Looking back.... I must have been insaine
04-20-2008, 06:44 AM
#1
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2006
Location:
Posts: 585
Looking back.... I must have been insaine
Last November, I purhcased a land owner Muledeer tag in Colorado from an outfitter. The outfitter gave me maps and pointed me in the right direction prior to opening day. Other than that, it was a DIY trip. I had never been out west. Opening day, I started at a trainhead at dawn and hiked several miles UP into the back counrty (9000-10000 ft) alone.
Thinking back on the experience, I'm thankful nothing went wrong. I wasn't worried about getting lost (GPS), but I was physically not prepared to carry my gear (35lbs + rifle)at 9000 ft elevation. I remember my knees were killing me on the way up and down. I ran very low on water (no streams at the higer elevations). So many other things could have gone wrong.
The funny thing is, I wouldn't change a thing about the trip. It was a great experience and I will remember it forever. I was just crazy doing it alone.
Have you ever done anything you look back on and thought - I was lucky?
Thinking back on the experience, I'm thankful nothing went wrong. I wasn't worried about getting lost (GPS), but I was physically not prepared to carry my gear (35lbs + rifle)at 9000 ft elevation. I remember my knees were killing me on the way up and down. I ran very low on water (no streams at the higer elevations). So many other things could have gone wrong.
The funny thing is, I wouldn't change a thing about the trip. It was a great experience and I will remember it forever. I was just crazy doing it alone.
Have you ever done anything you look back on and thought - I was lucky?
04-20-2008, 09:57 AM
#2
Fork Horn
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Central Iowa
Posts: 234
RE: Looking back.... I must have been insaine
Mine both involve canoeing while water in the Raccoon River was high, yet still below the banks.
1) From a distance, the bridge looked like it was a long ways above the water. As we neared, I asked my buddy in the stearn, and the guys in the canoe paralleling us if they thought the bridge was a little close to the the water. We were moving towards it fast. About the time that they all said that it was high enough, I had gripped the gunnels, raised myself from the bow seat, and flopped into the bottom of the canoe. They had started to chide me for my cowardness when in mid sentece they all decided that the floor of the canoes was the place to be.
We missed that bridge girder by only two or three inches. A tip- An object that is above the water looks twice as high as it is (due to the mirror effect of the water.)
Had we hit the bridge we would have been in a life threatening situation. The Springtime water was fast and cold.
2) A few years later, my buddy again in the stearn, we were alone. The water was not quite as high but it was up and fast.
My friend had done a lot of open canoe racing and liked to go downstream hugging the high bank where the current gives you the most boost in speed. We had just pulled into the outside of a bend, where the high side is, and had remarked on how fast the water had become. We called it hard water because the canoe had not caught up to the speed of it yet and we could feel the force against the paddles pushing us forward.
Right at this time a section of the bank, over ten feet high, and nearly as thick, 30 feet or so long, caved off and into the water just in front of us. Had we been 30 feet farther downstream we would have died. As it was, my lap go wet in the bow as the sunami wave crested the front of the canoe. We have stopped hugging those dirt banks since then.
Bob
1) From a distance, the bridge looked like it was a long ways above the water. As we neared, I asked my buddy in the stearn, and the guys in the canoe paralleling us if they thought the bridge was a little close to the the water. We were moving towards it fast. About the time that they all said that it was high enough, I had gripped the gunnels, raised myself from the bow seat, and flopped into the bottom of the canoe. They had started to chide me for my cowardness when in mid sentece they all decided that the floor of the canoes was the place to be.
We missed that bridge girder by only two or three inches. A tip- An object that is above the water looks twice as high as it is (due to the mirror effect of the water.)
Had we hit the bridge we would have been in a life threatening situation. The Springtime water was fast and cold.
2) A few years later, my buddy again in the stearn, we were alone. The water was not quite as high but it was up and fast.
My friend had done a lot of open canoe racing and liked to go downstream hugging the high bank where the current gives you the most boost in speed. We had just pulled into the outside of a bend, where the high side is, and had remarked on how fast the water had become. We called it hard water because the canoe had not caught up to the speed of it yet and we could feel the force against the paddles pushing us forward.
Right at this time a section of the bank, over ten feet high, and nearly as thick, 30 feet or so long, caved off and into the water just in front of us. Had we been 30 feet farther downstream we would have died. As it was, my lap go wet in the bow as the sunami wave crested the front of the canoe. We have stopped hugging those dirt banks since then.
Bob
04-20-2008, 03:50 PM
#3
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Southeast PA
Posts: 1,490
RE: Looking back.... I must have been insaine
Sitting in a 30' high hang-on tree stand with a very small platform w/o a saftey belt. I was very young and dumb! I bought the treestand I could afford at the time. I would sit all day in this thing too. Amazing I never fell out! Now I won't even go up in a much bigger more sturdy stand w/o a safety harness! I guess we get smarter with age!!
04-21-2008, 02:52 PM
#4
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: IL
Posts: 6,575
RE: Looking back.... I must have been insaine
Nothing too crazy....do try to be prepared though....
by the way, I'm not sure any flatlander can be prepared for 35lb packs at 9000 feet, sure great condition helps, but almost everything I read about altitude is your condition has nothign to do with the fact you may or may not get sick at altitude.....apparently its a genetic lottery who is able to adjust the fastest with change of altitude....
If hunting alone....you should leave some detailed directions/maps, and having a satellite phone isn't a bad idea....or at least a cell phone /extender etc.....
by the way, I'm not sure any flatlander can be prepared for 35lb packs at 9000 feet, sure great condition helps, but almost everything I read about altitude is your condition has nothign to do with the fact you may or may not get sick at altitude.....apparently its a genetic lottery who is able to adjust the fastest with change of altitude....
If hunting alone....you should leave some detailed directions/maps, and having a satellite phone isn't a bad idea....or at least a cell phone /extender etc.....
04-26-2008, 10:15 PM
#7
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: rural south georgia
Posts: 53
RE: Looking back.... I must have been insaine
altitude is a HUGE difference when doing long periods of activity. i live in flat south georgia. we went up to hike part of the appalatian trail for 2 weeks and wow! the air was a lot thinner and we just werent conditioned for the elevation. hiking straight almost all day with that thinner air was rough.it was an amazing experience though. i would love to do it again.
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