I happened to cross paths with your tale at a very poignant time.
I did find solace in your tale.
The thoughts you describe so vividly when faced with the choice of outcomes of that day. So close to the end became the beginning for you and your dog.
Life goes on .
My reply is a bit long. Sorry about that, but I promise it has worth and value.
Coming from two times in my life .The first, when I almost lost my soulmate to sudden whiteout conditions ,zero visibility , even a hand in front of the face was non existent in his field of vision. Twelve below on top of the highest peak in the Adirondacks of New York State, Mt. Marcy. A mid winter annual camping trip that had been repeated many times over the years. Very well equipped but no match for an unforeseen winter storm .The only reason they lived, was quick thinking and constant motion the whole night. To prevent freezing to death .
Two friends bonded for a lifetime by a near death experience.
The second , was the loss of a friend.
The anniversary , this January fourteen years ago , A wonderful young man . An avid hiker, he was out for a quick loop with his dog, afternoon temperature in the low thirties. A trail he had hiked countless times not far from his home. He was home , visiting for the holidays. Having recently spent a year hiking in Western U.S. and Nepal where he taught English in a small mountain town . But alas for an experienced hiker, an intelligent young man with the whole world of possibilities ahead, he made a stupid and literally life changing mistake. He left his home with minimal supplies in his pack, and on a seemingly warm January day in Vermont, he was wearing only a cotton hooded sweatshirt for warmth. Too smart to not know that cotton is the very last appropriate wardrobe for winter hiking. Just out for a quick hike ...According to the National Weather Service, upper elevations of the trail he followed , temperatures dropped another 10 degrees by evening . He died just three miles from the end of the trailhead .
Hypothermia.
That was January 2012. At 8:00pm that evening, his concerned family reported him overdue to the state police.
Family members knew the trail well . He had left a note of his afternoon intentions. The family formed a search party. And the devastating truth, the state police in Vermont blocked them from searching the trail on that horrifying day because they followed the age old protocol pertaining to a missing person . Instead of a lost hiker, it was considered a crime scene for a missing person. Police blocked the family search party from entering either end of the twelve mile loop. The state police did not begin their search until the next day.Due to the fact that hypothermia is considered a very slow death, had it been called in to Search and Rescue, there would have been a very different scenario. Due to the timeline of when he left his home and when the family would have arrived at his side, ultimately it was determined that it would have been highly likely he would have been found alive. Instead they stood helpless as there was no other access to get to the trail.
Turns out the state police never contacted a Search and Rescue unit . After the fact , it was made known that the there were several Search and Rescue teams available in the area but unfortunately the protocol set precedent, and the state police didn’t find it necessary to call them in.
Since that time , the family fought for change to save the life of other missing or injured hikers. A bill was passed , and the requirement for “immediate action to be taken when someone goes missing in the backcountry or in a rapid waterway” by contacting Search and Rescue to assess the situation .
As you would expect , being a dog lover, he was found alive, curled protectively over his friend.
Somehow I would like to think that even in the clouded mind of hypothermia , he may have come to the same conclusions you had. He was nineteen and always displayed the very best of human nature.
“I felt the power of simple kind human love and the embarrassment of a pointless death fell away because in the warmth of love there is no pointlessness. “
Thanks you so much for your reply Lor. I am so sorry about your difficult experiences and your loss. I'm grateful to hear of your expereinces even if they are hard and painful and sad. I know there is nothing to say, especially between two people that do not know each other on the internet, but I shall keep your reply in my mind and think of that poor young man and be thoughtful of the changes his demise made for the chances of others. Wishing you all the best.
"We are all miracles sharing this singular planet". I couldn't have put it better myself. Thanks so much Troy. All we need now is a political party with that as their mantra and 2024 will be looking up ;)
Yep. I understand that. Agree too. Read The Star Rover a while back. It was (like most of London's work in my mind) a literary yearning for a better world, which I'm always a sucker for.
I do love an existential reflection on mortality and the mystery of life Jonathan. Recently engaged in some therapy for it too. Kinda needed to for my doctorate anyway but it was timely…and needed. Hope all ok and happy New Year to you and yours.
I've always been impressed with your smarts and empathetic intuitiveness Ben, and I know it's all part of your professional journey, but I hope the experience of engaging with these serious (and light) matters through therapy was useful and somehow enlightening (probably not the right word) for you.
For me it's a never ending contemplation, where sometimes I feel like I've got a handle on things and other times...not so much. But that's how I feel about most things I reckon :)
Good to see you here Ben, and a happy New Year to you and yours too.
Wonderful story. Thank you.
I happened to cross paths with your tale at a very poignant time.
I did find solace in your tale.
The thoughts you describe so vividly when faced with the choice of outcomes of that day. So close to the end became the beginning for you and your dog.
Life goes on .
My reply is a bit long. Sorry about that, but I promise it has worth and value.
