Yet another Lib Ridge accident

[sk]

so sad

 

peace to all involved

[NEWSTIPS]

 

Have they ever just closed a route? This many accidents in so little time is going to draw lots of negative attention.

 

We asked lead climbing ranger, Mike Gautier about this and he said that the park never denies permits to or closes a particular route. They say climbing is an inherently dangerous sport and if they close a route, then in instances that it is open, climbers might assume there is no danger or risk...and there is always a risk.

 

So there's your answer.

 

[ken4ord]

A lot of shit talking on this thread. Come on folks, shit happen whether you are on a mountain or not, whether you have tight schedule cause you are out of town or a local, whether it is bluebird day or storming. Please let's not turn this into a spray thread, it could be you that is up there next or on some other mountain. It is plain and simple there is some folks from the climbing community up on the mountain that are in trouble, and some dead. Let's hope that ones that are alive, stay alive and make it out ok back to their friends and family.

[Winter]

This is tragic. Peace to all involved. A string of accidents like this leaves us all looking for answers, but I don't really think there are any.

 

I also support the Park's decision not to close routes. Its not their responsibility to tell us when conditions are a go.

[minx]

A lot of shit talking on this thread. Come on folks, shit happen whether you are on a mountain or not, whether you have tight schedule cause you are out of town or a local, whether it is bluebird day or storming. Please let's not turn this into a spray thread, it could be you that is up there next or on some other mountain. It is plain and simple there is some folks from the climbing community up on the mountain that are in trouble, and some dead. Let's hope that ones that are alive, stay alive and make it out ok back to their friends and family.

 

i agree w/that!

 

i do think that there's been some good points made in this thread. regardless of the merits of those arguments there are folks in trouble on the mountain and i truly hope they're OK.

[sk]

This is tragic. Peace to all involved. A string of accidents like this leaves us all looking for answers, but I don't really think there are any.

 

I also support the Park's decision not to close routes. Its not their responsibility to tell us when conditions are a go.

I agree 100% Winter

[iain]

the 2 Montana gentlemen who were unaccounted for on Liberty Ridge have been confirmed deceased.

 

and then:

the other body is still missing and presumed dead.

 

As a representative for a news agency on this site, it would seem appropriate to be more careful with the words you choose.

[jonthomp]

I am thinking of carrying a long wave radio with me and getting the latest weather forecast for the region on my next trip

 

Not to try to derail this thread further (I think all our thoughts are with the climbers in trouble) and maybe we should start a new thread to explore some of the issues raised by this spate of accidents, but here I go anyway.

 

The radio is a good idea however knowing the weather patterns over the previous weeks is much more significant in determining snow conditions, avy danger, etc.

 

Enough said, play safe and smart, and positive thoughts to the two still alive and doing well and to the third if he's lucky enough to be hanging in there.

[ketch]

Hey Newstips, On anothere note. I appreciate the sidebar that was included in your article. I'm sure that the public is having similar thoughts to us climbers. By including a note with Kudos to the volunteers and how rescues are paid for it helps us. There's already a move afoot to charge for rescues and this was a good way to counteract that.

 

Please pass on to the authors and editors.

[wally]

On a route like liberty wouldnt it be better to travel unroped in poor conditions if you are not going to use fixed protection? It seems that a fall that is not self-arrested is just going to pull your partner down with you.

[CascadeClimber]

Hey Newstips, On anothere note. I appreciate the sidebar that was included in your article. I'm sure that the public is having similar thoughts to us climbers. By including a note with Kudos to the volunteers and how rescues are paid for it helps us. There's already a move afoot to charge for rescues and this was a good way to counteract that.

 

Please pass on to the authors and editors.

 

Ditto.

 

One correction on the main article: It's Liberty Ridge and Willis Wall.

 

-L

[Bug]

If I die on a mountain, definately disect the incident to your heart's content. If that helps prevent someone else from making the same mistake, it is a good thing.

I certainly meant no disrespect to anyone on Rainier. I am upset about it and wish their families the best. I also worry about people who say it was "bad luck". Choices were made.

I wish you all safe climbing.

[Jim]

I saw a previous note that someone stated that one of the deceased climbers was a North Cascade climbing ranger.

Does anyone have any information on this? A friend of mine has one of these postions and I've not been able to contact him. Hopefully his in the hills doing his job.

