Category: Hiking Accidents and Fatalities

Hiking Accident Prevention: Seven Risks Of Solo Hiking

May 22, 2021

Hiking Alone While Sick or Injured May Prove Fatal

RISK #1 ISOLATION – If you’re in pain or badly injured there’s no one to help you.

RISK #2 TECHNOLOGY FAIL – Battery malfunction, or the absence of cell phone signal, increases exposure to weather conditions, while you attempt to get help.

RISK #3 – HELP TAKES TIME – A rescue team may be hours away. In the meanwhile, your injury or illness can get worse.

RISK #4 MEDICAL EMERGENCY – You may find yourself completely immobilized, due to a pre-existing health condition, that requires immediate medical attention.

RISK #5 BLOOD LOSS – You’re unable to care for a wound that causes significant blood loss.

RISK #6 LOSING THE TRAIL – Losing the trail can throw you into a panic. It’s even worse if you’re sick or injured. In this scenario, two heads are better than one.

RISK #7 ACUTE PAIN – You become incapacitated from acute pain, subsequently faint, and then fatally succumb to hypothermia, or heatstroke. Your family will never see you again.

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KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: Trip Planning Resources For Hikers and Backpackers

Irene Pastore, is a Certified Personal Trainer, fitness blogger, health educator, and speaker. She has 25 years experience teaching exercise in New York City.  Visit the About Page to read her bio.

Hiking Accident Prevention: Risky Mistakes That May Cost You Your Life

May 20, 2021

14 Deadly Fails

  • YOU DIDN’T RESEARCH CURRENT TRAIL CONDITIONS
  • YOU DISREGARDED THE WEATHER REPORT
  • YOU DIDN’T BRING ENOUGH FOOD OR WATER
  • YOU DIDN’T REALIZE THAT HIKING IN EXTREME HEAT CAN KILL YOU
  • YOU’RE NOT AWARE THAT A TRAIL MAP AND COMPASS CAN SAVE YOUR LIFE

  • YOU THOUGHT YOU COULD MAKE IT THROUGH A BLIZZARD WEARING SWEATPANTS AND SNEAKERS

  • YOU HAVE AN INACCURATE ASSESSMENT OF YOUR OUTDOOR SKILLS AND FITNESS ABILITY
  • YOU RELY ON ELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY INSTEAD OF TRAIL SKILLS
  • YOU’RE UNPREPARED FOR GETTING LOST
  • YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND THAT SOLO HIKING IS A LIFE-THREATENING RISK IF YOU BECOME INJURED OR SICK
  • YOU HAVE LITTLE OR NO TRAIL KNOWLEDGE
  • YOU’RE UNPREPARED FOR AN ABRUPT WEATHER CHANGE
  • YOU WENT ON YOUR JOURNEY REGARDLESS OF WARNINGS FROM THE PARK SERVICE
  • YOU IGNORE TRAIL SIGNS THAT ARE THERE TO KEEP YOU SAFE

MORE INFORMATION

Backpacker Magazine 2/14/17 A Dozen Ways To Die: How Do Hikers Meet Their Maker In The Backcountry?, By Steve Howe

The National Park Service 6/14/18 Trails And Hiking – Staying Safe

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: Trip Planning Resources For Hikers and Backpackers

Irene Pastore, is a Certified Personal Trainer, fitness blogger, health educator, and speaker. She has 23 years experience teaching exercise in New York City.  For her complete bio, visit the About Page.  

Hiking Accident Prevention: Fatal Selfie Accidents

May 9, 2021

Deadly Falls Off Cliffs and Waterfalls 

Not Funny

 

O N L I N E   N E W S  S O U R C E S

New York Times 8/4/18 The Deadly Waterfall In The Instagram Age,  By William Shannon

ABC News.com, 9/6/18 – Teen Falls To Death While Trying To Take A Selfie At Yosemite National Park: Reports, By Julia Jacobo

FOX News.com, 9/22/18 – California Woman Hiking In Michigan Falls To Death While Taking Selfie: Officials, By Madeline Farber

The Insider.com, 8/15/18 – Waterfall-Related Deaths Are On The Rise As People Aim For The Perfect Instagram Pic, By Jacqueline Weiss

The Washington Post 10/3/18 – More Than 250 People Worldwide Have Died Taking Selfies Study Finds, By Allyson Chiu

ABC News.com 3/10/18 – Selfie Accidents Range From Silly To Deadly All Around The World, By Josiah Bates

CNN.com 9/29/20 – An Oregon hiker fell off of a cliff to his death while posing for a photograph, By David Williams

Newsweek, October 30, 2018 – Yosemite National Park Deaths: Travel Bloggers Killed In Fall From Taft Point Overlook,  By Ewan Palmer

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: Trip Planning Resources For Hikers and Backpackers

Irene Pastore, is a Certified Personal Trainer, fitness blogger, health educator, and speaker. She has 23 years experience teaching exercise in New York City..  To read her complete bio, visit the About Page.  

