Help Needed: Missing climbers near Leavenworth

[spotly]

Watched the litters fly overhead Saturday night. Way sad

[max]

On a related note, anyone know about the USFS rappelling a fire in the enchantments? I'm pretty sure they don't do anything w/ S&R, but buddy w/ the wenatchee raps was sent up there a couple of days ago. There haven't been any lightning storms roll through lately and it isn't exactly prime fire season up there...

 

Also, my thoughts are with the families affected. Very sad.

 

 

[rmncwrtr]

KREM News Update

 

Update: Monday 12:30pm: Investigators have released more information about the deaths of two mountain climbers from Spokane.

 

Chelan County investigators say both 53-year-old Otto Vaclavek and his 12-year-old son had ice climbing gear, but neither had rock climbing gear or climbing ropes.

 

According to the Wenatchee World newspaper, Sharon Marion, wife of Otto and mother of Max, said her husband was very familiar with the area.

 

Otto Vaclavek came to the United States in 1988, when he was granted political asylum from Czechoslovakia.

[Mtn Sk8tr]

I have many happy & fond memories of Otto, beginning in 1988 when I was first learning to climb; several years later when the news of his marriage to *Susan* went through the climbing community, and after the birth of their first child.

 

This includes a mutual climbing friend laughing that he had seen someone in the distance, rollerblading rapidly towards him on the paved Centennial Trail. The mystery person was "pushing a baby buggy", with roller-bladed feet & stroller "swinging widely side-to-side". When closer, Eloy was shocked to see the rollerblader was Otto. Eloy exclaimed, "Otto's a changed man!!"

 

The above comment about being granted political asylum in 1988 was very interesting as I was certain I had met Otto early that year. Recall was correct. My climbing log reads:

 

"23 April 1988...much difficulty succeeding on Open Book -- Otto came by & helped...photo taken of Otto on Open Book crux move..."

 

Among all the memories, first & foremost will always be Otto's kindness to a new climber (me), his competence, and how generously he shared his knowledge. May all of us be remembered that way.

 

 

[Couloir]

It's unfortunate that it takes a tragedy such as this to remind us that there are a lot of people that truly love, care and most importantly, depend on us. Otto's wife and family have a loss in their lives that rivals none other. Pray for these people. And please be careful out there.

[Mtn Sk8tr]

A fund to benefit the Vaclovek family has been established by Paul Fish. Checks can be made out to the "Vaclavek Family Fund"

and taken to any Spokane Teacher's Credit Union (STCU) branch or mailed to:

 

Vaclavek Family fund

C/O STCU University District Branch

528 E. Spokane Falls Blvd.

Spokane, WA 99202-5050

 

Or dropped off at Mountain Gear.

 

****

 

Discussion is taking place about a benefit for Susan & Olivia. Please stay tuned in the upcoming weeks about this.

 

[Dane]

Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family at their loss.

 

Otto was a fun guy to be around. We first met working at Mtn Gear in the mid '80s. Otto spoke broken English back then and it always embarrassed him. He told me stories of climbing in the Czech republic using terrible gear on what sounded like really, really hard routes winter and summer. His climbs in Europe and locally were impressive enough to highlight that point. Those climbs included having done most of the harder alpine routes in the Enchantments 20 years ago. Harder routes yet in the Canadian Rockies including an early solo of Whiteman Falls in terrible conditions. That one left me shaking my head in awe.

 

But the story that most impressed me and he spoke little about was walking over the mtns with his family to get out of the then oppressive, communist ruled, Czech Republic. This when they actually shot people leaving the iron curtain. His courage, convictions and the love of his family became clear in that short conversation. Freedom wasn't just an idea to Otto. It was something he worked hard to gain. I never heard that story repeated.

 

Otto had been trained as an engineer by the state. Last I talked with him (a few years ago) he was happy to be working and successful as an Engineer again. But there was never a doubt he was happiest in the mtns. I wasn't surprised to hear he was working at Mtn Gear again 20 years later. Or that his last adventure was shared with his son.

 

God bless them both.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Serenity]

R.I.P.

 

Sad story

[Mtn Sk8tr]

Services for Otto & Max will be next Saturday:

 

Oct 6th, 2:00 PM

at the Women's Club,

9th and Walnut (South Hill), in Spokane.

 

 

Please stay tuned for more details.

