Ice climber dies on Mount Washington

Ice climber dies on Mount Washington
http://www.unionleader.com/article/20130302/NEWS07/130309859

The accident was an unwitnessed avalanche in Pinnacle Gully (Huntington Ravine).

Doug

These sort of things are happening too often. I feel for his family and I wonder what we as a community can do to impress upon those who ascend these mountains of the inherent dangers involved.

I am not actually looking for an answer to this query but I wish there was more that could be done to prevent such tragedies. People will always put themselves in harms way regardless the rational warnings of others but it is the survivors of the deceased who carry the heaviest of burdens.

Z

Oh, but the climbing mags make soloing seem SO cool.

Effective ice protection is quite recent. Before that all leaders were effectively soloing--roped or not. (This was also true of rock, just a little earlier in time.)

A friend told me (in ~1980) of climbing Pinnacle Gully around 1970? and the only trust-worthy protection was rock pitons. (He knew exactly where the placements were...)

Also good ropes only became available after WW II.

Unroped soloing is unroped soloing, rock or ice. In either case all it takes is a falling rock or chunk of ice, a break-away hold, a stumble, a momentary loss of concentration, or a single bad move to cause a long and possibly fatal fall.


Note that the report does not say whether:
* the avalanche was natural and swept the climber away
* the climber triggered the avalanche and fell with it
* the falling climber triggered the avalanche.
The avalanche advisory was moderate (natural avalanches are unlikely and human triggered avalanches are possible), but Odell and Central (which are adjacent on both sides) were listed as being at the high end of moderate due to wind loading.

Doug

Thoughts and prayers to his family, a tragic loss.

Is it me or does it seem like SAR is very busy this year? More people more accidents?

DougPaul said:

Effective ice protection is quite recent. Before that all leaders were effectively soloing--roped or not. (This was also true of rock, just a little earlier in time.)

A friend told me (in ~1980) of climbing Pinnacle Gully around 1970? and the only trust-worthy protection was rock pitons. (He knew exactly where the placements were...)

Also good ropes only became available after WW II.

Unroped soloing is unroped soloing, rock or ice. In either case all it takes is a falling rock or chunk of ice, a break-away hold, a stumble, a momentary loss of concentration, or a single bad move to cause a long and possibly fatal fall.


Note that the report does not say whether:
* the avalanche was natural and swept the climber away
* the climber triggered the avalanche and fell with it
* the falling climber triggered the avalanche.
The avalanche advisory was moderate (natural avalanches are unlikely and human triggered avalanches are possible), but Odell and Central (which are adjacent on both sides) were listed as being at the high end of moderate due to wind loading.

Doug

Click to expand...

This is good info Doug. Although I think it is important to note that protection may or may have not stopped this climber from being killed. At this point until more information if any comes forward any critique of this situation is pure speculation.

Sending love out to his family and friends. 24 is waay too young. This shouldn't have happened. :'(

The Unstrung Harp said:

Sending love out to his family and friends. 24 is waay too young. This shouldn't have happened. :'(

Click to expand...

Yeah. Awfully sad.

JakeD said:

I meant that even in modern ice climbing.. soloing easy routes is still not all that uncommon i think. hell people ski half of those gullies or use them as descents from harder ones.

Click to expand...

I think that in general, many are willing to solo climbs on which they feel comfortable. Rock climbs often stay the same over extended periods and can be rehearsed while roped. In contrast, ice climbs often change over very short time spans and therefore cannot be fully rehearsed. Also leaders (and, on some climbs, seconds too) effectively solo parts of many climbs. (For instance, any portion of a climb which exposes the climber to groundfall before the rope catches him.)

i was disagreeing that the recent influx of soloing media with Honnold doesn't have much to do with soloing ice/snow. There is much less falling in ice climbing.. from what i understand even with modern screws and ropes, falling with crampons and ice tools is something that should be avoided until you get fairly overhanging.

Click to expand...

Falls on ice are probably more dangerous than falls on rock--ice tools and crampons are sharp and can injure a falling ice climber. Any of the points can also catch on something fixed and break the climbers arm, ankle, or leg. Ice climbers have good reason to be extra careful...

The media has always emphasized the more extreme and risky climbs and climbers. (We also tend to gossip about them too.) Somehow the tale of a routine safe climb just doesn't sell the magazines...

hiking, climbing, skiing.. avy risk determination needs to be learned and practiced. It is sad this guy did not make it.

Click to expand...

The other side of risky activities is that some percentage of the participants will get hurt or killed. Sad when it happens, but it will keep happening as long as people keep taking risks.

Doug

So sorry to hear and so sad. Prayers and thoughts for his family and friends.

--Mike

This accident is not uncommen and MT.Washington averages a few deaths a year with a few exceptions here and there. People solo ice and rock every day its nothing new. The advances in gear have little to do with this accident. basically its the luck of the draw and this guy drew a bad luck, he was proboly doing nothing to contribute to this fall other then being where he was. Ive had bad falls, Ive been in a avalanche, Im hear now because I was lucky simple as that. If you spend enough time in the mountains pushing your limits, then your either involved in a accident or hear of them close by. While the need to get all techy and fact orientated is a draw to some its really just fluff. The mountains are both beautifull and unforgiving simple as that. I send my thoughts and prayers to this bold young mans family.