A hiker falls

On Friday there was something in the news about a hiker that had fallen in the Superstition Wilderness area and had to be rescued. There was an article in the paper and lots of comments on it. A lot of the comments said people shouldn't hike alone, or only experienced hikers should hike alone, etc etc. Below is a copy of a comment from one of the hikers relatives. The description of the situation surrounding the fall is just the type of thing I make a point of avoiding. I have a lot of rules for myself when I go hiking, and one of them is, "Do not get close enough to a cliff such that if I slip and then slide or roll for what seems a ridiculously long distance, I would go over the cliff." The safe distance depends on the steepness of the slope above the cliff, if I'm on a trail (not likely to crumble away), condition of the ground, etc. I sometimes hike on pretty steep slopes, but in those cases I would have to roll many many yards, and miss all the cacti and trees on the way, to go over a cliff. It seems that maybe this guy didn't have a rule like that. I suppose it's also possible that he didn't know he was that close to the edge.

I saw your comment about my family member, and I just had to respond. Rest assured he is alive because he was so prepared. He had a first aid kit-he boud his own wounds- rationed his water. He fell about 50 feet. He was on top of the mountain, near second water- about 10 feet away from a sloping area that went off the edge, headed back down. He steped and the ground gave way, a chunck of the top soil just started to slide and it sent him off the edge along with dirt and rocks, it took about 1 second and he was over the edge. Most likly due to all the much needed rain. I agree- hiking alone- not the best idea in rough country, but those Eagle Scouts are prepared. It was a crazy freak thing. I am not sure anyone would ever dream of that happening. I am eternally greatful to the men and women who did not give up on him and God. Maybe this changes your mind? Maybe not. But now you are informed.

I wouldn't say the guy was careless without knowing more about the situation. He was more prepared than me in some ways; I don't carry first aid supplies. I figure that if I need a bandage, I'll end up with a missing sleeve or a short pants leg or something. He doesn't seem to have a SPOT satellite messenger, but I regard that the same way my father always felt about 4 wheel drive vehicles (it just means you can get stuck better before somebody has to pull you out). Taking chances because I've got a SPOT would be stupid. What if that chance results in a concussion, a broken SPOT, or a broken leg in a canyon where there is no visibility of the communication satellite? I'd be toast. When you start to feel safe is when you are in the most danger. Stay alert.