Fear of heights

imported
#1

Hi,

Don’t mean to sound like a wimp, but…

I’ve got a fear of heights that can reduce my normal coordination / judgement / etc. Standing on the Golden Gate bridge with a guard rail is fine but trails with lots of vertical exposure can be unnerving (literally). It’s pretty difficult for me to get within six feet of a cliff edge. By staying six feet away I think that if I slip, I can catch myself before going over the edge. The one mistake and your gone scenario is when I start to freeze up.

Now I really want to hike the JMT but I am concerned about the path down from Forester Pass and to a lesser extent Mt. Whitney. (If there is too much exposure for me going up Whitney I’ll just turn around.) But it is a bit more difficult to just turn around at Forester. So the question I have is how wide is the trail coming down (to the south) from Forester, how vertical is the fall off and I’d really like to hear from anyone that also has a fear of heights and has gone over Forester / hiked Mt. Whitney.

Signed, Paranoia in the sequoias.
BTW, bears and snakes don’t bother me, at least if I see them coming… :slight_smile:

none

#2

Actually a fear of heights means your survival instincts are strong! I don’t have any answer to your question unfortunately, as i haven’t been yet on the JMT. (NEXT summer, i swear!) But as someone who never had this fear previously, but has developed it after very nearly falling off a cliff face while climbing this past year, i’m interested in anyone’s experiences with fear of heights. (i still have the very fresh image and feeling of hanging on by one crumbling hand-hold, with about 30 ft. of air below my feet.)

Specifically, anyone who has not had it, then had it, then got over it. I’m going to be in Oregon next week, and i’m already trying to weasel out of one climb because the exposure worries me. It just wouldn’t have bothered me a year ago.

markv

#3

While this isn’t exactly the same, I’d like to share a similar experience. I had a hiking accident in November, 2003, falling down a very steep section of trail on the AT in the Whites while solo hiking. I spent two days lying there by myself until I was able to hike 10 miles to safety. I had 7 fractured ribs and a hemothorax, spent a week in the hospital. The following summer I hiked 1170 miles of the AT, but ended up leaving the trail because I was getting retraumatized and becoming increasingly afraid that I’d fall again. Looking back now I think my increasing fear was related to my growing exhaustion and generally getting worn out after 1000+ miles. You can read the details on my trailjournal. I think that dealing with the aftermath of trauma is very complicated and not as simple as “just do it” and get back on the trail. I’d be happy to talk more if you’re interested. Good luck to both of you, and keep hiking! Rainbow

Rainbow

#4

I too am afraid of heights and have been since childhood, but I have successfully completed the JMT. 99.9999% of the trail is no problem. The trail is very well maintained, nice and wide, and not too steep.

There were a few tricky places for me, but no place where I freaked out so badly that I could not continue. Forester is not that big a problem when it is not snow covered. On Forester, as on almost all the passes, the wonderful trail crews have built up a little walls of rock on the downhill side of all steep switchbacks. I know you will understand how much confidence a short wall of rock gives those of us who need it.

The top of Glen Pass is the only narrow trail in a pass where you can easily see down both sides at the same time. The views are so breathtaking that you may pass over with no problem. I sat down to admire the views and the longer I sat the more the fear level rose, so I just moved on a little sooner than my hiking companions.

As for the trail to the top of Whitney, there were 2 places (called Windows)that I remember reaching for someones hand (I have a very understanding hiking partner.)on the way up Whitney. That was all the help I needed and I did not even need that help on the way back down the trail. As for the top of Whitney, it is broad and gently rounded. I found a spot between big rocks and looked in all directions from there while my hiking companions rock hopped all over the top.

It is amazing when I think of it, but I have developed my own coping strategy for when I start to feel that fear rising. I often hike with the downhill eye almost closed or completely closed. I have learned to focus only on the trail a couple feet in front of me like a horse with blinders, not seeing what is on either side. This works for me on most of the tough spots. My hiking partner takes my hand the few times I need it, usually he knows when that will be needed, but I don’t hesitate to ask.

You WILL be able to successfully hike the JMT and you will never regret your decision. I would do it again in a hearbeat. In fact, I hope to do it again soon.

Hope to see you on the trail.

Turtle Walking

#5

Hi,

For any of you who have any type of phobia, it can be easily and very quickly eliminated. Brave words, I know. Many will scoff and I can’t blame them but I’m trained n two methods that quickly simply and gently eliminate phobias. We’re talking minutes here not months.

The two techniques are the Tapas Acupressure Technique unstressforsuccess.com and the Emotional Freedom Technique emofree.com .

They are both easy to learn and the websites offer free manuals. I regularly teach people to eradicate phobias in less than 20 minutes. I was an acrophobe as well but that simply is no longer the case. Check it out, try it out, if you have problem I’ll be glad to try and help you resolve it by email.(no I don’t charge for this at this time, it’s a strange hobby)

If the trauma of a fall is still haunting some of you, it can also be dealt with with these techniques.

Bill

Bill

#6

Bill,
Do you have a “short version” of this technique?
Perhaps an exersise or 2 to try out before downloading a 79 page document or previewing videos ? Thanks…Kevin

kevin

#7

Here’s a link to a photo my hike buddy took of me on the trail on the steep side of Forester Pass. To help you judge the width of the trail, I’m tall (6’3"). I’m not particularly bothered by heights or exposure, but I had been curious about this spot after having seen a photo of it before the hike, and for what it’s worth, the trail seemed much wider to me than I had expected. Notice also that it does have a bit of a built-up edge on the downhill side. I don’t know if this will be useful or not, but you may want to check it out.

I remember the two spots on the right-hand side of the trail between the Trail Crest junction and the summit of Whitney. They were brief but would feel rather exposed. As I recall the trail is wide enough so you could just move over.

Hope you decide to go for it. It’s a great hike.

–Snowbird

Snowbird

#8

I have some fear of hights but not that bad. I just finished up the JMT a few days ago. I too was worried about Forester before I left, but it’s not that bad. Whitney brought out my fear of hights the worst. You switchbach of to the top of the spires and then hike along the ridge for like 1.5 miles. The trail on the ridge is about a foot wide and the dropoff is much steeper that around Forester. The hardest part is that it is so prolonged. But I made it. Coming back was much easier. Probalby because I was rested.

Bob