High Sierra Topix

Don't underestimate the force of even shallow water.
Be careful out there.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.c ... .DTL&tsp=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Sad really.. Should have waited for the water to recede. No time to be Macho out there.

Russ, some folks just plain underestimate the force of water, even if very shallow
it has the force to knock you off you feet.

Also see this (more and updated information on the tragedy): http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.c ... 1K5EGL.DTL" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Mike

maverick wrote:Russ, some folks just plain underestimate the force of water, even if very shallow
it has the force to knock you off you feet.

Yeah.. even us lowly abalone divers have to remember from time to time.. You're all in and if a wave hits you it's heinous. Same smell. If it' looks bad, do not attempt.

What is up with the Park Spokesperson saying "they could have taken an alternate
route, which would have added a couple of miles".
19 miles is not a couple of miles, but I guess they are covering there tails, though with
with that statement they aren't being very sensitive.

makes me feel a wee better about not crossing the big pine south fork creek where the bridge was destroyed.Only 6ft wide but close to raging and murky with submerged boulders.Still feel like a wuss though.

DAVELA wrote:makes me feel a wee better about not crossing the big pine south fork creek where the bridge was destroyed.Only 6ft wide but close to raging and murky with submerged boulders.Still feel like a wuss though.

Better to be an alive wuss then a dead one..

I lost a friend last weekend to the Kern. He was not much of an outdoorsman but he still should have known better than to get in the Kern with flows the way they are. He was alone so no one will ever know just how it happened but it looks like there was a small eddie behind some boulders right next to his campsite. It is assumed that he thought he could take a quick dip and get out but instead he somehow got sucked into the current. A group of us all friends of his drove by on Friday headed for the backcountry for a hike and saw the SAR team but never knew they were looking for our friend until we got home on Sunday. RIP Arnie

How sad for the loss of life at the bridge crossing. I haven't been there, so I googled an image of the thing, I can just imagine the blunt force of the water shooting across the walkway. Makes it even more horrific for the survivors who witnessed the tragedy unfold before their eyes.

And Gary, my condolences for the loss of your friend. Highway 178 is my path to the east side of the Sierra and I have lost count of how many SAR efforts I've seen. It's really a hidden killer and I can only imagine how much water must be coming down the hill at this time.