Hiking Hazard
Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2009 10:36 am
> > >This exerpt is from the Yahoo BayAreaHiking group 08/08/09 , the incident has now resulted in a fatality.
A heads up to those hiking the oaklands.
"Hikers hike for different reasons, mainly to "have a good time and get
> > exercise." I'm often frustrated (as a leader) with hikers who chat and have
> > no sense of hazards on the trail....they get behind and wonder why everyone
> > is ahead of them. This report came thru on one of my Sierra Club postings
> > and I'm passing it along sans names.
> > >
> > > The Tan Bark Oaks are dying due to Sudden Oak Death and we're seeing more
> > and more downed trees. Please be aware, please be careful and please warn
> > your hikers to PAY ATTENTION.
> > > Jayah Faye Paley
> > > http://www.AdventureBuddie" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; s.NET
> >
> > >
> > > On last Wednesday's 1A hike a thick tree branch fell on one of the
> > hikers, probably fracturing her neck, back, and right arm, and putting her
> > in a coma. She is still in a coma.
> > >
> > > Our hike that day started out as a nice stroll out of Samuel P. Taylor
> > State Park, up the Jewell Fire Road and on to a stretch of the Bolinas Fire
> > Road before coming back down Jewell and then along the South Creek Trail,
> > near the Creekside Campground.
> > >
> > > Suddenly a loud crack sounded from a tree overhead. Most hikers seemed
> > not to notice it but to me it was the sound of tree limbs breaking. I looked
> > up, saw nothing, but hollered, "Watch out!" As soon as the words were out of
> > my mouth there was an even louder crack and down came a huge limb with many
> > branchings, smashing down with a terrifying roar on the people immediately
> > behind me, burying them under a pile of branches and a big cloud of dust.
> > Horrified, I thought they all must be dead. But (name withheld), who had
> > been right behind me on the trail, very quickly appeared out of the jumble,
> > brushed himself off and declared himself OK. Next behind him was (name
> > withheld) who staggered to her feet with a bruise and a small cut on one
> > hand but nothing more, and also asserting that she was all right, more or
> > less. I thought this was a miracle — no one badly injured in spite of this
> > brutally violent crash!
> > >
> > > But then we looked behind (name withheld)and saw (name withheld) lying on
> > her back on the trail, in repose, but eyes partly open and looking all
> > right(except for some blood on her right arm). But she didn't respond to our
> > questions. Hiker checked her pulse, OK. Another hiker saw that she was
> > breathing. She was unconscious but the only injury we could see was the
> > blood on her arm.
> > >
> > > This was serious. (name withheld) got on his phone and dialed 911. A
> > hiker went in search of a Ranger (we were not far from the Park entrance).
> > The emergency vehicles arrived in about 10 minutes and soon a helicopter
> > came and took Ann to Santa Rosa Memorial hospital. (The next day she was
> > transferred to San Francisco General Hospital's Trauma Ward which nurse
> > hiker says is rated the best in the nation.)
> > >
> > > After she was gone we survivors stood around, still in shock and grief
> > about (injured hiker), and knowing that it could have been any of us instead
> > of her.
> > >
> > > The Supervising Park Ranger came around to get information about (injured
> > hiker)and about the incident. She later told a Marin Independent Journal
> > reporter that we "appeared to be experienced hikers." Indeed. But not
> > experienced tree dodgers.
> > >
> > > I have returned to the scene since the tragedy to get information and
> > > take photographs. I saw that the tree has three fresh breaks where
> > > limbs have fallen off, and they are over the trail. I estimated the
> > > tree to be at least 80 feet tall. It is entirely barren of leaves,
> > > dead. It is not a conifer; perhaps a tanoak, someone said. The fallen
> > > limbs still lie on the ground. One is 7 inches in diameter at its thicker
> > end.
> > >
> > > While I was there several children were playing in the area and a
> > > group of four teenagers hiked through. The guilty tree is 80 yards
> > > from a family campsite (number 20 in Creekside Campground). The
> > > branches could have fallen on their children.
> > >
> > > This tree can and will drop some more branches. Near it is another
> > > dead tree. Is the park management paying attention? They don't have to
> > check every tree in the park, just the ones by trails and in
> > > campgrounds. Yes, they are in financial straits but keeping the place
> > > safe should be top priority."
