春天到了,白天更長了,陽光照在身上,出游的念頭在心中醞釀。可是海灘還沒有開放,所以為何不去國家公園逛逛?對許多家庭和探險(xiǎn)者而言,58處國家公園一直都是物美價(jià)廉的好去處。
While people still camp, hike, and enjoy the stunningbeauty of nature and the wilderness, they have to be more careful. A total of 1,025 peopledied in national parks from 2007 to 2013; 145 fatalities in 2014, up from 129 in 2013. Theodds may be in your favor, but some places pose real danger.
不過游客們在公園內(nèi)宿營、遠(yuǎn)足、欣賞自然界令人震撼的美景時(shí)應(yīng)該更加小心。從2007年到2013年,在國家公園內(nèi)喪生的游客總數(shù)為1025人。而2014年因意外喪生的人數(shù)達(dá)到了145人,比2013年多了129人。也許你吉人天相,但有些地方確實(shí)是兇險(xiǎn)異常。
Whether you are hiking, camping or simply taking a walk in the park, you must have propergear — which includes a flashlight, matches, candles, extra batteries, and food — and be readyfor the unexpected.
不管是遠(yuǎn)足、宿營或者在公園中散步,都要隨身攜帶各種物品--包括手電筒,火柴,蠟燭,備用電池,還有食物--而且要做好面臨各種突發(fā)狀況的準(zhǔn)備。
Poor judgement is usually what gets people in trouble. Check the weather forecast beforeheading out; it may be scorching hot in some places, like the Grand Canyon, with temps easilyclimb over 110 degrees Fahrenheit.
游客之所以會(huì)陷入麻煩,通常是因?yàn)閷Ξ?dāng)?shù)厍闆r缺乏足夠的判斷。出發(fā)前要聽天氣預(yù)報(bào),有些地方可能驕陽似火,比如大峽谷公園,那的溫度極易達(dá)到110℉(約43℃)以上。
Pack your backpacks accordingly, depending on the nature of your trip. You can never be overprepared, especially if you plan a visit to one of the national parks on the following list.
游客應(yīng)根據(jù)目的地來置備行李,尤其計(jì)劃去游覽下列名單中的某個(gè)國家公園時(shí),進(jìn)行再多的準(zhǔn)備也不為過。
1.Precipice Trail, Acadia National Park
1.阿卡迪亞國家公園:Precipice Trail
The trail is very popular on the East Coast but it's also one of the most dangerous in AcadiaNational Park. It's not technically difficult but the steep drops and open cliffs make the walkvery tricky. Falls are a real concern. A college student died four years ago after slipping. It's nota surprise that people under 5 feet and 2 inches are not recommended to try the hike. Don'tever take your hands off the metal rungs.
這條小路在美國東海岸非常有名,同時(shí)也是阿卡迪亞國家公園中最危險(xiǎn)的景點(diǎn)之一。這段路走起來并不困難,但陡峭的山勢和開闊的懸崖令這段行程頗需技巧。四年前一位大學(xué)生便不慎滑入深淵。官方建議身高不足5英尺2英寸(約合157厘米)的游客不要踏上這段小路。這一點(diǎn)不令人感到驚訝。千萬不要把手從金屬護(hù)鏈上挪開!
2.Bright Angel Trail, Grand Canyon, Arizona
2.亞利桑那州大峽谷公園:Bright Angel Trail
It's tempting to want to climb from the rim down the river along the Bright Angel Trail, but youhave to consider your realistic ability to complete the hike. It's 4,380 feet in altitude and canget scorching hot. This combination can easily lead do severe dehydration and heatexhaustion, and there are about 250 rescue operations a year. One of the better knownincidents there was the death of 28-year-old Avik Chakravarty. He climbed in the heat andcouldn't handle it. A Preventative Search and Rescue team (PSAR) was created afterwards tohelp hikers with whatever they may need.
沿Bright Angel Trail一路跨過科羅拉多河欣賞沿途美景令人心生向往,但出發(fā)前應(yīng)問問自己是否有完成旅程的本事。Bright Angel Trail的海拔為4380英尺,沿途酷熱難耐,極容易導(dǎo)致脫水和中暑,每年都有約250起的救援行動(dòng)。很多人都知道這樣一起事故:28歲的年輕人Avik Chakravarty因難以忍受途中的高溫而不幸喪命。隨后一個(gè)名為預(yù)防搜救小隊(duì)的組織成立了,專門向亟需幫助的游客伸出援手。
3.Vernal Fall, Yosemite National Park
3.約塞米蒂國家公園:Vernal Fall
Three people died in 2011 after slipping from the top of Vernal Fall. The distance to the river,which is famous for its very dangerous current, is more than 300 feet. That year alone, 17people died in Yosemite National Park, six by falling off waterfalls. According to the book “Offthe Wall: Death at Yosemite,” the total death toll stands at almost 900.
