Hiker dies in King Ravine.

http://www.wmur.com/news/nh-news/Hi...ine/-/9857858/18293194/-/3k14lfz/-/index.html

http://www.unionleader.com/article/20130126/NEWS07/130129296/-1/politics06

Just saw the story posted on FB and came here for more info...it's terrible no matter, but I hope it isn't anyone from this community. Sympathies to friends and family....

What a tragedy

The victim is identified as Richard Gabriele in http://www.wmur.com/news/nh-news/Hi...ine/-/9857858/18293194/-/3k14lfz/-/index.html

This report also says that the group contained people from Maine and Texas.


I have found little detail at this point except for a suggestion that it might have been a technical climbing accident--the Union Leader story says that they carried ropes.

EDIT: a more recent version of the report suggests that ropes were not in use and it was not a technical climbing accident--just an (unroped) hiker slipping on or above steep terrain. http://www.wmur.com/news/nh-news/Hi...ine/-/9857858/18293194/-/3k14lfz/-/index.html updated 9:27 am EST Jan 27, 2013

Doug

The Berlin Daily Sun
Mountaineer Falls To His Death On Mt. Adams

On Saturday, January 26, a group of seven climbers set out to summit Mt. Adams via King’s Ravine, when one of the climbers fell to his death. At approximately 1 p.m. Richard Gabrielle, 64, University Park, Texas, was near the top of what is known as the Great Gully in King’s Ravine when he lost his footing and slid down into the ravine. The ravine has a 67 degree slope. Richard Gabrielle travelled over 1,500 feet, and dropped vertically over 950 feet before coming to rest. He sustained significant injuries that killed him instantly.

... click link below for the rest of the story...

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From The Berlin Daily Sun FB page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Berlin-Daily-Sun/156821377723894

So sad. Condolences and sympathies to those who knew and loved Richard. Huge thanks to those who assisted in the recovery and transport.

Breeze

Horrible...

University Park is a suburb of Dallas, where Southern Methodist Univ. is located. The piece in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram repeats the info from New Hampshire sources at present. Didn't find any thing in the Dallas Morning News.

DougPaul said:

EDIT: a more recent version of the report suggests that ropes were not in use and it was not a technical climbing accident--just an (unroped) hiker slipping on or above steep terrain.

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Sounds like maybe the ropes should have been in use - I think I would want a belay climbing Great Gully with ice

[oops - second-guessing again :-]

So damn sad. Many condolences to his family and friends...

Finally a fairly complete story: http://www.unionleader.com/article/20130127/NEWS07/130129215

The victim (Richard Gabrielle, 64, from University Park, Texas), fell from high in Great Gully and slid down. No one saw or heard the fall--he was at the rear of the party and there were high winds. He was reported to be properly equipped for the climb (crampons, ice axe, helmet) but not roped at the time.

For those who have not climbed Great Gully, the upper part is a steep smooth chute that leads to the top of a cliff. Anyone falling in the upper part of the gully is likely to go over this cliff. (People have survived the fall in the past.)

Great Gully is normally a snow climb in winter. (The route goes around the cliff.) It is steep enough to avalanche and there have been such avalanches. The winter route pretty much follows the summer trail.

Doug

RoySwkr said:

Sounds like maybe the ropes should have been in use - I think I would want a belay climbing Great Gully with ice

[oops - second-guessing again :-]

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I climbed Great Gully once and it was a pure snow climb (the route goes around the cliff/waterfall). However, the surface could have been crusty courtesy of the recent warm spell. (Such a crust might also lessen the adhesion of any newer snow and make avalanches more likely.)

IIRC, we carried a rope "just in case", but didn't use it.

Belays on snow are often unreliable due to the difficulty of obtaining good snow anchors. (There are several types of anchors, it is just that they are prone to pulling out under the force of a fall.) Sometimes one can get a good rock anchor in the gully walls.

A number of years ago (late '70s or early '80s, I think), two climbers were avalanched out of the gully, went over the cliff, and survived with injuries.

Doug

This was sent to me by a member of the climbing party in King Ravine.

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Hello, My Name is Peter and i was a member of the climbing party in Kings Ravine on Mt. Adams. I am part of the group from Maine, living in Fort Fairfield. I have been climbing with Gabe for over 10 years and this was our 7th winter trip to North Conway and the Whites. If i could I would like to make the fallowing post to the page.

I would like to sincerely thank all the people who came to our support. The first person to reach us was the care taker from Gray Nob, He and his dog were a great help. With his support we moved Gabe further down the Gully and out of the rock fall at the base of the gully. At that point we were met by a man names Mike I believe. With his help we repositioned Gabe's body and continue down the trail. In 20 to 30 minutes a woman arrived-I'm sorry I do not know her name and we continued down the trail. At this point it became dark and we were quiet exhausted and a number of people arrived from local search and rescue and fish and game with a sled. As a group we had started the evacuation of our climbing peer. Clearly we could not have gotten Gabe of the Mountain with out your support and I thank all of you for your help and support.

Andrew said:

http://blog.nhstateparks.org/expect-the-non-expected/

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As usual nothing happens up North without Mike getting involved