Is hiking dangerous? Sometimes. Here are a few times we got ourselves into trouble.
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 15 окт 2024
- Is hiking dangerous? Sometimes. Here are a few times we got ourselves into trouble.
Hiking is fun. It's good for the soul. But sometimes, you can get in over your head. And I've done that. They say that good judgment comes from experience and experience comes from poor judgment. That's true. Brutally true. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger...Or smarter...Or more cautious.
But for Tina and I, the outdoors are everything. And with risk, there is reward. We're self-taught in almost everything regarding the outdoors, so sometimes the lessons are hard. So you do your best to prepare, to anticipate...and then you execute. Mother Nature can be an unforgiving teacher, but for us, it's worth it.
So here are three times we got in over our heads. Hopefully, you can learn from our mistakes and mishaps and avoid them.
There are two major types of accidents in the wilderness. Stupidity and bad luck. We have experienced both.
First, there is stupidity. I attempt a solo climb of Weaver's Needle. With zero rock climbing experience. In the heat. With a heavy pack. It doesn't go well.
Next, is lack of experience. A backpacking trip almost turns into a life or death situation from a single misstep. A lesson learned where Mother Nature was extremely kind.
Then, we're back to inexperience and stupidity, where I find out that hypothermia is very real. And that things change extremely fast.
In all these circumstances, we were lucky. This video isn't about bragging rights or how we skirted death. It's about lessons. It's about humility. It's about improvement. Each of these experiences taught us to respect nature, to take our time and to prepare. You can't let worry consume your life, but you absolutely can do you best to be ready for what life may throw your way.
Be careful out there.
Dude, The Superstitions. No joke. I've been hiking in the mountains for years. The Superstitions were my first hike when I got to Arizona. First hike ever in a desert climate. It was supposed to be a short out and back. Small stuff, right? Wrong! Did it in late August. In the afternoon.104 degrees. 0 research. 0 cell service. I'm just happy that I'm not a sun-bleached skeleton out baking in the desert. Lessons were learned that day.
Definitely would not want to be in the Supes in August! Glad you survived and that it didn't turn you off of hiking in AZ. Not sure I'd want to try again if that was my first experience.
I love your unvarnished depiction of working your way through your decision-making to those that won't result in death.
Too many people aren’t willing to share mistakes. I appreciate this information, it could save a life. Nice video.
I make way too many mistakes to not share them. Glad you enjoyed, and I really hope it helps some people out.
The last part. “Not Jerry” 😂
That last video of the rescue was priceless. Love the fact the reporter guy was named Jerry. Lol on “ Not Jerry Arizona”. 🤣
I can't believe that footage still exists! She told me that story years ago when we camped up on Four Peaks. As much as I love helicopters, I hope I never NEED a ride in one.
Thank you! This is a great video. My favorite quote… “don’t stick with a bad decision just because you took a lot of time making it!” That’s wisdom right there that I’m going to share with my family.
You're welcome! Unfortunately, I continue to make poor decisions, so maybe this will become a series....if I live long enough.
Wow, can’t believe I never thought about checking between the boulders for real ground vs. flood debris. Good to keep in mind!
We only know what we know. Better to learn it through our story than first hand!
I also graduated from the school of hard knocks.. lol... The risk of death is not enough to deter me from my outdoor adventures. I feel most alive after an andreline pumped adventure. Living to the fullest. KOWUBUNGA!!!!
This is a great video! Yes..it is dangerous. General advice to hike by: Climbing up is way more fun than climbing down. If making your own path up, mark the path so you know at least one safe way down. Because descent usually takes place when you're tired, have less water/food/daylight/traction left than you planned. Always have a buddy, one with same-or-higher skill and wisdom level. The prep and the discipline are the tricky parts.
I've gone back and conquered Weaver's Needle and Bear. With a little humility and much better planning, they went well. Needed some rock climbers along to get up the needle. No idea what I was thinking. Tina and I have also been able to climb Brown's Peak (twice)......Just have to go back to Workman's Creek now. Hopefully we won't end up camping almost in the creek with soaking wet clothes trying to not freeze....
