For more insightful and thought provoking stories from the mountains of the world be sure to Subscribe/Like and Share: www.youtube.com/@everestmystery?sub_confirmation=1
My Dad and I got caught in a sudden ground blizzard while hunting. We only planned on being away from the vehicle for a few hours and, therefore, only took our smaller packs. We ended up having to stay out overnight in extreme conditions. I am happy that even though we only had our small packs, we had enough to survive and having two of us was greatly helpful. I'm mostly commenting to help your video get more views, not to say we did anything better than Christopher.
As a former Girl Scout I've lived by their motto "Be Prepared" my whole life. I'm 73 now. Whether it's a few hour day trip or several days I am always prepared for all eventualities. It's a good way to live because then I don't have to stress about things. Too bad things turned out so terrible for this man.
Yes - The Boy Scouts taught me a lot. Be Prepared was the motto and the lessons we learnt in the wilds on how to survive have helped drum that motto in my being. My family calls me Safety Man -- but I know I am doing the correct thing. You don't alwasy need the extra equipment you bring on a day hike, but there are those times of unpredictable weather and events that makes one spend an unplanned night in the outdoors.
One of the things I appreciate most about you is that you avoid criticizing hikers who find themselves in precarious or lethal circumstances. Most people don’t seem to understand that adventurers just think differently; we strive to be prepared and knowledgeable, but we also accept that there are risks and unknowns involved. Accepting the risk of serious injury or death is unfathomable to most people, and I get that. It is somewhat averse to our survival instincts. However, now that I am disabled and can only explore and push my limits vicariously, I feel half dead and often depressed. My body exists in the expression that ships are safest when moored at harbor, but that’s not what ships are built for. Thank you for your non-judgmental approach to discussing those of us who are just cut from a different cloth. These kinds of discussions should always be about learning from each other and not about blame, IMHO.
15:01 this reminds me of a quote. "No trumpets sound when the important decisions of our life are made. Destiny is made known silently."~ Agnes de Mille
In Sum: Overconfidence played a key factor. Lighter is not always better. Respect the mountain, respect nature, respect the weather and conditions, respect the value you are to your family. Nature is bigger than you are. Saving a little weight is not worth your life. Conditions change quickly in the mountains. RIP
The mountains don't care what records you're trying to set. They give no dispensations. Chris Roma knew all the precautions to take for winter hiking in the Mt Washington area. He just didn't take them. He gambled with his life and lost. The best part of this video in my opinion was the story of SectorSOS who was hiking nearby with his wife at the same time as Chris. Unlike Chris he and his wife were well-prepared for exactly the conditions they encountered- high winds, severe cold, and blowing snow with limited visibility and they came through these conditions without suffering any injuries or adverse effects. It was the perfect example of being properly prepared. The lesson we should all learn from this is if you would like to keep living follow SectorSOS's example, not Chris's.
As a member of the White Mountains hiking community I can say this tragedy shook a lot of us. The weather in the Whites can be tough even on relatively calm days. I've crossed the summit of Guyot in clear conditions but with high winds and ambient temps in the teens below. I was suddenly chilled to the core and headed for an overnight at the Guyot shelter with a friend. Just locating the shelter in unbroken snow took us over half an hour and we were both shivering as we climbed into our sleeping bags. Had we been delayed much longer we could have been dealing with hypothermia. It's a reminder that even being prepared you need to make sound decisions or things could go wrong very quickly. This was an insightful overview of the events and I commend you for not speculating too much and just presenting the facts at hand. I think many of us are eager to know exactly what happened but I fear we may never get that answer. My heart goes out to his family and friends during such a tough loss.
It's great having you here....I appreciate your comment. Similar to your story of finding your way to the Guyot shelter...my better half and I hiked Mt. Pierce on Saturday. We were considering heading to Eisenhower, but on the top of Pierce the wind was whipping, it was extremely cold, and the visibility was low. We remarked how easy it would be for one mistake to lead to tragedy. Thanks for watching and for your comments, they mean very much to me. I'm planning another story local to us....sometime this spring. Cheers, and thanks for coming to the channel!
@EverestMystery happy to have found the channel! I recently bailed on a Jefferson attempt after getting wet during some heavy drizzle and light rain. Winds didn't let up as forecast and I started getting cold. With the recent tragedy on my mind the option to bail was easy. Also meant to ask, was some of that footage from the Kate Matrosova recovery?
Mother Nature always has the last word. It’s unfortunate he didn’t take the reputation of the mountain into consideration what he prepared for his hike. Wonderful analysis of this tragedy, sending prayers for his little son.
Great coverage of this tragedy. This hits close to home as an avid White Mountain hiker (and Hike Safe card holder). I can never seem to get enough info on lost hikers...... not sure if it is morbid curiosity, wanting to learn from their mistakes, or maybe some of each. One thing that I saw reported in a couple news outlets, was that Chris had been hiking with two other people that day. The other two decided to bail out and head back when the weather turned, as the conditions were too bad. Chris decided to keep going. If only he had turned back also.
Thank you for your video. I hiked the AT 2018 and PCT 2016/2020 with Chris. If anyone would like I have the movies we made together on my channel. RIP Rafiki
My friend I’m sorry for your loss. You’ve had some exceptional experiences in your own right…and must know Chris as well as anyone. Godspeed to you and thank you for reaching out. I feel blessed that you took the time to watch 🙏
Thank you so much for your kind words! I have a great amount of respect for Chris - it means a lot to hear that you think he would have appreciated this. Thanks for taking the time to watch and for sharing your thoughts
Thanks for the members only live video yesterday! Looking forward to more. To anyone not a member, highly recommend supporting the channel. How unfortunate for this guy and his son. I once veered off the AT in the Smoky Mountains after a surprise snowfall. Trails in the Appalachians are easy to lose. I was out 3 additional days because I couldn't find the trail. I kept either ending up in brush so thick there was no moving or endlessly climbing up only finding cliffs. Has it been the extreme weather this guy was in, I probably wouldn't have made it. Thanks for this story. I think most of us appreciate any hiking, climbing, or mountaineering stories. Plus it opens a whole new world of content.
Tim that is amazing...THREE extra days out on trail, that is honestly terrifying. You know how to survive, that is for sure, without losing your cool. I probably would have lost it a couple times and screamed FFFFF....... to the heavens, then composed myself. I'm glad you took the time to watch, and as always, appreciate that you are a member of the channel....it means a lot
Tim , I'm so glad I found this channel, too. Your story reminds me of a time I got in bad place in the Wind River mountains. It started to rain and snow. Couldn't see anything because of the heavy clouds. Every way we went was the wrong way. There are hardly any trails up there. I suggested we just stopped and set up the tent. My hiking friends were determined to keep trying. I insisted we set up the tent. It was the right choice. The next day we had sun and found our way back. It was a little scary being that turned around. I don't know about other states, but in Wyoming, it can snow any month of the year in the mountains. So we definitely have to be prepared for that situation. Didn't get to Gannett Peak, but we made it out of there.
Roma had dedicated his time and energy to the charitable cause, Mission Clean Water, was involved with the ADAPT program, and advocated encouraging youths to get out and enjoy the amazing surrounding environment.
I have so much respect for those who can be the thru hikers. I feel for his family and friends. I want to say more, but my words just free trite. So I have just sat here thinking about the wind on a sunny day at some of my favorite spots. Christopher's memory should remind everyone of the best times and inspire the pursuit of even more of them. I am sure he would not want those experiences to end for anyone. Rest well, fine friend.
