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03-28-2007, 09:28 AM
CRAIG HILL; The News Tribune
Published: March 22nd, 2007 01:00 AM
Dangerous river crossings like the one that proved deadly for a Puyallup couple this week at Mount Rainier National Park will be a common obstacle for hikers this spring and summer.
The flooding and storms that ravaged the Northwest last fall washed away many of the region’s footbridges and clogged creeks and rivers with trees and other debris.
“I fear that there are going to be more incidents like this all over the Cascades when people get out there and see how dramatically their favorite trails have been impacted,” Tom Minor, a swift-water rescue instructor, said Wednesday.
“And especially at Mount Rainier, where there is so much damage.”
Monday morning, Frances Annette Blakely slipped while trying to cross Ipsut Creek on a fallen tree. Her husband, Robert Blakely, jumped in to save her, but the creek’s rushing water pinned them under a logjam and both drowned.
The Blakelys were experienced hikers, familiar with the area and cautious enough to delay their hike home by a day because of the high water.
“The most common thing that gets people into trouble crossing rivers is just slipping – even those who are experienced,” Steve Klump, the park’s wilderness district ranger, said Wednesday.
River crossings are one of Klump’s primary concerns, even when trails and rivers are in good shape.
During the hiking season, rangers try to keep footlogs over rivers at Mount Rainier, but the logs are regularly washed away, leaving hikers with a decision to make: cross or turn around?
“There are a ton of factors to consider before crossing, but basically it boils down to experience,” Krump said. “We are not encouraging anybody to cross unassisted.”
In fact, park rangers say err on the side of caution.
“If you have any doubts, turn around,” Carl Fabiani, the park’s trail foreman, said Wednesday. “Hikers need to think twice or three times before attempting to cross these rivers.”
The glacial streams around Mount Rainier can be especially intimidating. They move quickly and rumble as rocks are pushed down stream. The rocks in the stream can be coated with a slippery algae and the water is always cold.
To cross, you need to take the time to size up the river. Krump says walk down the bank, looking for downed trees that bridge the stream and log jams in the water. If there’s a logjam downstream, the stream likely will pin you under it should you fall in.
Once you determine it’s safe to cross, either by walking through the river or crossing on a log, undo your hip belt and other straps on your pack. That lets you more easily shed your pack should you fall.
“The downside to that is with your straps loose, you are more likely to fall off balance,” Krump said. “You have to consider all of these things when making your decision.”
And never jump in if a companion falls into the stream, Minor said.
“The water is so cold it is going to shock you,” he said. You’re going to be lucky if you can save yourself let alone save somebody else.”
That’s easier to say than do, Minor said, especially when a relative or friend falls in. “But I see it all the time,” he said. “One person drowns and a second dies trying to save them.”
Minor says be prepared to try a rescue from shore by throwing a rescue line.
But never rope up to cross a river, experts say.
“Ropes and rivers don’t mix,” Klump said. “The rope is going to get tangled and can anchor a person underwater.”
“It’s going to be much different out there for hikers this year,” Minor said. “It’s important to warn them that if they find themselves in a situation that can be unsafe, they need to turn around and find another trail.”
TIPS FOR CROSSING A RIVER
• Loosen the straps on your pack so it can be easily discarded should you fall in.
• Cross in the early morning when water level is usually lowest.
• Throw a stick or leaf in the water and walk next to it as it floats down stream. If it moves faster than you are walking, the river is going too fast to cross.
• If the water is knee deep, it is too deep to cross.
• Look downstream to make sure there is no debris or log jams that might trap you if you fall in the river.
• Use a sturdy branch – sturdier than trekking poles – as a third leg for balance. Keep two points on firm footing at all times.
• Leave your boots on. Walking barefoot can make it easier to lose your footing.
• Look straight ahead. Looking down at the moving water can make you dizzy.
• If you fall in, point your feet downstream and try to sit up so your legs and bottom – not your head – take most of the pounding.
• If your hiking partner falls in, do not jump in after him. Follow him along the shore until you find a place where it is safe to try a rescue.