Wow Tina was so lucky, great video... oh I love the song you ended it with.👍
Wow, So scary but so real. And the end, wow!! My wife and I had a very scary experience climbing out of coyote gulch. It was our first backpacking trip. We entered through crack in the wall (which was awesome) and planned to exit out of Jacob hamblin. We read lots of blogs about how it was “not hard.” But as total non climbers with 35 lb packs, it was wayyy more challenging than we thought. My wife started to slip about halfway up (80 ish feet?). Somehow we powered through even though it took us 1.5 hours to get all the way up. We ended up drinking all of our water on the way up and hiked back to the car by water tanks without any water. Very very scary experience back to back, and another example of how fast you can go from having a great day to a terrible one. Love your channel! Thanks for sharing!!
Just did that exact route this past June. That hike out was steeper than I remember. Definitely no fun, especially with a full pack. First time, Tina freaked out and I ended up having to take her pack up for her. Luckily, there was a rope that time. This last time there was a rope, but someone pulled it up to the top and left it there when they went out. No idea what that was about.
@@JerryArizona loved your video about that too!! Unforunately, there was no rope when we were leaving. I guess it is totally random when there is or isn’t rope. Thank goodness we brought a 50ft rope ourselves to pull up our packs or we would have had to continue to Hurricane wash and back to water tanks. Also your video was the most informative about the crazy sand/road conditions on the way. 💕 appreciate you! we are off to Ringbolt Hot Springs this weekend :)
Extraordinary video!
Lots of things to learn
All learned the hard way.
wow. very informative. thank you Jerry
Thanks for sharing Jerry. Glad you got out of those tight situations safely. I've had a few myself and something that has helped me "think straight" before, during and after is a book by Laurence Gonzales called Deep Survival. As your experiences reveal, survival is as much about what's in your mind (specifically, the different parts of your brain) as it is about your gear or physical abilities. Surprisingly, extensive experience can sometimes contribute to mistakes. I re-read the book every few years to keep it top of mind. Highly recommend it.
p.s.. When i saw your video titled "The hike that changed my life" thought it was going to be about some near-death experiences (and that cliff-edge hike could've been one of them) but was pleased to see it was really part of the Jerry and Tina story. You're a good match, fun to follow.
Priceless Wisdom 🙏
Wow 😯 glad you were able to tell the story ✌️.
We've gone back and done everything except Workman's Creek. Sleeping on the summit of Weavers Needle is still one of my favorite experiences to date.
Weavers was way easier without a pack but still a bit sketch on the down climb for a strong climber. . . Jerry, I should be your stunt double, LOL. Great stuff man. . . some of the risks in canyons are so scary. . . OMG
Can relate on the wetsuit story. Did englestead over the weekend and I just didn't put my wetsuit on for some reason. The canyon was dry for pretty much everything until the last few rappels. But it was shallow enough that I just kept saying "I'll be fine till we hit the confluence" Then right before the last rappel, I took a misstep and went completely in. It took the breath out of me but luckily I was able to get to the final station. I sat there shivering, not quite hypothermia, and still resisted the wetsuit. Then our rope got stuck and we were mixing with another group, so I ended up having to wait and just got colder and colder. Finally..... FINALLY I slapped on the wetsuit and then put my down coat over that. I was still shivering. Luckily, we were into Orderville and moving, so I warmed up fast with the coat on, but afterwards I just thought about how dumb it was to resist that wetsuit. Luckily, I staved off hypothermia but I should've known better. It was deep and dark into the canyon.
You described this in another video about expecting the same outcome(In keyhole I think). When I did that rappel the first time it was quick. but not this second time due to the stuck rope. I was adamant I was fine despite my teammates telling me to put the suit on at various times prior to final rap. A good review watching your videos. And a reminder to take stock afterwards.
Plus the energy wasted shivering and cold, could cost me later on. The idea that "I'm fine, I can resist in the moment" takes away from my big picture. Orderville and similar "easy" canyons have the most rescues and accidents due to making mistakes and being too confident. At that point, with way less energy from being cold, I'm just that much more likely to mess up.
The ONLY good decision I made after the fact was opting not to do the second canyon on Sunday. I had spent too much energy and opened myself up to injury and bad decisions on 100-200 ft rappels in Spry. Didn't see it worth it for myself or for the team, despite the straightforward nature of spry.