I thought you did a really nice job covering this incident. One thing you touched on briefly was social media (and without anything specific to Christopher as I've not seen any of his social media - this is just a general statement) I personally feel like social media has caused a lot of issues in the world of outdoor recreation. It has made people think that feats of strength are easily attainable at any skill or fitness level and that just isn't realistic. Last year a couple of inexperienced hikers lost their lives in the Whites and many people are quick to write off, "well they were inexperienced", but this case proves that nature is just unforgivable. Nature doesn't care if it's your first hike or 500th. Nature doesn't care if you do Cross Fit everyday or are walking out there for the first time in 20 years 40 pounds overweight. Nature doesn't care that you need that picture for your followers. Now knowing that all of these crazy challenges are popping up, I don't know. People are losing respect for the wilderness. How can you even be enjoying what's out there if you're rushing through 30 miles in a day? RIP to Christopher and condolences to his family, especially his young son.
Thank you for the great comment. I was going to go a cut deeper into these challenges, the NE Ultra 8, the Terrifying 25....but the video started getting really long. Perhaps a series of shorts are in order for this topic, as the world of social media has transformed the landscape of everything, including the pure joy of merely growing up.... Thanks again, I'm glad you took the time to watch
This loss struck a chord with me as well. Chris seemed like such a good dude and the type of person we need in the world. I was just on crawfords notch a few weeks prior so hit close to home. Rest easy
By sheer chance I was staying at the hotel in New Hampshire where his friends and family had a celebration of life. It was a large crowd, he was obviously love by many people. I hope if you are a friend or family of his and happen to read this, that you find joy and solace in his memory.
Wow, very cool....it is incredible how sometimes we come into proximity with something and then the full story appears. Thanks for sharing your story and for the kind sentiments
The way you lay out the information on your videos is top tier. Ive been mildly obsessed with Everest since i was a child and found out us westerners named it after a welsh man. I'm not brave enough to summit myself but i find the juxtaposition between danger and beauty enthralling. Thank you for all the work you put into these videos, its greatly appreciated. Love from across the pond 🏴🇬🇧
His family is surely reeling. The memorial fund page is showing how many friends he had... Thanks for watching the video and as always THANK YOU for being a member of the channel
What that birdfeeder guy said really hit home. As a fellow winter hiker in the whites and Adirondacks this one was really scary. It wasn’t just some amateur who went out unprepared. This was a guy with the upmost knowledge and experience. If you could happen to him, it could happen to anyone of us. Make good decisions and always choose the side of caution. I make this mistake myself in the winter while I’m out in the mountains.
Many years ago I started a hike to Beveridge CA a remote townsite in the Inyo Mountain Being in June I dressed lightly and a phenome called the Sierra Effect taught me a lesson. Shivering with cold it was decided from that point forward day packs were abandoned. Bless the loss of Mr Roma it hits me in the heart, I feel sorry for the family's loss.
Wow, it's amazing to learn lessons like this.... What happened to you is truly why more than 160 people lost their lives on Mount Washington (this number is JUST for Mt Washington alone, not the mountains where Chris Roma lost his life)....many times people are totally unaware of how quickly conditions change with each 1000 feet of elevation gained..... Thanks for your support, it means very much to me!
Such a sad story. My condolences to those who knew him. So many of these tragedies involve day hikes gone wrong. Usually when backpackers and through hikers involve changing conditions they have the gear to find somewhere with a little natural protection from the elements and hunker down until the worst weather has passed. It seems to me that the lesson of this video is that on long day hikes, or day hikes in or near winter, you should always pack enough gear to survive an overnight.
I love this channel...Ive never been hiking and would never ever think that I would be interested in this until I came across your channel. Your storyrelling skills along with the major details you give us is such a amaziing experience. Thanks for the Lion King reference and your ode to Chris. 🙏🏽🙏🏽 For his family.
Great video TP! Thoughts going out to this man and his family. Cold temps coupled with an injury slowing one down can spiral out of control so fast. God speed 🙏🏼
I have gotten wet in winter and wow can your body temperature drop. Was lucky I could quickly set up camp and get warm. Maybe we all should step away from the lightest pack and maybe look at how to pack necessary gear for conditions.
Wow, you've done a good amount of extra research (interviews with your wife and the officer who wrote the report on Chris' death, plus that lovely TH-cam commenter that responded with the weather conditions at the time), I expected it to just be reading news articles on hiking accidents, which is usually the case on TH-cam, esp given it's only been 2 weeks since his death. Good job! Had no idea that NH was so perilous, my goodness, wind speeds of up to 250miles/hr!? As an Aussie, I just picture it as this lovely wooded area, with lots of artists and liberals just hanging out, drinking coffee around a fire, getting confused between time-zones (this images is probably influenced by The West Wing, as they go there, obvs for the primary). Poor lad, seems he might of just under-packed for the trip, not been aware the weather was going to change for the worse. May he RIP.
Believe the hype; I can’t think of anywhere else you can subject yourself to 8000m conditions with just a few hours of hiking. Last year wind chills on Washington went below -100 F, not a typo. And they stayed below -100 for about 12 hours.
Thom thank you for your thoughtful honest and non-judgmental sharing. Such a powerful reminder that one can never be too careful. Hiking The Flume a few days later with a friend he commented that that storm had come up so fast! On another topic have you been to the map store on the Main Street in Lincoln? Wonderful experienced hiket owner there with a fabulous collection of outdoor resources.
So glad you enjoyed it.... In all transparency, if he had survived this I would have probably been more scathing in some of the analysis, but laying into a good soul for very human errors is a waste of air space. His family must still be reeling from this unthinkable loss. I pray that in this video there are some thoughts that people will carry with them on their next hike or climb. Thank you as always for being a member of this channel, it means very much to me. PS, I don't believe I've been to that store in Lincoln. I'll check it out, absolutely. Bye the bye, the store my wife met Chris in was Lahout's in Lincoln...they talked for 45 minutes. RIP Chris Roma
Your approach reminds us that you're a good soul Thom. I imagine you and the map store owner could swap some good yarns. It's the Mountain Wanderer Book and Maps S tore at 57 Main #1. I know Lahouts. I left from there to Logan Friday afternoon to return to the Rockies. Thank you again
You know, I can't help but wonder how much familiarity is a factor in situations like this. Don't we all take things a little bit for granted when we have experience and confidence in a situation? 🤔
Absolutely and interesting that you should say....I'm working on a video now about this exact idea...about a mountaineer very familiar to those who follow anything about anything regarding Mount Everest. Stay tuned, should be out within 24 hours. Thank you for watching this video!
"How bad can the weather be, it's NH and the mountain just a little over 5000 feet, I'll pack light and just run up and run back down". God Bless the NH search and rescue teams.
Well, I hope your glasses confirmed that it's indeed me and not Dr. Grande! But hey, if I can even come close to his level of expertise and knowledge, I must be doing something right... He's an inspiration, balanced and on point.
Wow. I equate stuff like this to driving drunk. You somehow think you can do the impossible, you selfishly risk the lives and feelings of all the potential rescuers and your friends and family, all because you refuse to hike smart. Selfish is all I can think of
Many people become defensive about legitimate objective analysis of Mr. Roma's last hike. Pity, when there's so much potentially valuable information to learn. The weather that day was well predicted. Warnings were out everywhere. There was no weather surprise. It appears Mr. Roma alone was inexplicably unaware of the forecast. He was a legendary and much loved hiker (I get it, huge loss), but he still apparently made several significant mistakes, and finally paid a huge price. Notably, his route took him past at least a half-dozen bail-out options that would have taken him down into sheltering trees and out of the brutal weather after the weather conditions deteriorated around 10:00 am on his fateful day. One thing is certain: when Mr. Roma descended off South Twin summit onto the Twinway trail, he effectively shut the door to his last reasonable escape route out of the Pemi wilderness and into more survivable conditions. Sometime this late spring, I hope a hiker discovers a pack of some kind belonging to Mr. Roma so we can have a better idea to what degree Mr. Roma was prepared - or not - for a highly ambitious winter hike. Godspeed, Christopher Roma.