[jclark]

Does anyone know what happened to them? Did they fall?

[pindude]

Otto and Max's memorial service will be Saturday, Oct. 6, 2:00 pm at the Women's Club in Spokane at 9th & Walnut.

 

Here's a link to the announcement , which includes a couple choice photos each of Max and Otto.

 

I hope to add more details about the service as the time approaches and when I know more. Climbers, friends or neighbors, anyone who was touched by the lives of Otto and Max, are welcome. The media will not be there. If you'd like to give some help for the service, you're welcome to contact me personally.

 

I ask each of you to please consider giving to the fund established for the Vaclavek family. Checks can be made out to the "Vaclavek Family Fund" and taken to any Spokane Teachers Credit Union (STCU) branch or mailed to:

 

Vaclavek Family fund

c/o STCU University District Branch

528 E. Spokane Falls Blvd.

Spokane, WA 99202-5050

 

Thank you all,

Steve Reynolds

 

Edited October 1, 2007 by pindude

[pindude]

 

Dane, thanks for your message.

 

 

Does anyone know what happened to them? Did they fall?

 

jclark, yes, the did fall. Here's the 9-25-07 AP story appearing in the Seattle Times that is mostly accurate. Main corrections are that Otto's wife's name is Susan (not Sharon), and Otto and Max were not found "in a gully" per se, but at the base of Colchuck Glacier in the very large glacial cirque area between Dragontail and Colchuck Mountains. And "cleats" are actually crampons, of course.

---------

 

Father died of hypothermia, son of head trauma

 

By The Associated Press

 

WENATCHEE — Autopsies have determined that a 12-year-old Spokane boy who was mountain climbing with his father in the Cascade Mountains died from a skull fracture sustained in a fall, and that his dad suffered head injuries but died of hypothermia.

 

Photographs indicate that Otto Vaclavek, 53, of Spokane, may have fallen between two rocks, Chelan County Coroner Wayne Harris said. He speculated that Vaclavek, an experienced mountaineer, was unable to get out from between the rocks.

 

Vaclavek's, 12-year-old son, Max, hit his head on a rock when he fell and suffered blunt force trauma to the head.

 

"He was wearing a helmet, but the trauma was below the helmet line," Harris said, noting that the boy probably died instantly.

 

The two were climbing a glacier in and likely slipped on the ice, dropping 100 to 150 feet over a cliff and onto rocks below, Harris said. The two were not roped together.

 

The two set out on Sept. 15 to hike over the weekend, but didn't return home on Sept. 17 as expected. Friends and rescue workers searched for several days until the bodies were found Saturday in a gully between Colchuck Peak and Dragontail Peak, at an elevation of 7,600 feet.

 

Otto Vaclavek worked at Mountain Gear, a Spokane-area outdoor sports store.

 

Sharon Marion, wife of Otto and mother of Max, said her husband had plenty of experience climbing in the Cascades. She said he came to the United States from Czechoslovakia in the 1980s and was granted political asylum.

 

They met in 1988, she said, while she was making her first climb.

 

They had two children, Max, and Olivia, 14.

 

Sheriff Mike Harum said the Vaclaveks were climbing without anchoring themselves to the ice.

 

"In most cases, more than not, they (climbers) utilize those safety measures, with anchors and ropes to traverse the glacier as well as climb the face of the mountain," Harum said.

 

The pair did have ice axes and climbing cleats, Harum said.

 

The autopsy revealed they died at least 48 hours before they were found, he said.

 

They were last seen by a hiker on the trail to Colchuck Lake on Sept. 15. Authorities suspect they may have fallen that same day, Harum said.

 

[jclark]

Thanks for the info. Very Sad. I will be contributing to the fund

 

[ivan]

lake colchuck's a beautiful place to have one's spirit buzzing about for all eternity

[pindude]

Thanks for the info. Very Sad. I will be contributing to the fund

 

Thanks very much for contributing!

[Mtn Sk8tr]

The memorial service for Max & Otto will be TOMORROW-- SATURDAY:

 

Oct 6th, 2:00 PM

at the Women's Club,

9th and Walnut (South Hill), in Spokane.

 

 

Please don't forget about the fund to benefit Susan (wife/mother) & Olivia (daughter/sister). Even small contributions are greatly appreciated.

 

 

If you have any questions, please email or PM either Pindude or me.