Thanks others for mountain rescue
I learned to believe in humanity.
Looking for a place to forge the creek, I spied several large rocks. As I landed on the second I heard a horrible snap. As I crawled back across the stream, I saw a father and daughter; Ralph and Rainy helped me find a drier spot to lie down. They tried to give me more.
Me, Mr. Independent. I said no to the dry jackets, food and drink, but we traded my iPhone for his watch, and they ran down the trail to find help. At 1:30 I pulled my wet clothes and emergency blanket tighter around me. The next hours were spent shivering as the steady stream of concerned hikers offered to stay with me, a dry fleece, a pizza, beers, a smile, and a rain jacket.
A young woman from Vancouver pressed a rain jacket, pocket heaters into my hands and whispered she just couldn’t leave unless she gave me something. Chris, who works in a clinic in Everett, told me to take off the wet clothes and gave me several jackets to warm up.
The most unfathomable gift was from the Bellingham Mountain Rescue Council with their amazing wit, professional care and humility, and the nine hours of their Saturday. Placing an air splint to my shattered bones and reassurance and warmth to my shivering self, they carefully carried me down two and a half miles in the dark and rain.
Even though I started climbing Heliotrope Ridge trail alone, I returned with belief in the goodness of others.
Dan Stockwell, Bellingham
This story was originally published December 6, 2015 at 4:01 PM with the headline "Thanks others for mountain rescue."