I’m an aspiring tru hiker AT 2024. Christopher’s death hit home with me. His story will teach us all to be safer while doing what we Love . He was an inspiration.🙏😢
Wishing you the best of successes in 2024! The trail passes within 10 miles of my home…we give thru hikers lifts often when we see them hitchhiking into town.
@@EverestMysteryThank you for your kind words and helping hikers out with your trail magic!!! It takes a village. So glad I found your channel. You are really thoughtful in your delivery of hard information 🙏
Although I do appreciate the delicate way you approach your videos, I do think it would be beneficial to other hikers, to give a detailed analysis of such a hike. Just to take some of the gray out of what can be closer to black and white expectations when you decide to hike 30+ miles alone. So many of these "caught in sudden weather tragedies" could be and I do mean, could be mitigated to a degree if there was a list of things to take with you that are a must. ESPECIALLY A DETAILED WEATHER EXPECTATION for your Given hike. Especially given that it is winter time. IMHO. It's called the Swiss cheese effect which leads to tragedies like this and others.
Per Matt, 2/6/2024: I was thinking of doing a hike the same day as Chris in the Whites. Decided against it (mostly driving in the snow). While you make some interesting points, here is what I can almost guarantee are the heart of the issues Chris faced. 1. While hiking that day wasn’t ideal due to the snow storm, the storm wasn’t really the issue. I was looking at the MWOBS forecast all day, hour by hour. It was in the 20’s, light wind for Mt Wash (
I was in the whites a few weeks after this for a winter high peak summit. The day I originally planned for my hike the weather was extremely cold with extremely high winds. Thinking of what happened to Chris I postponed my summit attempt to the next day and had beautiful weather and a successful summit.use good judgment and watch the weather
You can find exclusive content in the member section by clicking Join, or can also find it free (if you're unable to contribute) on our Patreon page, linked in the description
Sometimes think pride gets in the way. Everyone wants to summit but not always feasible. Not bad thing to turn around when conditions aren’t favorable try again another time. Risk vs reward
Never ever do I go for a winter hike in the high peaks without handwarmers in my pack a stove and something to help. Keep me warm. Should anything go wrong. Going without these things is just irresponsible and a very bad decision. Also highly recommend having a Garmin device or something similar. Should you have an emergency. Like you said this was an accumulation of poor decisions that led to this tragedy.
He went without a backpack? Is that true? I find that preposterous and unbelievable. If that indeed did happen, I can’t imagine a worse decision than not having a change of clothes the stove and some something to keep you warm anything go wrong. Just wow.
Sensitive and excellent video content, analysis, and conclusions. Thank you. Hikers wishing to gain an overall different but effective perspective on staying safe would benefit from reading the book "Deep Survival", Laurence Gonzales. It's well illustrated with real-world examples of disaster, but analyzes who lives, who dies, and why. Fascinating reading that's equally applicable in your day-to-day life. Recommended.
Thank you for watching this video and for your really nice comment, but especially the referral of that book by Laurence Gonzales. I ashamedly have not heard of that book, and my wife is literally reading aloud to me a comment from a popular hiking blog about that very book (perhaps it was you who wrote that comment she is now reading?)...that book sounds like a Must Read. Thank you....truly appreciate that you visited the channel and shared your insights.
@@EverestMystery Thank you for the warm reply. I did leave comments on the Andrew Skurka note: "Learning To Turn Back." That's an invaluable piece of information that too many dead hikers could have benefited from knowing before their bad day. This is exactly the mindset Laurence Gonzales addresses: goal fixation, get-home-itis, the weekend warrior mentality, knowing when you're unprepared, etc., when he goes deep into "re-writing the mental map". IMHO, this very concept (re-writing the mental map) is an invaluable tool in every facet of life, including surviving dangerous circumstances. Thank you again for your research and thoughtful analysis. Appreciated.
To defray rescue costs, Garmin may still offer SAR insurance, and inexpensive 'Hike Safe' cards, where available, generally protect hikers and outdoor recreationalists from paying for a rescue, even if they acted negligently.
I hiked the pemi loop in july in three days. it was exhausting. there were people trying to complete it in a day. to try to complete it in a day in january is insane. Mt Guyot is probably the most remote spot on the hike. 7 miles from a parking lot. This guy was completely irresponsible and put 45 people at risk trying to rescue him plus the national guard. Another selfish narcissist who only cares about achieving his hiking goals regardless of what he leaves behind (a two yr old child) and who he puts at risk (SAR).
For those who don’t know: the footage around 19:00 is from a period of one hundred degrees (F) below zero windchills; they look like they’re in spacesuits bc any sliver of exposed flesh will freeze in about a minute. Speaking of, that’s roughly how windchills are calibrated: time it will take exposed flesh to freeze. Worth noting that a substance that freezes below the ambient temperature will not freeze regardless of the windchill, but things that will freeze, freeze faster. For bonus points, the formula is: Wind chill = 35.74 + 0.6215T - 35.75(V^0.16) + 0.4275T(V^0.16), where V is wind in mph and T is ambient temperature in Fahrenheit 😊
This is probably not gonna win me any friends but I think we can be respectful of a tragedy while also providing a realistic assessment, even if it’s not very flattering. No one wants to victim-blame so I understand the tendency to “whitewash” a bit, but I think about what the reaction/takeaway would have been if he had been rescued alive; in reality the outcome is irrelevant to an analysis of an accident and rescue attempt. And in case you don’t already hate me by now: incidents like this and Kate Matrosova bother me more than total neophytes who have no idea what they’re doing and hence no conception/consciousness of the danger they would put rescuers in. Do people really think this was a reasonable plan? I’m not talking about “theoretically, if the weather is good, and the trail is packed, yeah you could do the pemi loop in a day in winter”, I mean in full winter conditions. Breaking trail, I honestly don’t think Ueli Steck could have done that! And not to like diss people or make myself sound important, but sometimes I see people comment on these ambitious plans and I wonder how qualified they are to make such assessments; I’m no badass but I spent most of my climbing career with people who are. Eg in rock climbing, if you only climb 5.9 and look at an unclimbed project, you probably can’t tell the difference between 5.14 and impossible. 24 miles in a day in winter, 12 up and back, even breaking trail up, is a totally different animal than 30 miles breaking trail. Extreme cold can be similar: it can get abstract if the coldest you’ve felt is 10 or 15 below, but there’s good reason the mt Washington observatory transitions from a “wind chill advisory” to a “wind chill warning” at around 60 below; 40 below is “brisk” but totally manageable, 70 below is serious cold for anywhere on earth. I think the frequency with which we see these apocalyptic temperatures creates a powerful heuristic trap: there are examples of people going into these conditions supposedly “to train” for bigger mountains, but they don’t realize that these would often be “no-go” conditions even on an 8000m peak! Are there any more details on gear? I had heard no snowshoes or skis and possibly not even insulated boots, just trail running shoes? Disclaimer: I did S&R for a few years so I’m not playing armchair quarterback or just being contrary for the sake of being contrary. It’s easy to analyze cases of people hiking in jeans and street shoes, cases of prepared hikers who slip and bust an ankle, and cases of fatal mistakes that could have been avoided, like failing to do stability tests in avalanche terrain; this is one of the murkier ones, like Kate Matrosova IMO. We can look at it as a series of small mistakes, but part of me feels like the conversation should stop at “solo winter pemi loop with no overnight gear”.
