Signal Peak is located
in western Arizona within the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge a beautiful desert
area Signal Peak is the high point of the Kofa range The Name Kofa comes from a
famous gold mine in the area which operated from 1896 to 1910. The mine was
called King of Arizona hence the name Kofa.
Many thanks to Maris
Valkass, Dan Richter, and Asher Waxman for leading these peaks.
NOTES FROM THE SAFETY CHAIR
by Ron
Jones Thoughts on First Aid kits and health advisories while hiking:
Not everyone carries a really adequate first aid kit during a DPS hike. They
can not, nor should they, depend on the leader or assistant's personal first
aid kit. It is my observation that the more First Aid training a person
receives, the larger the first aid kit they carry. After all, although
headaches and blisters are certainly the most common reasons for using your
first aid kit, these are not the serious, incapacitating, traumatic injuries
which, without care, could cause you not to be able to return to camp or
transportation.
First, I would say that a participant should tell the
leader before the trip, in confidence, about any special health problems that
might show up during the climb. Diabetes, proness to light-headedness or
fainting, bee sting allergies, and other personal problems which might occur
during the climb should be disclosed along with any personal medications which
are being carried and which are to be used in the event of a problem.
Secondly, always carry with you (not back at the car in the event of
evacuation from the spot) the identification card or copy of your medical
insurance. This might make reimbursement for treatment easier for you. Taped to
the card you might also carry coins if you reach a pay phone before reaching
the doctor. Make sure that you have listed your own EMERGENCY telephone number
(not home if there is no one else at home) on the sign in sheet.
The
following items are suggested for everyone's First Aid kit. These items are
listed in the WTC handbook, the Leader Reference Book or the Seattle
Mountaineer's Freedom of the Hills. Remember, these items might make life a lot
easier for you or for your best friend if you carry them with YOU. |
One large 8"xl 1"
sterile absorbent dressing for big gaping wounds such as those caused by a
falling rock; a couple of large triangular bandages to support a dislocated arm
or cover a wound; a roll of 1" adhesive tape; a 3" roll of cling gauze for
bandaging; several 3"x3" gauze pads; a 3" ace bandage for sprains & twists;
an elastic knee brace; some Band-Aids; some butterfly adhesive strips for
closing cuts (especially cuts where you don't want a disfiguring scar such as
on the forehead); a 3"x6" piece of moleskin and small scissors for cutting it;
a small bar of disinfectant soap; some eye ointment; some aspirin; some
antacids; a pair of thin latex gloves if you are treating someone else's
serious bleeding and tweezers for those cactus spines. If you wish you might
carry a personal choice of a stronger pain killer, a broad spectrum antibiotic,
and a snake bite kit.
Finally, take a good first aid course, like the
mountaineering first aid given by Steve Schuster or by Lefty French, and if you
have taken a first aid course a while back, then take a refresher course.
Happy Desert Trails--Ron
EDITOR'S CHANCE
By John
McCully I have to apologize for this SAGE (November) being late. Carol
and I were trekking in Nepal and didn't get home until Nov 21. Normally I try
to get it in the mail by the 15th of the odd numbered months. This issue was
mailed first class to try and make up part of the lost time.
In the
last issue Doug Jones suggested several ideas on how to avoid being vandalized
at trailheads. Doug has come up with yet another way of foiling vandals - make
your truck look like it belongs to a hunter by leaving empty 30-06 shell boxes
on the dash! I would embellish this by putting a double gun rack behind the
seat on the truck. Further enhancements to this false identity would be "When
guns are outlawed only outlaws will have guns" and "Mess with my truck and you
die" type bumper stickers. Looking like what you are, a Sierra Clubber who is
away on all day hike is like leaving a note for a vandal to break a window and
help himself to some of your stuff. Any vandal with half a brain will skip over
a truck belonging to a red neck hunter who might well be watching through the
scope of his deer |