My obsession with carrying enough lights when I leave the trailhead began on the Grand Teton in Wyoming. My climbing partner and I had started late so it got dark as we were coming down. And then we got lost! Being experienced mountaineers we both had flashlights. Then came the big surprise: mine didn't work at all, and hers made it for about 30 seconds. All we had at that point was a little techtonic flashlight powered by a AAA battery. We stumbled around, trying to find the trail and get down, but it soon became apparent that we were in a real life-threatening situation and needed to put down and wait for dawn. Fortunately it wasn't too cold and didn't snow.
The funny part of the story is that we were only about 50 feet from the trail and probably could have made it back if we had only known!
Now I always carry lights. Lots of lights. In my pack are a headlamp and a cap lamp which clips on to the brim of your cap or hat. I also carry a couple of those little keychain lights that realtors hand out. But wait! There's more. In my pocket I carry at all times a penlight powered by two AA batteries. It gives off usable light for about 24 hours. Then there is the flashlight on my cell phone, and also a little keychain light/tool kit I got at SWISS+TECH.COM which, believe it or not, actually got me down the steep side of Mt. Sanitas in Boulder one summer evening.
Lights are another one of those "effectiveness multipliers" that I mentioned in a previous post. Without a light you are just fumbling around in the dark. With a light you can see what you are doing in a medical emergency as well as give the victim, and yourself, a psychological lift.
One last thought: CHECK THE FREAKING BATTERIES before you leave the trailhead!
The funny part of the story is that we were only about 50 feet from the trail and probably could have made it back if we had only known!
Now I always carry lights. Lots of lights. In my pack are a headlamp and a cap lamp which clips on to the brim of your cap or hat. I also carry a couple of those little keychain lights that realtors hand out. But wait! There's more. In my pocket I carry at all times a penlight powered by two AA batteries. It gives off usable light for about 24 hours. Then there is the flashlight on my cell phone, and also a little keychain light/tool kit I got at SWISS+TECH.COM which, believe it or not, actually got me down the steep side of Mt. Sanitas in Boulder one summer evening.
Lights are another one of those "effectiveness multipliers" that I mentioned in a previous post. Without a light you are just fumbling around in the dark. With a light you can see what you are doing in a medical emergency as well as give the victim, and yourself, a psychological lift.
One last thought: CHECK THE FREAKING BATTERIES before you leave the trailhead!
RSS Feed
