Darwin Awards Nominee
Jul 1, 2022 10:54:04 #
This is unbelievable: Came across it on the internet yesterday and thought I'd post it here.
Hikers had no gear on cold Colorado trail because it’s ‘so hot in Texas officials say.
Wed, June 29, 2022,
Hikers left the Texas heat to a camp on a cold, rainy Colorado trail, officials said.
The duo hiked up Lake Como Road and into Colorado’s Sangre de Cristo range on Monday, June 27, the Alamosa Volunteer Search And Rescue team said.
They never made it to Lake Como and set up camp about a quarter-mile from the lake.
Lake Como is an 8.3-mile out-and-back trail near Blanca, about 210 miles south of Denver. It’s considered a challenging route, according to AllTrails.
After some time, they started experiencing hypothermia. They called for help and said they were cold. One of the hikers started throwing up and was severely dehydrated with a headache.
Rescuers brought the hikers hot water bottles and sugary drinks to help them warm up and rehydrate. They were brought down the road and checked by medical professionals.
Nearly six hours after the call for help, the rescue was complete. Officials said it was a difficult operation because of the rain making the road rocky.
“Lake Como Rd was exceptionally dangerous this trip due to heavy rain, high chance for rockfall and extremely slippery rock,” officials said in a news release. “On the descent down, there was a river running down the entire road.”
The hikers weren’t prepared for their trek. They didn’t pack extra clothing to stay dry, and their tent had no rain fly, officials said. The hikers also didn’t have extra food or water, and they didn’t have layers to survive the night temperatures.
“These hikers said they did not understand why it was so cold and rainy in Colorado, because it has been ‘so hot in Texas’ where they hike all the time,” rescuers said. “They never checked any weather forecasts.”
Rescuers said the incident is an example of how “ignorance can kill people.” People should always check weather and avalanche forecasts before hiking into the wilderness, officials said.
Hikers had no gear on cold Colorado trail because it’s ‘so hot in Texas officials say.
Wed, June 29, 2022,
Hikers left the Texas heat to a camp on a cold, rainy Colorado trail, officials said.
The duo hiked up Lake Como Road and into Colorado’s Sangre de Cristo range on Monday, June 27, the Alamosa Volunteer Search And Rescue team said.
They never made it to Lake Como and set up camp about a quarter-mile from the lake.
Lake Como is an 8.3-mile out-and-back trail near Blanca, about 210 miles south of Denver. It’s considered a challenging route, according to AllTrails.
After some time, they started experiencing hypothermia. They called for help and said they were cold. One of the hikers started throwing up and was severely dehydrated with a headache.
Rescuers brought the hikers hot water bottles and sugary drinks to help them warm up and rehydrate. They were brought down the road and checked by medical professionals.
Nearly six hours after the call for help, the rescue was complete. Officials said it was a difficult operation because of the rain making the road rocky.
“Lake Como Rd was exceptionally dangerous this trip due to heavy rain, high chance for rockfall and extremely slippery rock,” officials said in a news release. “On the descent down, there was a river running down the entire road.”
The hikers weren’t prepared for their trek. They didn’t pack extra clothing to stay dry, and their tent had no rain fly, officials said. The hikers also didn’t have extra food or water, and they didn’t have layers to survive the night temperatures.
“These hikers said they did not understand why it was so cold and rainy in Colorado, because it has been ‘so hot in Texas’ where they hike all the time,” rescuers said. “They never checked any weather forecasts.”
Rescuers said the incident is an example of how “ignorance can kill people.” People should always check weather and avalanche forecasts before hiking into the wilderness, officials said.
Jul 1, 2022 11:00:50 #
leftj
Loc: Texas
flyguy wrote:
This is unbelievable: Came across it on the intern... (show quote)
Good story but very suspect.
Jul 1, 2022 11:29:56 #
leftj wrote:
Good story but very suspect.
The article was in this news paper and posted to the Yahoo news website and here's the link: https://www.yahoo.com/news/hikers-had-no-gear-cold-152809098.html
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Hikers had no gear on cold Colorado trail because it’s ‘so hot in Texas,’ officials say
Maddie Capron
Wed, June 29, 2022, 9:28 AM·2 min read
Hikers left the Texas heat to a camp on a cold, rainy Colorado trail, officials said. ...
