rebeccad
Trail Wise!
Writing like a maniac
Posts: 12,693 
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Post by rebeccad on Jan 9, 2017 11:51:59 GMT -8
I don't think there will ever be a 17 year old who grasps this concept. It's tough for people who are well into their fourth and fifth decade. True enough. Article says hiker is 17 yo. Seems like this one is on his parents. I call BS. 17 YO is old enough to drive, which is much more serious than hiking. At 17,one should be able to make risk assessments. I think that comment is less about it being his parents' fault than a question of who will get stuck with the bill. That he was beyond his experience level is obvious, and probably it is a correct assessment by the folks here who note that once he'd gotten into that situation he probably made the best move to save himself. |
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Post by johntpenca on Jan 9, 2017 11:59:02 GMT -8
I think that comment is less about it being his parents' fault than a question of who will get stuck with the bill. I missed that perspective. I was thinking in terms of who made the errors in risk assessment, not who would foot the bill. |
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Hungry Jack
Trail Wise!
Living and dying in 3/4 time...
Posts: 3,809 
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Post by Hungry Jack on Jan 9, 2017 12:31:55 GMT -8
There is no "drivers test" for teens who want to venture into the backcountry on their own. It is not a terribly risky endeavor if you know what you are doing, have the proper gear (and know how to use it), and have scouted your route properly.
It seems pretty obvious that this young person had no idea what he was getting himself into. He did bring a tent and stove, which suggested that he knew that he needed to manage risks around 1) proper shelter and 2) nutrition. He just did not know how to do these things.
I remember the folly of my first big trip--150 miles on the River to River Trail. My issue was not about understanding risk. My issue was being overprepared with way too much gear and food, leaving me with a 50 lb pack. That's not a failure of risk assessment. It's a failure of experience.
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Post by bradmacmt on Jan 9, 2017 15:04:05 GMT -8
Here I am, Christmas 1977 (age 16.5), ready to head to the White Mountains (Presidential's) in NH for a week-long climbing trip with a friend. Pack was just at 80 lbs with snow shoes. The previous summer another friend and I had walked 650 miles of the Appalachian Trail on our summer break (I turned 16 on the trail). All told, by the point this photo was taken, I had walked a 1,000 miles of the AT, and done more than a few multi-day winter trips in sub zero weather. All with no adult supervision. You either know what you're doing or you don't. If you're guessing, you're over your head already.  |
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tomas
Trail Wise!
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Post by tomas on Jan 9, 2017 16:08:05 GMT -8
I doubt the Appalachian Mountain Club and Fish and Game tried to give him any real advice, just overly conservative b.s. to avoid getting themselves sued that any one of us would also have ignored. I can think of a few occasions on this forum where a newbie shows up with a plan to conquer the trail and it quickly becomes obvious that he/she are in way over their head. Is our advice also conservative bs? He probably asked on a forum or email and it quickly became apparent he had no clue, but whatever was driving his motivation said "do it, do it now". |
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Post by Lamebeaver on Jan 9, 2017 17:20:59 GMT -8
Higher-level thinking, the kind required to calculate realistic cause and effect, is controlled by the frontal cortex of the brain, which doesn't fully develop until the early 20s. www.edinformatics.com/news/teenage_brains.htm |
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RumiDude
Trail Wise!
Marmota olympus
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Post by RumiDude on Jan 9, 2017 18:41:05 GMT -8
Seventeen is young enough that he probably should get some slack for making a poor decision. Not sure how much slack ...
Rumi
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desert dweller
Trail Wise!
Power to the Peaceful...Hate does not create.
Posts: 6,291
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Post by desert dweller on Jan 9, 2017 19:00:04 GMT -8
Seventeen is young enough that he probably should get some slack for making a poor decision. Not sure how much slack ... Where is the mentor? |
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Hungry Jack
Trail Wise!
Living and dying in 3/4 time...
Posts: 3,809
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Post by Hungry Jack on Jan 9, 2017 19:40:07 GMT -8
Seventeen is young enough that he probably should get some slack for making a poor decision. Not sure how much slack ... Rumi The fact that he's alive and well is slack enough. a good punishment for him might be a signed and framed avatar photo from Tigger and a requirement to read all of Dave Sensac's posts from the beginning of time. |
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Post by bradmacmt on Jan 10, 2017 5:21:14 GMT -8
a good punishment for him might be a signed and framed avatar photo from Tigger and a requirement to read all of Dave Sensac's posts from the beginning of time. That was kind of mean. :D |
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Post by Jester 2000 on Jan 10, 2017 10:27:04 GMT -8
Sounds to me like he made a bad decision (going against advice)
and then made a good decision (not trying to self-rescue).
In the end he's alive (and hopefully wiser), SAR got in an easy training rescue, and the potential price paid (in dollars) is a pretty cheap one to pay in exchange for your life.
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sarbar
Trail Wise!
After being here since 2001...I couldn't say goodbye yet!
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Post by sarbar on Jan 10, 2017 11:51:35 GMT -8
I did severely stupid trips in college I'd not do now. Teens are young adults make all sorts of stupid decisions. Like one time when we thought it a great idea to hike up a mountain through a stream. It rained that night, we are camped on the stream bank, tents flooded. Hiked down through flooded stream. Real brilliant. I was 19. I might have been an adult but I was still an idiot.
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sarbar
Trail Wise!
After being here since 2001...I couldn't say goodbye yet!
Posts: 1,001
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Post by sarbar on Jan 10, 2017 11:54:34 GMT -8
Also, as a parent, I'd be happy to pay the SAR fees if my kids were OK. Thankfully here in WA state our SAR is "free" (it's tax payer supported). Sometimes I read of idiots calling SAR here locally and I roll my eyes (who doesn't) but at the same time, I am grateful we have such a great service driven by volunteers, who will come out and help.
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