Peak Experiences: Danger, Death, and Daring in the Mountains of the Northeast

Contents

Contents Preface xi Acknowledgments xiii Part I. Weatherwise or Otherwise? 1 Presidential Range Perils and Other Tales above Tree Line Nature Is Unforgiving: Case Studies Peter Crane 3 Winter above Tree Line Guy Waterman 6 Poking the Dragon Benjamin David Potter 17 Porky Gulch and Above Landon G. Rockwell 23 Skiing Mount Washington Landon G. Rockwell 28 A Wild Day in the Presidentials Alan Via 33 Haunted Matt Harris 36 The Great Gulf Ellen McDowell Ruggles 39 Tragedy among the Clouds Carol Stone White 46 Green in the Whites Michael N. Kelsey 54 Extremes at the Top of Maine Johnathan A. Esper 62 Part II. Rescues in the Mountains 67 A Leg Up: Challenges of a Self-Rescue Doug Mayer 69 Sub-Zero Weather Incapacitates Todd Bogardus 76 Fall from Saddleback Cliff Marian Zimmerman 79 Injury Miles from Nowhere Arlene Heer Stefanko 85 A Mount Marcy Helicopter Rescue Kimberly J. LaPorte 95 A Fall from Grace Melinda Broman 99 Midnight Rescue Roy R. Schweiker 103 Two Lives Saved by Search and Rescue Teams Edith Tucker 107 Life-Threatening Conditions Cause Fatality Todd Bogardus 111 One Man Dead, One Rescued on Blackhead Mountain Susan Campriello 113 Break on Panther Mountain John Swanson 116 A Case of the Umbles John C. Goding 119 Katahdin Ice Climber Meets Lady Luck Susan P. Kirk 122 Part III. A Treacherous Place in the Peaks 127 The Day “Hal’s Slide” Got Its Name Keith P. Sullivan 129 Rescue on Hal’s Slide Marjorie LaPan Drake 139 Hiker and Dog Fall on Wildcat Slide Douglas W. Hunt 141 Wild Days on the Wildcats David Scott White 143 Part IV. Dangers of Water in the Mountains 145 Waterfilled: In Which We Nearly Drown Laura Waterman 147 Broken Compass Rebecca Chapin 153 A Bridge to Safety? Leonard H. Grubbs 168 Icy Passage through Iroquois Pass Carol Stone White and David Scott White 170 A Nice Day Becomes an Ice Day Marta Bolton Quilliam 175 Frostbite! Carol Stone White and David Scott White 179 Part V. Animal and Avian Behavior 185 On the Horns of a Dilemma John Hartford 187 Beware Bear Appetites Carol Stone White 190 Dog Days in the High Peaks Leonard H. Grubbs 195 The Ravens of Bondcliff Alan Via 198 Part VI. Odysseys 199 In Pursuit of the Possible Hiking the Appalachian Trail with a Tuba Scott “Tuba Man” Rimm-Hewitt 201 Curses, Excursus: Hut-to-Hut Musings Timothy Muskat 206 Descending into the Maelstrom Teddy “Cave Dog” Keizer 227 Never Underestimate the Power of Pudding Donna Brigley 239 Going Long with Fat Packs Mary Ellen BaRoss 248 The White Mountain 4,000-Footers Direttissima Mats Roing 257 Enjoying a Frozen World Diane Duggento Sawyer 267 Part VII. Lost, Unprepared, Leader Lapses, and Bushwhacked 273 Bivouac at Twenty Below Marta Bolton Quilliam 275 Whiteout and Bivouac on Algonquin Peak Dot Myer 278 Most Difficult of the Winter 111 Betty Maury Heald 281 Well, Hale Fellow Not Met Aaron Schoenberg 285 A Chocorua Curse? Anne Norton and Steve Boheim 288 Democracy in Action Steve Boheim 294 Don’t Shoot Marc Howes 298 A Well-Guarded Fort—Escape Not Guaranteed Donna W. Dearborn 301 Coming Home Martha Leb Molnar 311 Appendix A: Clubs and Organizations 317 Appendix B: Safety Guidelines 318 Notes 319 Glossary 323 Suggestions for Further Reading 325 Contributors 327 About the Editor 331 Credits 333 ...