Jul 1, 2022 16:40:25 #
leftj wrote:
Good story but very suspect.
Having taught Jr and Sr High for nearly 35 years in Los Angeles I believe it. Students, even just after a Geography lesson, often couldn't name the ocean down at the beaches near Los Angeles and didn't understand why they needed different clothing to go to the ski resorts in the mountains in winter. I have seen Angelenos up at the ski resorts get out of their car wearing sandals, shorts and t-shirts. The store by the ski lift and the Walmart etc. in Big Bear do a good business in winter gear for those people. They have a large stock of basic, inexpensive cold weather clothing and footwear.
And the looks on their faces when I showed slides looking from the Kentucky shore past the tip of Illinois to the Missouri shore at the junction of the Ohio & Mississippi near my home town (Spring high water it is aprx. 2 miles). Being from LA they couldn't imagine that much water in anything but the ocean.
Most people who never travel, read, study geography etc. find it hard to wrap their minds around the fact that everywhere is not just like where they live.
Jul 1, 2022 20:18:16 #
robertjerl wrote:
Having taught Jr and Sr High for nearly 35 years i... (show quote)
I attended public schools from 1945 to the middle 1950's and we certainly received a better education than most of the kids are getting today.
Jul 1, 2022 20:24:53 #
Just Shoot Me
Loc: Ithaca, NY
flyguy wrote:
This is unbelievable: Came across it on the intern... (show quote)
My wife and I were summiting Mount Washington in New Hampshire. Left the trail head in shorts and tee shirts and 70 deg. balmy weather.
About 3/4 of the way up we notice a temperature drop, then a snow squall, then a white out!
We ran to some pines (we were just below timber line) and put on pants, jackets, gloves and hats.
Continued our trek and made it to the top where the weather was a pleasant 40 deg.
Thankfully there was a McDonalds that we could duck into (literally) and get some coffee.
We brought our own food.
Ron
Jul 2, 2022 04:14:25 #
Colorado Governor Dick Lamm was in Texas during his term speaking at some conference. He told this joke: "You know, you Texans love to come to Colorado to ski and hike. One time this big Texan was skiing and had a heart attack. We couldn't find a coffin big enough for him, so we gave him an enema and sent him in a shoebox."
Dick was a funny guy. He also gave the "Duty to Die" speech, encouraging old timers to kick the bucket to help save Social Security. While he was running for president.
Dick was a funny guy. He also gave the "Duty to Die" speech, encouraging old timers to kick the bucket to help save Social Security. While he was running for president.
Jul 2, 2022 07:10:47 #
Just Shoot Me wrote:
My wife and I were summiting Mount Washington in N... (show quote)
Where on Mt. Washington is Mcdonald's?
Jul 2, 2022 07:40:53 #
Xanadu
Loc: Clay County FL
Bear in mind Darwin Awards are awarded posthumously. As the name suggest, the gene pool has to be cleansed in order to qualify.
These Texas hikers do not qualify. However, left alone they may have qualified.
These Texas hikers do not qualify. However, left alone they may have qualified.
Jul 2, 2022 07:53:26 #
flyguy wrote:
I attended public schools from 1945 to the middle 1950's and we certainly received a better education than most of the kids are getting today.
Amen!
Jul 2, 2022 07:55:14 #
Just Shoot Me wrote:
My wife and I were summiting Mount Washington in N... (show quote)
Rode the train up Mt. Washington, t shirts at the bottom, puffy jackets at the top, interesting ride, everybody should do it once.
Jul 2, 2022 07:56:35 #
traderjohn wrote:
Where on Mt. Washington is Mcdonald's?
Some sort of a snackbar at the top when we were there, not a McD though
Jul 2, 2022 08:19:54 #
New Hampshire passed a law allowing rescue agencies to charge the people they rescue, the cost of the operation if the hikers were not reasonably prepared for the conditions they would encounter. "Reasonably" is one of those terms lawyers will fight over incessantly but if a couple of hikers attempted to hike Mount Washington in shorts, flip-flops and carrying only a six-pack of beer, I don't think there'd be any doubt nor would there be in the case of these Texas morons.
Jul 2, 2022 09:09:48 #
Jul 2, 2022 09:42:42 #
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