Blind Backpackers?

“Does anyone know of any blind packpackers or hikers?
How do they fare on the trails???”

“There has been at least one thru hicker to complete the 2174.9 miles of the AT”

“Bill Irwin was the blind thruhiker - book is Blind Courage

rumor is he fell over his guide dog a large number of times as well as other falls

another almost blind hiker is Dead Man Walking - AT thru hiker from a few years ago - serious case of tunnel vision - I helped him to navigate around a blowdown that any signted person coulod have easily seen the walkaround trail

in general they don't fare all that well”

“yah, dat's de one mon!

”

“Oldtimer has a friend "Blind Bob" that we hiked with a couple of years ago on the Lost Coast Trail. He also hikes the PCT regularly. He is a stronger hiker than I am! (well.. maybe that isn't such a big deal? :-)”

“I once taught a blind student to climb on our wall.

Actually the climbing part was easy. Anyone would tell you that it is actually easier to climb blindfolded. The hard part was all the rest, particularly tying in. He had never tied a knot before as he was blind from birth. I didn't sleep a wink one night trying to figure out how to teach him.

The hard part was to tie a figure 8 instead of a standar overhand knot. I finally figured out that by holding the rope (after measuring off 90 cm chest to hand) he could pass the end back over his arm, round the rope over forward and pull it through. The rest was adjusting the bights and following through by feel.

He was pretty happy and we did a demonstration climb on Academic Awards Night.”

“Gremlin,
How friggin cool!”

“Thanx.”

““Gremlin,
How friggin cool!”
KitTmaio
4:03:10 PM
6/13/05
ignore this user

ditto”