2002
Kurth Incident
On May 29th, Mount Rainier National Park communications received a 911-cell phone call from a climbing team at St. Elmo’s Pass. They were requesting a rescue for Andreas Kurth, another climber who reported having an accident near Liberty Cap the night before. Andreas just descended the Winthrop Glacier solo after his team, Cornelius Beilharz, Grit Kleinschmidt, and Keeta Owens, encountered serious trouble during a storm. Kurth reported that Beilharz was already dead from a fall and that the condition of the other two women was unknown. Andreas had last seen them in an exposed snow cave, hypothermic near Liberty Cap.
The Kurth team had summitted Liberty Ridge the night before, close to 6 pm. They became disoriented while trying to descend from Liberty Cap to the Winthrop Glacier in a fierce storm with whiteout conditions. After unsuccessfully locating the Winthrop Glacier, the team then attempted to set up tents however the winds were too strong and made the task impossible. Still disoriented, the team then proceeded to dig snow caves. Upon doing so, they encountered an impassable ice layer three feet below the surface. Unbeknownst to the team, the snowcaves were being constructed atop a steep ice slope, just southeast of Liberty Cap, and fully exposed to the weather.
Unable to penetrate the ice, Kurth used the remains of a tent and the beginnings of a snowcave to erect a makeshift shelter for him and Kleinschmidt. Beilharz and Owens were attempting the same. Kurth and Kleinschmidt took cover in their shelter and got some rest as Beilharz and Owens worked to finish theirs. That’s when the initial accident occurred. Beilharz somehow slipped while digging the snowcave and fell out of sight down the steep slope. Owens then rushed to report the incident to Kurth and while doing so, accidentally collapsed the makeshift shelter.
Struggle ensued as the team was again exposed to the storm. Kurth could not find one of his plastic boot shells after the snowcave collapsed. This presented problems as he attempted to resurrect the shelter in the dark. While securing the tent to the cave, Kurth also slipped and fell. The slope below the snowcave was roughly 50 degrees and icy, but it leveled off a few hundred feet below. There, Kurth landed and found Beilharz; unfortunately, his climbing partner was dead.
Kurth tried to climb up to the snowcave but was unable to on the steep ice without a hard boot shell. He instead spent the rest of the night nearby in a naturally protected site, huddling in a salvaged sleeping bag that had also fallen from the snow caves. At first light, he reoriented himself and made his way down the Winthrop Glacier to report the emergency.
The Park Service began rescue efforts that afternoon. Dee Patterson led the field team off six climbing rangers. They were flown to the summit of Mt. Rainier to search, rescue and recover the climbers. Another helicopter was dispatched to St. Elmo’s Pass to pick up Kurth. Initial aerial reconnaissance of the summit helicopter revealed two climbers face down in the snow beneath a steep icy slope. They were located a few hundred feet below Liberty Cap on the southeast side. The US Army Chinook then inserted the Park Service team between Liberty Cap and Columbia Crest.
The team quickly located Beilharz and Owens at the base of the steep icy slope below the snowcave. Owens was dead when found. The team then began searching for Kleinschmidt, checking first the snow cave and later a heavily crevassed area below the accident site. Ground teams, however, did not locate her that day. Deteriorating weather conditions and sunlight constraints forced the recovery to be called off and only Owens could be retrieved.
The next day, similar efforts resumed except this time under more favorable weather. Kleinschmidt was located from the air and recovered along with Beilharz and the climbing gear from the snowcave. Kleinschmidt, apparently, survived the fall and died of exposure while taking cover from the storm in the crevasse. Beilharz also died from exposure and Owens expired from trauma, most likely sustained during the fall.
Observations:
The Kurth party possessed the experience and technical skills to ascend the route. What caught the team was inclement weather and pace. The team had planned to ascend Liberty Ridge more quickly, but was unable to do so. Generally speaking, the larger the team, the more slowly it moves.
When the four finally reached Liberty Cap, it was late in the day and there was little daylight left. Furthermore, the storm had intensified and the visibility had deteriorated. It’s not uncommon for climbers to ascend the mountain under “reasonable” weather conditions, only to be hit by fierce storms once on top. This is especially the case with Liberty Ridge, because the route is protected but the summit and Liberty Cap are directly exposed to the winds off the Pacific.
Though it seems counter productive to descend the route, away from an easier descent route and an established base camp, it’s sometimes much safer to do so when confronted by these conditions. It’s very difficult to safely navigate in severe weather while on the summit just after finishing Liberty Ridge. Many climbers have found more favorable bivy sites and snow cave locations back down the ridge (especially near the bergschrund) when faced with these conditions.
Wedberg/Hernstedt Incidents
On June 6th, Mount Rainier Climbing rangers responded to two mountaineering accidents on the Ingraham Direct Glacier Route. The rescues are interconnected and began on June 5th.