Thanks.
Yeah, wetsuits are such a pain. Hypothermia can be much worse though. That experience definitely changed my mindset...most of the time. I've made enough stupid choices since then that I could do another of these videos, unfortunately. (Also kinda jealous of your trip. I need some more Zion technical canyons in my life.)
Video #4 best so far. This video is so rare! These are the videos that should be made. Thanks so much for allowing us to see this side of decades of adventures. I have been doing stuff in the woods for my entire life.
#1. I have been lost and had to make camp admitting I did not know where I was.
#2. I have come off two trips where I had to call in later than I was suppose to and let someone know I was safe. #3. I have had to save someone with me from hypothermia three different times. Thanks so much for allowing folks to learn from your mistakes!!!
What a great channel! Production value and personalities are great. Deserves way more subscribers. I’ll have to spread the word.
Love comments like this. Thanks!
We just went on a hike at East Mesa outside of Zion and the weather turned on us quickly and even though we were close to the end we remembered this video and took your advice and played it safe and we turned around. We didn’t get to the end of the trail and the big payoff but there was no reason to chance our safety. Thanks for making this video and sharing your experience and the advice to always place safety first!! Hiking is fun and dangerous and making good decisions are key!!
Thanks for sharing your valuable lessons.
We all learn some lessons the hard way. But so far, with a little more experience, knowledge and preparation, we've been able to successfully conquer 3 of the 4 places in this video. Safely, on round 2.
Very informative dangers to be aware of these are things all people hiking climbing or canyoneering should be aware of. The two topics about potholes or false potholes was one I was not aware of... It is very good to go with a experienced person to get to a level where you can learn or really research that's topics before getting int o s rious trouble I'm the very best hikers and climbers have had similar situations they had to overcome to stay safe.
I can totally relate- scared the crap out of myself climbing when I was in my 20's free soloing and getting stuck on a wall. Great story telling Jerry!
Damn. Free soloing is insane! Glad you made it.
Man...good info on some bad experiences. Weavers needle was a crazy story.
Just making this video makes me want to go try it again. Maybe I'm not getting any smarter.
Great Information, ya'll are a lovely couple!
That weavers needle story was epic!
When you threw the bag my stomach sank !
It is so easy to get in trouble out in the wilderness when you least expect it .
Did peralta to Fremont to bluff springs.
Bluff springs was very hard to find trail in some places and we were running out of daylight but made it .
This was a great video, very informative.
This is the truth, 100 percent!!!
Thank's
Wow thanks for sharing
I've always appreciated your candidness in your videos.
It's never a good thing to dwell on the bad but I hope more people search for the doom and gloom when it comes to outdoor recreating. Hiking specifically is a hobby that can lead to fatal mistakes if you're going into it willy-nilly. As mentioned on another video, I think with the influx of people getting into this hobby of outdoor recreation (specifically climbing and backpacking) more people need to be aware of the bad things that can happen. I have seen some of the silliest mistakes this year alone with hikers doing extremely dumb things while in the backcountry. Everything you said in the video was spot on, well said man.
I am from Arizona, I remember the Tina and Not Jerry story on the news!
Places I have seen and never been, great to see, but maybe a good thing I was raising a bunch of kids.
Nah, I wish I had seen up close at least more than than the look out at Grand Canyon. Glad I happened upon your channel!!
That's crazy you saw it when it happened. Oddly enough, we're probably going to go hike there tomorrow. Hopefully less helicopters will be involved.
Thanks for your videos. We’ve made it to a few of the places in them, and appreciate getting to see your account of those we haven’t. I especially like your willingness to describe what to be mindful of-good information for those of us who don’t yet have a lot of experience. Keep documenting your journeys; we’ll be watching for them.
Thanks for your humility and honesty. I've made a few very similar mistakes myself but have been lucky so far. Really enjoyed this video.
Wow! Great lessons! You two stay safe out there!
Nice job on this Jerry! The internet needs more of these kinds of videos.
Been wanting to do another one, but I'm happy I don't have more stories like this.
Thank you for sharing this...very important, in my opinion, to "pay forward" your experiences to those of us with incredibly adventurous spirits, but not a whole lot of experience or "know-how." It's very much appreciated and watched intently for every detail.
