Lub Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 If you're headed to Montana or Wyoming... From http://mtavalanche.com/current/: AVALANCHE FATALITY IN WYOMING An avalanche near Cody, Wyoming, claimed the life of an experienced ice climber on Friday. He was climbing the "Main Vein", a south-facing route, when the bowl above the climb avalanched. The debris funneled down the gut of the climb like a freight train. His partner and rope held him, but not before being fatally traumatized. This area historically has minimal avalanche danger because of the lack of snow. Not this year. Lots of fresh snow and high winds have created unstable conditions. And these atypical avalanche conditions are not just in Cody, they're all over the west. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobra_Commander Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 Avalanche danger has been off the charts in the Jackson area. Big slides on stuff with a bunch of ski tracks on it already. Bad snowpack out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevino Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 John, you alive? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcus Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 Just spoke with John and heard from Team Harro...they are all back in Boze. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Frieh Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 Check though I did whip off a new route in Hyalite today I personally would avoid Main Vein, High on Boulder/Moonrise/etc, Triptych Pillars area and anything else that is gully feed but lots of climbs in cody are/will be safe. The wind is nuking right now so I think Bryan and I are headed to the Clarks Fork tomorrow but should be in Cody by Tuesday. Climb safe and have fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoJo Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 A little more on Team PDXs recent days in Hyalite: http://montanaice.com/node/901 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowlander Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 This is terrible news, he was a friend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
layton Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 who was it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBay Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 Keith Spencer, 45, Laramie Wyoming read about it here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomtom Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 (edited) More details here and here . Edited January 9, 2009 by tomtom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 The slide, which left a crown face a quarter-mile wide and five to 10 feet high, funneled into this narrow drainage and over the ice. whoh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 Spencer ripped the full length of the icy 60-meter lead rope through Jenkins' completely locked-off belay, and then came to a stop with the rope taut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
esugi Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 In Cody climbing right now. There is a ton of snow here. Yesterday, started snowing around 2pm and by the time we rapped off Broken Hearts, some 2-3" on the ground and more was coming down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-spotter Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 Analysis here: http://gravsports.blogspot.com/2009/01/use-auto-block-belay-device.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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