That evening, climbing rangers Glenn Kessler and Paul Charlton noted a single occupied tent when passing through Ingraham Flats Alpine Camp on summit patrol. While descending later that night, the rangers encountered a party of two, Benjamin Hernstedt, 25, and Jeffrey Dupuis, 21, at 13,000 feet ascending the mountain. The rangers contacted the team and discussed current conditions, which were; barely penetrable ice and hard snow, a poorly defined climbing route, clear, but windy and cold weather. The climbers said there were prepared and would descend immediately upon reaching the summit. The climbers also stated that they were the team camped in the tent at Ingraham Flats.
The next morning, RMI Guides contacted NPS climbing rangers at Camp Muir to report that one of their rope teams had fallen into a crevasse on the Ingraham Glacier. Near 11,800 feet, Melody Wyman, Charles Grubbs and their guide Kurt Wedberg fell after a wind gust knocked Wyman off her feet. When she fell, Grubbs and Wedberg were pulled along for the ride. The trio attempted to self-arrest but slid 100-150 feet on hard icy snow before falling 60 feet into a crevasse. Wyman broke an ankle and Wedberg and Grubbs sustained non-serious head injuries. Wedberg was knocked unconscious for an undetermined but presumably short period of time. Wedberg and Grubbs managed to climb out, while another RMI team assisted with the crevasse rescue of Wyman.
NPS climbing rangers climbed towards the accident site and assisted the guides who were lowering Wyman in a rescue litter to Ingraham Flats. Since it was decided to fly Wyman off the mountain, Ranger Kessler remained at Ingraham Flats to prepare for helicopter operations. During the preparation of a helicopter landing-zone he observed that no occupants were in or around the tent he noted from the night before. This seemed odd, as the pair of climbers contacted the evening before should have returned to their camp many hours earlier.
While the Wedberg helicopter evacuation was underway, the NPS also tried to determine the location of the Hernstedt party. The contents of the Hernstedt tent revealed overnight and cooking gear but no climbing gear; it appeared the team had not returned. Every tent was checked and all parties were contacted at Camp Muir and Schurman to determine if the Hernstedt party had inadvertently descended another route. Around 2:30 pm, Wyman and Grubbs were airlifted. All rescue efforts then focused on locating the Hernstedt party.
A search team of NPS Climbing Rangers and RMI guides began an ascent of the Ingraham Direct Glacier route checking all likely fall lines and crevasses. A Bell Jet Ranger and US Army Reserve Chinook actively joined the search around 5 pm, focusing higher up the mountain. Shortly thereafter, the crew of the Jet Ranger spotted what appeared to be two individuals, down, near 12,400 feet on the Ingraham Glacier below an ice-cliff.
The pilot of the Jet Ranger then guided the search team through crevasse and serac fields to the accident site. At the base of a 100-foot ice cliff on the Ingraham Glacier, Kessler’s team found Hernstedt and Dupuis, dead and entangled in rope. Because of their location and daylight constraints, US Army Chinook hoisting operations were ordered to remove the pair. A technical lower of each was required in order to keep the Chinook away from the ice cliff over which the climbers had fallen. After relocating them some 400 feet away, the bodies and equipment were hoisted and flown to Kautz Helibase. Technical search teams were able to descend to Camp Muir before total darkness.
Observations:
The weather had been poor for numerous days before June 5th preventing many climbers from summiting. When the weather finally cleared on June 5th, climbers started going for it. This weather window was enticing, but such weather can also be accompanied by very firm snow/icy conditions. These types of snow conditions can make for great climbing (i.e. cramponing) but they can also be particularly unforgiving in the event of a fall.
When the weather and snow conditions are such, it’s quite possible that being tied into a rope to other climbers poses its own dangers. If the fall of one member might potentially lead to the sweep of an entire rope team, running protection, such as pickets, should be used. Also noteworthy is the fact that more than once on Mount Rainier, the smallest person on a rope team has pulled numerous larger teammates off the mountain.
Wedberg’s team fortunately came to rest without life threatening injuries. More than likely, Dupuis and Hernstedt experienced a similar sliding incident with more serious results. The position of the bodies and the entanglement of rope strongly suggest that the climbers slipped and fell somewhere above the ice cliff. They were dressed for cold weather and were wearing headlamps. Based on their last known location, time, and clothing description, it suggests that they were descending when the accident occurred.
Whitcomb Incident
Around 11:30 AM on June 25, 2002, Mount Rainier Park Communications received a 911 call from a team of three climbers requesting a rescue from 9,700 feet on Liberty Ridge. The team reported that one of their members, Jessie Whitcomb, had been struck by a rock in the head while ascending lower Liberty Ridge. The force of impact was so great that it destroyed the helmet and knocked Jessie unconscious.