Coming from two times in my life .The first, when I almost lost my soulmate to sudden whiteout conditions ,zero visibility , even a hand in front of the face was non existent in his field of vision. Twelve below on top of the highest peak in the Adirondacks of New York State, Mt. Marcy. A mid winter annual camping trip that had been repeated many times over the years. Very well equipped but no match for an unforeseen winter storm .The only reason they lived, was quick thinking and constant motion the whole night. To prevent freezing to death .
Two friends bonded for a lifetime by a near death experience.
The second , was the loss of a friend.
The anniversary , this January fourteen years ago , A wonderful young man . An avid hiker, he was out for a quick loop with his dog, afternoon temperature in the low thirties. A trail he had hiked countless times not far from his home. He was home , visiting for the holidays. Having recently spent a year hiking in Western U.S. and Nepal where he taught English in a small mountain town . But alas for an experienced hiker, an intelligent young man with the whole world of possibilities ahead, he made a stupid and literally life changing mistake. He left his home with minimal supplies in his pack, and on a seemingly warm January day in Vermont, he was wearing only a cotton hooded sweatshirt for warmth. Too smart to not know that cotton is the very last appropriate wardrobe for winter hiking. Just out for a quick hike ...According to the National Weather Service, upper elevations of the trail he followed , temperatures dropped another 10 degrees by evening . He died just three miles from the end of the trailhead .
Hypothermia.
That was January 2012. At 8:00pm that evening, his concerned family reported him overdue to the state police.
Family members knew the trail well . He had left a note of his afternoon intentions. The family formed a search party. And the devastating truth, the state police in Vermont blocked them from searching the trail on that horrifying day because they followed the age old protocol pertaining to a missing person . Instead of a lost hiker, it was considered a crime scene for a missing person. Police blocked the family search party from entering either end of the twelve mile loop. The state police did not begin their search until the next day.Due to the fact that hypothermia is considered a very slow death, had it been called in to Search and Rescue, there would have been a very different scenario. Due to the timeline of when he left his home and when the family would have arrived at his side, ultimately it was determined that it would have been highly likely he would have been found alive. Instead they stood helpless as there was no other access to get to the trail.
Turns out the state police never contacted a Search and Rescue unit . After the fact , it was made known that the there were several Search and Rescue teams available in the area but unfortunately the protocol set precedent, and the state police didn’t find it necessary to call them in.
Since that time , the family fought for change to save the life of other missing or injured hikers. A bill was passed , and the requirement for “immediate action to be taken when someone goes missing in the backcountry or in a rapid waterway” by contacting Search and Rescue to assess the situation .
As you would expect , being a dog lover, he was found alive, curled protectively over his friend.
Somehow I would like to think that even in the clouded mind of hypothermia , he may have come to the same conclusions you had. He was nineteen and always displayed the very best of human nature.
“I felt the power of simple kind human love and the embarrassment of a pointless death fell away because in the warmth of love there is no pointlessness. “
Thanks you so much for your reply Lor. I am so sorry about your difficult experiences and your loss. I'm grateful to hear of your expereinces even if they are hard and painful and sad. I know there is nothing to say, especially between two people that do not know each other on the internet, but I shall keep your reply in my mind and think of that poor young man and be thoughtful of the changes his demise made for the chances of others. Wishing you all the best.
I loved this, Jonathan. Deep and thought provoking. It very much reminded me of my mantra of the last few years:
We are all miracles sharing this singular planet.
"We are all miracles sharing this singular planet". I couldn't have put it better myself. Thanks so much Troy. All we need now is a political party with that as their mantra and 2024 will be looking up ;)
Have a wonderful New Year Troy. All the best.
Very good. Reminds me a tad of "To Build A Fire" but with a happier ending.
Have you ever read A Star Rover? Really enjoyed that one too.
Never have. Just read up on it, sounds very interesting if a little brutal. I stay away from harsh stuff anymore, don't have the heart for it.
Yep. I understand that. Agree too. Read The Star Rover a while back. It was (like most of London's work in my mind) a literary yearning for a better world, which I'm always a sucker for.
I've read White Jacket by him and White Fang, both interesting, engaging. He was a good writer, knew how to tell a compelling story
I do love an existential reflection on mortality and the mystery of life Jonathan. Recently engaged in some therapy for it too. Kinda needed to for my doctorate anyway but it was timely…and needed. Hope all ok and happy New Year to you and yours.
I've always been impressed with your smarts and empathetic intuitiveness Ben, and I know it's all part of your professional journey, but I hope the experience of engaging with these serious (and light) matters through therapy was useful and somehow enlightening (probably not the right word) for you.
For me it's a never ending contemplation, where sometimes I feel like I've got a handle on things and other times...not so much. But that's how I feel about most things I reckon :)
Good to see you here Ben, and a happy New Year to you and yours too.