Falling to one’s death or being stung by a bee… Unexpected risks of death in the outdoors

Summer vacation is in the middle of the year, and many people are looking for a refreshing outdoor activity. However, for those who are new to the outdoors and have little contact with nature, there are unexpected dangers in the natural world.

In “This is How to Die” (Yama-kei Publishers, Inc.), the author explains the dangers that lurk in the outdoors and how to deal with them, based on 53 cases of people who unfortunately encountered such unexpected dangers as falling to their deaths, dying while cooking at camp, or being bitten to death by ticks. The author, Osamu Haneda, explained some of the “death” hazards that beginners tend to encounter in the mountains and ocean in summer.

Falling down in the mountains

In recent news, the most common cause of death in the mountains in summer is falling down. Rescue teams are often dispatched to accidents involving falls, even on Mt. The most common cause of falls is tripping over rocks and stones. On flat terrain, a fall on the street may result in only an abrasion, but in the mountains, where the slopes are steep and the paths are not well maintained, a simple fall is not enough. For example, if you are going downhill, you may trip on a stone and slip several meters down the slope. Or you may hit your head on a bumpy rock. Even a fall is very different from a fall on level ground. The risk is so high that you could die just from this.

Slip and fall in the mountains

In some cases, the person may fall several meters or even hundreds of meters, suffering serious injuries or even death. Even in low mountains, on narrow paths that cross a mountainside with a mountain on one side and a valley on the other, it is not uncommon for a slip and fall accident to occur. ～A slip and fall of 3 to 4 meters may result in a minor injury if you are lucky, but a serious injury can occur if you hit a rock outcrop or a tree.

Lost in the mountains

Regardless of the season or how high or low the mountain is, the most common cause of lost time is getting lost. This is the most common cause of accidents in the mountains. The principle of mountain climbing is that if you get lost, you should turn around immediately. However, as far as I have been able to gather, not only beginners but also people with a certain level of experience often go straight ahead and get lost.

It is especially when going back down the mountain that many people get lost. In town, if you take a wrong turn, you can just go right back to where you started, but in the mountains, going back means going back up again, so even if you know what you are doing, it is difficult to do it. In the mountains, if you continue on the same path, you will never be able to go back. If there is a well-maintained trail, safety is ensured to some extent, but if you go down a valley without a trail, the valley line or stream may look easy to walk on at first, but eventually waterfalls or steep rocky terrain will appear, and you will not be able to proceed. The typical pattern of lost and found is that the person tries to force their way down and falls or slips, resulting in death.

Drowning in the ocean or river

In many cases, adults who try to save a drowning child also drown. When an adult goes to help, the child desperately clings to the adult. Even a small child seems to have tremendous strength when he or she is desperate, and the water restricts the child’s movement. And so they both end up dead.

In the case of the ocean, there are cases of being swept away by the rip current. The rip current is a strong current that forms when waves return to the shore, and if you get stuck in it, you will be swept far out to sea. Even if you swim, you will not be able to reach the shore and will drown.

Even in a river, if the water is deep enough to about knee-deep, your feet can be scooped up and taken with you. The river bottom is also not flat, with bumpy rocks and gravel-like deposits. There have been cases where people have died because their feet got stuck between rocks. Even in shallow water, the force of the water is quite powerful. Do not underestimate where there is a current. In addition, the fact that the topography of the seafloor and river bottom is not constant is a scary thing.

Encountering dangerous creatures in the ocean and mountains

Bears and wild boars are the most common dangerous creatures. Recently, information on bear and wild boar appearances has been made public, but I think many people think of them as someone else’s problem. In fact, bears can be found in low mountains and even in towns. Many people who have been attacked say they never thought they would be attacked by a bear. So it is not a matter of being a stranger. In Japan, bears do not live anywhere south of Kyushu. You should be aware of this when you go to deserted mountains or to mountains where there are many reports of bears appearing.

Some insects are also dangerous. Wasps, in particular, are said to be the most dangerous of all living creatures. There are some wasps that are less toxic, but wasps are highly toxic and aggressive. As I wrote in my book, even if you get stung once and nothing happens, you are likely to suffer anaphylaxis the second or third time. Around 20 people a year die from anaphylactic shock caused by bee stings.”

Furthermore, Mr. Haneda says that in nature, there is the possibility of risks that are unimaginable when living in the city. We don’t pay much attention to it, but the city is a place where danger is eliminated.

For example, in the case of lightning, if you are in a city, you can enter a building and it will not be struck by lightning, but if you are in the mountains or on the ocean, it will. But if you are in the mountains or on the sea, if there is no escape route, lightning could strike at any time. Remember that in the mountains or at sea, the risk increases many times over just because of a break in the weather. In the mountains, just a little rain can reduce visibility and put you at risk of hypothermia. The paths become slippery and the risk of falling and slipping increases, and there is also the risk of getting lost.

The same is true for oceans and rivers. If it is rough, the waves can become higher and the currents faster. In any case, we try not to act under bad weather conditions. There are often accidents where people swim in the ocean and get swept away when a typhoon is approaching, but I think that is suicide.”

In such a natural environment, he says, it is also a risk to become separated from one’s friends and be left alone. However, that does not mean that if you are afraid of risk all the time, you will not be able to go anywhere for fun. The important thing is not to dismiss accidents in the mountains or at sea, which we see and hear about in the daily news, as someone else’s business.

I don’t think even the people who have been in the news go to the mountains or the sea thinking that they will be in such trouble. In other words, whether in the mountains or at sea, there are dangers hidden somewhere. I would like people to keep in mind that there are dangers. The most dangerous thing about “danger” is that we cannot perceive it. The problem is that we don’t know what the danger is, we can’t simulate the danger, and we can’t think of danger as danger,” said Toshiyuki Kikuchi, a mountain guide. If we know that there are dangers and manage the risks, we can have fun.”

I want to make sure that what should have been an enjoyable leisure experience does not turn out to be a regrettable one.