The fellow is dead and there really isn’t much more to say about it? He paid the price for making many completely irrational irresponsible decisions on every imaginable level leaving his family to fend for themselves now? It wasn’t just bad luck, this fellow had been making poor decisions a very long time when his luck finally ran out!
The one thing that could have saved him was a climbing partner. Just like Ueli Steck - sometimes even the greatest amongst us needs another person to say, "watch out", or "no, that's too much risk", or "turn around". That's why Messner was terrified of climbing alone (though he did do it - it was an overly macho way of stretching his limits and facing his fears). As Reinhold said, " when you're afraid or in danger, two people cuts it in half, when you reach the peak, the joy is two-fold". What's so sad, is that a climbing partner could have saved this young father, they could have SHARED a tent, SHARED a sleeping bag, SHARED a stove, SHARED the load and shared the victory of coming home.
He did have two hiking partners that day. They both decided to turn around when they felt it was not a good day for hiking (per interview with his mother - Associated Press)
Mount Washington, highest windspeed ever recorded by man, 231 miles per hour. Last winter the wind chill reached minus 108 F, or minus 77 C. Chris was only a few miles from there in some of the worst conditions we'd seen all winter.
There is nothing original on TH-cam…. Of course the words of Grande are spot on when it comes to not intimating an indictment of the subject. Different story if he’d survived.
Why do people have to be so extreme? Maybe there needs to be more emphasis on if you can't enjoy a nice long pleasant walk in a safe natural environment, there might actually be something lacking in the person? Rather than admiration for risk coupled with more condemnation for not being able to be satisfied without risk? It's all so self indulgent and fake. Our early ancestors faced daily challenges beyond our comprehension because they had no choice, not because they were "thrill seeking".
Hey! I can’t think of someone better to ask this question.. you’re one of a handful of living people who may be able to answer it.. it’s kinda long but.. When someone gets hypothermia, towards the end they feel hot and undress. Have you ever been in that situation or seen it? And does knowing that you’re actually freezing pop into your head? Or at that point are you to far gone for logic? Scott Fischer is the one who always haunts my thoughts on that end. He was gifted in alpine climbing.. he’s the guy you admired from afar like this dude is super human. Yet.. at his end he took his absolute zero suit off (the top atleast) and that just bugs me. Not because his choice.. but because he was put into that bad situation.
What gets me... GIVEN THE KNOWN FREEZING / LETHAL EMERGENCY, not a "hey a hiker has a really bad sprained foot, needs help getting back.", WHY WASN'T A HELICOPTER "IMMEDIATELY" SENT OUT??? Not this "our emergency help hikers are having a tough time, SO NOW WE'LL SEND A HELICOPTER TO SPEED UP GETTING HELP to this "FREEZING DEATH HIKER" NEEDS." I mean talk about Severely Dropping the Ball.. shame on the emergency official who oversaw this EMERGENCY.. The Hiker might have had a chance.. My God.. talk about negligence
@@Lee-mx5li thank you, I'm happy you watched....I'm not seeing how one could see that they dropped the ball...the NH Army National Guard did three flights and had to refuel because they were in the air so long in trying to reach the hiker. All caps kind of feels like yelling and since I'm responding to an anonymous individual with a user name giving no indication of his/her real identity, it is a losing game....
@@Lee-mx5li this is probably really all on me....I should have added a few sentences about when they called for the heli...it might have left too much to ponder. That said, I think when people go out, if they are counting on a rescue or a heli rescue, it puts many lives in danger and costs a ton of money....it would be interesting to see what the costs alone were for these three heli flights plus the body recovery the following day. Cheers and thanks for watching
More people die traveling in cars than hiking outdoors. Please focus on not tailgating, staying off your phone, keeping your eyes on the road, not butting in, signaling properly, appreciating and accomodating truckers who bring you all your $h!t, turning off your brights, graciously sharing the road, yielding and stopping propertly, etc.
It's always sad when someone passes away...but to me, to die in nature, surrounded by beauty and all things natural beats being surrounded by machines in an antiseptic environment. Maybe that's just me, but yeah, if I had my choice...😏🌺🦌🦬🐐🐿🌲🌱🌿
I was in the whites a few weeks after this for a winter high peak summit. The day I originally planned for my hike the weather was extremely cold with extremely high winds. Thinking of what happened to Chris I postponed my summit attempt to the next day and had beautiful weather and a successful summit.use good judgment and watch the weather
He went without a backpack? Is that true? I find that preposterous and unbelievable. If that indeed did happen, I can’t imagine a worse decision than not having a change of clothes the stove and some something to keep you warm anything go wrong. Just wow.
For more insightful and thought provoking stories from the mountains of the world be sure to Subscribe/Like and Share:
www.youtube.com/@everestmystery?sub_confirmation=1
Done and done! ✔
'Most rescues find people fully prepared; they just had a really bad day.' -NH SAR Volunteer
Stay humble. Be kind.
My Dad and I got caught in a sudden ground blizzard while hunting. We only planned on being away from the vehicle for a few hours and, therefore, only took our smaller packs. We ended up having to stay out overnight in extreme conditions. I am happy that even though we only had our small packs, we had enough to survive and having two of us was greatly helpful.
I'm mostly commenting to help your video get more views, not to say we did anything better than Christopher.
Thanks so much for watching and sharing your own experiences. I really appreciate it, and glad that you took the time to help out.
As a former Girl Scout I've lived by their motto "Be Prepared" my whole life. I'm 73 now. Whether it's a few hour day trip or several days I am always prepared for all eventualities. It's a good way to live because then I don't have to stress about things. Too bad things turned out so terrible for this man.
His son and family were left with no choice.
Yes - The Boy Scouts taught me a lot. Be Prepared was the motto and the lessons we learnt in the wilds on how to survive have helped drum that motto in my being. My family calls me Safety Man -- but I know I am doing the correct thing. You don't alwasy need the extra equipment you bring on a day hike, but there are those times of unpredictable weather and events that makes one spend an unplanned night in the outdoors.
@@Error_404_Account_Deletedbeing snide?
@d.m.2475
Thppppt!
Hiking in winter without a tent, sleeping bag, and a reliable stove (like an MSR XGK) is inviting disaster.
One of the things I appreciate most about you is that you avoid criticizing hikers who find themselves in precarious or lethal circumstances. Most people don’t seem to understand that adventurers just think differently; we strive to be prepared and knowledgeable, but we also accept that there are risks and unknowns involved. Accepting the risk of serious injury or death is unfathomable to most people, and I get that. It is somewhat averse to our survival instincts. However, now that I am disabled and can only explore and push my limits vicariously, I feel half dead and often depressed. My body exists in the expression that ships are safest when moored at harbor, but that’s not what ships are built for. Thank you for your non-judgmental approach to discussing those of us who are just cut from a different cloth. These kinds of discussions should always be about learning from each other and not about blame, IMHO.
15:01 this reminds me of a quote.
"No trumpets sound when the important decisions of our life are made. Destiny is made known silently."~ Agnes de Mille
Sometimes you've got to be able to 'turn around' before you even get started.
In Sum: Overconfidence played a key factor. Lighter is not always better. Respect the mountain, respect nature, respect the weather and conditions, respect the value you are to your family. Nature is bigger than you are. Saving a little weight is not worth your life. Conditions change quickly in the mountains.
