Mark--what a story.  Must have been a wild day and good for you to have
such medical emergency skills.  I bagged going that weekend and am glad I did.


At 11:02 PM 4/24/99 -0400, you wrote:
>        I was treated to some snow showers on Route 302 on my way in the
morning.
> Driving up Rte. 16 I saw a lenticular cloud capping the summit of Mt
>Washington - uh oh, that means serious turbulence on top.  Arriving at
>Pinkham Notch Lodge, the lot was nearly full at 7:15, just as it had been 2
>weeks earlier .... and just like 2 weeks earlier, a cold forecast was
>issued - this time it was even colder with high temps forecasted to be from
>5-10 degrees for a high on the summits, hardly enough to warm things up
>from the minus 45 wind chills on the summit that were being experienced at
>the time of the issuance of the report.
>        This time, I went for it, anyway.  I was feeling lazy, but when I
put on
>my pack, I became happy and energetic as I knew that I was in the element
>that I enjoy - being in the mountains.  Snow on the ascent didn't begin in
>earnest until after the 2nd switchback.  My tortoise pace enabled plaid Jon
>Martin and his friend Marty to catch up.  Jon was the hare, bolting ahead
>and stopping every now and then while I shuffled along ta the same steady
>pace.  Hiking up was pleasant, but things were wild 'n wooly at HoJos.  It
>was cold, man.  Nasty frigid downdrafts crashed down on us from above and
>hardpack - measured at a 50"+ depth - was the surface of the day.  I also
>noticed how few people were in the bowl and on Hillmans.
>        After I pointed out some of the prominent ski routes visible from
HoJos,
>Jon and his friend took off for the bowl, while I remained, hoping that a
>strong sun would soften things.  The sight of someone sliding at an
>exponentially increasing rate in the Right Gully off in the distance while
>I was talking to Jon certainly had an influence on my decision.  Jon was
>game, though, as it was his first trip to "The Eastern Altar of Sacrifice"
>and he was anxious to lose his Tucks virginity.
>        I talked to a member of the Mt Washington Volunteer Patrol (John)
and we
>deducted that the best thing to do would be to ski down the Sherburne Trail
>and get an afternoon ticket at Wildcat.  I didn't do that, but I had to do
>something as I was getting progressively colder.  So, I opted to put on my
>classic look crampons with the Scottish Binding strap system over my
>raunchy classic look leather mountaineering boots and head off for the bowl
>just to hike and practice self arrest with my ice axe.   A funny thing
>happened on the way - I noticed softening snow underfoot.  So, I headed
>back and suited up for skiing.  Right before I headed up Hillman's, I
>observed a brutal fall just below the cruxes - more great inspiration -
>huh?  The reports from skiers of hardpack and lousy skiing didn't help.
>        Undaunted, I charged up the hill.  I overhead others also say
"yeah, it
>was great".  It's amazing when people earn turns how often they'll say it
>great when it's lousy - a failure to acknowledge the fact that they sweated
>for nothing .... or they're a better adventurer than I am!  On my ascent, I
>heard the ominous sound of scraping snowboards and chattering skis.
> Conditions rapidly detiorated the higher I got - it was more like frozen
>snowmaking sludge.  A little less than halfway up, I threw in the towel and
>felt that it was better judgement to descend before getting in over my
>head.
>        The skiing sucked. Period.
>        Disappointed and needing more mountain exploring, I put my leather
boots
>and crampons back on (ahhh, toys!) and headed for the bowl for ice axe
>practice and picture taking.  I was disappointed, especially when I saw
>others - though there were less than I had ever seen at this time of year -
>skiing.  How can I possibly explain to others that I went all the way up
>here and didn't even get a full descent?  Then it hit me - yeah ... I'll be
>a snob about it and just say that the conditions weren't good enough for
>me.  When I earned turns in the past, I tasted nothing but the best candy -
>chest deep in the Selkirks, epic cold smoke at Bridger Bowl and luscious
>corn on Left Gully.  I was too good for today's crap.  In fact, when I get
>up in the bowl, I'll just laugh at the fools tumbling head over heels
>towards the deadly rocks at the bottom.  Ha Ha HA!
