One of the few times in my life I truly believed I was going to die: exposed on the only trail through a gator-filled swamp, as a thunderstorm rolled in.
They are, and they aren't. The best advice I've been given is the importance of respecting the mountain. Based on Search and Rescue stats, experts tend to get in much more danger than beginners, because they tend to get sloppy on basic safety. (Like I did in this story.)
That's also true about dangerous climbs. In an emergency your response needs to be automatic. If you pause to think for too long, you may already be too late.
They are, and they aren't. The best advice I've been given is the importance of respecting the mountain. Based on Search and Rescue stats, experts tend to get in much more danger than beginners, because they tend to get sloppy on basic safety. (Like I did in this story.)
That's also true about dangerous climbs. In an emergency your response needs to be automatic. If you pause to think for too long, you may already be too late.