Met a guy on the JMT who taught me how to read water crossings properly

I was hiking the John Muir Trail last August and ran into this older dude named Rick at a camp near Evolution Creek. He saw me staring at the crossing looking nervous and just laughed. He walked me right up to the bank and showed me how to spot the darker sections of water where it's shallower and the current is slower. Said most people panic and try to cross where the water looks smoothest, but that's actually where it's deepest and most dangerous. He also showed me how to use my trekking poles at a wider angle for better balance. I ended up crossing that creek about 15 times over the next week with zero issues. Has anyone else picked up a random skill from a stranger on the trail that totally changed how you do something?

3 comments

3 Comments

william_torres21d ago

Respectfully, that's not always the best advice. Darker water can sometimes mean deeper holes and slower current can hide dangerous undercuts.

emmag2221d ago

Oh yeah, totally! It's almost like clear water gives you a false sense of safety sometimes, but murky water just flat out says "hey, I'm hiding something.

robertb4721d ago

That thing about "clear water gives you a false sense of safety" really hits home for me. I remember when I was a kid, we used to swim in this creek behind my grandpa's farm and the water was so clear you could see every pebble on the bottom. Then one summer they dredged it and it got all muddy and brown and nobody wanted to go near it anymore, which was actually smart because later we found out there was a snapping turtle the size of a dinner plate living there the whole time. So I guess what I'm saying is maybe we should all just be a little more careful around water no matter what it looks like. Murky water might be hiding something but clear water can trick you into thinking nothing's there.