Incident on Donohue Pass

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Hobbes
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Incident on Donohue Pass

Post by Hobbes »

For those who recall this particular PCT hiker who claimed that fording Bear creek was merely "a state of mind", you probably won't be surprised to find out what happened next:

On Donohue Pass. I fell. I lost my footing on an icy ridge and began to slide towards rocks down a steep icy mountain. I attempted to self arrest in the 20 feet before the rocks below, and failed. I knew that I failed, and honestly at that moment I also knew that I was going to die. I positioned my feet towards the rocks in my slide and prepared for at the very least a broken leg.

My feet hit the rocks. The momentum sent me forward, further down the mountainside. The rock outcropping my feet hit was a sheer cliff, that was about another 20 foot drop into the snow below. I dropped to the snow, slamming my hip into the hard ice, and continued to slide towards more rocks uncontrollably. I hit the next set of rocks with my knee and shin and began to somersault, head over heels down the side of Donohue Pass.

At that moment I knew I wasn't dead yet. I flipped a few more times, hearing my ribs crack as I rolled down the mountain bouncing off of jagged rocks, and then regained control of my slide. I dug my crampons into the snow to stop my slide. Face down in the snow, I was no longer plummeting towards the bottom of the pass. I couldn't breath. The wind was out of the sails and I was choking on snow, but I was alive. It took me about ten seconds to breathe again, and it was terrifying.

The fall was no more than six seconds, but it was the most intense six seconds of my life. During the fall I lost a trekking pole, all my weed, my water storage, my tobacco, my sunglasses, my sunscreen, my ice axe, but not my life. I got lucky. I retrieved all my belongings, except for one trekking pole and got to flat ground. I camped out for a whole day at the bottom of the pass, icing my body with snow and eating ibuprofen like candy.

I hiked on. The struggle was not over. There were multiple "impassable" creeks that I literally swam across. Some creeks I had to hike up to 5 miles off trail to find a semi safe crossing. It was gnarly. There was no turning back. There was no rescue. There was no way out. My only option was to complete the hundred mile stretch on foot, and I did it. I'm not sure how I feel about what just happened, but it happened. Shred the gnar.


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balzaccom
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Re: Incident on Donohue Pass

Post by balzaccom »

What an idiot. At least he was able to go back out onto that icy slope to recover his weed...
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Re: Incident on Donohue Pass

Post by Hobbes »

Here's another "I'm going to die" story:

https://moderngypsytales.wordpress.com/ ... e-19-2017/

Suddenly I was swept away by the water and caught on a nest of young trees in the middle of the creek. I still had both poles in my hands but I couldn’t stand because the force of the water was pushing so hard on me. I could barely move an inch. Plus I now had the weight of a soaking wet pack on my back as I am plastered to the little trees holding on for dear life to their branches. I had worn my hat while crossing the creek and now it was blocking my vision. DG, on the other side of the creek, wanted to come get me but there was no way.

I was stuck in the middle of a fiercely rushing creek and he couldn’t make it to me. My hands were slipping on the branches. I was still holding my poles because I knew I needed them to have any chance of making it out of this. I was becoming really scared because if I lost my grip I knew I was heading down the raging white water creek with no definitive safe way out. Even as I held on, i couldn’t move. I was stuck! I yelled to DG that I was scared. Really scared. He looked scared. The water was so much more powerful than I could fight against.

Finally my fingers let go of the branches and I was swept away down the creek. I was terrified and literally fighting to survive as I was tossed and turned upside down in the narrow, rushing, tumbling white water area of the creek. I kept waiting for my body to be thrown against the rocks and each time they did and it didn’t take me completely down I bought another second. Another moment to keep my hands up and reaching for anything to grab or hold on to stop me from being pulled down the creek and against more rocks. My head was being forced under and I thought I might drown. I kept reaching out for anything to grasp onto to save myself from drowning or hitting my head.

Somewhere between 200 and 300 feet down the creek I managed to grab some branches on the bank. In a complete and utter state of shock that I have never before experienced, I pulled myself to a standing position and saw Rob on the other side. Looking down, I saw that my shirt was completely torn open. Rob ran down the creek bank, scared as hell, and was so relieved to see me safe.

