Backcountry Death Stats

[Aldaron]

Thanks. I hadn't looked yet today so I hadn't seen this one. This puts us at a total of 40 backcountry deaths already this year, 15 of which have been caused by avalanches. By comparison, in 2010, there were 10 deaths by this date, with one related to an avalanche.

 

[Dave]

There was a lightning fatality in Rocky Mountain National Park yesterday.

 

[Aldaron]

I have like 12 from the past week that I need to catch up on. I hadn't seen this one yet or the one in Death Valley that someone else posted.

Thanks!

 

[DrNed]

Being over half way through the year now, is this year still on pace to exceed previous in years? Any interesting facts or trends?

 

[Dave]

Turns out there were two lightning fatals in RMNP this weekend. Watch the skies, friends.

 

[Aldaron]

Being over half way through the year now, is this year still on pace to exceed previous in years? Any interesting facts or trends?

Yeah, it's been crazy this year. By this time in 2010 I had counted a total of 66 backcountry deaths...right now I'm at 130. Falls have taken back over the top spot from avalanches. There have been 39 deaths by falls and 29 by avalanches. My avalanche count doesn't match the count at avalanche.org for a few different reasons, but I've cross-checked mine with that site and we have all the same backcountry avalanche deaths.

I've started noticing that there are a lot of drownings in national parks, national seashores, and national recreation areas. In almost every case they've been very near public beaches and parking lots. As a result, I haven't been counting them as backcountry deaths. The weird thing to me is that people are obviously swimming in lakes and rivers in the backcountry, but almost no one drowns in the backcountry. In the front country, though, people drown a whole lot.

So, keep yourself and especially your teenage kids (they seem to drown most often) safe while swimming, and keep your two feet on the ground when playing in the backcountry.

 

[DrNed]

I've started noticing that there are a lot of drownings in national parks, national seashores, and national recreation areas. In almost every case they've been very near public beaches and parking lots. As a result, I haven't been counting them as backcountry deaths. The weird thing to me is that people are obviously swimming in lakes and rivers in the backcountry, but almost no one drowns in the backcountry. In the front country, though, people drown a whole lot.

Fascinating . . . do you think it's just a matter of the number of swimmers in front vs backcountry or is there something else?

 

[Aldaron]

Fascinating . . . do you think it's just a matter of the number of swimmers in front vs backcountry or is there something else?

I think it's several factors: volume of people swimming in the frontcountry, alcohol, and peer pressure. It's surprising how many of the drownings in parks are teenagers, so I think peer pressure might play a role in that. I witnessed that last weekend. There were three teenage boys jumping into the pool at the bottom of a dangerous class IV+ rapid on the Chattooga River. One of the boys didn't want to do it and the others kept egging him on to do. After a while of them jumping in and him refusing to jump, this very attractive girl comes up wearing a bikini. The other two tell her that the third one won't jump in so she just sets her camera down and jumps in. Problem solved, now he had to jump in, of course. And he did. Everything was fine, but I felt like I was witnessing why so many teenagers drown in the frontcountry.

I also think inexperienced swimmers are less likely to hike several miles into the backcountry and then swim out into dangerous conditions beyond their skill level. And I think people are less likely to get drunk and go swimming in the backcountry.

 

[Laura]

Here's an exceptionally sad one:

http://news.msn.com/us/veteran-rock-climber-killed-in-fall-in-yosemite

 

[andyjaggy]

Thanks for keeping track of all of these stats, it's really interesting.

 

[Nick]

Here's an exceptionally sad one:

http://news.msn.com/us/veteran-rock-climber-killed-in-fall-in-yosemite

That is super sad. But seriously... WTF is wrong with people climbing without ropes?! I get that Alex Honnold is insane and at the same time super likable or whatever, but WTF?!? I just have such a hard time comprehending what the draw is there. How could any rush or feeling be better than living to see another day, with the people and things that you love? I just don't get it.

 

[Laura]

That is super sad. But seriously... WTF is wrong with people climbing without ropes?! I get that Alex Honnold is insane and at the same time super likable or whatever, but WTF?!? I just have such a hard time comprehending what the draw is there. How could any rush or feeling be better than living to see another day, with the people and things that you love? I just don't get it.

I don't get it, either. Especially when you're moving into a new stage of life like marriage, where it's not just all about you anymore.

 

[Vegan.Hiker]

This might help. At the weather observatory/visitor center atop Mount Washington in NH, there is a framed poster explaining each of the deaths in the Presidential Range in the White Mountains. I took these pictures but it's too small to read. However, if you contact them, they might be willing to email you an electronic copy or mail you a paper copy. You could probably glean some great info as the Whites are one of the most dangerous places to hike in the US and has seen hundreds of hiker fatalities.

 

[DrNed]

@Vegan.Hiker Curious . . . what makes Mt Washington "the worst weather in the world"?

 

[Vegan.Hiker]

@Vegan.Hiker Curious . . . what makes Mt Washington "the worst weather in the world"?

Well I'd probably butcher all of the scientific meteorological reasons if I tried to explain them myself so I'll just link some articles.

Here's an article from LIFE magazine about the extreme weather on Mount Washington
http://life.time.com/culture/mount-washington-classic-photos-of-brutal-winter-weather/#1

And here is an article from Backpacker magazine highlighting Mount Washington in America's 10 Most Dangerous Hikes
http://www.backpacker.com/october_0...ous_hikes_mt_washington_nh/destinations/12622

Just to give you some idea of the variance. When we drove up Mt Washington last week, it was clear skies and 78 degrees at the base. At the summit it was in the mid 30's with zero visibility and windy. And it was a perfect summer day.

As a hiker, I just know that if you hike in the Whites you need to check the summit forecast before heading up any peak, even if it's 80 degrees and clear skies at the trailhead. You also need to pack rain gear and some warmer wind gear no matter what, as the weather is notorious there for taking a turn in a heartbeat.

 

[Vegan.Hiker]

I also read once that the reason the Appalachians on the east coast were shorter elevations than the Rockies out west was that the Appalachians were much older and therefore worn down by the harsh weather coming off the eastern coast.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Nick]

I also read once that the reason the Appalachians on the east coast were shorter elevations than the Rockies out west was that the Appalachians were much older and therefore worn down by the harsh weather coming off the eastern coast.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That's true except the weather from the east isn't the unique reason. They are just plain older and therefore more eroded. The Rockies will someday look much like them after wind, ice and water have their way with them for long enough. If the Appalachians are the Granddaddy to the Rockies, then the Canadian Shield is like the Great Great Grandaddy. A mountain range that is basically worn down to nothing now. Meanwhile, the Himalayas are like the newborn baby and still growing. Wild. I loved geology class. One of the few things I actually remember from college.

 

[Vegan.Hiker]

I respectfully disagree Nick. I don't presume that the weather from the east is the unique reason, but definitely a contributing factor hand in hand with their age. I have a very hard time believing that certain peaks such as Mt Washington that experience some of the most extreme weather in the US have not been eroded faster from it. To say their smaller stature is simply because "they are just plain older" discounts the enormous effect that weather plays on our landscape.

I believe it was Bill Bryson's "A Walk in the Woods" where I first read about this exact topic. I'll find it and try to find that section.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Joey]

Here is one from a few days ago here in the Tetons. The day he was climbing was miserable weather:
http://www.nps.gov/grte/parknews/news-release-14-64.htm

Not sure how often you check these things, but I know there has been 2 recent deaths in Yellowstone the last few weeks, a drowning and a fall.

 

[Jammer]

Another fall in Zion:

http://www.nps.gov/zion/blogs/Climber-Dies-after-Fall-at-Zion-National-Park.htm