Runs_With_Bears t1_itld872 wrote on October 24, 2022 at 2:34 PM

Reply to comment by Catsdrinkingbeer in A train passenger saw a woman waving for help. It was a hiker who'd been missing. by guanaco55

I’ve done 14 of the 14ers here in CO. All I ever bring is a 3L CamelBak, some snacks and maybe an extra shell jacket and even all that doesn’t get all used. Some people replace experience with gear and find themselves in sticky situations.

resonatebliss t1_itnsxzl wrote on October 25, 2022 at 12:27 AM

Or some people replace common sense with idiocracy. My partner & I helped 3 dumb college-aged kids hiking Haleakala crater last year. They hiked an 11mi trail with 2 12oz plastic water bottles, no snacks, dead cell phones, and the girl was walking barefoot because she had enormous blisters from wearing chaco sandals. My partner bandaged her up while I filled their water from our camelbacks. Gave them our snacks because we were only doing a quick jaunt down the crater & back.

Ironically, my CO friend posted something on social that night making fun of over prepared people say that “your hiking pack and trekking poles are overkill, my 4yr old just did the same trail in her tutu.” But we helped people with that overkill, damn it!!!

Runs_With_Bears t1_itntnfg wrote on October 25, 2022 at 12:33 AM

Lol it’s a delicate balance but there’s a line you cross where you’re at least basically prepared until you cross the line where you’re over prepared. These guys didn’t get to the first line.

I remember hiking out to the tea house at 7 glaciers in Banff. It starts out a simple paved walkway, then turns into a wide dirt path before turning into a pretty difficult trail. Having done some research I knew what to expect. Walking back we passed by people in flip flops or wearing slacks holding a 12oz water bottle. They hadn’t turned around when it got harder and they still had miles to go. Felt like telling them to turn around but some people will be stupid regardless.