[IceIceBaby]

Post deleted by IceIceBaby

[mr.radon]

They use Curtis ridge since that is a great place to land, flat, crevass free. It's easy to get on the Carbon and is well away from Willis Wall. I watched them recover a body one year, the guy that fall off LR skiing down.

I really hope that they don't closing the mountain in bad weather. Boy, I was so happy at 18 that I didn't have to listen to my mommy anymore.

About Cell Phones, we bailed from Thumb Rock one year after I called to get a weather report from a friend looking at the internet weather forcast. The weather was predicted to be clear and the storm moved in 24 earlier. Its a great tool.

Edited June 18, 2004 by mr.radon

[jules]

Jim, call 1-360-569-2211 and hit 9 for the SAR hotline. Names are mentioned in the recording. I hope it's not your friend.

[NEWSTIPS]

I saw a previous note that someone stated that one of the deceased climbers was a North Cascade climbing ranger.

Does anyone have any information on this? A friend of mine has one of these postions and I've not been able to contact him. Hopefully his in the hills doing his job.

 

His identity has not been officially released so I am unable to give you the name, but as soon as the name is released, we will update our web coverage.

[Greg_W]

Bad Luck are another words for misinformed or lack of collecting information

 

Dude, shut the fuck up already. Fuck your armchair quarterbacking and coffeebar philosophizing. This thread is about an accident, and the unfortunate loss of fellow climbers. Take your analysis to another thread.

 

Peace to their families. Jim, I hope it wasn't your friend.

 

Greg_W

[Jim]

Whew, thanks, it does not appear that my friend was up there. Someone gave me the number of the rescue hotline (thank you) and they give the climbers from the missing party there. Hopefully they've got the parties figured out correctly of who is who. But since the party awaiting rescue has a cell phone it looks like this is likely. The hotline said they are calling off the rescue efforts because of hazardous conditions. Will still look for missing person (assumed deceased) via helicopter.

[proper]

From 710Kiro News:

 

MOUNT RAINIER FATALITY

 

The park identifies the man whose body was recovered as Luke Casady, a 29-year-old from Missoula. His climbing partner is 29-year-old Ansel Vizcaya, also from Missoula. He worked as a seasonal employee at the North Cascades National Park. Casady's wife says he was president of the Alpine Club of Missoula and scaled Mount Rainier three or four times before, but not by the dangerous Liberty Ridge route. The men had been scheduled to return Monday. A search helicopter spotted the one body yesterday with two backpacks at about the nine-thousand-foot level on Carbon Glacier, below Liberty Ridge. Gauthier says it appears they either fell or were hit by an avalanche during bad weather in the past week. Although two other climbers have died on Liberty Ridge this spring, Gauthier says the route is not any more dangerous than usual, and the park has no plan to close that approach to the summit.

[catbirdseat]

On a route like liberty wouldnt it be better to travel unroped in poor conditions if you are not going to use fixed protection? It seems that a fall that is not self-arrested is just going to pull your partner down with you.

You said something that I was afraid to say, but I have to agree. Sometimes though you get past a hard part, the slope eases off, and you let down your guard and decide not to put another picket in. But with more steepness coming up you stay roped. I can totally see how it could have happened. All you can do on routes like this is to never let down your guard.

[cj001f]

On a route like liberty wouldnt it be better to travel unroped in poor conditions if you are not going to use fixed protection? It seems that a fall that is not self-arrested is just going to pull your partner down with you.

You said something that I was afraid to say, but I have to agree. Sometimes though you get past a hard part, the slope eases off, and you let down your guard and decide not to put another picket in. But with more steepness coming up you stay roped. I can totally see how it could have happened. All you can do on routes like this is to never let down your guard.

What route is it better to travel roped w/o pro?

[mtnnut]

Not that you want to count on it, but recall that the other most recent death on Liberty Ridge managed to have their rope snag on something during the fall and that kept them from traveling further down.

[robert]

Any route where the primary danger is a crevase fall.

[sobo]

Hey Newstips, On anothere note. I appreciate the sidebar that was included in your article. I'm sure that the public is having similar thoughts to us climbers. By including a note with Kudos to the volunteers and how rescues are paid for it helps us. There's already a move afoot to charge for rescues and this was a good way to counteract that.

 

Please pass on to the authors and editors.

 

NEWSTIPS,

 

I second what ketch said. People (non-climbers) need to know that. Add in my personal kudos, too.