A heads up to those hiking the oaklands.
"Hikers hike for different reasons, mainly to "have a good time and get
> > exercise." I'm often frustrated (as a leader) with hikers who chat and have
> > no sense of hazards on the trail....they get behind and wonder why everyone
> > is ahead of them. This report came thru on one of my Sierra Club postings
> > and I'm passing it along sans names.
> > >
> > > The Tan Bark Oaks are dying due to Sudden Oak Death and we're seeing more
> > and more downed trees. Please be aware, please be careful and please warn
> > your hikers to PAY ATTENTION.
> > > Jayah Faye Paley
> > > http://www.AdventureBuddie" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; s.NET
> >
> > >
> > > On last Wednesday's 1A hike a thick tree branch fell on one of the
> > hikers, probably fracturing her neck, back, and right arm, and putting her
> > in a coma. She is still in a coma.
> > >
> > > Our hike that day started out as a nice stroll out of Samuel P. Taylor
> > State Park, up the Jewell Fire Road and on to a stretch of the Bolinas Fire
> > Road before coming back down Jewell and then along the South Creek Trail,
> > near the Creekside Campground.
> > >
> > > Suddenly a loud crack sounded from a tree overhead. Most hikers seemed
> > not to notice it but to me it was the sound of tree limbs breaking. I looked
> > up, saw nothing, but hollered, "Watch out!" As soon as the words were out of
> > my mouth there was an even louder crack and down came a huge limb with many
> > branchings, smashing down with a terrifying roar on the people immediately
> > behind me, burying them under a pile of branches and a big cloud of dust.
> > Horrified, I thought they all must be dead. But (name withheld), who had
> > been right behind me on the trail, very quickly appeared out of the jumble,
> > brushed himself off and declared himself OK. Next behind him was (name
> > withheld) who staggered to her feet with a bruise and a small cut on one
> > hand but nothing more, and also asserting that she was all right, more or
> > less. I thought this was a miracle — no one badly injured in spite of this
> > brutally violent crash!
> > >
> > > But then we looked behind (name withheld)and saw (name withheld) lying on
> > her back on the trail, in repose, but eyes partly open and looking all
> > right(except for some blood on her right arm). But she didn't respond to our
> > questions. Hiker checked her pulse, OK. Another hiker saw that she was
> > breathing. She was unconscious but the only injury we could see was the
> > blood on her arm.
> > >
> > > This was serious. (name withheld) got on his phone and dialed 911. A
> > hiker went in search of a Ranger (we were not far from the Park entrance).
> > The emergency vehicles arrived in about 10 minutes and soon a helicopter
> > came and took Ann to Santa Rosa Memorial hospital. (The next day she was
> > transferred to San Francisco General Hospital's Trauma Ward which nurse
> > hiker says is rated the best in the nation.)
> > >
> > > After she was gone we survivors stood around, still in shock and grief
> > about (injured hiker), and knowing that it could have been any of us instead
> > of her.
> > >
> > > The Supervising Park Ranger came around to get information about (injured
> > hiker)and about the incident. She later told a Marin Independent Journal
> > reporter that we "appeared to be experienced hikers." Indeed. But not
> > experienced tree dodgers.
> > >
> > > I have returned to the scene since the tragedy to get information and
> > > take photographs. I saw that the tree has three fresh breaks where
> > > limbs have fallen off, and they are over the trail. I estimated the
> > > tree to be at least 80 feet tall. It is entirely barren of leaves,
> > > dead. It is not a conifer; perhaps a tanoak, someone said. The fallen
> > > limbs still lie on the ground. One is 7 inches in diameter at its thicker
> > end.
> > >
> > > While I was there several children were playing in the area and a
> > > group of four teenagers hiked through. The guilty tree is 80 yards
> > > from a family campsite (number 20 in Creekside Campground). The
> > > branches could have fallen on their children.
> > >
> > > This tree can and will drop some more branches. Near it is another
> > > dead tree. Is the park management paying attention? They don't have to
> > check every tree in the park, just the ones by trails and in
> > > campgrounds. Yes, they are in financial straits but keeping the place
> > > safe should be top priority."