Because I have gotten slower with arthritis, I don’t usually hike with groups anymore. But yesterday I went to Brennan Palisades ( in central Oregon’s Cascade Mountains) with the local geology group. The hike was more difficult than I expected; very steep cross country trek through rock and difficult terrain. As I feared, I was the slowest person in the group, but I did not leg far behind, and they were very nice and waited for me.
The views were spectacular, and the geologist shared lots of interesting information about the Palisades. We were in the middle of a collapsed caldera with rhyolite spires and pinnacles.
We carpooled with the leader of the hike, John. On the drive home, John felt very ill and dizzy, so he pulled over to let someone else drive. By the time we reach the small city of Prineville, it was obvious that he needed medical attention. We took him to the small community hospital, where the nurses brought a wheelchair and took him into the ER. After extensive testing, the diagnosis was heat exhaustion and dehydration. His wife was off hiking elsewhere, but we eventually were able to reach her and she came to stay with him at the hospital. He was treated with IVs and electrolytes. It was an important reminder to drink enough water, and go slow enough so you don’t overheat.
