Kate Matrosova

[RENO]

The most important statement in the articles is this below. At the very least she should've tried a shorter hike. Maybe did the same route a couple times in the summer or fall. Maybe consult a local expert or 2. Not hard to walk into EMS or IMCS climbing schools in Conway. All kinds of climbing experts in Conway. To just get dropped off in that weather with no experience in the area and hit the trail was beyond ridiculous! I've been on tough trails and easy trails in the Whites and Vermont in summer and fall and then on some of them for a very short hike in winter. Even the easy trails in winter are a completely different world just trying to follow them even with all the good markings and signs. Some of those signs we couldn't even see as they were plastered with ice and snow and blended in. With those winds and head/face probably blocking most of her view, it would be very easy to miss. Geez, just snowshoeing behind our condo at K on easy to follow bike/hike trails with it snowing and a little windy are tough to see and hard to get through the deep snow. there's a reason people train in the Mt. Washington area for Himalayan expeditions and test a lot of the great gear we wear to ski and snowboard and mountaineers use on Everest!

It was Matrosova’s first hike of the Presidential Range, Saunders said, but she appeared to be an experienced mountaineer.

[skiadikt]

as an old mt washington vet, this hits close to "home" ... we used to do an annual president's weekend mt washington climb. day trip - up & down. it's murphy's x 10 up there. and if you think you were prepared, you weren't. we dealt with everything from carting someone down with a broken leg to frostbitten toes to individuals getting separated from the group in whiteout conditions. at sub-zero temps with 100 mph wind it can go wrong very fast. the margin of error is so small. maybe they underestimated the weather or didn't have the latest forecast. i'm sure her husband is doing a lot of soul searching right now. this all seems so senseless to me.

[Woodsrider]

Like what? Reaching for that second Twinkie at 7-11?

"What if I grab a second Twinkie? What's my back up plan? Eat it now? OR hide it in my pocket so nobody can find it and then I will eat it later?"

Cut the hyperbole Sir Edmund Hillary.

No hyperbole. You obviously never venture out of your toll booth. Any adult highway crusader knows that Steve's or Wicked Whoopie is a far better choice than a Twinkie. The Twinkie is the back up plan.

Live life on the edge with a will to risk all in order to conquer the challenge. Love to ski our mountain with this mindset. Do I find fault when someone chooses this path but comes up short. Not at all.

Grade F

Quote for the Day- Don't follow me, I make poor choices.

I have to agree with this whole heartedly. I have taken so many senseless risks in my life that by all rights I should be dead.
It is ok for us to learn from this tragedy. But if you judge her decision to take the risk you resign yourself to being ordinary.

Disagree.

Yes, take measured risks. Venture far from the beaten path. But there is a difference between

A) impulsively going off the back side with no equipment, no previous experience, and no preparation other than "We'll come out somewhere" at 2 in the afternoon, mid winter, and

B) going the first time with someone who's done it before.

You can be stupid. You can live life to its fullest. You don't have to do both.

There is a lot of grey in between. Most of the stuff I have called living others call stupid. Riding a wheelie down a highway at 120 MPH is fun. There is zero margin for error and no one to follow. You learn as you go. I bet you would call that stupid. I call it living.

[RENO]

Riding a wheelie down a highway at 120 MPH is fun. There is zero margin for error and no one to follow. You learn as you go. I bet you would call that stupid. I call it living.

No, it's stupid!

[SnoBrdr]

Like what? Reaching for that second Twinkie at 7-11?

"What if I grab a second Twinkie? What's my back up plan? Eat it now? OR hide it in my pocket so nobody can find it and then I will eat it later?"

Cut the hyperbole Sir Edmund Hillary.

No hyperbole. You obviously never venture out of your toll booth. Any adult highway crusader knows that Steve's or Wicked Whoopie is a far better choice than a Twinkie. The Twinkie is the back up plan.

Live life on the edge with a will to risk all in order to conquer the challenge. Love to ski our mountain with this mindset. Do I find fault when someone chooses this path but comes up short. Not at all.

Grade F

Quote for the Day- Don't follow me, I make poor choices.

I have to agree with this whole heartedly. I have taken so many senseless risks in my life that by all rights I should be dead.
It is ok for us to learn from this tragedy. But if you judge her decision to take the risk you resign yourself to being ordinary.

Disagree.

Yes, take measured risks. Venture far from the beaten path. But there is a difference between

A) impulsively going off the back side with no equipment, no previous experience, and no preparation other than "We'll come out somewhere" at 2 in the afternoon, mid winter, and

B) going the first time with someone who's done it before.

You can be stupid. You can live life to its fullest. You don't have to do both.

There is a lot of grey in between. Most of the stuff I have called living others call stupid. Riding a wheelie down a highway at 120 MPH is fun. There is zero margin for error and no one to follow. You learn as you go. I bet you would call that stupid. I call it living.

Do you have a wife and kids? If so and you still do it, it's not only foolish but selfish as well.

