Mountain Incidents

[whynotwalk]

G'day all - I took the opportunity of the recent Hobart Show Day to make a 4 day trip to Cradle. On the Friday, while ascending Cradle Mt itself, I managed to have a rather disconcerting slip/fall in its high snowy section. No damage done, thankfully, but it prompts me to ask others whether they've had any "hairy" experiences in high places.

I've posted a brief description of the incident on my blog at http://auntyscuttle.blogspot.com/?zx=82930543f5e99605

cheers

Peter

[eggs]

There are sometimes some warm discussions on this site about taking care and being aware of the dangers that confront walkers so as to plan safely.
But it is true that disaster is often a bees whisker from any of us.
People who ride to work on bikes are patted on the back by many for their efforts and nearly killed with maddening regularlity (I am one - though a little infrequently)

But to have a mishap on a mountain seems more dramatic.
On our honeymoon, we climbed Cradle on one day and then circled it on the next 2 - staying at Scott-Kilvert overnight. There was a young fellow we crossed paths with on a few occassions.
Our last meeting was coming back past the face of Cradle and he looked absolutely shocked and pale.
He related that he had decided to descend Cradle via the ridge to the south - and in the course of boulder hopping he had stood on a dolerite slab which rotated under his weight before crashing into the void below.
He managed to jump off it as it moved, but it still caught the edge of his coat and had badly ripped it. He was lucky to be alive.

For myself, probably my worst mishap was coming down from Barren Pass on the Frenchmans track. Being the photo geek, I was at the rear of our party - the others being well ahead.
When descending one of the elaborate tree trunk cut steps with bits of wire netting nailed on to assist grip, I slipped and fell back onto the steps. My pack took the brunt of the fall, but it would have been quite different if my back had landed across those hard right angled edges. Apart from being thankful I was not injured, I do wonder how long it would have taken the others to realise I was not with them anymore.

[stu]

Probably more close calls / mishaps than I'd care to remember, probably several I didn't even know about (that bees whisker thing).

A few close ones:

1. My solo mini-epic on Picton - more stupidity than anything else tho; got lost for 3 hours in white out, blizzard conditions, huddled under a boulder eating jelly beans in near tears, rolled a loose boulder onto the back of my calf leaving a grapefruit sized bruise, eventually found my way to safety in a near hypothermic state (I hadn't even told anyone where I was going that day so I in some ways deserved my punishment from the mountain).

2. coming off the western side of Falling mountain on the Du Cane traverse late last year I slipped backwards on a large wet boulder, both arms instinctivly flew out to the sides & luckily both arms latched onto rock; I regained my balance only to look back at a 5m deep gaping chasm (the boulders around this area are huge); negotiating these with a large multi-day pack on is always a balancing act between success & disaster, thankfully the former mostly prevails.

A few close ones by friends:

1. One of my best mates on the same Du Cane traverse decided to slide down a cambered snow slope coming off the upper Labyrinth; unfortunately for him it was cambered in the direction of a large, exposed boulder. He hit this at full speed, trying in vain to stop himself with his feet - a full 360 degree spin, landed, hit another boulder soon after, a full 540 degree spin / corkscrew type manouvre (crash test dummy style) and all I saw was his limp, lifeless looking body coming to a halt at the bottom of the snow slope, head facing downhill...thankfully he was ok bar a few bruises & abrasion burns on his fingers from trying to stop himself in the snow; like Peters friends, & after I was assured that he was in fact alive, all I could say was "you could have waited until I got the camera out, can you do it again?".

2. Federation descent last year - watching one of our group of 8 (only his second ever mountain ascent & after a terrible motorcycle accident earlier last year - pretty impressive) lowering himself off ledges with his feet either dangling in the air or skating for traction - it made me sick to my stomach watching that, especially as a climber who takes the utmost caution with my foot placements.

Probably many others which I have blocked out of my sub-concious.

[ollster]

When I did the Thetis/Pelion West circuit, my entire party became inexplicably lost and I had to find them again by myself.

Nah, no close shaves here, I'm too careful!

[Singe]

The bike analogy probably isn't far off the mark, as both are activities where the perceived risks are far greater than the actual risks, and eclipsed by the health benefits of an active lifestyle. The couch-dwellers will call us irresponsible for taking any risk, but ultimately they will be the ones dying prematurely from 'lifestyle' diseases.

[stu]

Yes Oll, thankfully we all managed to find you, the only one who was not lost, again, some fine leading there my friend
We even did a grid style search, hoping to become un-lost
Funny, we all did the same thing leaving Lake Rufus last weekend, except for you, the only not-lost one

[ILUVSWTAS]

LOL! He was taking his sweet time to pack in the hut...

