NY snowshoer dies on Rainier

[AOC-1]

Sad news from Rainier. All too common tragedy - disoriented and lost near Paradise in a white-out.

http://blog.thenewstribune.com/adventure/2011/12/14/new-york-man-brian-grobois-apparently-got-lost/

 

[erugs]

Agree, it's always too sad when we learn of someone going out for a good day, doing an activity that we here enjoy, that then turns around on them. The slopes above Paradise would be confusing, indeed, in a whiteout. It's big, open country there.

 

[DougPaul]

Agree, it's always too sad when we learn of someone going out for a good day, doing an activity that we here enjoy, that then turns around on them. The slopes above Paradise would be confusing, indeed, in a whiteout. It's big, open country there.

They can be confusing--I've wandered off route myself coming down from Panorama Point on a foggy day in April (snow cover down to the parking lot, tracks all over the place, pre-GPS). Got a bit over on the Nisqually side of the ridge--ultimately we followed the sound of the cars to the parking lot.

Doug

 

[Kevin Rooney]

This is a very sad occurrence. My condolences to his family.

A few years ago there was a thread on this BB where some dumbass was poo-pooing the dangers in that slope between Paradise and Camp Muir, despite the number of deaths which have occurred there over the years. On a sunny day it looks completely benign, but a friend and I encountered much difficulty a few years ago descending it when we encountered dense fog/clouds in late afternoon. We got down by leapfrogging from wand-to-wand. It seems deceptively easy, especially compared to the risks higher up. It's one of those climbs for which Yoga Berra's adage "It ain't over 'till it's over" truly applies.

 

[erugs]

I totally agree, Kevin. There are many ways to go and also places to stay away from on that hill below Muir. I, myself, was lost about four years ago in August while hiking the Skyline Trail as a "Meadow Rover" volunteer-for-a-day. My "job" was to keep visitors on the trail. Suddenly it was socked in with fog and I lost the trail. I heard voices and found a group from RMI doing practice snow travel. I asked them about the trail. They pointed and I went in that direction. Very soon I was out of site on a steep snow slope and I knew it wasn't the trail. Foolish pride kept me from backtracking to them. It was a little while, but I went on, the sky lifted, I looked up and saw ropes on posts that demark the trail at a lookout and upclimbed to safety. (I've often wondered if those guides wondered what ever happened to me, taking their wrong advise.)

 

[Chip]

A few years ago there was a thread on this BB where some dumbass was poo-pooing the dangers in that slope between Paradise and Camp Muir, despite the number of deaths which have occurred there over the years.

We descended from Muir twice. First was a beautiful, sunny walk in the park. Deceptively simple and easy. Second was a few days later, a day or 2 before a death there, in a white-out/blizzard/fog. I'm glad John had his GPS track from the previous descent as even our guides missed to the right the real trail. That slope throws you west, I guess it is, away from the wands and trail to Paradise.

 

[Chugach001]

My wife and I spent a snowcave evening up there looking for camp muir one February. I respect it.

 

[Maddy]

Scary stuff. Very sad.