1998
Nestler incident:
At 1:45 on June 11th an independent climber camping at Ingraham Flats overheard screams of distress coming from the Disappointment Cleaver. The climber, using a cell phone, alerted Mt. Rainier communications and reported that a snow avalanche had swept two rope teams off "the Nose" of the cleaver. The initial report indicated that many climbers may be dead and the accident was extremely serious. Off duty climbing ranger Gauthier overheard the emergency announcement on the Park Service radio and responded to the accident from the summit by riding his snowboard down the climbing route. On scene, Gauthier reported that Rainier Mountaineering guided teams had been hit by an avalanche and up to ten climbers (two rope teams) were unsecured on the cliff or unaccounted for.
The Park Service assembled climbing rangers from Camp Schurman and Muir, Mountain Rescue Volunteers, Rainier Mountaineering Guides and helicopters assist with the rescue. On scene, Gauthier along with Rainier Mountaineering Guides Randolf and Eicshner worked to assess the situation. The location was extremely hazardous with 40-degree icy slopes, 20-foot vertical rock bands, exposure to avalanche hang-fire and a 300-foot drop to the glacier below.
The danger made it necessary for rescuers to secure the exposed climbers with new ropes and reliable anchors. One of the distressed climbing teams was pendulumed over a refrigerator sized rotten rock; the other clung to the cliff or dangled on a rope which was frayed to the inner strands and pulled tight over a sharp rock held by one picket! Once new anchors and ropes were established, on scene rescuers negotiated the cliff securing the injured and triaging the patients.
Teams of climbing rangers and guides were inserted with US Army and private helicopters at Ingraham Flats. Some of the rescuers climbed to the accident site to assist with the raising evacuation while another team headed to the base of the cleaver to assist with the lowering of one climber. That climber, Nestler, had fallen substantially farther down the cliff than the others. The fastest evacuation was to lower him off the mountain rather than raise him back to the accident site. New anchors and ropes were set to assist Nestler however no one had hear from him for over an hour. As the injured were being raised off the cliff above, Nestler was quickly lowered, taken across the bergschrund and evacuated to the helicopter where he was pronounced dead.
Efforts to raise the other nine climbers off the cliff and up the slope were hustled as rescuers raced against nightfall. The injuries included: one guide with a severely injured hand, a client with an injured leg and hand, three hypothermic clients, another client with an injured hand, a climber with an injured leg and two shaken but ambulatory climbers. The Chinook helicopter hovered at Ingraham Flats till darkness when the last of the most hypothermic climbers was loaded on board in a liter. All of the injured and a few of the rescuers were flown to Madigan Hospital in Tacoma.
Climbing rangers remained to clean up and conduct the accident investigation on the following day while additional guides stayed to escort the remaining clients back to Camp Muir.
Analysis:
This accident occurred as a RMI guided team was descending from the summit. Two rope teams were clipped into the same fixed line when the avalanche occurred. The avalanche caught the first rope team which pulled two of the anchors on the fixed line. The slide continued unattested also pulling the second rope team down the hill. Finally one anchor (a picket) held at the other end of the fixed line as a few climbers became entangled at the top of the cliff-bands. What was left is detailed. One guide and one client were caught on the fixed line above the cliff. Three clients and one guide clung to the top of the cliff, tangled in the rocks and ropes. Three clients dangled below them on a cliff of ice and snow, while the solo client (Nestler) hung below a second cliff band in a waterfall of snowmelt. Nestler died as a result of this exposure.
This avalanche was described as a "wet, loose snow slide." Released on a 40-degree slope at 11, 600 feet, it ran on a layer of isothermal melt-freeze grains when it hit the rope teams at 11, 200 feet. The width of the slide when it hit the teams was 38 feet, at a depth of 6-10 inches. Warm temperatures and clear sky (solar radiation) are the most significant weather factors in its cause. At the time of the avalanche the snow pack was in the melt stage of the melt-freeze cycle and the snow grains lacked cohesion. Only a small trigger was needed to start the snow mass moving.
No definite trigger was positively identified at the starting point however boot prints and climber activity mark the area on the slope above the traverse. This location is notorious for rock and icefall thus guides fix the traverse because the exposure is great should a climber fall. The guides observed no evidence of any avalanche activity that day. Senior guides commented that the area had no avalanche activity for 20+ years.