[Ent]

The bike analogy probably isn't far off the mark, as both are activities where the perceived risks are far greater than the actual risks, and eclipsed by the health benefits of an active lifestyle. The couch-dwellers will call us irresponsible for taking any risk, but ultimately they will be the ones dying prematurely from 'lifestyle' diseases.

Until I peeled of my bike due to a flat tire at 60 plus kilometres and broke more bones than what is good I might have agreed with you on the safety of bike riding. One thing looking at the helmet I am decidedly glad I was wearing one and now have become a great fan of them.

It is often luck that decides if a slip is an inelegant landing on ones posteriora or something more serious. Sliding off the face track at Cradle in a snow drift was one of those events that I was thankful for scrub to stop me and a wake up call on how easy it is to slide and how hard it is to stop. Sort of now understand the Minister for Snow and Ice issues. Though I did have poles to clamber up along the option to put on Yowies. One day I might check out what was on the other side of the scrub This experience makes me wonder how much luck is involved when crossing snow on slopes. In my case the foot prints were deep from other people so it was in that case that the snow gave way.

Coming down a scree field it was rather worrying when putting hand on a large rock only to see it bouncing down the field. A lady in the group slipped and grab a large fallen tree only to quickly let go as it to decided it was time to move. This is area of danger from off track walking as unlike well travelled paths you can never be sure what rock is close to letting go. Also it does not take much of a rock to make a person below you wish they had worn a hard hat.

Cheers Brett

[ILUVSWTAS]

I think we managed to pull a few rotten trees down on each others heads and shoulders a few times too didnt we??

[Nuts]

Haven't been to the top of Cradle in several years but brings up the thought that there really should be qa warning sign on top. Looking for photo opportunities and other ways down has caused a few notable incidents. I imagine many more are never heard.

Never had any real dramas personally.

[ollster]

his sweet time

Yes, my time IS sweet. And awesome.

Although I was not on the trip, a couple of mates have recounted a trip out to SE Cape that almost came unstuck. They were traversing across a steep slope when one of the fellows tripped and somersaulted down a fern-covered embankment toward some cliffs. After doing a full somersault (with pack on) friend threw an arm out and managed to cling tenaciously to the ferns and haul himself back up the slope.

Actually, I almost had a pot of boiling water plus stove tipped on my in Scott-Kilvert hut due to someone leaning on the table too hard. I'm sure the pot was at 45deg before it tipped back upright.

[Joel]

A note about Cradle also. Parks need to give out better info. This week we have had two groups complaining that they asked about conditions and were told at the VC that there was no snow and the track is fine. WT *$&#???? You can see a whole heap of snow on the top w/o even driving into the park. Two of the before mentioned people were at least in their 60's and I doubt if they would have made it up even if it was perfect weather (not because of their age of course). They came back angry and freaked out. Apparently they told the guy at the info center and he was "shocked to see the photos". No offence to anyone who may work for them, but where the hell do they find these people???

[Beeper]

Parks employs people like everyone else. Increasingly VC staff don't have much/no backcountry experience, they're just there on contract/casual waiting for something better. In regional areas you can't expect much more as work tends to be seasonal. The more knowledgable people are likely to be the Rangers and you won't find many of them. Its easier to employ cheaper VC staff to give out passes/souveniers etc.

[Nuts]

.....

Last edited by Nuts on Thu 17 Dec, 2009 9:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Beeper]

Fair comment Nuts. Unfortunately your taxes do pay shoppies, professionals will demand more income, would you rather have 3-4 shoppies or 2 professionals and even less service. Although I understand getting the right information is paramount regardless of who is on the counter. It may get to the stage where these services will be outsourced ie to Federal Hotels etc given the diminishing Parks budget.

[Nuts]

If the retail side isnt funding itself then yes perhaps it is better to let it go. I dont really see that supporting people being available to provide information is a worthwhile cause unless there is some way to ensure it's accurate.

Last edited by Nuts on Thu 17 Dec, 2009 9:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Ent]

A system for giving out accurate, updated knowledge and at least one person with direct experience on the desk at all times.
Seems it will take another tragedy to get this sorted. I thought it had been. People selling stuff should not even be wearing the uniform or giving out information unless a way is found to make it accurate. This sort of thing really irks me, it has been going through phases of incompetence for years (regardless of the background to this one incident), its not as if noone knows it happens. IMO i pay taxes to have professionals not shoppies. Who is liable for incorrect information putting peoples lives at stake or at the very least contributing to a miserable experience? Pay someone to go and take a look if at all unsure. Dont give answers until Sure. Of all the things parks staff should be responsible for surely knowing the area and whats going on comes before selling trinkets (whatever the demand) This particular one really does make the blood boil.