2011年,有三名游客因跌下該瀑布而喪生。瀑布的垂直距離超過300英尺,以其湍急的水流聞名于世。同樣在2011年,有17人喪生于約塞米蒂國家公園,其中6人因跌落瀑布而殞命。據(jù)《越墻而下:約塞米蒂亡魂錄》一書所述,死亡人數(shù)幾乎達(dá)到了900人之多。
4.Huckleberry Mountain, Glacier National Park
4.冰川國家公園:Huckleberry Mountain
Beware of bears; they may be everywhere. Experts estimate that there is a bear within a mileradius of every campsite. Sometimes in the spring, several hiking trails are closed for days dueto the potential danger of encountering bears hunting for food. Avoid standing around foodsources like carcasses and berry bushes.
小心,熊出沒!據(jù)專家估計(jì),每個(gè)宿營點(diǎn)方圓1公里內(nèi)都生活著一頭狗熊。春季的某些時(shí)段,一些路段將封閉數(shù)天,以免游客遭遇正在覓食的狗熊。在當(dāng)?shù)赜斡[時(shí)要盡量避免靠近動(dòng)物的尸體或是漿果叢這樣的食物來源。
5.The Narrows, Zion National Park
5.錫安國家公園:The Narrows
It's easy to hike the park's slot canyons – when it's not raining. If a sudden storm hits the area,don't waste time and find refuge somewhere high. Unexpected and abrupt flash flooding iscommon year-round. Hypothermia is also a major concern for hikers. That's what happened toan experienced hiker less than a year and a half ago.
在這座公園窄窄的峽谷中行走容易得很--不過下雨時(shí)就不是這樣了。如果暴風(fēng)雨襲來,千萬不要浪費(fèi)時(shí)間,直接尋找高地避雨。肆虐的洪水來得總是出乎意料,而且一年到頭都極為常見。體溫過低同樣困擾著那些遠(yuǎn)足客。而這些都是一名經(jīng)驗(yàn)豐富的遠(yuǎn)足客在一年半前的親身經(jīng)歷。
6.Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Nevada and Arizona
6.米德湖國家休閑區(qū),內(nèi)華達(dá)州和亞利桑那州
Lake Mead, a manmade reservoir, is popular for unlimited and unrestricted watersports. Butwith that comes a lot of danger. In 1998, a person died there once a week on average. Most ofthem perished from a lethal combination of what park rangers call "recklessness andcluelessness." The various causes of death are drownings, boating accidents, and drugoverdoses. In 2003, Lake Mead National Recreation Area ranked fourth on the list of the 10most dangerous national parks, according to a survey by a park ranger group.
米德湖是一座人工蓄水池,因無限制無約束的水上運(yùn)動(dòng)而廣受歡迎。早在1998年,平均每周就有一名游客喪生。公園的管理員稱大多數(shù)人死于自己致命的“愚蠢和沖動(dòng)”。游客的死因包括溺水,船難和過度嗑藥等。2003年,在一項(xiàng)公園管理員參與的調(diào)查中,米德湖國家休閑區(qū)在10大最危險(xiǎn)的國家公園中位列第四。
7.The Maze, Canyonlands National Park
7.峽谷地國家公園:The Maze
Getting lost here is really easy. Always be sure to have a map, a charged phone, a GPS, and acompass. Anything you need to figure out which way to go is a good idea. The canyons areconnected in a way that is truly a labyrinth. You're likely to hit a dead end anywhere you turn.The problem is that even if you can get in touch with people to come and rescue you, they maytake days to find you.
在這里非常容易迷路,要確保隨身攜帶著地圖,充滿電的手機(jī),衛(wèi)星定位裝置和指南針,帶上任何能指明方位的設(shè)備都是個(gè)好主意。這些峽谷互相連結(jié),形成了一個(gè)大迷宮。隨便拐進(jìn)一個(gè)峽谷,也許就進(jìn)入了死胡同。問題是即使和救援人員取得了聯(lián)系,他們想找到你也要花上幾天的功夫。