February 26, 2023
Backcountry Hazards
Knowledge and the ability to make good decisions make all of these
hazards reasonable and manageable. Here we go, in no particular order.
Bears
From conversations with backcountry rangers, it would be safe to say that
actual "bear attacks" are very rare. If trouble does develop, it is
usually related to poor food storage leading to a bear versus human
competition for a food source. Use an approved food storage device
and avoid heavily used areas and this problem is solved.
Water
I have read that drowning leads the cause of death list in the Sierra.
If you are trying to cross a stream during times of high flow early in
the season in a big snow year, you may be asking for trouble.
A rule of thumb I have heard is that any water above your knees is
flirting with disaster.
Altitude sickness and HAPE
Know the difference. Altitude sickness is a nuisance whereas HAPE is
a rapidly developing live threatening situation.
It is said that the most fit can get into the most trouble.
They try to push too far too fast. I always plan for an easy first
day and camp at some elevation that will provide some acclimitization
before pushing over a big pass. I can tell when I get altitude
sickness by a headache, loss of appetite, rapid breathing when I am
trying to sleep, and perhaps nausea. HAPE is when fluid develops
in the lungs and is something else entirely. Rattling, crackly noises
when breathing are distinct signs (and things have already progressed
to a serious level if this is going on). The only cure for HAPE is
a descent to lower elevation ASAP. Different people have different
susceptability, and once again the young athlete can be nailed by it.
Here are some interesting comments from a rescue report:
"pulse was weak, fast and irregular;
breathing was irregular and shallow;
had a crackling chest and hacking cough;
was pale, clammy and had minor cyanosis at the base
of his gums and fingernails."
"The rescue team told me they most frequently see HAPE develop 72 hours
after arrival at elevation and usually 36 to 48 hours after acute
mountain sickness symptoms (such as headache, nausea) disappear.
This usually prompts the victim to push on, feeling better, and
end up deeper in the wilderness farther from easy rescue."
Don't be afraid to cancel plans and "bail" if things develop.
It is better to heed early warnings and come back another time
than to push on deeper into the wilderness and find yourself in
real trouble.
Weather
This is more a question of proper equipment and making good decisions
than it is about the weather itself. If you are going into mountain
wilderness, you need to be carrying proper equipment for the area and
season of your visit. And you need to expect the unexpected.
The Sierra in the summer are pretty benign. In most cases the biggest
concern will be sun exposure. If thunderstorms are in gear, you will
need to have a rain shell and avoid high areas during lightning.
If you visit during "hinge season" (especially fall) you are always
gambling with being caught by the first big winter storm.
Visiting the Sierra in the winter is something else entirely and
well beyond what I want to discuss hear.
Rockfall and mountaineering
Mountaineering has its own risks and it is not my intent to cover that
ground here. Every cross country Sierra traveler will need to consider
loose rock, and the Sierra has a lot of it. The likely accident will
be getting injured, trapped, or killed by some big rock you had the
misfortune to pull on or stand on. If traveling in talus, a person
should always be asking, "if I put my foot/hand here and that rock
shifts .... then what will happen?".
Few hikers will find themselves in places where rockfall from above
poses a danger, but it is not impossible. I have witnessed several
impressive rockfall events during my times in the Sierra.
Have any comments? Questions?
Drop me a line!
Uncle Tom's hiking pages / tom@mmto.org