lisa Posted July 23, 2001 Posted July 23, 2001 Sunday, July 22nd - over the weekend there were two separate climbing fatalities in the Austrian Tyrol. On Saturday, a 29-year old man hiking alone on the Hohen Gumrial slipped on a cliffband and fell 300 meters to his death. When he did not return that evening, his parents called Mountain rescue. The other fatality was a 34-year old member of a DAV climbing party in the vicinity of the Ahornspitze who slipped and fell from a path covered with hard snow falling into gully. Following the accident the others returned to the hut, during which another 58-year old person from the party also slipped and fell 80 meters on steep terrain suffering severe injuries, and was flown by a rescue helicopter to the hospital. Sounds like atypical weekend in the Alps! A little more activity than here. Quote
Dru Posted July 23, 2001 Posted July 23, 2001 Euro accidents are way more common place than here. Reason? I'm guessing easier access to mountains. Any other ideas? (C'mon someone say its because all their crag routes are bolted or something) Quote
Jman Posted July 23, 2001 Posted July 23, 2001 LOL. Dru, I just about had frappuccino come out my nose when I read that... (sorry, no insensitivity toward the topic discussed...) [This message has been edited by Jman (edited 07-23-2001).] Quote
Eerie Posted July 23, 2001 Posted July 23, 2001 How many of those deaths are visitors to the area? More importantly, how familiar were those that died with the chosen routes, seasonal snowpack, or any other factors specific to the region that contributed to their deaths? [This message has been edited by Eerie (edited 07-23-2001).] Quote
Cpt.Caveman Posted July 23, 2001 Posted July 23, 2001 It is all speculation Eerie. In some ways I can see that as arrogant. No offense intended Quote
dr._jay Posted July 24, 2001 Posted July 24, 2001 maybe its because there's not enough lawyers around to scare people out of allowing access to the mountains Quote
mikeadam Posted July 24, 2001 Posted July 24, 2001 Dr. J, They certainly do seem to have a much more open approach to the mountains in Europe. It is a very popular pasttime. They also have the strongest guiding standards, adequate and professional mountain rescue, and easier access to very large and imposing peaks. Those that climb in Europe come back with a strange light in their eyes eh? Are you injecting the proposition that there may be some land management decisions imposed and enforced by government lawyers intent on sabotaging access to the land which legally belongs to every citizen of the United States? Bonus: Should we allow Euro style standards to intrude into Cascade mountaineering? ~Just in the interest of sparking debate..something that alot of lawyers do. Do doctors debate ethics too? Quote
mikeadam Posted July 24, 2001 Posted July 24, 2001 On the average about a 75-100 alpinists and ski mountaineers die each year in the Chamonix area alone. Probably best not to dwell on such facts and climb fast with the odds in your favor when you go there. Quote
dr._jay Posted July 25, 2001 Posted July 25, 2001 well yes we do...but usually its not about bolts. and no, i wasn't proposing that thing you said but just taking a moment for some legal system bashing. perhaps it is just a little of my euro-envy but it seems that they are much less concerned about the threat of being sued. if you do something stupid or are a victim of bad luck then its no one elses fault. and that mentality is certainly not exclusive to the mountains. mcdonald's coffee anyone? Quote
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