Minami Alps Day 4 Part 2: WFR
This summer I got my certification as a Wilderness First Responder. This is a step up from "First Aid", in that with this certification I am trained to do such things as reducing dislocated joints, administering certain medicines, and "clearing a spine" (If you fall on your head in the city, the medics will put the neck brace on and take you to the hospital where they use fancy machines to determine if it is safe for you to get up and walk. In the wilderness setting, however, this is not always possible, so first responders are trained to administer a set of tests that will determine if it is safe for you to get up and walk out.) I am even trained to deliver a baby at 10,000 feet.
The course was great. Not only was it fascinating and empowering - a great boost to confidence while hiking - but it was also a ton of fun with manyscenarios played out with lots of fake blood, vomit, and protruding bones. Now, whenever I hike, I find myself thinking "What would I do if Tomoe fell off that cliff?" and running through various scenarios in my mind. And, although I don't want her to fall off the cliff. I even find myself hoping that we will come across someone with a (non-life threatening) injury so I can practice what I learned. Today, on day four of my hike in Japan's Southern Alps, I thought I finally had my chance... (or so I thought).
Somewhere near the base of Kaikomagadake, having passed only one person all day, I came across an abandoned back-pack laying on the trail. A few meters away was a half-full water bottle. There was no sign of any people and, being on a ridge, both sides of the trail were very steep slopes. I first looked over the edge to see if someone might have fallen. There was no one as far as I could see, but a few meters down the slope ended in a cliff, out of my line of sight.
I called out "Hello? Anyone there? Can anyone hear me? Are you OK?"... no answer. No one to rescue.
It appeared that all I could do was to make note of the color and make of the bag to later report its location to the police in casesomeone had been reported missing. While not as satisfying as saving someones life, at least it might be a little helpful. At least it was a little exciting and mysterious.
Until, that is, an hour later when I arrived at the summit to find a middle-age man sitting on a rock with no back-pack. I asked if it was his I had passed, and headmitted to leaving it down there where it waited for him to reach the peak.
And that is the anti-climactic end to my story of day 4.
From here I just admired the view from the top, and made my way down a most beautiful portion of trail to the place where I saw the "panda bear", and an abandoned old emergency hut where I pitched my tent and enjoyed a bowl of hot noodles. That night, as I lay in bed, I heard my first snow-flakes of the season gently landing on my tent.
Something I should also mention....
When we last left off, I had spotted a panda bear on a steep slope in Yamanashi. Before we go any further, I have to admit how bad I feel that some people seem to have taken me seriously. Although I did entertain the thought that it might have been a panda, based on the flash of fluffy black and white as it ran away, I am pretty certain it was not. What I wrote in the last post was just my twisted humor. That being said, I have no idea what it could have been for real, as I know of no other black and white animals in Japan that are that large (and fluffy).