@friendofThundergod
Ok in the last week you have accused me of being a big game hunter trolling forums to find trophy sheep and now the "young testosterone and adrenalin-fueled male" comment. Do you even read my triplogs bro? Or are you just a long winded forum lurker?
Please take a look at my response to you in regards to your question about Rocky Mt. Bighorn. I said “
IF you are a trophy hunter . . . I gave some advice on how to get in touch with a guide and also gave advice on how to find out where Bighorn are showing up this hunting season. What is wrong with legal hunting? I have hunted and fished since I was old enough to tag along. I never accused you of trolling the forum to find trophy sheep. I did send a private email to another forum member in regards to posting about Gila Monsters. These unique reptiles are high on the ‘Herp Collector’ list and will go for $2000/piece. In my private email, I did mention your question about Rocky Mt. Sheep as the type of question that would be posed by someone looking to poach a trophy Bighorn—but I provided an answer to you IF that was your goal and I gave it to you in the open forum----IF you are a trophy hunter. If you are NOT a trophy hunter, then the trolling concern and poaching DOES NOT APPLY to you. If I thought your were trolling in order to poach a bighorn, I would have told you so straight up in the open forum. I don't recall if you commented at all about Gila Monsters----so how does that private email to a different person, different animal end up being about you? Were you contacted by this third person and took my warning to her about Gila Monsters to be about you????
First of all, look at the deaths in the Canyon this summer, a bunch of unprepared gumbies and some elderly from a quick glance. None of them appear to meet your characterization of overzealous male adrenalin junkies. In fact, the last death on camelback was some first responder's Tinder date that he left alone to die on the mountain with no water on a day the trail was open and he was a city of Phoenix employee I might add. But don't let a few facts get in the way of your testosterone fueled male adrenaline junky narrative.
Please re-read my comment about testosterone fueled male adrenalin junky—I said “At Grand Canyon, one of the most frequent heat-related victims needing assistance is the young testosterone and adrenalin-fueled male (usually hiking solo) out to show the world that the warning signs don’t apply to him.” NEEDING ASSISTANCE. NOTHING ABOUT DEATHS IN THAT SENTENCE. That observations wasn’t about you. It was from a flyer handout from NPS. How would you describe your anger generated when you have misread my statement??? Looks like one from a testosterone fueled male adrenalin junky. I follow the death tally on hiking trails—which is one reason I tried to provide some info regarding Excessive Heat Warnings and the rationale why the city is closing trails. Ignoring science is a common problem these days. As is entitlement and temper tantrums when someone provides the science that is contrary to what you want to do.
Also a big NO to closing trails or parks for heat. If its too hot for helicopters to fly, then don't fly them. In the same way its a bummer that they can't call up a bird in situations of inclement weather and rescues on the side of mountains during the winter, etc, the same logic should be applied to days that are too hot then. But no I will never support blanket closures to keep the stupid and unprepared safe. Are we going to start closing national parks on days it gets too cold? Maybe a blanket closure of Tonto NF this week because a few inches of rain are expected? The heat is here to stay, hikers, climbers, SAR and everyone else needs to adapt to it, or find new hobbies.
You are blowing up the issue into something bigger than the original concern. Thoreau’s original posting was in regards to the city of Phoenix looking to close 3 trails when temps got over 105 deg F. You are having a temper tantrum and including the National Parks, Tonto NF. The Fire Fighter Union rational: “12 members of the fire department’s Technical Rescue Team were sent home for heat-related injuries following multiple mountain rescues on June 16. Temperatures that day reached 115 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. Two firefighters were hospitalized that same day with acute renal failure because of dehydration and exhaustion experienced during the rescues, according to a statement from the union.” I guess your answer is to continue requiring SAR to ‘adapt or find a new hobby. At those temps, there is no adaptation. Do you understand the Heat Index at all? As to your big NO—your opinion doesn’t count when it endangers those SAR who you suggest find another job. You are welcome to kill yourself in extreme heat but don’t expect SAR to endanger their lives because you feel entitled and throw a temper tantrum and shout NO. It is all about ME, ME, ME.
And enough with the cryptic warnings and sage advice about the Canyon. I quit keeping track of my miles below the rim when I went over 2,000 and I have climbed 40 summits in the Grand Canyon. Ill get you lost up there. Many of those hikes and climbs came on days the City of Phoenix would have had the park closed, if they had their way.
Good choice to stop counting miles hiked. No one cares. . . for your tally or mine. I would never hike with you. I prefer hiking partners who know how to read and with enough sense to stay out of dangerous heat.
The last death at the Grand Canyon was some woman in her mid 50s from Ohio who died on the Bright Angel Trail, but ya lets close the backcountry when its hot to keep the adrenaline junkies out, absolute idiocy and no links talking about how dangerous it is when its warm are going to change my mind
Put that on your tombstone. . . nothing is going to change my mind.