I had no energy to move and barely mustered what was left to lay my body on the snow shelf on the edge of the creek, legs still in the water. DG was yelling for me to get out, take my wet clothes off and get warm. The shock wore off right then and there and I started to bawl, standing in the creek. I was so scared. I thought I was going to die in that creek today. I had to move, though. Tapping into whatever energy and survival instinct I had left, I dragged my body up the snow and onto dry ground beyond it.

It was so difficult because my pack was also soaking wet. Shivering, I removed my wet clothes and could hardly believe my eyes when I saw the damage that the creek had done to nearly every part of my body. Foot to wrist, chest to back, I am covered in massive bruises and lacerations. My right thigh is incredibly swollen and hard to walk on. Both knees banged and bleeding. Up and down my arms I’m scraped.

DG still had to cross the creek back to me so I managed to pull my mostly dry sleeping bag out out of my soaking wet pack as I fought through hypothermia and wrapped it around my naked body. I lay there shivering until DG made it back safely. He immediately set to getting me warm, drying everything in my pack, tending to my wounds, giving me his dry clothes and sleeping bag to use to come back to a normal temperature. I was still crying a lot, recounting to him what happened and telling him I really truly thought I was going to die in that creek. My hiking pole, Whippet, hat, silicone wedding ring and thermarest seat were all washed away down the creek. A small price to pay to have survived. My whole body hurts. I’m concerned about getting off this trail with the pain and without my poles. But, thank God I am here with my husband right now. He is taking such good care of me after having one of, if not the most, scariest moment of my life.
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Re: Incident on Donohue Pass

Post by kpeter »

I noticed he is from Texas.

I think I remember right about where he must have fallen. My inexperienced son mistook a water run-off diversion for the trail and nearly walked over that 20 foot cliff. In this case, the snow must have saved the Texas hiker from a shattered pelvis.
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Re: Incident on Donohue Pass

Post by Hobbes »

Here's another story. This time from an experienced hiker who summited Mt Ritter last week:

The hike down Lyell Canyon, was one of my most challenging days this year. The snow up to Donohue Pass was soft and tired my legs. The heat also took it's toll. Then I had a malfunction with electronics and lost my GPS mapping. All of this was no problem and as I descended into Lyell Canyon, I began to feel the wildness of it seep into me.

An error reading my 1:66000 scale map got me on the wrong side of this river. I met a tributary creek I couldn't ford, so climbed up for a mile & 1000 feet to find a safe crossing. My new route brought me out right by the bridge I would have crossed had I not made my navigation error. For the next few hours though, there were countless creeks coming from the steep sides and there was a constant roar which only lessened as the valley widened - and then flooded.

There was now water from above and below. At the end of the day it had taken 15 hours to go about 12 miles. Fording a creek 200 yards from camp, I realized I had misjudged the speed of the flow. Overwhelmed, I went down hard, then pushed off the rocks on the bottom to swim to the bank. It was one of those moments where I dug for strength that I didn't know was there - but it came from somewhere. I hauled my wet self and pack to camp, set up my tent, got in my dry clothes and made a fire. What a day. To have to fight, when only sleep was on my mind - was a wild way to end the day.

To be in Yosemite in this heatwave and flood state - is to experience perfect awe. The major rivers are beautiful, but are too strong to cross now, so I will wait - and I will use the next few days to explore the Yosemite. I think the flows will lessen in a week, but who knows? It's crossed my mind that it may be winter before I reach Canada. This expedition is changing me deeply. I'm finding patience, something I've struggled with all of my life. Meeting a wall of water, too strong to pass, is quietly calming and resonates deeply with a deep sense of direction which says, "Stop. Know that everything is all right, you are right where you need to be." To slowly absorb The Yosemite, is to feel a deep connection with whatever created this magical place - and which created us....