Um? Sounds like a duty of care argument (Now to duck and lurk before the thermonuclear warheads lock on)

Cheers Brett

[tas-man]

This thread got me thinking about what "incidents" I had experienced in my many years of bushwalking. Have had the few "geographically embarassed" situations but couldn't recall anything that might come into the serious "life threatening" incidents category until I thought back over some of my PNG walking trips in the 1970's. There was one walk where a situation could have been more serious than it was. Our party of five was three days out of Tapini in the PNG central highlands heading for Woitape, and I was in front when we came to a native bush bridge over a river. The timberwork looked old and I elected to go over first (at that time I was a lightweight 65kg) to test it out. I heard a few cracks and groans as I crossed, but got over OK, so got in position with camera on the river bank to photograph the next fellow across. He was a bit heavier than me and when he was about halfway across, the bridge collapsed and I snapped rapidly to capture the moment on film. Then responded to his calls for help with the others who waded out into the river to catch his pack before it was washed away, and help him to the bank. He was soaked to the skin, but nothing broken, so we dried him off, and got him into a change of clothes, then got moving again as we still had an hour or so to our camping spot for that night. However shock set in and he got the shivers and vomiting, and it was a restless night for all of us until he recovered the next day. We were still two days solid walking from the nearest aid post at Woitape, so realised that things could have been a lot worse if there had been an injury in the party. No sat phones or chopper rescue options in those days! Another of my extended PNG trips where there were a variety of incidents that could have been worse is told here http://www.confluence.org/confluence.php?lat=-8&lon=147

[Steve]

My solo mini-epic on Picton - more stupidity than anything else tho; got lost for 3 hours in white out, blizzard conditions, huddled under a boulder eating jelly beans in near tears...

Hahaha, love how you put that. (not making fun of your misfortunes!) Gotta love those jelly beans!

Its always the trips like that ^ that turn out to be the most memorable.. and the most legendary.

[neil_fahey]

Whoa! There's some scary stories there... Fortunately I've never had anything seriously bad happen to me at all. I'm not as adventurous as most of you guys though!

In the last year I've come within a couple of cm's of stepping on two brown snakes and one tiger snake when out by myself but fortunately I wasn't too far from civilisation on any of those occasions.

In the Amazon this year I tripped and landed against a tree-trunk which was covered in extremely sharp spines, emerging with pricks and scratches all over my right-side but most notably, one of them was wedged into the side of my hand. Once the initial concern of "is this tree poisonous!?" was cleared up by our tour guide, it was quite hilarious really...



That's about it though... All very boring compared to the stories you guys are telling! (thankfully for me)

[north-north-west]

Well, I've already shared my little slip on the Bluff earlier this year.
Oddly enough, when I revisited the place on a snow and ice free day, I managed to trip over a large boulder I had forgotten was right in front of me, and ended up with a strained groin muscle and two very badly bruised knees.
Had quite a few close shaves over the years, including a snow-slide on Egmont similar to the one mentioned above.

But the very worst incident happened last Sunday week, while I was up in the Cobberas.
I had climbed up, with just the camera bag, onto the highest point of Cleft Peak - lovely little spot, and the views go forever in every direction - and was carefully climbing back down the rockface after taking a few photos and glorying in the day. Had the bag slung over the head, sitting just above my rump. Face into the rock, toes with just enough grip to support my weight, one hand clinging above while the other's reaching for a lower hold, and the bag slipped around to the hip. Not a good spot for it while climbing, so very carefully shifted it back around and just as the hand started reaching again for that lower hold, the swivel clip on the strap broke.
Five metre sheer drop onto a thick bit of prostanthera about a metre from the base, which broke the clip on the flap. That was when the camera fell out. Of course, the 10-22mm lens is heavy enough to turn the thing so it went the rest of the way lens down - the rest of the way being that last metre, plus bouncing down another ten metres or so of very steep boulder-strewn snowgrass, until it banged into another rockface.
The camera should be OK, probably just needs a new circuit board or ten. But the lens . . . lens barrells aren't supposed to wobble in the middle like that. Hate to think how much it will cost if by some slim chance it is repairable.

Was a wonderful walk otherwise, camped the night before on the Playground, with a glorious view of Cobberas No 1.

But take warning, my fellow photographers. do not rely on plastic clips. I'm replacing all mine with double ended brass dog clips. They'll last longer than I will.

[Lindsay]

An expensive bit of bad luck there scavenger, but to look on the bright side, it could have been you falling and ending up with broken bits wobbling in the middle.

[north-north-west]

Well, I've always wondered if, when push came to shove, I would save the camera or myself. Now I know.
And at least it will make the next month or two's walking a little lighter and faster.

[gboon]

I've only just read this forum, and found it fascinating as i spent a whole semester of my undergrad dedicated to exploring the relationship between bushwalking incidents and bushwalker preparedness (in the CM/LSC NP). I'd be more than happy to forward any willing readers a copy. It's a long document, but the boring bits can be skipped!

I thnk it's valuable info for bushwalkers (or any adventure seekers - e.g. climbers) to write and describe their mishaps for us to amuse, and evaluate!

