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”
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Who: A 50-year-old woman
Where: Angels Landing, Zion National Park, Utah
Her mistake: Looks like an accident
What happened: A woman was hiking alone to the top of Angels Landing, a rock fin that jets into the sky in Zion National Park. The narrow trail – sometimes just a few feet wide – has sheer dropoffs on both [...]
Who: Four hikers
Where: Jonesville Cliff, Vermont
Their mistake: They started late, and didn’t expect certain conditions
What happened: Four hikers decided to go on a late afternoon hike before Thanksgiving dinner. The group hiked to Jonesville Cliff, a place they have hiked before, all the way back to when they were kids.
Darkness approached faster than they expected [...]
Who: 26-year-old John Jones
Where: Nutty Putty cave, Utah
His mistake: He ventured into an area where he shouldn’t have been
What happened: A man was caving with 11 other family members and friends in the Nutty Putty cave, Utah. Children in the group along with some other adults decided to explore the wider, safer areas of the [...]
Who: 26-year-old Jordan Nicurity
Where: Hornby Island, British Columbia, Canada
His mistake: He was alone, but ultimately it was a simple fall
What happened: A man went on a hiking and climbing trip alone on Hornby Island in British Columbia. While climbing in an area, the man’s sandstone handhold broke loose and sent the man tumbling six meters [...]
Who: 62-year-old Dr. Wieslaw E. Walczak
Where: Tuckerman Ravine Trail, Mt. Washington, New Hampshire
His mistake: Don’t know. It was just a fall
What happened: A man went on a hike alone on the Tuckerman Ravine Trail on Mt. Washington. The man’s wife said a solo hike through these mountains wasn’t uncommon since the man was an experienced [...]
Who: 56-year-old Stuart Anderson
Where: Dishman Hills Natural Area, Spokane, Washington
His mistake: A simple slip
What happened: A man was geocaching with his wife above a sheer rock cliff in the Dishman Hills Natural Area. While looking for the beloved cache, the man slipped on some pine needles and plummeted down 100 feet with nothing to break [...]
Who: A 22-year-old male
Where: Butte at Papago Park, Phoenix, Arizona
His mistake: Looks like he just took a misstep
What happened: A man was hiking to the top of the butte at Papago Park in Arizona when he lost his footing and fell about 30 feet. He struck his head and shoulder in the fall and may [...]
Who: 31-year-old Jarek Sweigert and 38-year-old Marty Cooke
Where: Kelly Gulch, Idaho
Their mistake: Could be poor planning or bad luck
What happened: Two men went on a day hike through Kelly Gulch in Blaine County, Idaho. During their hike, a heavy snow storm hit the area and the men became separated while trying to get back to [...]
Who: 26-year-old Joseph Leonhard and 28-year-old Justin Seweryn
Where: Yellow Spur Route, Eldorado Canyon State Park, Colorado
Their mistake: Poor planning
What happened: Two climbers rock climbed the Yellow Spur Route, a 10a route in Eldorado Canyon State Park. The men were able to complete the long, hard route, but on their descent, they ran into some trouble [...]
Who: A male mountaineer
Where: Leiva Peak, Murcia’s Sierra Espuna, Spain
His mistake: Not sure what caused the fall
What happened: A man and two additional climbers were on an ascent to the Leiva Peak, part of the Sierra Espuna mountains in Spain. The group was 30 meters from the summit when one of the men fell. The [...]
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If you're into the outdoors, why not think of going on a caravan or RV trip? Better make sure you get caravan insurance first, though!
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