The Whitcomb team left White River Campground and spent two days getting to the base of Liberty Ridge. Hoping to make Thumb Rock by then, they instead elected to bivy near 9,200 feet on the ridge and continue climbing the next day.
The team left the bivy site around 9 AM and noticed rock fall right from the start. While attempting to regain to the ridge-crest, Jessie was hit. He doesn’t remember exactly how the incident occurred, but his father noted that rockfall was prevalent in that specific area, which the team was forced to cross.
Though Whitcomb was knocked out, he regained some level consciousness as his father helped move him to a safer location. The team then waited, calling for help, which took nearly two hours because of poor cellular service.
The Park Service initiated rescue efforts by flying climbing rangers Stefan Lofgren and Nick Giguere to the base of Liberty Ridge via a US Army Reserve Chinook helicopter. The two were inserted via cable-hoist (Jungle Penetrator) at 8,900 feet on the Carbon Glacier. From there, they climbed with medical and rescue gear to the accident site on the ridge. Once on scene, they provided patient assessment and stabilization, determining that Whitcomb needed to be evacuated immediately. The patient, however, could not be hoisted from that location and had to be lowered 900 feet to a safer landing zone on the Carbon Glacier.
Additional rescue personnel comprised of NPS climbing rangers and RMI guides organized and prepared for the technical lowering. A smaller helicopter (a Bell Jet Ranger - 87L) was to ferry and insert the additional rescuers on the Carbon Glacier. RMI Guide Dave Hahn was flown from the NPS helibase to Camp Schurman to pick up Lead Climbing Ranger Chris Olson. Those two comprised the second team of rescuers. After picking up Olson at Camp Schurman, 87L circled north around the mountain and attempted to insert the team on the Carbon Glacier. While doing so, the helicopter crashed-landed.
Rangers observed the ship as it attempted to land on the glacier slope. When the helicopter did this, the skids underneath the ship began to slide. Something struck the ship in the rear and the helicopter quickly rose from the ground. It then began rotating to the right, crash-landing downhill roughly 40 feet away. Thankfully, all occupants walk away from the crash unhurt however the ship was badly damaged. The tail boom wrapped around the body, the rotors fell apart and the transmission crashed through the passenger compartment nearly hitting Olson and dousing him in engine fluids.
Remaining rescue personnel were quickly redirected to the Chinook helicopter for Jungle Penetrator insertion. Rich Lechleitner and Brian Hasebe inserted at 87L’s crash site, while the pilot of the 87L was extracted. Olson, Hahn, Hasebe and Lechleitner then continued to the climbing accident site to help complete the rescue of Jessie Whitcomb.
From there, Lofgren directed the technical evacuation, which required a 900-foot high angle lowering through ice and rock fall hazards as well as a bergschrund crossing. Once the patient, his partners and rescue team were on the Carbon Glacier, the Chinook Helicopter returned and hoisted them all off the mountain. The patient was flown to Madigan Army hospital at Ft. Lewis and has since made a full recovery. The helicopter was never salvaged from the accident site because of its high exposure to avalanche, ice and rockfall hazards.
Observations:
Temperatures were warm that day and the snow on the lower ridge was soft. On such days, it is strongly recommended that climbers leave early. Alpine starts apply when traveling on loose rocky ridges or over glaciers with lots of crevasse slots. Many challenges exist on the Liberty Ridge route far below high camp.
Warm temps on Mount Rainier also mean rockfall, which the Whitcomb party noted. Wearing a helmet can only do so much when confronted with baseball and larger sized rocks. Thus, pace also becomes more important. The ability to move rapidly can help with success and safety. Many teams ascend Liberty Ridge too slowly. Siege climbing the route has again and again proven dangerous. In this case, the Whitcomb Party’s pace was slow; this increased their amount of time in rockfall hazardous areas.
Quillen/Phan Incidents:
On Saturday, June 29th, the Quillen party of two was rescued from a summit crevasse bivouac, 3 days overdue from a planned climbing trip of Liberty Ridge. Also that day, climber Yong Phan was rescued from 8900 feet on the approach to Camp Hazard. Phan had broken his lower right leg/ankle.
The Quillen team began their climb on Sunday, June 23rd, ascending just ahead of the Whitcomb party previously mentioned. The Quillen team had communication with the Whitcomb party before their accident and witnessed the rescue and helicopter activity from Thumb Rock high camp Tuesday, June 25th. On the morning of June 26th, the Quillen team continued with their ascent of Liberty Ridge, wondering what had become of the Whitcomb party.
