Make Safety a Focus

Safety should be a primary focus whenever you head out the door for fun. When you get right down to it, most “accidents” are the predictable consequences of bad decisions (usually plural) on the part of one or more of the people involved.

But in the fall, when weather patterns are in transition, safety becomes even more of a concern any time you go out to play.

Three strikes ...

In late September, four Canadian hikers got themselves into real trouble on the summit of Mount Washington. According to New Hampshire Fish and Game (which had to rescue them) these hikers really set themselves up for trouble.

• Bad decision #1:
  They started for the summit (home of “The Worst Weather in the World”) late in the day, apparently without checking the weather forecast.
• Bad decision #2:
  They were dressed only for summer temperatures. (the highest temperature ever recorded on the summit is 72 degrees F.—it’s usually MUCH colder).
• Bad decision #3:
  They chose not to turn back immediately when the weather turned bad.

Three strikes, you’re out: winter conditions forced them to break into a summit building for shelter, they had to be rescued, and one was hospitalized in serious condition for severe hypothermia (a dangerous lowering of the body temperature.)

All completely unnecessary. Frankly, they are lucky to not be victims #136-139 of Mount Washington’s deadly propensities. They didn’t die only because other people were willing to put themselves at risk to effect a rescue.

High mountains aren’t the only place you can get into trouble by making bad decisions. Trouble has a way of finding the unprepared and foolish wherever they happen to be. And, yet, for those who are prepared and knowledgeable and who can correctly assess the circumstances and make good decisions, what could be deadly for some can just add to the fun.

The other day, for example, Brent Dubois and I were out in a canoe, paddling on a sunny early-fall afternoon near Jackman, Maine. Our route included seven miles of slow-flowing river, then two miles across Attean Lake. When we started, the breeze was gentle, but in the lower river, it was howling hard enough to make paddling against it an effort. When we reached the lake, the wind was kicking up whitecaps and Brent and I sat down for a long, hard chat before we stated across.

We took into account our canoe, a seaworthy Old Town Discovery 158, and our own experience as paddlers (Brent is a professional river guide for Windfall Outfitters, I’ve been paddling canoes for almost 50 years). Neither Brent nor I are heavyweights, and we weren’t loaded with gear. so the boat had lots of freeboard. We also took a look at the map and the wind direction, and realized that, for most of our route, we could shelter behind the numerous islands which dot the lake

On the other hand, Brent’s father had dropped us off, knew our route, and our approximate return time. He had access to a big boat and we knew that, if conditions on the lake were too bad, he would eventually come looking for us. So we could stay put and still be safe.

In the end, we donned our flotation vests, put the bow quartering into the waves, and let the combination of wind and waves “ferry” us across the lake. Only one wave was high enough to break over the bow and spill some water into the canoe. The wind kept us focused, added challenge, made an otherwise serene paddle a bit of an adventure.

If you’ve got the right gear, the right skills, and make the right decisions to use them wisely, outdoor adventures are more fun than dangerous. Make bad decisions, and you can pay with your life. Life isn’t a spectator sport, get out and enjoy.

Thinking Yourself Safe

Whenever you leave the road behind, whether it’s to hike, pedal, paddle or ski, or whatever, whether you are going for an hour or a year, the single most important thing you can carry to keep yourself safe in the outdoors is what’s packed in the cells inside your brain. Use that wisely and you should never find yourself in real trouble. On the other hand, you can have all the finest gear, but it won’t do you any good if you don’t know how to use it, or worse yet, having it lulls you into making bad decisions.

Your brain is only as good as the information in it, so here are some tips for packing what you need to know.

1. Learn in increments. Don’t tackle Mount Washington until you’ve hiked some smaller mountain. Don’t paddle a big lake until you can handle your boat on a pond or rapids until you’ve master flowing flat water. Don’t pedal steep singletrack until you can enjoy dirt roads and gentler slopes. By extending your experience a little at a time, you set yourself up for safety and success.
    
2. Learn from other people’s mistakes. Whenever possible, go with someone experienced (but don’t trust them blindly). Do your homework. You can’t read a hiking, paddling or biking guidebook without encountering safety information. Read it, learn it, live it. There’s good general information for all outdoor pastimes at http://www.hikesafe.com, including a list of essential gear.
    
3. Extrapolate with caution. Just because you’ve climbed a 3,000-foot mountain in summer successfully doesn’t mean you’re automatically prepared for a 4,000-footer or even the same mountain in the fall. Each situation is different, use your experience as a guide but don’t make unsupported assumptions based on limited experience.
    
4. Assess your situation constantly. Don’t hesitate to turn back if things don’t go as planned. You’ll learn from that experience and be better prepared the next time you face a difficult situation.

The Essentials

1. A plan (which you left with someone responsible so rescuers know where to look for you)
    
2. Map and Compass (both useless if you don’t know how to use them.)
    
3. Adequate clothing for worst-case weather (Think snow!)
    
4. Extra food and water (when you stop eating and drinking, you stop thinking)
    
5. Flashlight or headlamp (especially at this time of year when it gets dark early)
    
6. Emergency kit: matches/firestarters, First aid (including necessary meds), repair, signaling whistle, pocket knife
    
7. Emergency shelter (bivvy sack, tarp, 55-gal trash bags)

Again, none of this stuff is useful if you don’t know how to use it. Your brain is still your best safety tool!