RIP
The mountains don't care what records you're trying to set. They give no dispensations. Chris Roma knew all the precautions to take for winter hiking in the Mt Washington area. He just didn't take them. He gambled with his life and lost. The best part of this video in my opinion was the story of SectorSOS who was hiking nearby with his wife at the same time as Chris. Unlike Chris he and his wife were well-prepared for exactly the conditions they encountered- high winds, severe cold, and blowing snow with limited visibility and they came through these conditions without suffering any injuries or adverse effects. It was the perfect example of being properly prepared. The lesson we should all learn from this is if you would like to keep living follow SectorSOS's example, not Chris's.
As a member of the White Mountains hiking community I can say this tragedy shook a lot of us. The weather in the Whites can be tough even on relatively calm days. I've crossed the summit of Guyot in clear conditions but with high winds and ambient temps in the teens below. I was suddenly chilled to the core and headed for an overnight at the Guyot shelter with a friend. Just locating the shelter in unbroken snow took us over half an hour and we were both shivering as we climbed into our sleeping bags. Had we been delayed much longer we could have been dealing with hypothermia. It's a reminder that even being prepared you need to make sound decisions or things could go wrong very quickly. This was an insightful overview of the events and I commend you for not speculating too much and just presenting the facts at hand. I think many of us are eager to know exactly what happened but I fear we may never get that answer. My heart goes out to his family and friends during such a tough loss.
It's great having you here....I appreciate your comment. Similar to your story of finding your way to the Guyot shelter...my better half and I hiked Mt. Pierce on Saturday. We were considering heading to Eisenhower, but on the top of Pierce the wind was whipping, it was extremely cold, and the visibility was low. We remarked how easy it would be for one mistake to lead to tragedy. Thanks for watching and for your comments, they mean very much to me. I'm planning another story local to us....sometime this spring. Cheers, and thanks for coming to the channel!
@EverestMystery happy to have found the channel! I recently bailed on a Jefferson attempt after getting wet during some heavy drizzle and light rain. Winds didn't let up as forecast and I started getting cold. With the recent tragedy on my mind the option to bail was easy. Also meant to ask, was some of that footage from the Kate Matrosova recovery?
Mother Nature always has the last word. It’s unfortunate he didn’t take the reputation of the mountain into consideration what he prepared for his hike. Wonderful analysis of this tragedy, sending prayers for his little son.
Hiking with too much confidence can be extremely dangerous or deadly.
The little son on his father's shoulders breaks my heart. This tragic story is too much but needs to be told.
Great coverage of this tragedy. This hits close to home as an avid White Mountain hiker (and Hike Safe card holder). I can never seem to get enough info on lost hikers...... not sure if it is morbid curiosity, wanting to learn from their mistakes, or maybe some of each. One thing that I saw reported in a couple news outlets, was that Chris had been hiking with two other people that day. The other two decided to bail out and head back when the weather turned, as the conditions were too bad. Chris decided to keep going. If only he had turned back also.
That sounds so strange that he had time to turn around and didn't even when he was not prepared for that type of weather change.
Thank you for your video. I hiked the AT 2018 and PCT 2016/2020 with Chris. If anyone would like I have the movies we made together on my channel. RIP Rafiki
My friend I’m sorry for your loss. You’ve had some exceptional experiences in your own right…and must know Chris as well as anyone. Godspeed to you and thank you for reaching out. I feel blessed that you took the time to watch 🙏
I have so much respect for this man. I think Chris would have appreciated this message.
Thank you so much for your kind words! I have a great amount of respect for Chris - it means a lot to hear that you think he would have appreciated this. Thanks for taking the time to watch and for sharing your thoughts
Thanks for the members only live video yesterday! Looking forward to more. To anyone not a member, highly recommend supporting the channel.
How unfortunate for this guy and his son. I once veered off the AT in the Smoky Mountains after a surprise snowfall. Trails in the Appalachians are easy to lose. I was out 3 additional days because I couldn't find the trail. I kept either ending up in brush so thick there was no moving or endlessly climbing up only finding cliffs. Has it been the extreme weather this guy was in, I probably wouldn't have made it. Thanks for this story. I think most of us appreciate any hiking, climbing, or mountaineering stories. Plus it opens a whole new world of content.
Tim that is amazing...THREE extra days out on trail, that is honestly terrifying. You know how to survive, that is for sure, without losing your cool. I probably would have lost it a couple times and screamed FFFFF....... to the heavens, then composed myself. I'm glad you took the time to watch, and as always, appreciate that you are a member of the channel....it means a lot
Tim , I'm so glad I found this channel, too. Your story reminds me of a time I got in bad place in the Wind River mountains. It started to rain and snow. Couldn't see anything because of the heavy clouds. Every way we went was the wrong way. There are hardly any trails up there. I suggested we just stopped and set up the tent. My hiking friends were determined to keep trying. I insisted we set up the tent. It was the right choice. The next day we had sun and found our way back. It was a little scary being that turned around. I don't know about other states, but in Wyoming, it can snow any month of the year in the mountains. So we definitely have to be prepared for that situation. Didn't get to Gannett Peak, but we made it out of there.
Roma had dedicated his time and energy to the charitable cause, Mission Clean Water, was involved with the ADAPT program, and advocated encouraging youths to get out and enjoy the amazing surrounding environment.
I have so much respect for those who can be the thru hikers. I feel for his family and friends.
I want to say more, but my words just free trite. So I have just sat here thinking about the wind on a sunny day at some of my favorite spots. Christopher's memory should remind everyone of the best times and inspire the pursuit of even more of them. I am sure he would not want those experiences to end for anyone.
Rest well, fine friend.
Thanks so much for watching and for these thoughts....
I thought you did a really nice job covering this incident. One thing you touched on briefly was social media (and without anything specific to Christopher as I've not seen any of his social media - this is just a general statement) I personally feel like social media has caused a lot of issues in the world of outdoor recreation. It has made people think that feats of strength are easily attainable at any skill or fitness level and that just isn't realistic. Last year a couple of inexperienced hikers lost their lives in the Whites and many people are quick to write off, "well they were inexperienced", but this case proves that nature is just unforgivable. Nature doesn't care if it's your first hike or 500th. Nature doesn't care if you do Cross Fit everyday or are walking out there for the first time in 20 years 40 pounds overweight. Nature doesn't care that you need that picture for your followers.
Now knowing that all of these crazy challenges are popping up, I don't know. People are losing respect for the wilderness. How can you even be enjoying what's out there if you're rushing through 30 miles in a day?
RIP to Christopher and condolences to his family, especially his young son.
Anyone could become a victim no matter how experienced you are if you don't respect the nature.
Thank you for the great comment. I was going to go a cut deeper into these challenges, the NE Ultra 8, the Terrifying 25....but the video started getting really long. Perhaps a series of shorts are in order for this topic, as the world of social media has transformed the landscape of everything, including the pure joy of merely growing up.... Thanks again, I'm glad you took the time to watch
❤Thank you❤
🙏🕊️ to his family and friends.
Thank you for the time it takes to put these stories, together.
I appreciate your kind words, it means a lot to me!
This loss struck a chord with me as well. Chris seemed like such a good dude and the type of person we need in the world. I was just on crawfords notch a few weeks prior so hit close to home. Rest easy
By sheer chance I was staying at the hotel in New Hampshire where his friends and family had a celebration of life.
It was a large crowd, he was obviously love by many people.
I hope if you are a friend or family of his and happen to read this, that you find joy and solace in his memory.
Wow, very cool....it is incredible how sometimes we come into proximity with something and then the full story appears. Thanks for sharing your story and for the kind sentiments
The way you lay out the information on your videos is top tier.
