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Posted by kutenay on July 10, 2007 at 8:14:45 am EDT
In reply to Hiking emergencies posted by kutenay on July 9, 2007 at 8:44:32 am EDT

I read that book when it first came out and was not surprised as the kind of stupidity that happened there is all too commonplace here in BC. It seems that with the purchase of some neat gear, comes an attitude that some have where they decide that they KNOW the mountains/wilderness and THEY are invincible.....macho bullsch*tt, which leads to tragedy.

I have posted on a number of backpacking forums that, IMO, the most dangerous thing in the mountains is young malke macho and I have frequently been reviled and mocked for this opinion. Well, I grew up in wilderness such as has not existed in the Lower 48 since before WWI and I have seen dozens of top sik mountaineers, guides and climbers die here, usually from the western USA, because of over-confidence and an un-willingness to realize that even temperate Canada is FAR more severe on average in climate than the USA.

Macho in the mountains is, to me, an example of a lack of REAL experience. The truely experienced bushman is VERY cautious and even a bit afraid of mountain circumstances and modifies his kit and behaviour accordingly. A light basci camp, I call it an emerg. camp, Bill doesn't, it is the SAME concept in action plus a realistic appraisal of one's abilities and the immediate ambience is what will save your bacon and this is why I like to stress this in my posts.

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