5 Things To Do After Falling Down a Mountain
If you fall down a mountain, you’re going to have to wait until you stop falling.
For me there was no grabbing onto anything. My speed was too fast and I tumbled head over heels so quickly that I didn’t know which way was up. When the boulder stopped me, I laid still to catch my breath. As a former horse girl, I was familiar with getting the wind knocked out of the lungs and knew not to panic. Everything hurt and I let out a few dry sobs.
After you stop falling, you’re going to have to check yourself out.
Miraculously, I hadn’t hit my head hard. There was only a light scrape on the side of my forehead. I wiggled my fingers and toes. I looked over my limbs. My left pant leg was torn below the knee. I knew I was still in shock and not feeling it all, but was that it? Had I remained unscathed? I peered into the ripped pants and saw that my leg itself was torn open. So much for that.
After you check yourself out, and find a major injury, you’re going to have to call for help.
I was on the upper half of North Tripyramid Slide, which is less than a mile stretch of trail, but over 1,500 feet of elevation loss on loose rock. The only way out was back up and down the other side, or to continue the rest of the way down. It was still early afternoon, but it was also fall and the sunlight was not going to last long nor would the temperature stay above freezing. My pack had stayed with me as well as one trekking pole. My phone had jumped out of my unzipped pocket and the one earbud I had in had also fallen out. I had been on the phone with my partner, so I pulled out the second ear bud. She was still on the line! I caught her up with my situation while I pressed the SOS button on my Garmin InReach.
After you call for help, you’re going to have to get out.
It didn’t happen right away. I crawled to a patch of sunlight and put on all my layers as I had already started to shiver. Soon I couldn’t feel my toes, even with two pairs of socks on. I cut open my neck gaiter and used it as a tourniquet around my left calf. I got my phone, which had luckily landed on more rocks nearby and was still functional. I spoke to several emergency responders, who helped me get the ball rolling. Clinging to my single pole for dear life, I shuffled inch by inch down the rugged slide. Two Fish and Game officers met me halfway and we continued all the way down to the forest road to their waiting trucks and my friend who whisked me off to the nearest open emergency room.
After you get out, you’re going to have to get stitched up.
This was my first major injury, so the entire process was new to me. I was relieved to be off the mountainside safely, especially as the shock wore off and I began to feel more pain, as well as hunger. My friends had thought of this and packed me a warm thermos of tea and bags of cookies. My trail pup, Jyn, had stayed home to rest that day so I knew her healing cuddles awaited me there. In hindsight, my time in the ER was so brief and painless compared to the following six weeks of recuperation, as I encountered complications in the healing process. Just as community matters on trail, your home community matters, too. I had exactly the support I needed to get through the hardest moments of it all.
After you get stitched up and back on your feet, you’re going to realize that if you could handle all of that, you’re more than ready for all the Appalachian Trail will show you.
This website contains affiliate links, which means The Trek may receive a percentage of any product or service you purchase using the links in the articles or advertisements. The buyer pays the same price as they would otherwise, and your purchase helps to support The Trek's ongoing goal to serve you quality backpacking advice and information. Thanks for your support!
To learn more, please visit the About This Site page.
Comments 6
Not so simple, lady. Thank Almighty God if He permits you to survive such a tumble. A friend of mine did not. He was on vacation in Mexico + it ended his life.
What a badass!! 🤘💪 Can’t wait to cheer you on for your AT thru-hike this spring!!!
Couldn’t have done it without you! TY
Once upon a Time, in 1969. I fell off of sourdough mountain in the North Cascades national Park. I was a sourdough mountain lookout. First break. I had to come down on a weekend. I took a wrong turn. I believe I free fell about 60 or 70 ft. Landing on a very steep side of the mountain and slid. Another $300 or 400 ft. Once I got orientated it took me about 8 hours to slip and slide from tree to tree branched to Branch plant to plant till I got to the bottom. Very scary situation. But I’m here to explain it. Understand your comments very well
Glad you could relate and glad we both made it through to tell the tale! Thank you for reading and commenting.
I’m so sorry for your loss. In those situations my mind breaks the complicated process down into smaller, simpler steps. I will always be grateful for my outcome.