Ive been mildly obsessed with Everest since i was a child and found out us westerners named it after a welsh man.
I'm not brave enough to summit myself but i find the juxtaposition between danger and beauty enthralling.
Thank you for all the work you put into these videos, its greatly appreciated.
Love from across the pond 🏴🇬🇧
All my thoughts & prayers are with Chris at this sad time. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
His family is surely reeling. The memorial fund page is showing how many friends he had... Thanks for watching the video and as always THANK YOU for being a member of the channel
What that birdfeeder guy said really hit home. As a fellow winter hiker in the whites and Adirondacks this one was really scary. It wasn’t just some amateur who went out unprepared. This was a guy with the upmost knowledge and experience. If you could happen to him, it could happen to anyone of us. Make good decisions and always choose the side of caution. I make this mistake myself in the winter while I’m out in the mountains.
Tragic. Thanks for the video 😊
Thanks so much for watching and especially THANK YOU for supporting the channel, it really means very much to me
Many years ago I started a hike to Beveridge CA a remote townsite in the Inyo Mountain Being in June I dressed lightly and a phenome called the Sierra Effect taught me a lesson. Shivering with cold it was decided from that point forward day packs were abandoned. Bless the loss of Mr Roma it hits me in the heart, I feel sorry for the family's loss.
Wow, it's amazing to learn lessons like this.... What happened to you is truly why more than 160 people lost their lives on Mount Washington (this number is JUST for Mt Washington alone, not the mountains where Chris Roma lost his life)....many times people are totally unaware of how quickly conditions change with each 1000 feet of elevation gained..... Thanks for your support, it means very much to me!
Such a sad story. My condolences to those who knew him. So many of these tragedies involve day hikes gone wrong. Usually when backpackers and through hikers involve changing conditions they have the gear to find somewhere with a little natural protection from the elements and hunker down until the worst weather has passed. It seems to me that the lesson of this video is that on long day hikes, or day hikes in or near winter, you should always pack enough gear to survive an overnight.
I’ve not heard of this geography before this research. I’m going to look into it. Thank you for posting.
This is awful, so tragic. Prayers to his family. ❤
I hope you cover more of these lower altitude stories that are more relatable to the average person.
Excellent I will! I appreciate your weighing in, as this gives me the info I need to know people will want to watch. Thank you for watching this video
I love this channel...Ive never been hiking and would never ever think that I would be interested in this until I came across your channel. Your storyrelling skills along with the major details you give us is such a amaziing experience. Thanks for the Lion King reference and your ode to Chris. 🙏🏽🙏🏽 For his family.
Excellent content as usual ❤️
Thanks so much for watching, I'm glad you enjoyed it!
@@EverestMystery sorry wrong emoji,I’ve rectified it
Great video TP! Thoughts going out to this man and his family. Cold temps coupled with an injury slowing one down can spiral out of control so fast. God speed 🙏🏼
I truly appreciate that you took the time to watch and share your compliments. Thank you!
Thank you for the excellent De-briefing. Very rational and professional.
I have gotten wet in winter and wow can your body temperature drop. Was lucky I could quickly set up camp and get warm. Maybe we all should step away from the lightest pack and maybe look at how to pack necessary gear for conditions.
Wow, you've done a good amount of extra research (interviews with your wife and the officer who wrote the report on Chris' death, plus that lovely TH-cam commenter that responded with the weather conditions at the time), I expected it to just be reading news articles on hiking accidents, which is usually the case on TH-cam, esp given it's only been 2 weeks since his death. Good job! Had no idea that NH was so perilous, my goodness, wind speeds of up to 250miles/hr!? As an Aussie, I just picture it as this lovely wooded area, with lots of artists and liberals just hanging out, drinking coffee around a fire, getting confused between time-zones (this images is probably influenced by The West Wing, as they go there, obvs for the primary). Poor lad, seems he might of just under-packed for the trip, not been aware the weather was going to change for the worse. May he RIP.
Believe the hype; I can’t think of anywhere else you can subject yourself to 8000m conditions with just a few hours of hiking. Last year wind chills on Washington went below -100 F, not a typo. And they stayed below -100 for about 12 hours.
Super sad:(. Thanks for sharing and for educating us state side. RIP Dear Chris, sorry your life was taken so soon.
I think you and your channel are blessings ❤❤ Thank you. I can listen to AI anywhere but I'd much rather watch you!! 😊😊
My condolences to the family for the loss. May his soul rest in peace. This is heartbreaking to hear.
Thank you for this video and the information you provided
I'm glad it was helpful! Thank you for watching
Ever Fluid, in constant motion. I really enjoyed this format.; STAY AWESOME E.M. !!!
Sounding like Dr Grande... I am not objecting... only speculating...
THANK YOU, Dr. Todd Grande is the man....he is balanced and rational....I enjoy his work and could only dream of so many subscribers on a channel!
I immediately thought of Dr. Grande too!
Tragic .... and now the young child has no father....he didn't have to hike esp in January in NH. -- Excellent presentation!
Ultra-light hiking is fantastic when it works but when it doesn't it can end in disaster.
Very glad I found your channel .
I was watching the Ghosts Above and was so excited to see you, Thom!!
Some beautiful images in that film! Glad you enjoyed it :)
Sad story, well told.
Thank you for watching!
Peace to Christopher Roma
Thom thank you for your thoughtful honest and non-judgmental sharing. Such a powerful reminder that one can never be too careful. Hiking The Flume a few days later with a friend he commented that that storm had come up so fast!
On another topic have you been to the map store on the Main Street in Lincoln? Wonderful experienced hiket owner there with a fabulous collection of outdoor resources.
So glad you enjoyed it.... In all transparency, if he had survived this I would have probably been more scathing in some of the analysis, but laying into a good soul for very human errors is a waste of air space. His family must still be reeling from this unthinkable loss. I pray that in this video there are some thoughts that people will carry with them on their next hike or climb. Thank you as always for being a member of this channel, it means very much to me.
PS, I don't believe I've been to that store in Lincoln. I'll check it out, absolutely. Bye the bye, the store my wife met Chris in was Lahout's in Lincoln...they talked for 45 minutes. RIP Chris Roma
Your approach reminds us that you're a good soul Thom. I imagine you and the map store owner could swap some good yarns. It's the Mountain Wanderer Book and Maps S tore at 57 Main #1. I know Lahouts. I left from there to Logan Friday afternoon to return to the Rockies. Thank you again
You know, I can't help but wonder how much familiarity is a factor in situations like this. Don't we all take things a little bit for granted when we have experience and confidence in a situation? 🤔
Absolutely and interesting that you should say....I'm working on a video now about this exact idea...about a mountaineer very familiar to those who follow anything about anything regarding Mount Everest. Stay tuned, should be out within 24 hours. Thank you for watching this video!
"How bad can the weather be, it's NH and the mountain just a little over 5000 feet, I'll pack light and just run up and run back down". God Bless the NH search and rescue teams.
Absolutely, I still think of this story literally every time I set foot in the White Mountains (which is often). Thanks so much for watching!
Had to put on my glasses to see if I wasnt watching Dr Grande😊
Well, I hope your glasses confirmed that it's indeed me and not Dr. Grande! But hey, if I can even come close to his level of expertise and knowledge, I must be doing something right... He's an inspiration, balanced and on point.
💯 %
Sad day for all who know him .
❤
Absolutely, they will be reeling for quite some time... Thank you for watching!
Actually going to summit that mountain on Thursday. I’ll be fully prepared. RIP Chris.