Hiking Accident Prevention: The Cost of National Parks Search And Rescue Missions

April 17, 2021

 

Search And Rescue Missions Are Rising As More Unprepared Hikers Become Lost, Injured, Or Die In The Backcountry

O N L I N E  N E W S  S O U R C E S

NYTimes.org Pandemic Wilderness Explorers Are Straining Search and Rescue, By Ali Watkins 4/8/21

BostonGlobe.com Six charts Show The Most Common Reasons People Need Rescues 11/18/16

FoxNews.com National Park Searches, Rescues Costing Millions, Figures Show, By Amy Lieu 8/14/18

BioOne.com Dead Men Walking Search and Rescue In US National Parks, By Travis Heggie, and Michael E. Amundson  9/1/2009

Treehugger.com When Hikers Need Help, Who Foots The Rescue Bill?  By Laura Moss, 6/19/19

National Parks Traveler.org Search and Rescue Missions Cost National Park Service Nearly $4 Million in 2013 6/29/14

sltrib.com (The Salt Lake Tribune) Rescues Are Up 68 Percent In Utah’s National Parks, By Nate Carlisle 6/20/18

LATimes.com Chasing ‘Likes’ On Instagram, Hikers Break Limbs – And Need Rescuing, By Jaclyn Cosgrove 9/23/18

Adirondack Daily Enterprise.com  80-Year-Old Rescued From Mt. Washington May Have To Foot The Bill 10/18/20, By Michael Casey, Associated Press

ConcordMonitor.com Two Sets Of Unprepared Hikers Had To Be Rescued Off Mount Washington, By Monitor Staff  7/9/18

NewYorkUpstate.com DEC Rescues: Who Should Pay The Bill For Lost Or Injured Hikers, Hunters?, By David Figura 6/2/19

UnionLeader.com Fish and Game Weighs Charges Against Family That Left 80-Year-Old Hiker” By John Koziol, June 15, 2019

Three National Parks With The Highest Search & Rescue Missions 2017

Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, had 290 S&R missions in 2017.

Yosemite National Park in Wyoming, had 233 S&R missions in 2017. 

Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado, had 165 S&R missions in 2017.

RESOURCES

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: Trip Planning Resources For Hikers and Backpackers

Irene Pastore, is a Certified Personal Trainer, fitness blogger, health educator, and speaker. She has 23 years experience teaching exercise in New York City..  For her complete bio, visit the About Page.

Copyright 2021 Irene Pastore and Tour De Core.com

Hiking Accident Prevention: Death Valley Extreme Heat Kills Tourist Family

April 12, 2021

 

S T O R I E S  P A S T  A N D  P R E S E N T

Insufficient Trail Planning Killed A Family of Four German Tourists In Death Valley National Park 1996

A family of four German tourists disappeared in July of 1996 in California’s Death Valley.

Several years later their remains were found, leading researchers to believe that they died of heat exposure.  

Insufficient preparation, poor decision-making, and dangerous terrain, led to the death of Egbert Rimkus 34, Egbert’s girlfriend, Cornelia Meyer 27, and two children, 4 year old Max Meyer and 11 year old Georg Weber. 

The couple drove a rented a vehicle nearly 200 miles over rugged terrain, causing three tires to blow out.  

After their disappearance, a four month search and rescue mission turned up their vehicle, and no further clues.  

During the following 13 years, what happened to them remained a mystery, until two hikers, Tom Mahood and Les Walker, discovered adult skeletal remains, along with identification, indicating that they left the car behind, and decided to hike.

O N L I N E  N E W S  S O U R C E S

NBC News.com, 11/13/09 – Death Valley Bones Linked To German Tourists

LATimes.com 11/14/09 – California: Bones May Solve Mystery: Death Valley Hikers Find What May Be Tourists’ Remains

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: Trip Planning Resources For Hikers and Backpackers

Irene Pastore, is a Certified Personal Trainer, fitness blogger, health educator, and speaker. She has 23 years experience teaching exercise in New York City.  For her complete bio, visit the About Page.  

Hiking Accident Prevention: Why Hikers Need Rescuing

April 2, 2021
 

Top Reasons: Lost, Injured, Unprepared, Hiking Alone

O N L I N E  N E W S  S O U R C E S

MSN.com (The San Francisco Chronicle)  Dangers Of Hiking Pacific Coast Trail Loom As 2021 Season Approaches By Gregory Thomas 2/21/21

Forbes.com Hawaii Proposes Way To Penalize Hikers Who Ignore Trail Closures By Will McGough 2/24/21

TheStar.com (Toronto Star) Rescuers Used Ropes To Save Unprepared Hikers From Treacherous Slope Near Vancouver By The Canadian Press 2/15/21

St.GeorgeUtah.com (St. George News) Zion National Park(Utah) Vistiors Rescued After Mocking Rangers, Hiking The Subway Unprepared By Spencer Ricks 7/31/18

BackPacker.com – Unprepared Hikers Rescued From Garfield Ridge Trail (New Hampshire) By Backpacker Editors & Contributors  – 6/26/18

AdirondackExplorer.org – A Rescue, Two Body Recoveries, And Advice For Unprepared Hikers – 2/19/19 (NY State)

PostStar.com (Glens Falls, NY) – Blog: Rangers Rescue Unprepared Hikers On Prospect Mountain  By Don Lehman –  12/27/18 (NY State)

DailyGazette.com – Adirondack Helpers Fill Staffing Void: Volunteer Program Will Be Helpful, But No Substitute For Mountain Rangers, and Hikers Being More Responsible  For Themselves” – The Gazette Editorial Board – 4/13/19  (NY State)

KATU.com – Raw Inteview: How Rescued Gorge Hiker Survived Night Alone, While Injured In Snow –  By KATU Staff 2/6/19  – Experienced hiker went off trail, got injured, and needed rescue.  (Mt. Defiance, Columbia River Gorge, Portland, Oregon)

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: Trip Planning Resources For Hikers and Backpackers

Irene Pastore, is a Certified Personal Trainer, fitness blogger, health educator, and speaker. She has 23 years experience teaching exercise in New York City.  To read her complete bio, visit the About Page.