>        But it wasn't funny .....
>        Cramponing my way into the frigid bowl past the rescue hut, a group
>pulling a litter headed my way - with someone in it wrapped in what
>S.O.L.O. terms as a "Mount Washington Burrito" - a wool blanket plastic
>drop cloth combination that is wrapped around a victim well on his/her way
>to hypothermia.  I immediately volunteered my services as I was equipped to
>deal with treacherous terrain.  When the AMC/WMNF/Mt Washington Volunteer
>Ski Patrol saw this, they accepted my offer.
>        A fall the entire length of the Left Gully had left the victim -
Timothy -
>in rough shape.  The scene was surreal - his face had severe abrasions,
>swollen lips, a messed up nose and blood splattered all over him.  He
>barely murmured how very cold he was and he was not functioning well,
>mentally.  It reminded me of reading Catch-22 when Seargent Yossarian had
>to tend to a mortally wounded tailgunner who, as he died, complained of
>being very cold.  I became nauseous and choked up and it was time for me to
>put away the camera out of respect for the victim and the rescue team of
>which I became a part of.  It was also time for me to regain my composure
>and play hardball.
>        We chosen ones grunted and strained and hauled the litter down to the
>Little Headwall where Simon (MWVSP) had set up an anchor comprised of snow
>pickets and a static line rope system which would greatly aid us in
>lowering the litter down the steepest part of the headwall.  I assisted in
>communications midway down, since I was to be also needed to physically
>help with Round 2.  Yup, poor Timothy wasn't the only one - his friend also
>biffed and was on another litter that was on its way.
>        After Tim was lowered through the crux, I scampered back to the top,
>joined John and we maneuvered victim #2 over bumps and rocks and around
>holes above the stream that were forming.  The rope ran out and we then
>used our ice axes to anchor the litter.  We then reorganized as a larger
>group, gingerly carried him downhill crossed 2 small brooks and lugged #2
>up to the Snow Ranger HQ just across from HoJos.
>        We then loaded both victims onto the back of the Thiokol where a
THIRD
>victim who was somewhat ambulatory crawled into the front seat.  I was
>amazed at the field medical skills that were being practiced by patroller
>Karen (who I think is also known as Phoebe), who analyzed Timothy and his
>quasi-brain dead state up above and as he was being loaded onto the meat
>wagon.  I also ran into Christian, who is an MRG patroller (he confronted
>Jane, Eric and I on last day of 1998 season when we were caught in the
>woods) who apparently can't get enough of this scene as he is also a member
>of the Mt Wash patrol.
>        After all of this, it was time for me to reward myself.  First, a
Snickers
>bar.  Then, a fun-filled cruise down on one of my favorite classic New
>England non-McTrails - The Sherburne Trail.  It was a bit crowded, but
>other than that, it was a beaut - there was spring snow, bumps, frozen
>granular, glare ice, brush, twists, sudden turns, bare spots.  By reading
>the shadows on this narrow trail, I was able to pick out the edgeable stuff
>and because of that, was always on my toes which contributed to my stellar
>run.  Sadly, the trail ran out of snow just above those fabulous S-turns
>(can you imagine being Toni Matt after just unloading on the Headwall at
>85+ MPH and then being treated this roller coaster ride for dessert!).  I
>then switched to hiking mode and headed back to my turck.  The Sherburne
>run was as excellent as my experience on Hillmans was lousy.
>        Yeah, maybe I'm a wuss by not bagging any of the big Tucks
descents.  But,
>I know one thing that I am NOT --- hospitalized.
>        I'm looking forward to Jon Martin's report.  There's never a dull
moment
>on that hill.
>
>Mount Washington rules .... and don't you forget that.
>Mark
>
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Stephanie H. McConaughy
Psychiatry Department
University of Vermont
1 South Prospect St.
Burlington, VT 05401

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