Wow. I equate stuff like this to driving drunk. You somehow think you can do the impossible, you selfishly risk the lives and feelings of all the potential rescuers and your friends and family, all because you refuse to hike smart. Selfish is all I can think of
People take such stupid risks every day just by driving badly. I vote for fixing that problem.
Many people become defensive about legitimate objective analysis of Mr. Roma's last hike. Pity, when there's so much potentially valuable information to learn. The weather that day was well predicted. Warnings were out everywhere. There was no weather surprise. It appears Mr. Roma alone was inexplicably unaware of the forecast.
He was a legendary and much loved hiker (I get it, huge loss), but he still apparently made several significant mistakes, and finally paid a huge price. Notably, his route took him past at least a half-dozen bail-out options that would have taken him down into sheltering trees and out of the brutal weather after the weather conditions deteriorated around 10:00 am on his fateful day. One thing is certain: when Mr. Roma descended off South Twin summit onto the Twinway trail, he effectively shut the door to his last reasonable escape route out of the Pemi wilderness and into more survivable conditions.
Sometime this late spring, I hope a hiker discovers a pack of some kind belonging to Mr. Roma so we can have a better idea to what degree Mr. Roma was prepared - or not - for a highly ambitious winter hike.
Godspeed, Christopher Roma.
The Dr. Grande intro though!
I’m an aspiring tru hiker AT 2024. Christopher’s death hit home with me. His story will teach us all to be safer while doing what we Love . He was an inspiration.🙏😢
Wishing you the best of successes in 2024! The trail passes within 10 miles of my home…we give thru hikers lifts often when we see them hitchhiking into town.
@@EverestMysteryThank you for your kind words and helping hikers out with your trail magic!!! It takes a village. So glad I found your channel. You are really thoughtful in your delivery of hard information 🙏
Although I do appreciate the delicate way you approach your videos, I do think it would be beneficial to other hikers, to give a detailed analysis of such a hike. Just to take some of the gray out of what can be closer to black and white expectations when you decide to hike 30+ miles alone. So many of these "caught in sudden weather tragedies" could be and I do mean, could be mitigated to a degree if there was a list of things to take with you that are a must. ESPECIALLY A DETAILED WEATHER EXPECTATION for your Given hike. Especially given that it is winter time. IMHO.
It's called the Swiss cheese effect which leads to tragedies like this and others.
Per Matt, 2/6/2024:
I was thinking of doing a hike the same day as Chris in the Whites. Decided against it (mostly driving in the snow). While you make some interesting points, here is what I can almost guarantee are the heart of the issues Chris faced.
1. While hiking that day wasn’t ideal due to the snow storm, the storm wasn’t really the issue. I was looking at the MWOBS forecast all day, hour by hour. It was in the 20’s, light wind for Mt Wash (
I was in the whites a few weeks after this for a winter high peak summit. The day I originally planned for my hike the weather was extremely cold with extremely high winds. Thinking of what happened to Chris I postponed my summit attempt to the next day and had beautiful weather and a successful summit.use good judgment and watch the weather
So intelligent compared to other hiking TH-cam know-it-alls who scream at you......
I truly appreciate this, thank you. (I'll get to your other great comment!). Thanks for watching
Shasta has the highest wind speed unofficially due to it, not having an actual barometer at the top. As well as the most snowfall.
I feel bad for christopher’s father.
I would like to see some of the exclusive content posted later
You can find exclusive content in the member section by clicking Join, or can also find it free (if you're unable to contribute) on our Patreon page, linked in the description
Nature will humble you. Quick.
Absolutely....thanks so much for watching
He knew he was gambling.
Yeah, good call....
Tomorrow is not promised to anyone.
Sometimes think pride gets in the way. Everyone wants to summit but not always feasible. Not bad thing to turn around when conditions aren’t favorable try again another time. Risk vs reward
Never ever do I go for a winter hike in the high peaks without handwarmers in my pack a stove and something to help. Keep me warm. Should anything go wrong. Going without these things is just irresponsible and a very bad decision. Also highly recommend having a Garmin device or something similar. Should you have an emergency. Like you said this was an accumulation of poor decisions that led to this tragedy.
He went without a backpack? Is that true? I find that preposterous and unbelievable. If that indeed did happen, I can’t imagine a worse decision than not having a change of clothes the stove and some something to keep you warm anything go wrong. Just wow.
Sensitive and excellent video content, analysis, and conclusions. Thank you.
Hikers wishing to gain an overall different but effective perspective on staying safe would benefit from reading the book "Deep Survival", Laurence Gonzales. It's well illustrated with real-world examples of disaster, but analyzes who lives, who dies, and why. Fascinating reading that's equally applicable in your day-to-day life. Recommended.
I read this book again every few years. I’ve given it as a gift many times. Especially as a graduation gift.
Thank you for watching this video and for your really nice comment, but especially the referral of that book by Laurence Gonzales. I ashamedly have not heard of that book, and my wife is literally reading aloud to me a comment from a popular hiking blog about that very book (perhaps it was you who wrote that comment she is now reading?)...that book sounds like a Must Read. Thank you....truly appreciate that you visited the channel and shared your insights.
@@EverestMystery Thank you for the warm reply. I did leave comments on the Andrew Skurka note: "Learning To Turn Back." That's an invaluable piece of information that too many dead hikers could have benefited from knowing before their bad day. This is exactly the mindset Laurence Gonzales addresses: goal fixation, get-home-itis, the weekend warrior mentality, knowing when you're unprepared, etc., when he goes deep into "re-writing the mental map". IMHO, this very concept (re-writing the mental map) is an invaluable tool in every facet of life, including surviving dangerous circumstances.
Thank you again for your research and thoughtful analysis. Appreciated.
To defray rescue costs, Garmin may still offer SAR insurance, and inexpensive 'Hike Safe' cards, where available, generally protect hikers and outdoor recreationalists from paying for a rescue, even if they acted negligently.
I would have thought he would like turn back if weather changes deteriorated as early as 6 hours in. Especially considering his experience
Hired a guide to ice climb on Mt Willard, he told me he never climbs/hikes Washington with an emergency bivy.
I hiked the pemi loop in july in three days. it was exhausting. there were people trying to complete it in a day. to try to complete it in a day in january is insane. Mt Guyot is probably the most remote spot on the hike. 7 miles from a parking lot.
This guy was completely irresponsible and put 45 people at risk trying to rescue him plus the national guard. Another selfish narcissist who only cares about achieving his hiking goals regardless of what he leaves behind (a two yr old child) and who he puts at risk (SAR).
For those who don’t know: the footage around 19:00 is from a period of one hundred degrees (F) below zero windchills; they look like they’re in spacesuits bc any sliver of exposed flesh will freeze in about a minute.
