About

Over four years ago, I read “Touching the Void” and I was always intrigued by situation hikers find themselves in and the incredible things they do to stay alive.

This blog is about learning from other people’s mistakes, so you don’t make the same ones.

“Better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the grey twilight that knows not victory nor defeat”

Find the right bike tools and other accessories

Gear that Rocks


Osprey
Atmos



Mammut
Mammut Pulse



Petzl
Petzl Spirit



Black Diamond
Black Diamond Carbon Fiber Probe



Montbell
Montbell Ultra Light

Rock Climber Injured on Mt. Abrupt

Who: An American man
Where: Mt. Abrupt, Australia
His mistake: Not sure. He might not have placed his gear correctly
What happened: A rock climber was out with some friends on Mt. Abrupt. At some point of the climb, the man fell from a cliff face. It seems like some protection dislodged from the rock when he fell. [...]

Two Killed in Indian Avalanche

Who: Mangesh Despande and an unknown mountaineer, both from Mumbai
Where: Mt. Thingchinkhang, India
Their mistake: Bad luck. Not sure if there were any signs in the snow
What happened: A team of four mountaineers and two Sherpas tackled Mt. Thingchinkhang. The team successfully made it to the summit of the mountain and began to descend back to [...]

Lost Hikers Rescued from Sacajawea Peak

Who: Two male hikers
Where: Sacajawea Peak, Montana
Their mistake: Bad luck. Maybe they should’ve looked at the weather forecast
What happened: Two hikers hiked to the top of Sacajawea Peak, but bad weather rolled in during their descent. They became lost and disoriented and unable to find the trailhead. The men used their cell phones to call [...]

Photographer Falls 30 Feet from Waterfall

Who: 49-year-old Ed Cooley
Where: Twin Falls, Ozark National Forest, Arkansas
His mistake: He was alone, but he did seem prepared
What happened: A photographer went out on a hike alone to take photos of Twin Falls, part of Richland Creek Wilderness in the Ozark National Forest.

At the top of the falls, the ground under the photographer broke [...]

19-Year Sheriff Veteran Found Dead

Who: 42-year-old Zoltan Tombol
Where: Cleveland National Forest, Southern California
His mistake: He was alone, but the ultimate mistake is to be determined
What happened: Zoltan Tombol, a 19-year veteran for the L.A. County Sheriff’s department went out for a hike or jog alone in the Cleveland National Forest. His wife said it wasn’t unusual for the man [...]

Lost Mountain Biker Found after 4 Hours

Who: A 42-year-old woman
Where: Forest near Wendell State Forest, Massachusetts
Her mistake: Looks like poor planning
What happened: A woman went for a late afternoon bike ride in a forested area near Wendell State Forest. As darkness fell, the woman lost the trail and called for help at 7 p.m.

Authorities used the woman’s cell phone GPS [...]

Two Lost Hikers Find Safety in 48 Hours

Who: 43-year-old Brooks Scheevers and 73-year-old Francis Scheevers
Where: Sycamore Canyon, Arizona
Their mistake: They just got lost
What happened: Two men, originally reported to be women probably because of their names, went on a day hike through Sycamore Canyon. One of the men called his wife at 4 p.m. to say they were leaving the car and [...]

Just Returned from Three Days of Rock Climbing

I just returned from three days of rock climbing in the Mammoth area. The weather was great and the rock was wide open for my friend and I to climb. I posted a few photos in the gallery.

Posts will resume later today or tomorrow. I’ve got a lot of catching up to do.

2 Women, 1 Dog, 0 Torches, 1 Rescue in Sandia Mountains

Who: Two women hikers
Where: Sandia Mountains, New Mexico
Their mistake: They were overdue and didn’t bring flashlights or headlamps
What happened: Two women walking their dog on a trail were overdue and hampered by darkness. Unfortunately neither of the women brought a headlamp or flashlight so they had a difficult time navigating.

A friend who didn’t hear from [...]

Man and His Dog Rescued from Volcano

Who: A 72-year-old man and his dog
Where: Wilderness area around Mount St. Helens, Oregon
His mistake: It’s unknown
What happened: A man and his dog were on a day hike in the wilderness surrounding Mt. St. Helens. His wife was waiting for him at a rendezvous point at 6 p.m., but when he didn’t’ show up, she [...]

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