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amberjasminelee t1_iufcnb4 wrote

I was hiking with a bunch of friends at Snoqualmie Falls a few years ago when one of the guys, who was drunk, went off the path. The trail we were taking was a decline and took us to the bottom of the falls. While this guy was making his own path, he lost his footing, causing him to slide the rest of the way down, and because he was where he shouldn't have been, he ended up going over a 40 foot cliff, very quickly, and landing on the very large river rocks below.

This guy was 22, was in the area because he was training in the Army at Fort Lewis, and had a very bright future.

He crushed 3 vertebrae, punctured a lung, broke both ankles, and his right leg. He did survive, probably because he was young and healthy, but he was discharged from the military, had to relearn how to walk, and will only ever walk with a cane or walker.

TLDR: Hiking paths are there for a reason...

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Bard_B0t t1_iug5733 wrote

Yea, I spend most my time hiking off trail. I grew up in the Olympics and my family forages for mushrooms and berries. The difference though, is I avoid cliffs and falls like the plague. I route my paths very carefully, and always run calculations on what will happen if I slip and fall or a support gives away.
Going off trail near a cliff, especially near water, especially with a sliding slope, is just foolishness.

When I climb hills, I often spend several moments analyzing the hillside, looking for animal trails, or for anything that feels off. In hundreds of hours off trailing, worst that's happened is I slipped on some moss and fell on my butt.

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Anonynominous t1_iuffpcz wrote

Well, that's depressing.

Also, the real issue here is alcohol

Edit: must be a lot of alcoholics in denial downvoting me

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sepphoric t1_iufp8jh wrote

Ironically, it may have saved him too. He probably ragdolled on his fall rather than trying to brace himself and avoided other injuries.

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Anonynominous t1_iug43ze wrote

What would have prevented the whole thing is not hiking while drunk

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JstVisitingThsPlanet t1_iug5iei wrote

Not necessarily. He may have made the same decision of sober.

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Anonynominous t1_iug6h7o wrote

Being drunk certainly doesn't fucking help the situation though. Is everyone disagreeing with me drunk right now?

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deja_vuvuzela t1_iugbi5c wrote

I think you underestimate how dumb a lot of people are even when they’re sober.

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lilyluvish t1_iugui05 wrote

The fact that your comment is upvoted and Anonynominous’s is downvoted just further supports your position.

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holmgangCore t1_iugfipn wrote

Irregardless of anyone’s place on the smart——dumb gradient, being noticeably drunk introduces additional mental & physical disadvantages, & increases the chance of accidents. I mean, of course, right?

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deja_vuvuzela t1_iugh1pa wrote

The heavily downvoted comment said that alcohol was the problem. Ofc alcohol didn’t help the situation - just like most situations. I’m just saying sober people can make devastatingly dumb choices too (ffs, especially young men).

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Humbugwombat t1_iugtj66 wrote

As the father of a teenage boy, who was once a teenage boy himself, I endorse this point!

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ApneaAddict t1_iug97vz wrote

No, it’s dumbassery. Plenty of people drink responsible.

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chigy_bungus t1_iug50vr wrote

Lol @ the downvotes on this comment. News flash, alcohol makes people do stupid things.

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St_Kevin_ t1_iugfdzq wrote

News flash: some people drink and don’t do stupid things! It is not the alcohol. The responsibility lies with the drinker and only the drinker. Alcohol is never an excuse.

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Azuriahm t1_iughdv9 wrote

This is dumb. Alcohol does make you more likely to do stupid things. In medical terminology alcohol “impairs judgement”. What do you think that means?

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Enchanting_Smith t1_iugoseg wrote

I can't believe what I'm reading on some of these comments... alcohol is never to blame? How can one make a sound decision if they've had too much? I am SO disturbed lmao.

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chigy_bungus t1_iugiajd wrote

Uhhh yeah alcohol makes people do stupid things. You’re ignorant if you think otherwise.

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Enchanting_Smith t1_iugovml wrote

This makes literally no sense if you're actually drunk how are you for certain you can make a wise decision in the moment and it isn't even just about decision making how are you supposed to be completely in control of your body?

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Enchanting_Smith t1_iugon1z wrote

I have no idea why people are downvoting you for saying alcohol was the issue. It actually disturbs me how many are willing to say that he could have just as easily made the mistake sober as he did drunk. There is no way to know that, but being drunk absolutely is the blame for the incident to some extent with its disadvantages. Reddit downvotes me make worry very often.

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