Speaking of, that’s roughly how windchills are calibrated: time it will take exposed flesh to freeze. Worth noting that a substance that freezes below the ambient temperature will not freeze regardless of the windchill, but things that will freeze, freeze faster. For bonus points, the formula is:
Wind chill = 35.74 + 0.6215T - 35.75(V^0.16) + 0.4275T(V^0.16), where V is wind in mph and T is ambient temperature in Fahrenheit 😊
This is probably not gonna win me any friends but I think we can be respectful of a tragedy while also providing a realistic assessment, even if it’s not very flattering. No one wants to victim-blame so I understand the tendency to “whitewash” a bit, but I think about what the reaction/takeaway would have been if he had been rescued alive; in reality the outcome is irrelevant to an analysis of an accident and rescue attempt. And in case you don’t already hate me by now: incidents like this and Kate Matrosova bother me more than total neophytes who have no idea what they’re doing and hence no conception/consciousness of the danger they would put rescuers in. Do people really think this was a reasonable plan? I’m not talking about “theoretically, if the weather is good, and the trail is packed, yeah you could do the pemi loop in a day in winter”, I mean in full winter conditions. Breaking trail, I honestly don’t think Ueli Steck could have done that! And not to like diss people or make myself sound important, but sometimes I see people comment on these ambitious plans and I wonder how qualified they are to make such assessments; I’m no badass but I spent most of my climbing career with people who are. Eg in rock climbing, if you only climb 5.9 and look at an unclimbed project, you probably can’t tell the difference between 5.14 and impossible. 24 miles in a day in winter, 12 up and back, even breaking trail up, is a totally different animal than 30 miles breaking trail. Extreme cold can be similar: it can get abstract if the coldest you’ve felt is 10 or 15 below, but there’s good reason the mt Washington observatory transitions from a “wind chill advisory” to a “wind chill warning” at around 60 below; 40 below is “brisk” but totally manageable, 70 below is serious cold for anywhere on earth. I think the frequency with which we see these apocalyptic temperatures creates a powerful heuristic trap: there are examples of people going into these conditions supposedly “to train” for bigger mountains, but they don’t realize that these would often be “no-go” conditions even on an 8000m peak!
Are there any more details on gear? I had heard no snowshoes or skis and possibly not even insulated boots, just trail running shoes?
Disclaimer: I did S&R for a few years so I’m not playing armchair quarterback or just being contrary for the sake of being contrary. It’s easy to analyze cases of people hiking in jeans and street shoes, cases of prepared hikers who slip and bust an ankle, and cases of fatal mistakes that could have been avoided, like failing to do stability tests in avalanche terrain; this is one of the murkier ones, like Kate Matrosova IMO. We can look at it as a series of small mistakes, but part of me feels like the conversation should stop at “solo winter pemi loop with no overnight gear”.
God bless Rafiki
Absolutely.....thank you for watching!
The fellow is dead and there really isn’t much more to say about it? He paid the price for making many completely irrational irresponsible decisions on every imaginable level leaving his family to fend for themselves now? It wasn’t just bad luck, this fellow had been making poor decisions a very long time when his luck finally ran out!
The one thing that could have saved him was a climbing partner. Just like Ueli Steck - sometimes even the greatest amongst us needs another person to say, "watch out", or "no, that's too much risk", or "turn around". That's why Messner was terrified of climbing alone (though he did do it - it was an overly macho way of stretching his limits and facing his fears). As Reinhold said, " when you're afraid or in danger, two people cuts it in half, when you reach the peak, the joy is two-fold". What's so sad, is that a climbing partner could have saved this young father, they could have SHARED a tent, SHARED a sleeping bag, SHARED a stove, SHARED the load and shared the victory of coming home.
Totally agree, 100%. Thank you for watching and for sharing your thoughts....super important to consider what you've said
He did have two hiking partners that day. They both decided to turn around when they felt it was not a good day for hiking (per interview with his mother - Associated Press)
@@Julia-b9x Oh no! Really. That's so sad, that he decided to carry on ALONE. That's even worse.
Dyatlov Pass participants had several partners 🤔
Depends on the people involved.
Died in New Hampshire, but showing pictures from other states. I just think it’s funny because New Hampshire doesn’t have shit for mountains.
Mount Washington, highest windspeed ever recorded by man, 231 miles per hour. Last winter the wind chill reached minus 108 F, or minus 77 C. Chris was only a few miles from there in some of the worst conditions we'd seen all winter.
Like a male version of Amy Goodman from Democracy Now.
Are you related to Dr Grande? One of you are stealing from the other.
There is nothing original on TH-cam…. Of course the words of Grande are spot on when it comes to not intimating an indictment of the subject. Different story if he’d survived.
Why do people have to be so extreme?
Maybe there needs to be more emphasis on if you can't enjoy a nice long pleasant walk in a safe natural environment, there might actually be something lacking in the person? Rather than admiration for risk coupled with more condemnation for not being able to be satisfied without risk?
It's all so self indulgent and fake.
Our early ancestors faced daily challenges beyond our comprehension because they had no choice, not because they were "thrill seeking".
Mountaineering is fun. If you haven't done it, you'd never know that.
Hey! I can’t think of someone better to ask this question.. you’re one of a handful of living people who may be able to answer it.. it’s kinda long but..
When someone gets hypothermia, towards the end they feel hot and undress. Have you ever been in that situation or seen it? And does knowing that you’re actually freezing pop into your head? Or at that point are you to far gone for logic?
Scott Fischer is the one who always haunts my thoughts on that end. He was gifted in alpine climbing.. he’s the guy you admired from afar like this dude is super human. Yet.. at his end he took his absolute zero suit off (the top atleast) and that just bugs me. Not because his choice.. but because he was put into that bad situation.
This is a good question.
You need fire warmth
Weather will kill you
What gets me... GIVEN THE KNOWN FREEZING / LETHAL EMERGENCY, not a "hey a hiker has a really bad sprained foot, needs help getting back.", WHY WASN'T A HELICOPTER "IMMEDIATELY" SENT OUT??? Not this "our emergency help hikers are having a tough time, SO NOW WE'LL SEND A HELICOPTER TO SPEED UP GETTING HELP to this "FREEZING DEATH HIKER" NEEDS."
I mean talk about Severely Dropping the Ball.. shame on the emergency official who oversaw this EMERGENCY.. The Hiker might have had a chance.. My God.. talk about negligence
Well, you need to watch the entire video...and that question will be answered....there are also chapter markers in the notes of the video.
@@EverestMystery you just get it do you.. watched the ENTIRE VIDEO.. I'm only responded what you CLEARLY STATED.. PERIOD.. end of my blog response
@@Lee-mx5li thank you, I'm happy you watched....I'm not seeing how one could see that they dropped the ball...the NH Army National Guard did three flights and had to refuel because they were in the air so long in trying to reach the hiker. All caps kind of feels like yelling and since I'm responding to an anonymous individual with a user name giving no indication of his/her real identity, it is a losing game....
@@Lee-mx5li this is probably really all on me....I should have added a few sentences about when they called for the heli...it might have left too much to ponder. That said, I think when people go out, if they are counting on a rescue or a heli rescue, it puts many lives in danger and costs a ton of money....it would be interesting to see what the costs alone were for these three heli flights plus the body recovery the following day. Cheers and thanks for watching
If you have a family, don't take stupid and selfish risks. You're damning your family to life of misery if you die.
More people die traveling in cars than hiking outdoors. Please focus on not tailgating, staying off your phone, keeping your eyes on the road, not butting in, signaling properly, appreciating and accomodating truckers who bring you all your $h!t, turning off your brights, graciously sharing the road, yielding and stopping propertly, etc.
What does Mt.Washington have to do with Chris and the “Pemi loop”?
It's always sad when someone passes away...but to me, to die in nature, surrounded by beauty and all things natural beats being surrounded by machines in an antiseptic environment. Maybe that's just me, but yeah, if I had my choice...😏🌺🦌🦬🐐🐿🌲🌱🌿
I was in the whites a few weeks after this for a winter high peak summit. The day I originally planned for my hike the weather was extremely cold with extremely high winds. Thinking of what happened to Chris I postponed my summit attempt to the next day and had beautiful weather and a successful summit.use good judgment and watch the weather
He went without a backpack? Is that true? I find that preposterous and unbelievable. If that indeed did happen, I can’t imagine a worse decision than not having a change of clothes the stove and some something to keep you warm anything go wrong. Just wow.