People are often quick to criticize when other people screw up. To me, it always reminds me of my own mistakes. We all start somewhere. And even experienced people make mistakes.
Excellent stories others can learn from!! Glad you survived..
Glad you shared Jerry! A few mistakes I've made... and here to tell the lessons learned as well.... West Clear Creek water temp was "breath-taking" and got a couple of us a little hypothermic... know exactly how you felt. Will definitely prepare for canyoneering and water hikes differently in the future.
Yeah man. WCC is always so cold. But you made it!
Another great video!
1. Loved the dramatic re-enactment. I was on the edge of my seat!
2. Cool hair you used to have!
3. How come we keep getting older, but our wives still look like the day we met them.
Good luck together and keep it up!
1. It was so real, it almost gave me PTSD.
2. That's my every six month hair style to this day; I only get it cut when it gets into mad scientist territory.
3. We're just lucky, I guess.
Glad you enjoyed the vid, man.
Excellent. Real talk. Much respect sir. Happy trails and be well.
I think any experienced hiker will have stories like those! Some of us have more than we can count....is that wisdom or stupidity? Thanks for sharing!
I'm going with wisdom...in the long run, anyway.
@@JerryArizona btw, plagarizing your comment about not sticking with a bad decision just because it took you along time to make it....hope that's okay!
I have to say you guys really inspire me and have some valuable information. I live in AZ and training for Superstition Ridgeline trail. I've done Grand Canyon a few times and and nervous but excited for this next venture. Thank you for the info and sharing your stories and experiences 🙏
Stay safe
Ridgeline is easier than the GC. You'll be fine. Make sure you do it when it's cooler and bring lots of water.
Great stories jerry and tina, i love true life stories like those. Had some close calls in my hunting days and hiking trips, and realize how things can suddanly change and become
life threating out in the wilds. Like the weather or terrain. thank you,
Bear Canyon is the the easiest most dangerous technical canyon out there... It's beginner status lures in a lot of unsuspecting people... even someone as prepared as you can run into troubles...
It definitely taught me that 'easy' canyons will kill you just as fast as 'hard' canyons, for sure.
I've given thought to the Weaver's Needle climb with people vastly more experienced than myself. I do have a fair amount of time on rope but never pulled the trigger on going out to tackle that one. I too did my due diligence and had conversations with people I am connected with who have done it. Ultimately, I just haven't reached a place where I'm comfortable enough to make the attempt. You've been in some precarious situations. Hopefully, y'all avoid predicaments in the future that are caused by poor decision-making. None of us can account for the random events that occur out there ... that risk is just something we all assume when we venture out, but critically poor decision-making can cost a person their life, and it has many times over throughout history.
Definitely have become more cautious....most of the time. Yeah, Weaver's Needle was a lot more than I was expecting. I'm curious how it would be now, with more experience. Like my second run through Bear Canyon, it seemed so easy after doing canyons for a few years. But I'm still not ready yet. One of these days....
Very informative. Awesome video. Thank you for the tips.
Your channel certainly deserves a lot more views and subscribers. Great videos. Keep up the excellent work!
Love the Reenactment!!
Great life lessons Jerry, thanks for sharing...I need to take a canyoneering course but it moments like that that freak me out!
The course was a blast. Go with a reputable company and they'll keep you safe. Going out on your own, or with a friend who says 'I've done this once before' is where you get into trouble.
I have never gotten into a situation like yours on Weavers Needle because I don't rock climb. I've never had a climbing harness on and never expect to. I've done a couple of Class III scrambles...enough to know that I don't like vertical exposure.
I did once run out of water on an eastern trail with tons of water 1400 vertical feet below me, but none where I was. All because I thought I had enough water to get back to my vehicle, but didn't count on making a wrong turn in Linville Gorge Wilderness and having to climb back to the right trail, using up all of my water. If not for a rock climber I encountered when I was close to passing out, I'm not sure what would have happened. But he gave me a liter of water and I made it back to my truck. My vocal cords were worthless for about two weeks. I never knew that dehydration would wreck your vocal cords. Now I do.