Avalanches are not just winter phenomena. Big mountains like Rainier create their own climate and conditions. Different slopes, elevations, angles, and aspects mean new conditions and circumstances. Always consider the possibility of an avalanche, particularly on suspect 25 to 50 degree snow slopes on warm days. Hazards can be assessed by digging a snow pit and checking the slide potential. You can also minimize your exposure by moving quickly through hazardous areas. Also consider that humans cause many avalanches. In dangerous areas, make sure your teammates or others are not above you (or below!) Communicate with your team to make sure everyone is aware of the hazards.
It's worth noting that Mt. Hood also saw an avalanche that resulted in a fatality one week prior to this incident. Two other avalanches were reported to have caught climbers later that summer high on Emmons Glacier of Mt. Rainier.
Bullard incident:
A four person climbing team had summited Liberty Ridge on June 14th and became separated (two roped teams of two) during their descent down the Emmons Glacier in severe winds and whiteout conditions. While route finding, the lead climber on the second rope team fell into a crevasse near 13,300 ft. The second climber, Bullard, held the fall in self-arrest for an hour while his partner ascended out of the crevasse. Storm conditions intensified and the extended exposure of self-arresting caused Bullard to become wet and hypothermic. The team decided to bivy but their megamid provided minimal protection from the 60-MPH winds and heavy snowfall. They used their cell phone to call Mt. Rainier Nat. Park and request assistance.
Their partners had safely descended the Emmons and became concerned when their teammates did not arrive at Camp Schurman. They contacted climbing rangers Gottlieb and Kamencik about the same time the White River Ranger Station received the telephone call. Inclement weather prevented assistance that evening and a rescue was organized for the following morning based on reports of improving weather. A three-person team (the two climbing rangers and one of the party's team members) would climb from Camp Schurman while an Army Chinook helicopter would attempt to fly another team of rangers to the reported location. Cloud conditions improved but extremely high winds prevented a helicopter insertion. Aerial reconnaissance helped to guide the ground team, which climbed through deep snow and fierce winds sometimes on their hands and knees, to the climber's bivy.
The rescue team found both climbers hypothermic, suffering from exposure and dehydration. Efforts to evade the wind and light the stove proved futile and the aggressive rewarming was needed for one member. The weather continued to improve and after a few hours the climbers and rescuers were able to descend under their own power back to Camp Schurman.
Analysis:
Extremely fierce weather including whiteouts, high winds and substantial snowfall are not uncommon on Mt. Rainier during the summer months. Weather may be the largest contributing factor to accidents, rescues and searches. It is strongly recommended that teams stay together during such weather situations. Inclement weather contributed to this team becoming split but stronger efforts should always be made to stay together during such conditions. The immediate assistance of their teammates may have significantly changed the outcome of the initial crevasse fall. It is also important to note that three other climbing teams reported passing the stranded climbers while descending off Liberty Cap. They offered assistance however the two-person Bullard party declined, perhaps feeling their situation was not urgent at the time.
Talbot incident:
Two climbers requesting a rescue for a third team member on Liberty Ridge contacted Mt. Rainier National Park early on June 16th. The injured climber, Talbot 60, had severely broken his lower leg during a 200-ft. fall while descending the route. Unable to down climb, his partners stabilized him at 10,000 feet on the ridge before going for help.
NPS climbing rangers assembled a rescue team and flew to the Carbon Glacier. The rescue team ascended 1,000 feet up technical mountaineering terrain to provide emergency care. Talbot was lowered 900 feet on 40 to 60 degree snow and ice slopes to the glacier at the base of Liberty Wall. There, a helicopter could land and Talbot was transported to the Park Service helibase where an ambulance awaited. The rescue took four hours round trip.
Analysis:
Talbot had slipped on snow and ice, breaking his leg while attempting a climb of Liberty Ridge, one of Rainier's classics. Although Talbot had an accident, there have been a number of injuries like this on Liberty Ridge and similar mountaineering routes. These routes are notorious for loose and dangerous snow, rock and ice conditions that change rapidly depending on the weather and altitude. One day the snow may be hard, the next it may be sugar. Footing, particularly while wearing crampons, should be always be watched. Climbers should also be prepared for strenuous physical exercise with heavy packs and technical terrain. These difficulties coupled with altitude and the severe weather make Rainier a place where simple accidents turn into large emergencies.
