Scenario Training Sat.&Sun. June 26&27, 2010

June 26 and 27, 2010
High 80's Mostly Clear
Two short showers on Sunday
END OF SPRING SEASON SCENARIO TRAINING

ORMS had a very busy weekend with scenario training. Between the focus required for the scenario training, the hot weather and my being under the weather with the remnants of a cold I did not get many pictures. Both scenarios were excellent learning and skill development experiences. On Saturday we had a hypothetical teenage hiker 12 feet down a 3 foot wide crack which could only be exited upward. While climbing in the crack he had fallen and very badly hit the side of his head. The good news was he was lucid and ambulatory when we arrived. Later in the scenario he severely and fairly rapidly deteriorated to unconsciousness. Sunday's scenario involved a young man who had been heavily drinking while chopping down a tree when he accidentally amputated two fingers after which the tree fell on his leg causing a severe compound fracture.

The next picture is of Sunday's scenario.

Every once in a while you will find an old dead tree that will have had fresh bark lying at its trunk. This is most likely from a bear who was stripping away the bark in order to get at any insects that might be under the bark.

The remediation of the impacted summit area is continuing. Some new signage and barrier wire has gone up. Besides the obvious areas that have been marked for restoration please try and be particularly conscious of your actions any time you are visiting rock outcrop areas. These area are often both very sensitive to impacts and unique habitats.

There are many crevices that have sandy/gravel soils in them which have had stepping stones placed in them so that you can avoid stepping on the soil in hopes that the crevice vegetation that once was there will make a comeback.

There are many different varieties of moss that can seen along the trails. Some of it seemed very vibrant this weekend. I remember being on a remote but large and long series of slides in the Adirondacks between pitches we had to bushwhack through a small section of trees and moss clinging to the side of the vast 1,500 foot slide. The moss was particularly amazing because you would sink into it past your knees and it was such a dazzling vibrant green.