Climbing accident on Rainier?

[billcoe]

Is it SOP for guides to put three inexperienced climbers on the same rope?

 

Yes, it use to be. Wholly dependent on weather, slope conditions, party skill level, your confidence in your skill and theirs, what you would be facing on route -etc etc.

 

I do not want to pass judgment, but is there a lesson we can learn from this tragedy?

 

None of us were there so can't call it at all IMO. They may have been plunge stepping down fantastically perfect slightly soft snow in awesome conditions and hit a short ice patch that they didn't see on the way up. Who knows. In either case, I suspect that there is nothing to learn which we do not already know. I read these with sadness, or when a family loses a great kid like Luke Guldberg and the 2 he was climbing with, but it happens -and when it does, it's always sad.

 

These are choices we make to face these things or not, the mountains will never be 100% safe for any of us. Skill, talent and luck all are present in varying degrees - always.

 

Regards to all.

 

wow, 2 folks posted while I was typing, guess I need to speed up....

Edited August 2, 2010 by billcoe

[Off_White]

Heinrich, the armchair quarterbacking seems pretty respectful and mostly interested in discussing whether there are any lessons to be learned that could help others in the future. I didn't know Lee, but at 52 years old and having been climbing a long time, it could have been me, and I'd guess that like me, Lee wouldn't mind a frank discussion if it would help someone else avoid the same fate.

 

Sounds to me like they were using standard glacier travel protocol, and probably acting more safely than I've tended to do in the same situation, since I'm often with only one other partner. This seems like one of those tragic incidents that literally could have been any one of us, like Craig Luebben in the Torment moat. This sheds an uncomfortably bright light on the self delusion that risk exposure is controlled by personal choice.

 

I really feel for all of Lee's friends and family, all the best to all ya'll.

[goatboy]

If I were to be in an accident, I would be disappointed if folks didn't try to learn from it, personally - but there is a difference between speculation and blaming, versus analysis of facts.

 

Some of the facts are missing here, or perhaps are mis-represented by the news article. It would be helpful to know what the article means by "the last person on the rope" (is that the TOP climber, or the Bottom-most climber?) and also whether it was Lee that slipped or not. Unless we know those elements, then it's all just guessing.

 

In general, we can say that it's standard practice to have the most experienced climber with the best self-arrest at the TOP of the descending rope team. But even that is subjective - if you need that person to route-find for whatever on the way down, that may go further towards preventing incidents than his/her ability to arrest a party that has mis-navigated. In this case, it was apparently the top-most climber who fell, perhaps plucking the others off.

 

Certainly, running pro may have prevented the entire party from falling into the crevasse, but we've all been guilty of climbing through a section and recognizing afterwards, "Wow, glad I didn't fall there -- some pro may have been useful." Perhaps this incident can help prevent others from finding themselves in that situation, or making sure that whoever is leading the group has protection and can assess when/where to place it. I am not implying that this group did or did not make those assessments, but am hoping to remind myself and others of that in the future.

 

Sad incident, terrible loss.

[jon]

http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates/washington/explore/washington-in-honor-of-lee-adams.xml

[builder206]

http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates/washington/explore/washington-in-honor-of-lee-adams.xml

 

"...a fund for acquiring vital forestlands in the east Cascades." This seems like a great idea to me. I didn't know Lee Adams but every time I fly over that area, the cut I see bugs me.

 

"Gifts of $1,000 or more will be matched by Lee's family." Reading his connection to our sport makes this cause a natural fit for me, and I admire The Nature Conservancy's work. I can't pony up $1,000 but I wonder if collectively cc.com members can raise that amount? Just 20 people giving $50 will make $1,000. Looking at so much clearcut reminds me of the bumper sticker, If Trees Are A Renewable Resource, Why Are The Forests Disappearing?