[Drifting]

What did you find GBoon?

[WarrenH]

In 35 years of walking I've had three mountain incidents. Two bites have resulted in me spending several weeks in hospital. Only one incident per decade, doesn't seem too bad to me.

One injury which shouldn't have happened was tick toxemia. In Nadgee on a dawdle from the Ranger's Station at Merrica River to the summit of Tumbledown Mountain (325m) I was bitten by a tick. One of the simplest walks up a hill that I've ever done, 6 kilometres each way to the summit and back. Just a dawdle.

I went to the local health clinic several times after returning from Nadgee and couldn't convince several foreign trained doctors that I had removed the body of a paralysis tick from the back of my leg, but I couldn't get the head out because it was now too deep. Several times I was told, "Ticks don't burrow", even asked by one doctor, "What is a tick?", "It is an infected hair follicle" one doctor said, "If you think there is a tick in there it will eject itself eventually," said another doctor. I kept telling the doctors otherwise. On the fifth day after being bitten, I collapsed on the lounge room floor, and was leaving this planet. My wife returned home from her work during her lunch break to check on me because she was concerned that I was not well, more ill that morning than any of the other days. She got me into the car and drove to the medical centre and a doctor with experience of venomous local wildlife said, "He looks like he has Tick toxemia, have you been to the coast recently?" I can remember my wife saying, "He has been telling the doctors here, that its a Tick all week." In hospital, a couple of days later, one of the doctors told me, that I was so toxic when I was admitted that the medical staff thought that they had lost me. I'm lucky that I slept through the whole drama ... and I'm too evil to die.

The next bite was back in March last year, I brushed a log on the Boyd Plateau and was bitten by a Redback. Four days after being bitten I had an extreme reaction to the bite when the venom finally reached the lymph nodes in my groin. I ended up in Calvary Hospital for 11 days. Now 10 months later, I'm still on medication. Last visit to the hospital, just a few weeks ago, a doctor said, "There appears to be residual venom in your body." The doctor was thinking about giving me some sort of antivenin. Thankfully that didn't happen. I've had enough of being poked and jabbed thanks to a little Redback.

Two decades ago I slipped in the rain on that thin side sloping conglomerate ledge below the wall of the Castle in the Budawangs. That last narrow ledge before walkers start the climb up to the saddle. There will be several here who know how slippery that ledge gets when wet. I was going down until my forehead struck a sturdy horizontal branch of a snow gum several metres below. Hitting the branch stopped me dead. I almost always walk alone, but was with my wife that day. Helen kept saying to me, "Are you alright, are you alright?" I kept replying, "Don't ask me, don't ask me if I'm alright, stop asking me or I will be hurt!" I photographed a rodeo clown at Bungendore once, and I asked him, how often did he get hurt, and did he get seriously hurt when hit by bulls. He said to me, "I'm always getting badly hurt, but I say to myself, I'm not hurt, then I get up and run. The moment I stop to think if I'm hurt, I will be hurt and feel the pain and then be hit again".

When I'm hurt walking, I'm not ever hurt no matter how much it hurts. The last thing I needed the day, when I slipped below the Castle, was my dear wife convincing me that I was hurt.

The photo was taken near where I fell, near the start of the climb to the saddle. Looking across Oakey Creek to the walls of Mount Nibelung. I've climbed the Castle several times since then.





Warren.

Last edited by WarrenH on Wed 20 Jan, 2010 6:48 pm, edited 3 times in total.

[tas-man]

<SNIP>One injury which shouldn't have happened was tick toxemia.<SNIP>
Warren.

Yes, the consequences of tick bites can be underestimated, and when walking in tick inhabited areas, you need to check yourself over regularly, and especially on extended trips, each evening before going to sleep. Tick removal was a regular activity when walking with BBW in SE Queensland summers, but the mature ticks as I found out are not the only problem. I got home from a walk along the Main Range one Easter and noticed what looked like lantana prickles on my arms and legs. The few days later I was feeling lethargic and nauseous, and noticed that a lot of the "prickles" were inflamed. I thought they would just "fester out" eventually and get removed as I showered, but after extracting one with tweesers and dropping it in the basin, I saw the prickle move! Then the penny dropped and I had a close look under a magnifier - I was covered with scrub tick larvae! and the toxins were building up in my system. Needless to say, they were all removed immediately and the symptoms faded away.

[north-north-west]

An expensive bit of bad luck there scavenger, but to look on the bright side, it could have been you falling and ending up with broken bits wobbling in the middle.

I think I'd have prefered it. Just got the quote for the repairs. The lens is a write-off (no parts available, apparently, which I find unbelievable, as it's only two years old) and the body will cost over a grand. All the electronics have to be replaced.
Frankly, I could have fallen twice as far and come off with nothing worse than a bruise or two.