Hope you have lots of insurance to help take care of those who count on you.

[skiadikt]

Like what? Reaching for that second Twinkie at 7-11?

"What if I grab a second Twinkie? What's my back up plan? Eat it now? OR hide it in my pocket so nobody can find it and then I will eat it later?"

Cut the hyperbole Sir Edmund Hillary.

No hyperbole. You obviously never venture out of your toll booth. Any adult highway crusader knows that Steve's or Wicked Whoopie is a far better choice than a Twinkie. The Twinkie is the back up plan.

Live life on the edge with a will to risk all in order to conquer the challenge. Love to ski our mountain with this mindset. Do I find fault when someone chooses this path but comes up short. Not at all.

Grade F

Quote for the Day- Don't follow me, I make poor choices.

I have to agree with this whole heartedly. I have taken so many senseless risks in my life that by all rights I should be dead.
It is ok for us to learn from this tragedy. But if you judge her decision to take the risk you resign yourself to being ordinary.

Disagree.

Yes, take measured risks. Venture far from the beaten path. But there is a difference between

A) impulsively going off the back side with no equipment, no previous experience, and no preparation other than "We'll come out somewhere" at 2 in the afternoon, mid winter, and

B) going the first time with someone who's done it before.

You can be stupid. You can live life to its fullest. You don't have to do both.

There is a lot of grey in between. Most of the stuff I have called living others call stupid. Riding a wheelie down a highway at 120 MPH is fun. There is zero margin for error and no one to follow. You learn as you go. I bet you would call that stupid. I call it living.

Do you have a wife and kids? If so and you still do it, it's not only foolish but selfish as well.

Hope you have lots of insurance to help take care of those who count on you.

finding myself agreeing with maddy, it was ambitious even in good weather. if indeed it was her first winter foray in the presidentials, then to do it solo on one of the nastiest days of the winter in a place known for having extremely harsh weather conditions was foolish. a senseless loss ...

[Woodsrider]

Riding a wheelie down a highway at 120 MPH is fun. There is zero margin for error and no one to follow. You learn as you go. I bet you would call that stupid. I call it living.

No, it's stupid!

My point exactly. There are plenty of riders who also call it living. Each to their own in the name of adventure. New Hampshire is the live free or die state.

[Woodsrider]

Like what? Reaching for that second Twinkie at 7-11?

"What if I grab a second Twinkie? What's my back up plan? Eat it now? OR hide it in my pocket so nobody can find it and then I will eat it later?"

Cut the hyperbole Sir Edmund Hillary.

No hyperbole. You obviously never venture out of your toll booth. Any adult highway crusader knows that Steve's or Wicked Whoopie is a far better choice than a Twinkie. The Twinkie is the back up plan.

Live life on the edge with a will to risk all in order to conquer the challenge. Love to ski our mountain with this mindset. Do I find fault when someone chooses this path but comes up short. Not at all.

Grade F

Quote for the Day- Don't follow me, I make poor choices.

I have to agree with this whole heartedly. I have taken so many senseless risks in my life that by all rights I should be dead.
It is ok for us to learn from this tragedy. But if you judge her decision to take the risk you resign yourself to being ordinary.

Disagree.

Yes, take measured risks. Venture far from the beaten path. But there is a difference between

A) impulsively going off the back side with no equipment, no previous experience, and no preparation other than "We'll come out somewhere" at 2 in the afternoon, mid winter, and

B) going the first time with someone who's done it before.

You can be stupid. You can live life to its fullest. You don't have to do both.

There is a lot of grey in between. Most of the stuff I have called living others call stupid. Riding a wheelie down a highway at 120 MPH is fun. There is zero margin for error and no one to follow. You learn as you go. I bet you would call that stupid. I call it living.

Do you have a wife and kids? If so and you still do it, it's not only foolish but selfish as well.

Hope you have lots of insurance to help take care of those who count on you.

I was making a point. This thread is not about me. Yes I have a wife and kids and no I don't still do it. Because the risk reward no longer balances out for me. But I do not judge those who still do as long as they are not risking others too heavily. She made a bad choice and paid all for it. But I can't help but feel that she probably died doing what she loved. That's a good death. If I die on the mountain I would hope other would feel the same and not call me stupid.

[SnoBrdr]

AI,m glad you don't take those risks anymore both for you and your family.

A good death?

[madhatter]

I can only imagine the frustration and eventual feeling of hopelessness this woman felt after so many hours of apparently going no where... she was soooo close to the trail back down yet obviously unable to get there for whatever reason... By the time she had set off her emergency beacon she had been out for at least 10 hrs... at least 6 or more were likely spent trying to "regain" composure or regroup and escape...IMO it had to feel a lot like drowning in slow motion over a number of hours...Those hills are harsh and unforgiving...and unrelenting...

