Successful (mostly) Backpacking Trip Report

[immortal_ben]

Hey hey hey all! Got home late last night from the trip and thought I would share some of the pics.

WARNING! I was injured on the trip and will be posting one bloody pic further down. There are no guts or bones hanging out, just blood.

Anyway here are ready to head out. I am in the front row, right side, white hat.


We hiked to some Indian Ruins in the Superstition Mountains.


A shot of the ruins.

[immortal_ben]

Re: Successful (mostly) Backpacking Trip Report

Dexter poses so nicely, once in a while.


Interior of the ruin.


We took lunch inside the ruin as we rested up for the hike to find a camp site.

[immortal_ben]

Re: Successful (mostly) Backpacking Trip Report

The view from the ruin.


Got camp set up.


Here is how Dex and I rocked it.

[immortal_ben]

Re: Successful (mostly) Backpacking Trip Report

Three of us went to climb this monster. We went in the big dark crack where the red arrow is. We were able to free climb our way in a spiral around the pillar. We reached the precipice that is circled in red. Nobody was injured. Dexter was able to climb about half way. He then waited until in place until we came down.


Action shot of Dexter climbing.


View of camp from precipice.

[immortal_ben]

Re: Successful (mostly) Backpacking Trip Report

The next day we went to a set of ruins much higher than the first. Some of the group searched for an easy way to the cave. Two of us (including me) took the direct route and free climbed the cliff. We safely climbed about 40 feet of wall and reached the ruins well ahead of every one else. Shots taken with cell phone.


There was a small room which looked like a sleeping room to me. Cell phone shot.


The view as we left the upper ruin. This was a cell phone shot.

[immortal_ben]

Re: Successful (mostly) Backpacking Trip Report

Ok here comes one bloody shot from after my fall. I fell about 25 feet , landed on my face, and rolled down the mountain through a dead tree and some cactus. I was knocked unconscious, fractured my skull behind the right eye (weird because I mostly landed on the LEFT side of my face), severe sprain to left wrist, banged up my good knee pretty bad, broke my nose (first time ever, for that!) lots of abrasions all over, and something is messed up with my pancreas.






















I got down to my pack and first aid kit, tied an ice pack to my eye, put on my pack, and hiked two and a half hours out to the truck. It was an hour ride to the emergency room from there. That hospital transferred me to a trauma center because of the seeming extensive trauma. Anyway, I am ok for the most part.

Here is a shot from last night after I took a shower and mostly cleaned up.


The plastic surgeon said he does not think my fracture will move, but told me what to watch for, just in case. I was given no instruction for bed rest, so I went to Church this morning, and am about to head back for evening service, just like every Sunday.

Hope yall enjoy the pics!

[Shadow]

Re: Successful (mostly) Backpacking Trip Report

25 feet? ***** even as banged up as your are, you were extremely lucky. It's a general rule that falls above 30 feet are almost always fatal.
What happened to cause the fall? Were you rock climbing?

Hope everything works out and you make a full recovery.

I do have to say though, in your "bloody" pic you look like Les Stroud on a bad day.

[busere]

Re: Successful (mostly) Backpacking Trip Report

DOH! Man, that had to smart. Hey, at least you were able to make it to Church.

[immortal_ben]

Re: Successful (mostly) Backpacking Trip Report

Shadow, I do believe The Lord was watching out for me yesterday, just as He does every day. The fall was precipitated by my hopping down a 3.5ft ledge. My landing was bad and my weight was pitched forward just enough to send me flying out into nothingness. Hadn't thought about it, but I do look a lot like Les in that pic.

We were coming down from the higher of the two ruins. All of the "dangerous" stuff was done. It just goes to show that one little slip can get you killed out in the sticks.

busere, I got in trouble from many of the church ladies for not staying home in bed! ahahahah!

On a good note, one of the trauma nurses slipped me her number and I found it in my stuff today!

[immortal_ben]

Re: Successful (mostly) Backpacking Trip Report

Here we are at the end of the hike, before they hurried me out to the emergency room.

[Hikenhunter]

Re: Successful (mostly) Backpacking Trip Report

Looks like you had a great trip except for the ending. Remember, If it don't kill youn it will make you stronger. Hope your recovery goes well.

[Shadow]

Re: Successful (mostly) Backpacking Trip Report

Remember, If it don't kill you it will make you stronger..

...or disabled/brain damaged. :p

[immortal_ben]

Re: Successful (mostly) Backpacking Trip Report

There is always that... but that is no reason to not go and do those things which we enjoy. One simply needs to improve their skill level and mitigate the danger.

[Shadow]

Re: Successful (mostly) Backpacking Trip Report

There is always that... but that is no reason to not go and do those things which we enjoy. One simply needs to improve their skill level and mitigate the danger.

Some of my friends swear I am brain damaged to WANT to do some of the tings I do.. Well, that, and the actual brain damage. :P

[GlitterHiker]

Re: Successful (mostly) Backpacking Trip Report

Some of my friends swear I am brain damaged to WANT to do some of the tings I do..

Lol!

Sorry to hear about your injury. I hope your recovery goes well & doesn't slow you down. Cute story about the nurse, too