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Stupid Hikers you've seen

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Reading the story in this thread:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=692043

got me thinking about the stupid things I've seen hikers do, especially in regards to lack of preperation.

In fact, just the other day I was coming down from a 10,000+ mountain top around 3:30pm. It was about 40-45 and the trail had intermittent ice and snow. I passed two 20-30 year old guys on there way up. They had at least an hour to the top and sunset was about 1 hour away. They were wearing blue jeans, t-shirts and had flat treadless tennis shoes on. They had no jackets or fleece, no water no flashlights, no knives, basically nothing.

I didn't hear of any accidents or rescues so I assume they got down. But it was simply luck, because they were absolutely unprepared for the conditions.

How about you, what have you seen.
 
I've seen a guy wearing no gloves, without ice-ax and crampon at 4000m+ altitude of
Mont Blanc. It was quite windy and cold day.

He said 'oh this is a terrible place' or something like that.
I told him to go back but I don't know what happened to him.
 
I was hikin' with a friend up in the trails on the Kittatinny Mountains along the Delaware River, when we came up on 3 guys all decked out in what musta been the latest high tech trail gear, one guy was notchin' trees as he came on them, about every 10-15 yards or so and the other was listen to his Ipod while stumblin' about and one had a map, (turned out to be a road map of the state.

I had to stop to #1 chastise him for harmin' a livin' tree, he asked me how else was he supposed to mark his way?

I told him how about stayin' on the clearly marked trail in the first place, how about usin' trail markers like tape, ribbon almost anything other than choppin' a notch in the tree and finally, for cripes sake if yer gonna mark a trail how about markin' the right side of the tree.

They looked at me like I was nuts, so I looked real hard to find the smartest lookin' one, (he was the one without the earphones in his ears) I smiled and said, "Alright genius which way is back?"


He turned around and started to say, "All you do is follow the notc....."

I said that's right, ya can't see 'em when ya look back can ya? They're on the wrong side of the tree.

The smarter one asked if we'd mind if they walked with us, he turned out to be a nice guy, he said he learned a lot that day, he asked question after question for the rest of that day.

His other two friends, I called them bevis and butthead, (to which they would giggle each time they heard it) they were just annoyed, beevis because we wouldn't let him chop down trees and butthead because he also had the camera and everytime someone saw something they would poke the guy with the Ipod and tell him, "Take a picture, take a picture."

Were they stupid, most certainly, did they learn anything?

All of 'em learned, two of 'em learned they didn't like the woods and one walked away a little smarter a little more confident and a little more respectful of his surroundins'
 
when i was at the tetons....saw a couple climb up a 60' wash in nearly knee high snow in late spring......they were at the halfway point of the trail approx 8k ft...i watched to make sure they passed that 60' section....the guy at least had a little lumbar pack...

not even a stick to check for pockets in the snow....
 
Between SAR work and recreational hiking I've lost track of all the stupid stuff I've seen over the years.
 
Many, many stupid people ...

Some in my recent memory:

1] a family trying to hike-up to Joffre Lakes, BC in "high-heel" flip flops [woman and two daughters ... husband wasn't wearing high-heel flip flops] - this is a pretty rugged trail.

2] two guys climbing the Twin Sisters in WA - no rope, crampons, or at the very least, a mountaineering axe. They should have had an axe [each] and a bit of rope - at a minimum.

3] several people over the years climbing around on Mt. Baker's [also WA] glaciers without crampons, a rope, a helmet, an axe ... and some people go solo.

Don't get me started about people in boats ... geeze.
 
Can't count how many folks I've seen on my hikes up Mt. Washington in NH that were wearing shorts, t-shirts and flip-slops/sandals. No backpack, no water, no fleece or sweater, no food. Granted, Mt. Washington is not the most remote place to hike, but it is still a dangerous place to summit if you aren't prepared. The weather changes in a snap of your fingers and lot's of folks under-estimate how difficult it can be to scramble your way to the top in that last 500 feet or so. The wind kicks up something fierce too. I've seen lot's of people who have made it 3/4 the way up and then give up from fatigue, thirst/hunger, or cold.
 
Myself, every time I've gone out without at least a cellphone and a bottle of water, no matter how long the hike (over a mile). Thankfully, actually stopping to read this forum once in a while, I've gotten better.
 
The main thing I see here in the desert is people taking off in 100 plus degree temps in tank tops and shorts with a small bottle of water and nothing else. I have given people on the trails many ounces of water because their little plastic bottle is empty. The lessons I would hope many would learn are, bring extra water and stay covered up in the sun.
 
I did see some Michigan high school students in April on their class trip - hiking up Mt. Yale 14,200ft. They were dressed like they were going to the mall; not prepared at all for the mountain. There was about 30 of them strung out along the trail. Their adult supervisors were back in the bus at the trail head.
The first group of about 8 I met at the first stream crossing - they missed it - I told them they were not prepared and pointed them to the trail- they kept going.

The second group about 5 I met at the 12,500 ft level - they were freezing - I told them what they were seeing was not the mountain top and it was still a long way to go and to look at the clouds coming in - think about it. They said they would try for another hour and then turn back.

The remaining groups were strung from about 13,000ft to the saddle in groups of 2 and 3. I told a group of 3 that was sitting down wondering what to do they were crazy for doing what they were doing considering the weather and how they were unprepared - remember this is April. They called some of their friends and discussed turning around.
They pointed out their "leader" a 18 y/o classmate who climbed Mt. Huron last year.

It started to snow I put on more clothes and turned around.

On my way back down the trail, in the rain, I met another 2 who were looking for the trail back to the trail head - they were heading up the trail to the mountain - I pointed them in the right direction.
 
I think it is our responsibility (as prepared folk) to atleast bring attention to these potentially dangerous scenarios when we see them unfolding infront of our eyes. If you don't have any respect for the ill-prepared, then atleast think of the SAR/EMS people who will potentially risk their lives. Shaking your head at the "idiots" only to walk away without saying anything... makes you MORE of an idiot IMHO.

I have no respect for people who would keep potentially lifesaving knowledge to themselves. That's why we have forums like this. The idea is to educate, not ridicule.

Rick
 
Magnussen said:
I think it is our responsibility (as prepared folk) to atleast bring attention to these potentially dangerous scenarios when we see them unfolding infront of our eyes. If you don't have any respect for the ill-prepared, then atleast think of the SAR/EMS people who will potentially risk their lives. Shaking your head at the "idiots" only to walk away without saying anything... makes you MORE of an idiot IMHO.

I have no respect for people who would keep potentially lifesaving knowledge to themselves. That's why we have forums like this. The idea is to educate, not ridicule.

Rick
Click to expand...

I think you're right: it is our responsibility as prepared folk to bring to the attention of the less prepared just what could happen to them if they continue the way they're going. Unfortunately, that's most often met with a look of "are you crazy? We're young and strong and nothing can happen to us," then they go right on doing whatever it is that the more experienced person knows can result in a bad situation; often it does. Sometimes they get away with it, and don't learn a damned thing. The ones that don't get away with it, well, we hope they live long enough to have learned from the experience.
 
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dextersp1 said:
They pointed out their "leader" a 18 y/o classmate who climbed Mt. Huron last year.
Click to expand...

There is a big difference between a leader, and someone to follow. If he climbed Mt Huron, then he should have at least ensured preparation. Lead by example.
 
Hikers with flip flops and no hats are idiots. But they're teenagers and one of them belongs to me.
 
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