Columnist Susan Snyder: Don’t let judgment take a hike

Tuesday, May 6, 2003 | 8:19 a.m.

Spring is a great time for hiking in the desert.

But use your head in addition to your feet.

Two hikers who recently survived against incredible odds are being lauded as heroes who used good judgment in the face of mortal danger. But a little good judgment earlier in their journeys might have prevented their adventures from becoming near-fatal.

Don't hike alone. It's the first rule of safety found on pretty much any reputable list of hiking tips.

There is no doubt 27-year-old Aron Ralston has nerve, experience and skills beyond those of the average -- maybe even the above-average -- person. Not many people can imagine lying pinned under a boulder in a remote Southern Utah slot canyon for five days before freeing themselves by amputating an arm with a pocketknife.

But what if he'd had someone to go for help?

And questions remain as to why Marvin Matsumoto, of California, parted ways with his 16-year-old son while the pair hiked in Joshua Tree National Park last week.

Matsumoto soon became lost and trapped in a crevice with no extra food or clothing -- not even a jacket. Rescuers found him after four days of nights in the 30s.

Maybe the endings would have been different for these men if they hadn't been alone. Maybe not. But wilderness travel isn't about sure bets. It's about increasing the odds in your favor.

Nature doesn't care how many 14,000-foot peaks you've climbed. The only hand that matters is the one you're dealt today. And if it's a game of solitaire, your chances of winning aren't all that good.

Get out and enjoy the springtime -- with friends. Hike in groups of four or more. Know some first aid. Tell people where you're going and when you'll be back and stick to the plan. Carry extra food, extra clothing, matches, a compass, pocketknife and first aid supplies.

Use your head, no matter how many times your feet have been there.

For those who prefer to see their scenery through a car window, 10 students snapped award-winning photos of some views found only in Nevada.

Southern Nevada students cleaned up in the annual statewide photo contest sponsored by Scenic Nevada, a nonprofit group dedicated to promoting the state's scenic character. Winners were announced April 23.

Brandon Kendrick, a North Las Vegas sixth grader at Cram Middle School, won first place and $100 among 45 entries for fourth to eighth graders for his photo of a roadside stand featuring "Fresh Alien Jerky."

"Only in Nevada do we advertise aliens," Kendrick wrote of the sign he spotted along U.S. 93 near the turnoff for Rachel.

Brittany Burns, a Henderson 11th grader at Coronado High School, snared the top prize among 220 entries from ninth to 12th graders for her photo of rusty oil barrels in the twilight at Nelson's Landing near Lake Mojave. Other Coronado students won second, third places and both honorable mentions.

"We want to create an awareness of protecting and enhancing the scenic value of Nevada," Doug Smith, Scenic Nevada chairman, said Monday.

The winning photos soon should be posted on the organization's website, scenicnevada.org.