Haley incident:
While spending the night on the summit of Mt. Rainier, off duty climbing rangers Gauthier and Patterson were contacted by the leader of a scientific research team who informed them that one of his team members was suffering from mountain sickness. The rangers found Haley in his tent disoriented, suffering from slurred speech and unable to support himself. Team members indicated that his condition had deteriorated significantly in the previous 15 minutes and that his behavior was abnormal.
A helicopter was requested but nightfall and altitude prevented a safe response. Within 15 minutes of the initial assessment, Haley became unconscious and unresponsive due to the altitude-related sickness. Assisted rescue breathing was provided throughout the night while a climbing team from Camp Muir attempted to reach the summit with oxygen. Newly formed crevasses and whiteout conditions prevented their efforts and Haley was evacuated shortly after sunrise by an Army Chinook helicopter and flown to Madigan Hospital. He was unconscious and in critical condition with a oxygen blood saturation level 41.
Analysis:
Haley suffered from High Altitude Cerebral and Pulmonary Edema (HACE and HAPE.) These conditions arise when climbers are not properly acclimated and spend too much time at altitude. Although Haley was part of a team that had spent four days and three nights transporting gear to the summit, he still reported headaches and a feeling of nausea. Haley also commented that he did not drink much water on his summit day. By the time his condition had deteriorated seriously enough to alert his team members, Haley was immobile and a safe and rapid descent was out of the question.
Climbers on Mt. Rainier frequently feel the effects of altitude sickness but most do not get seriously sick because they descend back to sea level before many of the medical complications arise. Acclimatization is difficult because most climbers go from sea level to 14,411 feet in less than 24 hours. Parties that expect to stay at altitude should have a systematic plan of acclimatization. Reported sickness should be seriously considered and followed by a rapid descent, the only treatment. It is imperative that team members watch each other. It is not uncommon for climbers to dismiss their symptoms as other maladies and push on. This scenario happens frequently on Mt. Rainier.
At 1:45 on June 11th an independent climber camping at Ingraham Flats overheard screams of distress coming from the Disappointment Cleaver. The climber, using a cell phone, alerted Mt. Rainier communications and reported that a snow avalanche had swept two rope teams off "the Nose" of the cleaver. The initial report indicated that many climbers may be dead and the accident was extremely serious. Off duty climbing ranger Gauthier overheard the emergency announcement on the Park Service radio and responded to the accident from the summit by riding his snowboard down the climbing route. On scene, Gauthier reported that Rainier Mountaineering guided teams had been hit by an avalanche and up to ten climbers (two rope teams) were unsecured on the cliff or unaccounted for.
The Park Service assembled climbing rangers from Camp Schurman and Muir, Mountain Rescue Volunteers, Rainier Mountaineering Guides and helicopters assist with the rescue. On scene, Gauthier along with Rainier Mountaineering Guides Randolf and Eicshner worked to assess the situation. The location was extremely hazardous with 40-degree icy slopes, 20-foot vertical rock bands, exposure to avalanche hang-fire and a 300-foot drop to the glacier below.
The danger made it necessary for rescuers to secure the exposed climbers with new ropes and reliable anchors. One of the distressed climbing teams was pendulumed over a refrigerator sized rotten rock; the other clung to the cliff or dangled on a rope which was frayed to the inner strands and pulled tight over a sharp rock held by one picket! Once new anchors and ropes were established, on scene rescuers negotiated the cliff securing the injured and triaging the patients.
Teams of climbing rangers and guides were inserted with US Army and private helicopters at Ingraham Flats. Some of the rescuers climbed to the accident site to assist with the raising evacuation while another team headed to the base of the cleaver to assist with the lowering of one climber. That climber, Nestler, had fallen substantially farther down the cliff than the others. The fastest evacuation was to lower him off the mountain rather than raise him back to the accident site. New anchors and ropes were set to assist Nestler however no one had hear from him for over an hour. As the injured were being raised off the cliff above, Nestler was quickly lowered, taken across the bergschrund and evacuated to the helicopter where he was pronounced dead.