• If the crossing doesn’t look safe, turn around.
source: http://www.thenewstribune.com/adventure/story/6427187p-5728118c.html
Published: March 22nd, 2007 01:00 AM
Dangerous river crossings like the one that proved deadly for a Puyallup couple this week at Mount Rainier National Park will be a common obstacle for hikers this spring and summer.
The flooding and storms that ravaged the Northwest last fall washed away many of the region’s footbridges and clogged creeks and rivers with trees and other debris.
“I fear that there are going to be more incidents like this all over the Cascades when people get out there and see how dramatically their favorite trails have been impacted,” Tom Minor, a swift-water rescue instructor, said Wednesday.
“And especially at Mount Rainier, where there is so much damage.”
Monday morning, Frances Annette Blakely slipped while trying to cross Ipsut Creek on a fallen tree. Her husband, Robert Blakely, jumped in to save her, but the creek’s rushing water pinned them under a logjam and both drowned.
The Blakelys were experienced hikers, familiar with the area and cautious enough to delay their hike home by a day because of the high water.
“The most common thing that gets people into trouble crossing rivers is just slipping – even those who are experienced,” Steve Klump, the park’s wilderness district ranger, said Wednesday.
River crossings are one of Klump’s primary concerns, even when trails and rivers are in good shape.
During the hiking season, rangers try to keep footlogs over rivers at Mount Rainier, but the logs are regularly washed away, leaving hikers with a decision to make: cross or turn around?
“There are a ton of factors to consider before crossing, but basically it boils down to experience,” Krump said. “We are not encouraging anybody to cross unassisted.”
In fact, park rangers say err on the side of caution.
“If you have any doubts, turn around,” Carl Fabiani, the park’s trail foreman, said Wednesday. “Hikers need to think twice or three times before attempting to cross these rivers.”
The glacial streams around Mount Rainier can be especially intimidating. They move quickly and rumble as rocks are pushed down stream. The rocks in the stream can be coated with a slippery algae and the water is always cold.
To cross, you need to take the time to size up the river. Krump says walk down the bank, looking for downed trees that bridge the stream and log jams in the water. If there’s a logjam downstream, the stream likely will pin you under it should you fall in.
Once you determine it’s safe to cross, either by walking through the river or crossing on a log, undo your hip belt and other straps on your pack. That lets you more easily shed your pack should you fall.
“The downside to that is with your straps loose, you are more likely to fall off balance,” Krump said. “You have to consider all of these things when making your decision.”
And never jump in if a companion falls into the stream, Minor said.
“The water is so cold it is going to shock you,” he said. You’re going to be lucky if you can save yourself let alone save somebody else.”
That’s easier to say than do, Minor said, especially when a relative or friend falls in. “But I see it all the time,” he said. “One person drowns and a second dies trying to save them.”
Minor says be prepared to try a rescue from shore by throwing a rescue line.
But never rope up to cross a river, experts say.
“Ropes and rivers don’t mix,” Klump said. “The rope is going to get tangled and can anchor a person underwater.”
“It’s going to be much different out there for hikers this year,” Minor said. “It’s important to warn them that if they find themselves in a situation that can be unsafe, they need to turn around and find another trail.”
TIPS FOR CROSSING A RIVER
• Loosen the straps on your pack so it can be easily discarded should you fall in.
• Cross in the early morning when water level is usually lowest.
• Throw a stick or leaf in the water and walk next to it as it floats down stream. If it moves faster than you are walking, the river is going too fast to cross.
• If the water is knee deep, it is too deep to cross.
• Look downstream to make sure there is no debris or log jams that might trap you if you fall in the river.
• Use a sturdy branch – sturdier than trekking poles – as a third leg for balance. Keep two points on firm footing at all times.
• Leave your boots on. Walking barefoot can make it easier to lose your footing.
• Look straight ahead. Looking down at the moving water can make you dizzy.
• If you fall in, point your feet downstream and try to sit up so your legs and bottom – not your head – take most of the pounding.
• If your hiking partner falls in, do not jump in after him. Follow him along the shore until you find a place where it is safe to try a rescue.
• If the crossing doesn’t look safe, turn around.
source: http://www.thenewstribune.com/adventure/story/6427187p-5728118c.html