance to see that weird, fantastical landscape.

… The Inuit refer to the far northern tip of Labrador as Torngait, the place of the spirits. It is thought that it is the home of Torngarsuak, the Inuit Great Spirit. To outsiders it is known for its deep fiords, the highest mountains east of the rockies, some of the world’s oldest rocks, the only tundra-dwelling population of black bears, and polar bears. Lots of polar bears. …

Access

The park, 9,700 sq.km, is probably one of the most difficult parks in Canada to reach. Even the parks in Nunavut are easier to get to. It’s not only the remoteness, but especially the weather and fericious winds that make getting here an adventure in itself.

If the weather is good, then the park is about 1 hours’ flying or up to two days by fishing boat north of Nain, Labrador’s northernmost community. There are no scheduled flights or boats to the park, and once you arrive, there are no facilities.

Safety is a real concern, as polar bears roam throughout the park. Since only Inuit are allowed to carry arms, visitors should always be accompanied by an Inuit guide. A good idea in any case, as the area is also infamous for its quickly changing weather and strong “ghost” winds that can appear out of nowhere.

Visiting the park

Due to the difficult logistics and its reputation for bad weather, there are currently very few if any organized treks into the park. Nature Trek has led expeditions into the park, but in the future they may only plan occasional treks, due to the extreme logistical challenges involved with organizing them. …

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more photos – Torngat Mountains National Park – Rogier Gruys

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climbing White Mountain with 4WheelBob

Rick McCharles, besthike editor

Tomorrow morning Tom Mangan and I head out to rendezvous with wheelchair hiker 4WheelBob …

Read the details on Tom’s Two-Heel Drive blog (which is far better written than this one).

4WheelBob thinks he can wheel himself to the summit of White Mountain in the Eastern Sierra near Big Pine, CA. I’m going to tag along and document the experience here when we get back.

… We’ll be car camping at the Grandview Campground near the Ancient Bristlecone Pine forest till Wednesday morning, when we head up to the approach to White Mountain. Bob has a pass to park at the Barcroft Lab, six miles — and about 1,800 feet of climb — from the summit. He’s planning on camping on the mountain, summiting and returning on Thursday (he can go much much faster downhill). …

Two-Heel Drive: Where I’m going next week

Tom and I are the safety support team. Though this is the easiest high mountain climb in the USA, it’s not easy. The odds are against us.

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White Mountain – Wikipedia

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hiking Alaska takes SKILL

Any idiot can hike in California.

But hiking the far North takes smarts. Route finding skills. Bush whacking skills. Survival skills.

GPS is essential, we feel.

Don’t count on calling in rescue with a satellite phone. They are far from 100% reliable.

If you plan to trek Alaska in future, start your research with Eric Molvar’s book. Published in 1996, it covers river crossings, snowfield travel, and glacier travel and wildlife very well.

Wilderness Techniques for the Far North (Hiking & Climbing)

Alaska on Foot: Wilderness Techniques for the Far North (Hiking & Climbing)

If we’d only studied this book in advance we’d have never crossed this snow bridge over a raging Alaskan creek above Whittier. Turns out it’s dangerous!

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Lost City Trek – Colombia – now safer

I loved the Lost City Trek — Ciudad Perdida — when I was there in 1997. It’s a steep climb up a lost jungle city.

Ten years later the adventure is much safer as Brian Rudert reports:

Just did the hike in 4 days/3nights …

The trail is safe, very safe – with a large Colombian military contingent at the top. …

Most tour groups spend 4 or 5 nights along the trail which is a total of 21 kilometers one way with 4 major (steep) descents and 3 descents along with 9 crossings of the Buritaca river before you reach the final 1,300 narrow and steep steps up to the city. The starting point is 340 meters in altitude and the final destination is 1,100 meters.

The 21 kilometers are broken up with sleeping points at kilometer 8 and 16 with guides preparing your food and mules carrying supplies. However, the mules cannot go beyond kilometer 16 because of the condition of the trail.

… A fascinating Kogui (local indigenous group) village is at around kilometer 15 and you will see them again further up the trail and in Ciudad Perdida.

There is a reddish-brown dog with yellow eyes named Niño with no home or owner who goes up and down with different hiking groups (whoever feeds him the best). Niño knows all the best river crossings and will whine when he sees you crossing at the wrong place.

Colombia is my favourite country in South America mainly due to the friendly people.

Check out photos from a 2007 trek to get an idea of the unique landscape at the top:

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adman_as more lost city trek photos – flickr

Lost City Trek information page – besthike.com

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more bear encounters due to global warming?

Is this another crackpot GOAT blog speculation?

Perhaps not.

Check the original post for links to the encounters mentioned:

The Aspen Times, in Colorado’s top resort town, calls this summer “The Killing Fields,” because so many local black bears have gotten into trouble and been killed. The story has powerful photos of bears being “euthanized” or driven out of town. …

The Aspen Times has more sad bear stories and photos … and an editorial — calling for a crackdown on people who get bears in trouble by offering easy garbage.

The Denver Post reports a larger wave of black bear conflicts around Colorado, and quotes a wildlife agent, “I’m up to my eyeballs in bears.”

Meanwhile, Nevada experiences a record year for black bear conflicts and executions.

In New Mexico, this summer’s black bears have bitten at least two people.

In Montana, one black bear tried to claw into a pickup-truck camper, and another wrestled a guy in a tent.

In Wyoming, wildlife agents killed a mother bear when a tranquilizer dart failed to tranquilize.

As I’ve said, I think the surge in bear conflicts is caused by global warming/drought, and more people infringing on more bear habitat, as well as people acting foolish around bears.

GOAT – A High Country News Blog » Summer of growls: More black bears bother more people

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Hiking in Alaska and the Yukon we’ve seen a fair few bears. (Two on the highway yesterday, for example.) Not sure if the incidence is up or down here. People are certainly bear aware here, however.

(Our biggest problem on the last hike was Dave losing the plastic safety piece on his bear spray and having it discharge by accident on his hands. He’s still trying to wash off the smell days later.)

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BEWARE Devil’s Club when hiking

Devil’s Club (Oplopanax horridus, Araliaceae) is a large shrub native to the Pacific Northwest coastal forests of North America. Also known as Devil’s Walking Stick, it grows to 1-1.5 m tall normally, however instances exist of it reaching in excess of 5m in rainforest gullies, with the erect stems covered in short, stout spines. …

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The brittle spines break off easily and contain a chemical that may cause dermatitis. The fruit is considered poisonous, …

Wikipedia

Photo is George negotiating the Devil’s Club near Whittier, Alaska. (Unfortunately he lost his shirt on this scramble.)

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We were extracting spines for days afterwards.