Grand Canyon Hiker's Blog: Recent Comments

Comment on Snake Bite Treatment

BRIAN — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 13:11:49 GMT

Hi Ron...Thanks for the question. I've pasted below the email from Dr. Wagner of Tucson commenting on the use of Sawyer Extractors. Also, NOLS/WMI has stopped teaching the use of the extractor in the Wilderness First Aid Courses. You may notice that Dr. Wagner says he'd would use a tourniquet in some instances. I wouldn't recommend it for most people because I think they should only be used by people trained in their use.

Regards,
Brian

Dr. Wagner...
Thank you for your response to the article at EVliving.com. Yes, I do acknowledge that the subject of using a Sawyer Extractor has turned into a medical controversy.

Brian Lane

Brian,

I don't think there's any controversy anymore. There certainly wasn't at the Venom Week international meeting last year. In fact, there was widespread agreement that the device should no longer be used, not so much because of the risk of tissue damage, but because it might delay people from going to seek medical care and give them the impression that it will actually remove a significant amount of venom. If only a "small amount" of venom is removed after even "hours" of use, then at best the device is no better than a placebo. I can tell you from experience that removing a small amount of venom will have essentially no effect on clinical course or outcome. Often the biggest predictor of outcome is the time to definitive treatment (i.e., antivenom). That's what makes clinical studies of envenomations so difficult.

I treat a lot of snakebites every year, as does my friend Sean Bush, the guy on Venom ER. We have both seen several cases where bite victims developed rapid-onset systemic symptoms, including airway swelling that proved difficult to manage, and in one case resulted in a cric. In these cases, even several minutes can make a difference
in survival. Most of the advice that you gave in your article was excellent. I'd only ask that you recommend that people not bother with the Extractor and head for medical help ASAP. And I'd check with Dr. Auerbach again - I'm almost certain he no longer recommends the use of the Extractor.

What is still controversial is the use of pressure dressings or tourniquets if you are far away from medical help. Me? I'd rather lose an arm or leg than drop dead hours or days away from help. But I hope I never have to make that call...

Best,
Dr. Rich Wagner

Comment on Snake Bite Treatment

Ron — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 12:58:02 GMT

Brian, why is the Sawyer Extractor no longer recommended?

Comment on March 28th, 2008

BRIAN — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 11:16:39 GMT

Hi PJ...Thanks for picking up the book, I appreciate it and hope you are still enjoying it!

Going Rim-to-River and back in one day is not recommended by the Park Service. By mid-May temperatures in the Inner Canyon are an average of about 95 degrees in the shade. South Kaibab Trail has no water and hardly any shade, it would be a 12-13 mile round-trip day hike with a nearly 5,000 foot change in elevation, one way. So, I cannot in good conscience recommend the hike as such. About 240 people must be rescued from the Canyon each year, and I would not want you to be one of them. You could consider a shorter day hike. Just day hiking to Cedar Ridge is a wonderful and exhilarating jaunt.

If you decide to take on the proposed hike I would plan to be on the trail by about 5-6am (at the latest) and be off the trail during the heat of mid-day (between about 10am-4pm). I would not hike in the mid-afternoon. Yes, bring headlamps as you may be hiking in the dark, and I would bring a water filter in case you need to pull water from the river (as well as the other ten essentials I list in the book). Bring salty snacks to eat and a Gatorade type sport drink (or powder to add to your water)... And you'll each need a lot of water. It can take 4-6 hours to get to the river and you need about a quart of water per person for each hour of hiking. Hiking back up to the Rim will take longer (usually double the time it took to go down), and require even more water.

Remember - In the Grand Canyon don't hike down into the Canyon until you start feeling tired (as many people do), since hiking back up the Canyon is when the real work begins.

As far as wearing cotton in lieu of synthetic 'wick-away' type clothing... due to the heat in late spring and summer months you want clothing material that does not dry fast - the longer it stays wet or damp - the longer it will help in keeping you cool.

I hope this helps, and if you have any other questions feel free to ask.

Regards,
Brian

Comment on March 28th, 2008

PJ — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 10:30:08 GMT

We recently purchased your book and are enjoying it. We are considering doing a rim-to-river- and-back hike, in one day. We want to go down and back up the South Kaibab. It will be in mid May. We are in our mid-40's, in reasonably good shape and are experienced hikers (though not desert hikers). We plan to be as smart as possible about how much food and water we'll need, and what to wear/take--such as wide brimmed hats, hiking poles, the right kind of pack, first aid, etc. We plan to head down no later than 7am, have lunch at the river and then hike back. Is it ill-advised to hike back in the mid-afternoon? We realize we may likely be hiking in the dark for awhile, and will take headlamps. We've been hearing a lot of gloom and doom about this plan. What are your thoughts? Are we insane to try??
Btw--Why do you recommend cotton clothing, as opposed to the synthetic wicking material?

Comment on THANK YOU!

Brian — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 11:03:03 GMT

Hello hikers! Well...I didn't make it into the Canyon this last weekend. Instead I nursed a nasty little cold that put me down for a few days. I didn't mind it too bad as the weather here in Arizona turned snow/rainy (in Sedona we rec'd about 2" of rain off and on since last Friday).

Crampons or cleats will be needed at the top 500' or so on all trails now and until spring.

The road to the North Rim was officially closed last Friday (Dec. 7th)due to the recent (and ongoing) weather conditions.

I'll try to keep you all posted as conditions change.

Happy Holidays to all!!!
Brian Lane