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Re: Incident on Donohue Pass

Post by rlown »

Not to worry. They know what they're doing :^o Reese Witherspoon will give the Eulogy (ies).. :smirk:
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Re: Incident on Donohue Pass

Post by giantbrookie »

Hobbes wrote:For those who recall this particular PCT hiker who claimed that fording Bear creek was merely "a state of mind", you probably won't be surprised to find out what happened next:
On Donohue Pass. I fell. I lost my footing on an icy ridge and began to slide towards rocks down a steep icy mountain. I attempted to self arrest in the 20 feet before the rocks below, and failed. I knew that I failed, and honestly at that moment I also knew that I was going to die. I positioned my feet towards the rocks in my slide and prepared for at the very least a broken leg.
My feet hit the rocks. The momentum sent me forward, further down the mountainside. The rock outcropping my feet hit was a sheer cliff, that was about another 20 foot drop into the snow below. I dropped to the snow, slamming my hip into the hard ice, and continued to slide towards more rocks uncontrollably. I hit the next set of rocks with my knee and shin and began to somersault, head over heels down the side of Donohue Pass. At that moment I knew I wasn't dead yet. I flipped a few more times, hearing my ribs crack as I rolled down the mountain bouncing off of jagged rocks, and then regained control of my slide. I dug my crampons into the snow to stop my slide. Face down in the snow, I was no longer plummeting towards the bottom of the pass. I couldn't breath.
I hiked on. The struggle was not over. There was no way out. My only option was to complete the hundred mile stretch on foot, and I did it. Shred the gnar.
In addition to being an idiot, it is fairly obvious that this guy (1) likes to brag about being an idiot (repeatedly), (2) likes to exaggerate the degree of hardship (see below), and (3) imagines himself quite the hero for it all. He had no choice but to walk out a hundred miles? As opposed to getting out to the nearest trailhead if he was actually as badly hurt as his description implied? It's not like he's playing in the NBA Finals and getting paid millions to play hurt, let alone truly hiking for survival, so he did indeed have a choice. You don't walk 100 miles by choice with genuinely serious injuries.
Since my fishing (etc.) website is still down, you can be distracted by geology stuff at: http://www.fresnostate.edu/csm/ees/facu ... ayshi.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Re: Incident on Donohue Pass

Post by Hobbes »

I guess the phrase "shred the gnar" used repeatedly by both Bobby & his peers was the giveaway. :rock:

That being said, I think perhaps some are being too judgmental. Or, there's limited exposure to this kind of character so it's more shocking. Maybe I'm inured since I live by the beach in SoCal and see similar behavior on a daily basis. It's just what the males of the species does; it's not unique, weird or altogether remarkable in any way. That's not to say society shouldn't act to moderate or protect itself - after all, that's what speed limits and prohibitions against exhibition of speed are all about.

Just for giggles, here's a quick list of related behavior:
- While driving the I-5 through camp Pendleton, it's not uncommon to see loose groups of motorcycle riders racing through traffic going over 100mph while doing various 'rodeo tricks'. That is, laying stomach down on the bike, feet in the air, hanging over sideways, feet lightly dragging the ground, etc. Who are these yahoos? Why our bravest & finest; perhaps Mav can shed some insight on the personality type.

- There's a zillion dudes our age driving all kinds of perfectly restored hot rods, current muscle cars & exotics. Now and then they'll gun it, but generally, they behave themselves. But, it shouldn't be forgotten that when people were young, the scenes depicted and celebrated in American Graffiti (yes, Modesto) were based on actual street racing.

Social media just provides a platform for bravado. Imagine if it had existed during the gangster era of the 30s, or hotrodding culture in the 50s? Guys need to beat their chests and proclaim their bravery in every culture. Even large silverbacks, roaring lions & rams pawing the ground get in on the action.
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Re: Incident on Donohue Pass

Post by Jimr »

You mean young, dumb and full of piss? Running on testosterone and masturbation? Who have brains, but only used when absolutely needed and more often
in hindsight than foresight? Yeah, it's a wonder many of us survived that "coming of age" period.
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Re: Incident on Donohue Pass

Post by Vaca Russ »

Jimr wrote: Yeah, it's a wonder many of us survived that "coming of age" period.
Jim,

Marine Corps / Submariners....

I just temporarily changed my signature!

"SHRED THE GNAR!"

:D :D

-Russ
"...Or have you only comfort, and the lust for comfort, that stealthy thing that enters the house a guest, and then becomes a host and then a master?"

Kahil Gibran.
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