[SnoBrdr]

I can only imagine the frustration and eventual feeling of hopelessness this woman felt after so many hours of apparently going no where... she was soooo close to the trail back down yet obviously unable to get there for whatever reason... By the time she had set off her emergency beacon she had been out for at least 10 hrs... at least 6 or more were likely spent trying to "regain" composure or regroup and escape...IMO it had to feel a lot like drowning in slow motion over a number of hours...Those hills are harsh and unforgiving...and unrelenting...

"The Mountains are as Cold and Lonely Tonight as they were 200 years ago."

[Dr. NO]

Someone should have pointed out to this family a short book or article, "The Worlds Deadliest Mountain", non other than Mount Washington. Weather changes, altitude, easy access and yes, stupid people, have killed more people on Mt Washington than any other mountain in the world. Maybe Everest, with this past disastrous climbing season has taken that honor now, but too many go unprepared or take unnecessary risks to "play" on Mt. Washington. One of the biggest killers is hypothermia due to sudden weather changes and no clothing for the hikers to change to. Ah, quick search put Washington at #8. It stated only over 100 deaths but in recent years that number is probably well over 200 now. Still something to reckon with.

[freeski]

Mt Washington is a very lonely place at night.
I hiked up with a friend in September when I was 24. I didn't check the forecast because it was just a day hike. We got up to the cross over to Huntington Ravine and I had a great idea. I had hiked Tuckerman Ravine a dozen times so lets go up Huntington. It took longer than I thought to get over to the trail. Huntington was tough (found out later the toughest maintained trail in the whites). It's very steep and there's a ledge you climb well over 100' over a boulder field and the ledge slopes over the edge and it's wet. My buddy kept yelling "We have no business here". So we get to the top of the ravine and the hike to the top of the mountain is also longer than I thought. The plan was to eat at the top. Well we were way behind schedule and the place was closed. So my friend is pissed and he wants to go down the auto road. So we start down the auto road and he's still complaining. I see our little red convertible in the Pinkham Notch parking lot (maybe 2 miles away) and I figure I'll just bushwack down the mountain and go to the car. I just wanted to get away from my friend. He was picked up by the bus going down the hill five minutes later. I almost died from exposure.

I start down the mountain and came across a blueberry patch. Stopped and ate for 10 minutes. Then I started down again. I couldn't see the car, but I knew if I just kept going downhill I'd be close. When I started to go below the tree line the woods started to get tight. I found myself in some trees to go down a small cliff. I'm climbing down the trees getting scrapped by the branches and loose my glasses (just a little near sighted). I get to the bottom of the cliff and it's dense dense trees. I crawl for a while under the branches and finally can stand up. I'm in a thick forest. I'm hungry, thirsty and it's getting dark and I am panicking. I start to jog to make time, but the terrain is so rough and steep I realize I need to walk or I'm going to get hurt. It's getting darker. I come across an old boulder field and I look down and there's a hole I can't see the bottom of. There were trees and sod on the rocks, but it didn't seem stable. I realize there is no way I'm going to make it off the mountain and find some hemlocks. I didn't make a shelter. I was dressed in shorts, a sweater and hiking boots. No backpack or water.

I guess it got down to about 45F that night. I was lucky that time of year it could have gone below freezing and I would have been toast. The worst part was I could see the lights in N. Conway and knew people were eating and drinking and I was very cold and hungry. I didn't sleep and shivered all night with my whole body inside my sweater. When the sky started to lighten only then I knew I would live. I found a stream (I drank the water) which was a series of waterfalls the whole way down and it took me about two hours to find a trail. The bad part was the trail was going up the mountain, but there was no way I was going to bushwack anymore. I eventually got back on the Tuckerman trail and headed down. The first person I came across said "they're looking for you".

I get to the bottom and to my surprise my friend is there. He didn't bail on me he slept in the library at Pinkham Notch Center. Then a ranger comes up to me and asks if I want some coffee. I would have killed for some hot coffee, but say no. He asks "What were you thinking? We sent a party out last night and we were going to send one up at 11:00 and if we di you were going to have to pay for it". I told him they always threaten to make people pay, but never do. I asked him if I was in danger of bears up there. He said "Bears are not stupid enough to go up there".
Yes, it is very lonely up on Washington in the woods at night.

[biged]

Two ways to climb light and fast were you need to make your objective or prepare to spend the night. With current weather it would be to try to survive in a snow cave, in my opinion. This takes winter camping experience. As you get older you way the risk to reward especially with kids. Not fair to judge what is expectable risks without knowing the resume. As an other had said better to have a misfortune like this than possible others. Is sanity going down a mountain at 60mph plus on skis? If you solo the black dike and loose a glove you're insane in my opinion.

[Finn]

2/22/15 The Boston Globe has a big story on Kate Matrosova. Sad for all those involved. May she RIP.
For those thinking of hiking in the winter "The mountains are cold and lonely as they were 200 years ago.

Killington used to have these signs posted on the lift towers.

Freeski glad you survived.