Efforts to raise the other nine climbers off the cliff and up the slope were hustled as rescuers raced against nightfall. The injuries included: one guide with a severely injured hand, a client with an injured leg and hand, three hypothermic clients, another client with an injured hand, a climber with an injured leg and two shaken but ambulatory climbers. The Chinook helicopter hovered at Ingraham Flats till darkness when the last of the most hypothermic climbers was loaded on board in a liter. All of the injured and a few of the rescuers were flown to Madigan Hospital in Tacoma.
Climbing rangers remained to clean up and conduct the accident investigation on the following day while additional guides stayed to escort the remaining clients back to Camp Muir.
Analysis:
This accident occurred as a RMI guided team was descending from the summit. Two rope teams were clipped into the same fixed line when the avalanche occurred. The avalanche caught the first rope team which pulled two of the anchors on the fixed line. The slide continued unattested also pulling the second rope team down the hill. Finally one anchor (a picket) held at the other end of the fixed line as a few climbers became entangled at the top of the cliff-bands. What was left is detailed. One guide and one client were caught on the fixed line above the cliff. Three clients and one guide clung to the top of the cliff, tangled in the rocks and ropes. Three clients dangled below them on a cliff of ice and snow, while the solo client (Nestler) hung below a second cliff band in a waterfall of snowmelt. Nestler died as a result of this exposure.
This avalanche was described as a "wet, loose snow slide." Released on a 40-degree slope at 11, 600 feet, it ran on a layer of isothermal melt-freeze grains when it hit the rope teams at 11, 200 feet. The width of the slide when it hit the teams was 38 feet, at a depth of 6-10 inches. Warm temperatures and clear sky (solar radiation) are the most significant weather factors in its cause. At the time of the avalanche the snow pack was in the melt stage of the melt-freeze cycle and the snow grains lacked cohesion. Only a small trigger was needed to start the snow mass moving.
No definite trigger was positively identified at the starting point however boot prints and climber activity mark the area on the slope above the traverse. This location is notorious for rock and icefall thus guides fix the traverse because the exposure is great should a climber fall. The guides observed no evidence of any avalanche activity that day. Senior guides commented that the area had no avalanche activity for 20+ years.
Avalanches are not just winter phenomena. Big mountains like Rainier create their own climate and conditions. Different slopes, elevations, angles, and aspects mean new conditions and circumstances. Always consider the possibility of an avalanche, particularly on suspect 25 to 50 degree snow slopes on warm days. Hazards can be assessed by digging a snow pit and checking the slide potential. You can also minimize your exposure by moving quickly through hazardous areas. Also consider that humans cause many avalanches. In dangerous areas, make sure your teammates or others are not above you (or below!) Communicate with your team to make sure everyone is aware of the hazards.
It's worth noting that Mt. Hood also saw an avalanche that resulted in a fatality one week prior to this incident. Two other avalanches were reported to have caught climbers later that summer high on Emmons Glacier of Mt. Rainier.
Bullard incident:
A four person climbing team had summited Liberty Ridge on June 14th and became separated (two roped teams of two) during their descent down the Emmons Glacier in severe winds and whiteout conditions. While route finding, the lead climber on the second rope team fell into a crevasse near 13,300 ft. The second climber, Bullard, held the fall in self-arrest for an hour while his partner ascended out of the crevasse. Storm conditions intensified and the extended exposure of self-arresting caused Bullard to become wet and hypothermic. The team decided to bivy but their megamid provided minimal protection from the 60-MPH winds and heavy snowfall. They used their cell phone to call Mt. Rainier Nat. Park and request assistance.
Their partners had safely descended the Emmons and became concerned when their teammates did not arrive at Camp Schurman. They contacted climbing rangers Gottlieb and Kamencik about the same time the White River Ranger Station received the telephone call. Inclement weather prevented assistance that evening and a rescue was organized for the following morning based on reports of improving weather. A three-person team (the two climbing rangers and one of the party's team members) would climb from Camp Schurman while an Army Chinook helicopter would attempt to fly another team of rangers to the reported location. Cloud conditions improved but extremely high winds prevented a helicopter insertion. Aerial reconnaissance helped to guide the ground team, which climbed through deep snow and fierce winds sometimes on their hands and knees, to the climber's bivy.
