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DEC to Temporarily Relocate Trailheads for Cascade, Porter and Pitchoff (West)

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  • #46
    If the DEC is throwing 'distressed' incidents into the 'lost hiker' category, that must be something new. Back in 2015 I reviewed 190 incidents (JAN-NOV) and discovered 38 categories.
    1. Camper Stricken
    2. Distress Paddler
    3. Distressed Camper
    4. Distressed Hiker
    5. Distressed Rock Climber
    6. Distressed Swimmer
    7. Hiker in the Dark
    8. Hiker Rescue
    9. Injured Camper
    10. Injured Climber
    11. Injured Cyclist
    12. Injured Emergency Responder
    13. Injured Fisherman
    14. Injured Hiker
    15. Injured Skier
    16. Injured Snowmobiler
    17. Lost Biker
    18. Lost Hiker
    19. Lost Hunter
    20. Lost Individual
    21. Lost Kayaker
    22. Lost Minor
    23. Lost Motorist
    24. Lost Paddler
    25. Lost Runner
    26. Lost Skier
    27. Lost Snowshoer
    28. Lost Youth
    29. Missing Child
    30. Missing Hiker
    31. Missing Individual
    32. Missing Person
    33. Missing Youth
    34. Overdue Hiker
    35. Overdue Hunter
    36. Rock Climbing Rescue
    37. Stranded Climber
    38. Stranded Hiker


    They certainly weren't using 'lost hiker' as a catch-all back then! They distinguished between lost, distressed, injured, overdue, and stranded.

    BTW, in that same thread, MtnManJohn argues that some of the 'distressed' victims qualified as medical injuries and could've been categorized as 'injured' ... so that only increases the 'injured' slice of the pie chart.

    Stats for the High Peaks area for Jan-Nov 2015:

    Injured Hiker, 61% (33/54)
    Distressed Hiker, 55% (16/29)
    Lost Hiker, 19% (9/48)
    Overdue, 75% (6/8)

    You may notice that of the 48 lost hiker incidents reported for the entire ADK Park, only 9 were in the High Peaks. Conversely, the majority of injured/distressed incidents occurred in the High Peaks.
    Last edited by Trail Boss; 10-11-2017, 02:36 PM.
    Looking for views!

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    • #47
      Originally posted by AvalanchePass View Post
      So any "boots on the ground" reports?

      Significantly less hikers on Cascade? Were drop-offs permitted? How did hikers react? Were alternative hikes suggested at the trailhead? How was the morale of officials and volunteers? Any feel for whether this solution might be utilized again on busy weekends?

      Did the southern portion of the Pitchoff reroute utilize the cross country trails rather than the private road? Did it exit to the westernmost pullout? Pitchoff from the west saw dramatically reduced traffic? Did this result in an increase in Pitchoff east traffic?

      Sounds like people were safer than they would have been without this action ...
      I was up there on Saturday and hiked to Van Ho, from the Ski Center...the lot certainly looked less full than Columbus Day/Thanksgivings in the past, and this was for Cascade, Pitchoff and Van Ho. Interesting trail to VH from there...saw about a couple dozen other people. I'm not sure if the new lot simply dissuaded people from hiking Cascade/Porter, or if they came in from Marcy Field instead, or what...
      I thought the group of volunteers in the lot were very helpful and accommodating and made a point of trying to talk to every car that pulled in.
      Best part of the whole thing was not having to navigate Rt73 with cars hanging into the road and people walking in the roadway...in past years this has been pretty dangerous, and I've always felt it was sheer luck that someone wasn't hit by a passing motorist.
      “Death is the only wise advisor that we have. Whenever you feel, as you always do, that everything is going wrong and you're about to be annihilated, turn to your death and ask if that is so. Your death will tell you, 'I haven't touched you yet.” Carlos Castenada

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      • #48
        Do people get lost on Cascade? I guess maybe miss the spur and continue over (unmarked) Porter?

        I recall rescues for injuries on Cascade but not for someone lost. With 1,000+ hikers some weekends I imagine it has happened. But handing out 1,000's of maps to mitigate the possibility? I don't know ...

        As the "gateway to the High Peaks" I think the trail head steward program is a phenomenal initiative. Many thanks to all of you that volunteer.

        How to poop in the woods. LNT. Carry water. Necessity of treating water.

        Obviously carrying a map on Cascade is a good idea. But it becomes more important on subsequent hikes. Have the 46ers considered selling High Peaks maps at the trail head? Water? Toilet paper? Merchandise?

        Tourists love to buy something as part of their excursions. I think maps, water, toilet paper would all be great ideas. I suppose merchandise gets tacky and feels like the mountain is being commercialized.

        Commercializing mountains reminds me of a cute story. On our first trip to the Adirondacks my youngest son was 8 and we climbed Mount Adams. I told him we would get the patch after we climbed the mountain.

        On the way up he asked if he could get a drink at the top. No problem, we have lots of water left. He clarified that he wanted a sugary drink. Sorry, I didn't bring any.

        Turns out he thought the store at the top selling patches would also be selling drinks ...
        Last edited by AvalanchePass; 10-11-2017, 10:58 PM.

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        • #49
          Originally posted by AvalanchePass View Post
          Turns out he thought the store at the top selling patches would also be selling drinks ...
          That is adorable!

          Apparently, there are limitations to what we are allowed to do, placed upon the steward program by the DEC.

          For example, with any of the hikers who were working on their 46, we tried to promote the Correspondent Program with the 46ers.

          Most did not know about it.

          I suggested we make business cards with the web site address of the program on it and was told that the DEC would probably not allow that!

          It's a great way to promote stewardship and assess hikers while they're home on their couch and give them advice that may prevent injury or rescue.

          So I think selling things is probably out of the question.

          On the weekend I did the Steward thing, I had my High Peaks map out on the table and we encouraged people to photograph the pertinent section and many took us up on that and strongly encouraged a stop at the Mountaineer or in Lake Placid to purchase a map if they didn't have one.

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          • #50
            I thank all of you for your volunteer service as trailhead stewards! I think that's a terrific program, and the ONLY thing that will help us address some of the problems. People DO NOT read signs. But they do listen when another person comes to talk with them face-to-face. Thank you!

            My only worry with the volunteer work supporting the trailhead steward program is that this is just another opportunity for the State to shirk its responsibility for putting FULL TIME, PAID stewards at every major trailhead. The State has used volunteer trail work as a rationale to hollow out the paid trail crews for a couple decades now. This is at risk of being more of the same.

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            • #51
              I will first of all weigh in with my opposition to handing out maps at trailheads. One there is the perception that such maps area available, any incentive to plan ahead will disappear.

              I do like the idea of selling ADK High Peaks maps at trailheads. Since I can claim that I, personally, no longer receive any payment or royalties from these sales, all of he proceeds go to the non-profit ADK.

              In the end, I commend the 46-rs and their volunteers for stepping up to create the Trail Steward program. There are, however, limits on how much volunteers can be expected to do over the long run. The DEC should definitely seek additional state funding for paid trail stewards. The DEC can no longer take the "Blanche DuBois attitude" toward backcountry stewardship and simply rely on the "kindness of non-profit volunteers".
              Every time that wheel turns round, bound to measure just a little more ground.

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