Howdy! Say I just subscribed a couple of hours ago after watching a bunch of your videos and liked them right away... actually I like your humor. I'll tell ya it was hard watching this one, but only because of what you had to go thru. Right off, your "instructors" didn't know the first thing about climbing or hell, being in the mountains. You know you said that thing about accidents in the wilderness happening due to stupidity and bad luck. Well it's been my experience that may be true enough in the mechanical world, for dealing with things like electricity or oncoming traffic, cutting tools or things that go BOOM!. But if you love being out and interacting with nature, especially in any intense form or manner it all comes down to awareness of and respect for, your self and your environment. I had been climbing for 3 years before I did my first solo, and still fell 2 more times getting knocked out cold both times...
Glad you like them! Funny, but I just conquered Weavers Needle a couple weeks ago. Much more prepared this time. Good decisions come from experience, and experience comes from bad decisions. I don't blame my canyoneering guide at all for my choices...I should've done more homework. But I survived. And it wasn't ALL luck. Some things you just learn from doing them.
The "gravity" of the situation...pun of the century.
I didn't even realize that until this comment....Man, I really wish I'd meant that as a pun now.
Thanks for sharing, learning from someone's experiences is a valuable thing that can save your butt out there! I'm digging the content and looking forward to the next adventure/lesson you have to share. Keep up the great stuff and be well Jerry.
Reminds me of the quote "I'd rather be ashes than dust"
I am guilty - my dumb@$$ story was on Mt. Pilchuck in Washington several years ago. I'd made it to the fire tower and was coming back down in the saddle right below the boulder stack that the tower is on. I was backing up along the trail taking pictures and did the traditional back up off the edge of the cliff thing. There was a guy eating lunch on a rock about 50 yards away and watched as I fell backwards off the trail. It wasn't a complete cliff, more steep scree field but it was steep enough for me to slide on my leg about 150', long enough to realize I have a problem here after not initially stopping. I finally was able to grab some roots to get my self stopped and slowly crawled back up to the trail. The dude having lunch ran up completely white thinking I was a goner and helped me up the final few steps. One leg and wrist were all hashed up and bleeding but otherwise only my pride was damaged. Got home and had to explain to my wife why I was covered in blood...
Great video! I was wondering if you carry a satellite communicator in case of emergencies? If you do any recommendations?
We had a Res-Q-Link for years. Never used it, so I have no idea if it works. Just got a Garmin Mini, which came in really handy on Tina's recent trip to Four Pass Loop. I really like it and the basic plan doesn't cost much. Always nice to be able to check in and say you're OK.
I had the same question, thanks for asking! As someone who frequently hikes solo in remote wilderness areas, I consider the Garmin In Reach Mini one of my 11 essentials! Jerry, thanks so much for your vulnerability in sharing the other side of sunshine, beauty, and glory! Love your videos so much! And the reenactment had me holding my breath as if I was watching it live, sweaty palms and all! 😱
Just so awesome that the wife had her own story as a kid. Amazing that Tina is still exploring. I love it.
My scary experience was hiking in Washington in the Glacier Peak Wilderness. I was hiking down a ridgeline and then onto a snowpack. The snow gave out and my boots weren't gripping on this slope. As I was sliding don, my recollection was that of the cliff 300 feet in front of me. As I arrived at that cliff that was 400 feet high, a couple bristlecone pines outcropped the ice. The first one I tried to get a hold of but slid from my hands. I decided instantaneously to beat my boot in to the second as I approached. And I was moving fast. It held. I was 4 ft from the edge. If you still go out often, you will see me sometime. Im always out there in various places. I wear a long sleeve white t shirt and a full brimmed hat. Tomorrow we are headed to Page for the Wave on Monday. I plan on Buckskin Gulch the next day. A little cool, but I'm prepared.
Wow. That experience doesn't sound fun at all. The Wave and Buckskin, on the other hand, are amazing. Hopefully it isn't too wet for you or it will definitely be cold.
I just went canyoneering this weekend, was super fun! Again, it was a very easy route...
Biggest was a 60 foot drop
Canyoneering is an absolutely blast.
F***ing Seriously (your first take) - I literally Laughed out loud
That's the only video I have from that trip. And it summed it up perfectly.