The rescue team found both climbers hypothermic, suffering from exposure and dehydration. Efforts to evade the wind and light the stove proved futile and the aggressive rewarming was needed for one member. The weather continued to improve and after a few hours the climbers and rescuers were able to descend under their own power back to Camp Schurman.
Analysis:
Extremely fierce weather including whiteouts, high winds and substantial snowfall are not uncommon on Mt. Rainier during the summer months. Weather may be the largest contributing factor to accidents, rescues and searches. It is strongly recommended that teams stay together during such weather situations. Inclement weather contributed to this team becoming split but stronger efforts should always be made to stay together during such conditions. The immediate assistance of their teammates may have significantly changed the outcome of the initial crevasse fall. It is also important to note that three other climbing teams reported passing the stranded climbers while descending off Liberty Cap. They offered assistance however the two-person Bullard party declined, perhaps feeling their situation was not urgent at the time.
Talbot incident:
Two climbers requesting a rescue for a third team member on Liberty Ridge contacted Mt. Rainier National Park early on June 16th. The injured climber, Talbot 60, had severely broken his lower leg during a 200-ft. fall while descending the route. Unable to down climb, his partners stabilized him at 10,000 feet on the ridge before going for help.
NPS climbing rangers assembled a rescue team and flew to the Carbon Glacier. The rescue team ascended 1,000 feet up technical mountaineering terrain to provide emergency care. Talbot was lowered 900 feet on 40 to 60 degree snow and ice slopes to the glacier at the base of Liberty Wall. There, a helicopter could land and Talbot was transported to the Park Service helibase where an ambulance awaited. The rescue took four hours round trip.
Analysis:
Talbot had slipped on snow and ice, breaking his leg while attempting a climb of Liberty Ridge, one of Rainier's classics. Although Talbot had an accident, there have been a number of injuries like this on Liberty Ridge and similar mountaineering routes. These routes are notorious for loose and dangerous snow, rock and ice conditions that change rapidly depending on the weather and altitude. One day the snow may be hard, the next it may be sugar. Footing, particularly while wearing crampons, should be always be watched. Climbers should also be prepared for strenuous physical exercise with heavy packs and technical terrain. These difficulties coupled with altitude and the severe weather make Rainier a place where simple accidents turn into large emergencies.
Haley incident:
While spending the night on the summit of Mt. Rainier, off duty climbing rangers Gauthier and Patterson were contacted by the leader of a scientific research team who informed them that one of his team members was suffering from mountain sickness. The rangers found Haley in his tent disoriented, suffering from slurred speech and unable to support himself. Team members indicated that his condition had deteriorated significantly in the previous 15 minutes and that his behavior was abnormal.
A helicopter was requested but nightfall and altitude prevented a safe response. Within 15 minutes of the initial assessment, Haley became unconscious and unresponsive due to the altitude-related sickness. Assisted rescue breathing was provided throughout the night while a climbing team from Camp Muir attempted to reach the summit with oxygen. Newly formed crevasses and whiteout conditions prevented their efforts and Haley was evacuated shortly after sunrise by an Army Chinook helicopter and flown to Madigan Hospital. He was unconscious and in critical condition with a oxygen blood saturation level 41.
Analysis:
Haley suffered from High Altitude Cerebral and Pulmonary Edema (HACE and HAPE.) These conditions arise when climbers are not properly acclimated and spend too much time at altitude. Although Haley was part of a team that had spent four days and three nights transporting gear to the summit, he still reported headaches and a feeling of nausea. Haley also commented that he did not drink much water on his summit day. By the time his condition had deteriorated seriously enough to alert his team members, Haley was immobile and a safe and rapid descent was out of the question.
Climbers on Mt. Rainier frequently feel the effects of altitude sickness but most do not get seriously sick because they descend back to sea level before many of the medical complications arise. Acclimatization is difficult because most climbers go from sea level to 14,411 feet in less than 24 hours. Parties that expect to stay at altitude should have a systematic plan of acclimatization. Reported sickness should be seriously considered and followed by a rapid descent, the only treatment. It is imperative that team members watch each other. It is not uncommon for climbers to dismiss their symptoms as other maladies and push on. This scenario happens frequently on Mt. Rainier.
posted by Mike Gauthier at 11:00 AM
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