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

Glossary

Glossary bivouac, or bivy: Camping in the open with no shelter, or improvised shelter. bivy sack: A light, compact, waterproof bag suitable for emergency shelter. bushwhack: Off-trail hiking through woods or brush, using map and compass or GPS. cairn: Pile of rocks to mark a trail. col: A pass or low point between two adjacent mountains. crampons: A framework of spikes affixed to the boot sole, often part of a snowshoe, to provide necessary stability on icy or hard-packed surfaces. cripplebrush: Thick stunted growth at higher elevations. frostbite: The freezing of body tissue. Frost-nip is the first sign, which appears as white or mottled patches on the skin and occurs quickly if skin is exposed in windy, cold conditions. The skin should return to its normal color after applying gentle pressure; if not, the condition has advanced to frostbite, which is a deeper tissue injury that should not be re-warmed quickly; get to a hospital as soon as possible. If feet become wet, it is essential to change into dry socks and place an insulating plastic bag between dry socks and wet boots. Regardless of how fast you hike, frostbite can easily occur. Place feet on another’s mid-body to warm them up. gorp: “Good Old Raisins and Peanuts,” a homemade snack including seeds, candy, other nuts and dried fruit for quick energy. heat exhaustion: Symptoms are profuse sweating, weakness, nausea, vomiting, headache, lightheadedness, and muscle cramps; stop activity and rehydrate with water or a sports drink. Dangerous heat stroke takes place when the skin stops sweating. The condition is accompanied by confusion, lethargy, and possible seizure; emergency medical attention is required. hypothermia: The most serious danger to hikers, often happening between 30 degrees and 50 degrees Fahrenheit, in rain and wind. Though defined as a drop in core body temperature to 95 degrees, just a 1-degree drop from normal can lead to early hypothermia. It is caused by not eating or drinking sufficiently, being immobilized or in direct contact with cold ground, wearing inadequate or wet clothing in windy, cold conditions, and especially by wearing cotton—which does not dry and clings to the body, drawing out vital heat. Victims experience uncontrollable shivering and become disoriented, lethargic, uncoordinated, and mentally impaired. “To be blunt,” writes Peter Crane, “cold makes you stupid—and then all things fall apart quite quickly.” If not treated, coma and death can occur rapidly. Remedies include removing wet clothes, providing insulation from the ground, putting the victim in a sleeping bag, covering the head and neck, getting shelter, 324 G l o ss a r y and supplying quick-energy food and warm non-alcoholic drinks. Carry a survival bag and/or space blanket. Hot packs placed around the neck, armpits, and groin may help, but prevention is the key. lean-to: Shelter, usually of wood, with a roof and three or four sides, for camping. lee: The opposite side from the prevailing wind. peakbagging: Attempting to climb all the peaks on a particular list, such as the Northeast 111, which now includes 115 peaks exceeding 4,000 feet—48 in New Hampshire, 48 in New York, 14 in Maine, and 5 in Vermont. Other popular goals for peakbagging include the hundred highest peaks in a region and “The Grid,” which involves hiking each of the highest peaks in every month of the year. Some say that peakbagging is too goal-oriented, while others point out that having a goal inspires the hiker to visit remote peaks and experience a greater variety of wilderness. posthole: To sink deeply with each step into the snow, a problem usually (though sometimes not completely) remediated by the use of snowshoes. slide: Steep slope where a landslide has carried away soil and vegetation. snow blindness: A temporary condition brought on by exposure to the sun’s rays reflecting off snow. Wear 100 percent UV sunglasses or goggles. space blanket: A thin, light blanket made of reflective material to preserve body heat. spruce hole: A hidden air space, below the snow surface, created by many feet of snow blanketing small spruce trees. These can often be very large, with air pockets under multiple branches. spur trail: A side path to a point off a main trail. sunburn: Air is thinner on mountains; practice vigilant application of sunblock. switchback: Zigzag traverse of a steep slope. tree line: Elevation above which trees do not grow. whiteout: Weather phenomenon common in higher elevations, where fog, clouds, and...