Great adventures Jerry! Keep it up buddy👍🏼
Thank you for saying it like it is . My daddy says that we all have our” 5 minutes of pendejo” that we could regret but oh how much we learn from mistakes . I’ll keep in my not to do list all the tips. And I love your wife even when she was a teen she didn’t panicked that’s a strong women the ones that give a positive side to the most scary times .
20+ yrs backpacking = 3 sprained ankles, a stress fractured tibia, 2 sets of broken ribs, a shoulder broken in 3 places, one bison attack, one smashed face w teeth thru my lower lip, a broken tail bone, and 2 falls off a rock face into a river...and those were just the ones I sought medical help with....you’d think I’d stay home....
Holy shit bro. You gotta take care. This my 5th year hiking and so far no injuries. I know I’m lucky and I’m as cautious as I believe I can be
wow i remember that report with jerry foster
Dang lucky!! That could had been the end of miss AZ...wow
Jerry foster 😆 that's a trip back in time!!
I can't believe the footage exists. Been a while.
What year was that?
The last one was the scariest and most dangerous.
Definitely felt like it to me. Funny. I went back years later and did the canyon, no problems at all. Preparation and experience makes a big difference.
So the pilot was Jerry ? We're you guys destined or what ?😂😎🤗🤗
Right?
Love the adventures. Glad you are alive and well. Loved that last picture of The Needle......... Ready to go get that Bitch!?
When my son was in the Boy Scouts, I used to tell him that you either have a great time or you end up with stories you can tell for the rest of your life. Just try not to make the stories too good.
Sound advice, for sure.
Yikes, how cold was that water you think?!
I didn't see any ice, but it sure felt close to freezing.
I’ve had my own experience on the Petro trail thinking I could drop down from one trail to another got along side of a hill I was going to do climb down to the bottom quickly realizing that was stupid climbed up to the top using tufts of grass on the hill scraping my legs losing my hiking sticks and water bottle etc. big mistake
As long as you LIVE and learn...
Still look the same as when we went to gullys
Man, that's been a couple days. I hope I looked a little better than this back then!
No sure thing as luck, God’s mercy.
When is the cacti bloom?
My family can do such stupid things sometimes while hiking...
Don't believe everything you read in the way of trail descriptions. Some people might exaggerate, or they might say it's no problem because it was no problem to them. They managed to make it through ability or luck or bravery or stupidity. That doesn't mean that another person could make it. I've been on trails where I decided it was beyond me and I turned around and went back. Especially when I'm in a remote area where I might not see another person for a long time. Better to be safe so you can go on other trips in the future.
Exactly. I went back not too long ago with the right crew and gear to summit Weavers Needle. Even with years of experience since my first attempt, it was hard. Really hard. Beta has to be taken in context of who wrote it and weighed between your abilities and their abilities. Like you said, some people downplay the difficulty, some play it up.
It wasn't hiking, it was climbing that was dangerous.
It was. Unfortunately I didn't know that at the time. Oddly enough, I got a crew together with the right experience and gear and went back a few weeks ago. We were able to make it and slept on the top of Weavers Needle.
Had a few close calls. The scariest was on my way to an ancient village on a cliffside in the Verde Valley. We were looking for a way down into the canyon and found a more gradual slope, probably around 40 degrees.
I was coming off this large Boulder and carelessly held onto what I thought was part of it for leverage. This rock must have been around 200lbs, comes lose, lands on my foot and starts to push me towards the cliff. I was tumbling headfirst with the rock continuing to hit me. The final time it struck me as on the side of the head. Just before a drop, I was saved by a small bush, as the rock whipped past me.
I'm amazed I wasn't seriously injured (or dead). I probably had a small concussion. I could open my jaw fully for a month, and my foot still hurts 3 months later.
Thanks for sharing to save others from your mistakes. Mother nature can be a bitch, that is for sure. Dont kill yourself out there. BTW, yould think Tina learned her lesson as a kid. Thanks for showing pilot Jerry Foster.
Wow, I did weavers needle after a few months of climbing. It was fine at first and then it just got so hard that it was impossible to climb with the packs. We ended up tying our packs to the rope and lugging it up that way because it was just too hard. Good on you for turning around, the last little bit to get to the top was the hardest.. I'm kind of surprised that your instructor said it was okay. Some good lessons to be learned here! Thank you!