Mismatched Hikers: One Gets Exhausted
In September 2006, Bill T., (no age recorded), and Kimberly B., 35, began hiking up Mount Washington. Bill was an avid, experienced hiker, but Kimberly had never hiked in the White Mountains. Despite that, he had planned an ambitious itinerary: up by the Tuckerman’s Ravine Trail to the Huntington Ravine Trail to the Ball Crag Trail and hence to the summit. The descent was planned by the Great Gulf Trail to the Madison Gulf Trail and finally down the Auto Road.
At the summit, Kimberly requested that they descend by the easiest route possible, but Bill convinced her that the planned route was the easiest. They hiked north on the Great Gulf Trail as planned, but around 4:30 P.M., Kimberly started to deteriorate, feeling worn out and nauseous. At this point, Bill noticed that they were just east of the Chandler Brook Trail, which could get them to the Auto Road. They were able to reach the Chandler Brook Trail but only got as far as where the trail crosses Chandler Brook, where Kimberly felt she could go no further.
Bill ran up the Chandler Brook Trail, then down the Auto Road and eventually called for help. Rescuers from the Mount Washington State Park on the summit reached Kimberly, and felt that she could walk out with assistance. Her progress was very slow, and a four-wheel drive vehicle was brought in on the XC ski trails for the final part of the evacuation.
Comment: It is hard to comment on Bill’s decisions without using the word “irresponsible,” one that I use very sparingly. If he had taken just a minute to think clearly, he would have realized that his plan was totally inappropriate for someone who had never hiked in the Whites. For a person who is not in excellent physical condition, climbing Mount Washington, by the easiest route, is a major undertaking. Although the round trip is only about eight miles, it involves about 4,000 feet of relentless ascent (the exact distance and elevation gain depend on the trail chosen). The route he chose, arguably, is the most difficult both on the ascent and the descent.
The Huntington Ravine Trail is probably the most difficult hiking trail in New England, very steep and on the boundary between hiking and scrambling. The descent by the Great Gulf and Madison Gulf trails is about nine miles, more than double the distance of the Tuckerman’s Ravine Trail. He had to have either forgotten or knowingly chosen something difficult without thought of his inexperienced companion. It’s hard to escape the conclusion that he was hiking the route he wanted to hike and not caring about his companion. She was lucky that the outcome was not worse.
A full listing of Accident Reports may be found in the Summer/Fall 2007 issue of Appalachia.
- Mohamed Ellozy, "Accidents" Editor
