Utah Boy Scout dies at camp

[bsjkki]

This is very sad...http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865686218/Salem-teen-dies-during-Boy-Scout-camping-trip-in-High-Uintas.html

I did not know altitude sickness could be fatal.

[Calm]

My brother-in-law who was very fit got altitude sickness awhile back even though he had gone hiking up before.  They were going up Timp.  I don't know if living in Southern California for decades with only semiannual visits back to Utah made a difference, but it was quite shocking.  There were other guys much less fit that were fine.  They were able to carry him down before it went too far, thank goodness.

Edited August 6, 2017 by Calm

[sjdawg]

I don't know much about the symptoms for altitude sickness.  This is a horrible tragedy.  My first impulse was to criticize the leaders for waiting from Thursday until Saturday to decide he needed help but in reality I don't know the symptoms of altitude sickness so I might not have worried much about a relatively healthy young man saying he had a headache and an upset stomach.  

[sjdawg]

Was this an LDS sponsored Scout troop?

[Calm]

This looks like a good idea for those who are hiking:

https://www.findmespot.com/en/?cid=102

[Calm]

Can't find info on if it was LDS troop, but likely.  He was LDS

A friend of the mom on the KSL Facebook page explains why help wasn't gone for earlier:

"Possibly. I was told it was only last night that he felt worse...too late to hike out. They will do an autopsy to find out more."

https://www.facebook.com/ksltv/posts/10155952260533676

A tribute:

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865686245/6An-amazing-son7-Family-of-fallen-Scout-pays-tribute-on-his-18th-birthday.html

 

Edited August 6, 2017 by Calm

[Traela]

I'm curious about how high they got.  Altitude sickness supposedly becomes a problem above 14,000 feet, but my husband's cousin almost died from it at a lower altitude.  It's possible they didn't think of it at first because they hadn't yet reached that cutoff point.