Lessons learned from the Oregon tragedy

Meanwhile, at this very moment, there are search and rescue people trying
to
evacuate climbers from MT. HOOD IN FREAKIN' DECEMBER.

One of the roads to the mountain just reopened having been washed out by
the
winter storms, and the wind coming out of the east has been such that I
haven't even bothered trying to fly on the sunny days...too damned windy
to
practice those power-off precision landings. One can only wonder about
-those- hikers. "Worst string of weather we've had in over a year; most
turbulent, cold and deadly winter conditions. I know...let's CLIMB A
MOUNTAIN. If we get hurt, why, somebody will surely risk their asses to
come bail us out. Their families will be -so- excited if those helicopter
crews come home alive..."

This has been a major irritant to me for a long time, and I suspect that
dramatic rescues as 'reality tv" may help to fuel the problem. However, it
all comes back to policy decisions...

Peter
Annoyance keeps me alive and healthy;
my blood pressure doesn't ebb away!

On Sat, 09 Dec 2006 20:56:38 -0600, in ,
Jim Macklin wrote:
His body warmth in the car, a group huddle is warmer than just the
mother and two small children.

Maybe I'm a pesimist, but I suspect he got tired of hearing his wife
complain things like, "Now this is a fine mess you've gotten us into" and
"I told you to ask directions, by *noooo*, you wouldn't listen Mr.
KnowItAll" and decided he would rather face the cold and possibly die than
listen to her anymore...

That's probably the best explaination I have yet heard..
Cooped up in a car with a wife and two small kids for a week!
That's enough to drive any man nuts. ;-))
(nice touch of comic relief)

Grumman-581 wrote:

On Sat, 09 Dec 2006 20:56:38 -0600, in ,
Jim Macklin wrote:


His body warmth in the car, a group huddle is warmer than just the
mother and two small children.



Maybe I'm a pesimist, but I suspect he got tired of hearing his wife
complain things like, "Now this is a fine mess you've gotten us into" and
"I told you to ask directions, by *noooo*, you wouldn't listen Mr.
KnowItAll" and decided he would rather face the cold and possibly die than
listen to her anymore...

Matt Whiting wrote:

I know that is the standard advice, but I'm not sure I could follow it
for more than a day or two. Personally, I'd rather die trying than die
sitting waiting on someone who may never come.


I know what you're saying Matt, but I don't think I've ever heard of
anybody dying in their car when they got stuck. I'm sure there's a
couple of cases, but from all the stories I've heard in our general
area (you're in Montrose right?) the vast majority of exposure deaths
were when people left a protective shelter.

On 10 Dec 2006 08:35:07 -0800, wrote:


Matt Whiting wrote:

I know that is the standard advice, but I'm not sure I could follow it
for more than a day or two. Personally, I'd rather die trying than die
sitting waiting on someone who may never come.

I know what you're saying Matt, but I don't think I've ever heard of
anybody dying in their car when they got stuck. I'm sure there's a
couple of cases, but from all the stories I've heard in our general
area (you're in Montrose right?) the vast majority of exposure deaths
were when people left a protective shelter.

Seattle-area news last night said that this was not the first death due to a car
getting stuck on the same stretch of road. Another happened about twenty,
twenty-five years ago. The driver stayed with the vehicle. He kept a diary, it
ended after about sixty days. Death due to starvation.

Ron Wanttaja

You don't starve in six days. You can run out of water, but
cold exposure is more likely. Was anybody looking for the
person you spoke about?



"Ron Wanttaja" wrote in message
...
| On 10 Dec 2006 08:35:07 -0800, wrote:
|
|
| Matt Whiting wrote:
|
| I know that is the standard advice, but I'm not sure I
could follow it
| for more than a day or two. Personally, I'd rather die
trying than die
| sitting waiting on someone who may never come.
|
| I know what you're saying Matt, but I don't think I've
ever heard of
| anybody dying in their car when they got stuck. I'm sure
there's a
| couple of cases, but from all the stories I've heard in
our general
| area (you're in Montrose right?) the vast majority of
exposure deaths
| were when people left a protective shelter.
|
| Seattle-area news last night said that this was not the
first death due to a car
| getting stuck on the same stretch of road. Another
happened about twenty,
| twenty-five years ago. The driver stayed with the
vehicle. He kept a diary, it
| ended after about sixty days. Death due to starvation.
|
| Ron Wanttaja

Jim Macklin wrote:

You don't starve in six days. You can run out of water, but
cold exposure is more likely. Was anybody looking for the
person you spoke about?

What part of sixty didn't you understand? :-)


Matt

Another poster said six. Sixty days, yes, you can starve.
But that sounds more like a suicide by cold. Nobody was
looking for a car on a road for two months...???



"Matt Whiting" wrote in message
...
| Jim Macklin wrote:
|
| You don't starve in six days. You can run out of water,
but
| cold exposure is more likely. Was anybody looking for
the
| person you spoke about?
|
| What part of sixty didn't you understand? :-)
|
|
| Matt

Jim Macklin wrote:
Another poster said six. Sixty days, yes, you can starve.
But that sounds more like a suicide by cold. Nobody was
looking for a car on a road for two months...???

Must be my newsserver didn't pick that one up as all I read said sixty.
Yes, it is hard to imagine anyone other than a complete recluse not
being missed for two months.

Matt

"Jim Macklin" wrote in message
...
You don't starve in six days. You can run out of water, but
cold exposure is more likely. Was anybody looking for the
person you spoke about?


60 days. And, yes looking the whole time. Found them in the spring.

Al G