Toxic algae Sierra national forest

Be carful y’all!!
https://www.google.com/amp/s/mercer...mily-near-a-sierra-national-forest-trail/amp/

 

Well that's fucking terrifying

 

Toxic algae blooms are somewhat common. They mostly affect dogs and other animals who drink the water. Generally a toxic bloom looks like split pea soup or pea green paint. It’s looks kind of like a green slime on the surface. You can’t tell just from looking at it if it is an actual toxic bloom or not. Only laboratory testing can confirm. However if you see green algae soupy like in the water assume it is toxic and stay away from it. Especially keep your dogs away from it. Hundreds of dogs die each year from drinking it. It’s extremely toxic and poisonous and a dog only has to drink a small quantity. He will start showing symptoms usually within an hour. Even if you get the dog to a vet there is little they can do to save the dog. I’ve seen toxic algae blooms in mountain lakes, ponds, reservoirs, and even in the delta. If you are with your dog and you see an algae bloom , get your dog the hell away from there immediately. Even if they swim in it they will swallow some of the water and and likely die.
I doubt the people mentioned above died from a toxic algae bloom. All of them including the baby would have to drink the water. Doubtful anyone would drink green water or water with algae in it or let their baby drink it. Even if they swam in it it’s doubtful they’d ingest it.

 

what if the used it to wash hands or do dishes? Babies don’t drink much water but they are messy? Tragic story just curious what else it could be.

 

Getting it on your skin won’t kill you. It may cause rash and skin irritation but not death. It was a day hike so no dishes. Again it’s ugly green slime like water, no rational human would touch it. Also if the cause was toxic algae you would xpect to see various dead critters and birds around there.

 

I just heard that toxic algae has been ruled out. The physical autopsy has also ruled out any type of trauma - gunshot, knife, blunt object trauma, bruises, bone fracture etc. They still await toxicology test results. This is one of the strangest cases I’ve ever seen.

 

I wonder if this will become one of those "unsolved" mysteries that you see a youtube video about in a few years.

 

This case is getting more bizarre. I just read the following -
Federal park officials have ordered the closure of a trail in California's Mariposa County where three family members and their dog were found dead from unknown causes earlier this month. Officials cited "unknown hazards" in the area as the reason for the closure.

They still don’t have toxicology reports back. So far they have no cause of death of this family of 3 and their dog. They were all found laying on the hiking trail where they were doing a day hike. They were avid hikers. No indication of suicide o r homicide. Everyone who knew them said there were a perfectly normal happy family. I can’t imagine what could have caused their deaths. And I can’t even guess what “unknown hazards” could be in the area that could kill 3 people and their dog and leave no trace. If the tox report is negative then this case will be spooky

 

This^

 

I live in the PNW and spend most of my free time in the mountains. Coincidentally I'm in the funeral trade and although I don't go real in depth in to the science of cause of death I do spend a fair amount of time in the Medical Examiner's Office. This shit is bizarre.

 

Official cause of death: hyperthermia.

No way. This is statistically impossible.

 

W.T.F.

 

Something ain’t right. All of them died due to hyperthermia, very doubtful. I’ve been an outdoorsman all my life, studied survival and taught survival. I can see the baby and the dog dying of hyperthermia but not both adults in the circumstances described in the various articles I’ve read. I have to wonder why it took this long to determine cause of death as hyperthermia. Most often when they can’t determine a cause of death when people die in the outdoors/wilderness they designate hypothermia and on rare occasions in hot conditions hyperthermia will be listed as cause of death. I don’t think they really know so they went with hyperthermia.
I’ve read that these people were experienced hikers and in shape. They were found 1.6 miles from the car. Again unexplainable causes of death in the wilderness are almost always attributed to hypo or hyperthermia. I guess its possible in the 100+ degree heat that they could have suffered heatstroke which is a very serious heat induced medical condition. If both adults suffered heatstroke the the baby and dog would have died from the heat too.
After thinking about this a little more I think it may be plausible or even likely that heatstroke was the cause. If one of the adults suffered heatstroke that person basically becomes incapacitated, that person would be unable to hike or walk. Without shade and water the other adult would likely shortly thereafter also suffer heatstroke. Once both adults are incapacitated with heatstroke then the baby and the dog are also doomed.

 

I guess so. Just seems highly unlikely

 

Dropping a link to some coverage on the findings, to save others some keystrokes:

https://www.npr.org/2021/10/21/1041997332/northern-california-family-hiking-died-heat-exposure

 

So sad

 

Man, that's crazy. 1.6 miles from the car up steep switchbacks? You'd think you could stumble back down that. Scary and eye-opening. So sad.

 

2 smart, young, in shape, parents with outdoor experience. No way it was the heat.

It’s so sad what happened to this beautiful family. The tragedy is the failure of the medical examiner to do their job.

 

That’s my thought as well. Really sad

 

What a tragedy. My condolences go out to the families and communities that have been impacted.

But it is starting to make sense to me.
Apparently it was extremely hot at +107F, and what looks to be little to no cover (from the picture in the article) where they were.
That with any breeze or wind would be a recipe for very rapid dehydration.
Any breeze would actually cool you off, disguising the real heat, but be wicking away your fluids all the faster.
Then when you could not longer replenish yourself, you would stop sweating, and start to go into heat shock within a very short time.

85oz of water is a fairly large volume, but in those conditions, between 2 adults an infant and a dog, ends up sounding rather minimal.

It is winter now, but I will take real heed in the lesson we have been given.
I actually carry a spare 2gals water and sport electrolyte packets in my truck because I have run short after hiking/biking in dry heat.
I now consider it part of my first aid kit.