Most of the day was spent carefully climbing the route as the team moved cautiously over the exposed icy terrain. At sunset, they finally reached Liberty Cap. Spent, they decided to make camp and enjoyed the lights of Seattle. By 4:00 AM, the temper of the mountain had changed; the visibility had decreased to whiteout conditions and the wind speed and precipitation increased dramatically. A significant storm had blown in.
They broke camp and attempted to find a route over to the Emmons/Winthrop Glacier. Quickly, they recognized how futile this was, even remembering the tragic events of previous weeks. Instead, they decided to take cover and bivouac in a crevasse near the Summit Col. During the storm, they found a suitable slot and fixed an anchor with an ice ax. From there, they rappelled 50 feet into a cold dark hole to wait out the weather.
On a “shelf” in the crevasse, the pair huddled, inside sleeping bags wrapped in the tent. The average temperature was 20-25 degrees and there was little food other than Gorp remaining. They also lacked fuel to run the stove, and were forced to melt water by collecting spindrift in plastic bottles, wrapping those in the sleeping bag. Roughly twice each day, one of them would ascend the fixed rope to the surface and check weather conditions. Once there, they would also reset the emergency signal marker, which was a red piece of fabric attached to a metal tent pole, stuck in the ice on the large summit plateau.
Melting snow, running out of food and living in a crevasse was quickly accepted as a losing battle, but the team remained calm and stayed together. They considered descending but the storm was too fierce given their deteriorated condition. The Park Service was aware of the overdue party but could do nothing because the weather was too severe for both flying and upper mountain climbing. Not until Saturday afternoon June 29th did periods of clear skies make flying possible.
During this, another climbing accident had occurred below the high camp on the Kautz Glacier Route. Mr. Phan twisted and broke his lower leg while sliding with crampons. Phan was assisted to a safe location by his teammates who then hiked out to Paradise to call for help.
Mid morning on the 29th, a ground team from Tacoma Mountain Rescue climbed towards Phan’s location from Paradise. The weather was poor for upper mountain flying, but reasonable for lower mountain climbing. The TMR team made good progress as the weather cleared throughout the day. These clearings enabled the US Army Chinook Helicopters to provide aerial support for the Park Service on both rescue missions.
Because of occasional cloud cover, the initial flight inserted ranger Giguere and rescuer Haseby via Jungle Penetrator 600 feet above Phan’s accident site. They down climbed to meet Phan, where they then stabilized and prepared him for air evacuation.
After inserting team one, the Chinook then began aerial search for the Quillen party. They searched Liberty Ridge, it’s fall lines and the summit plateau and Liberty Cap. Nearly an hour later and near the end of a fuel load, the helicopter finally noted a small hole in the ice near the Summit Col. Next to it was a tent pole with a red marker. The ship hovered over the hole for some time, but no activity was seen. The ship then returned to Gray field to refuel.
During this time, Giguere and Hasebe prepared Phan for Jungle Penetrator evacuation. This required leg stabilization and transport to a better landing zone some 300 feet higher. It also meant waiting for the weather to clear, as the clouds were in and out throughout the rescue.
Sunset was approaching when climbing rangers Gottlieb, Shank, and Richards were dropped off on the summit to spend the night and search the “marked” crevasse. After drop off, the Chinook departed to assist Giguere’s team. The weather, however, remained obstinate. At 8:45 Gottlieb reported finding the Quillen party alive in the crevasse. He immediately called for a pickup, as both were very hypothermic and in need of food, warmth and better shelter.
The Chinook quickly returned to the summit and picked up the Quillen party and Gottlieb’s team. Then it returned to Giguere’s location, where fortunately, the weather had improved, making it possible to hoist the rescuers and patient before nightfall.
Observations:
The Quillen party undoubtedly saved themselves in a location and under similar conditions that have killed others. Their survival techniques are commendable but there pace put them in a position to need them. The party admitted that though they were able to climb the route, they had hoped to do so in better style and time.
Every year, teams over estimate their skill and ability when measuring up to Liberty Ridge. The route is committing, longer and more strenuous than most perceive. A 2-3 day trip commonly becomes a 4-7 day trip when the weather kicks up its heels. Add a little altitude sickness and general fatigue and your team suddenly moves at a snails pace above 13,000 feet. If you want to climb Liberty Ridge and not spend a week or ten days doing it, make sure you’re in the best shape possible and are comfortable moving on exposed big mountain terrain with a pack.
Glissading seems like an easy way down the mountain, but it’s also dangerous. Many climbers and hikers are injured glissading on Mount Rainier each summer. What seems like an innocuous descent technique has actually resulted in numerous broken ankles, twisted knees, pulled muscles and at minimum, loss of gear.
Hommer Incident:
On September 23rd at about 5:30 a.m., a rock struck and killed noted climber Ed Hommer, a double amputee from Duluth, Minn. Ed and three companions were climbing the Disappointment Cleaver route in preparation for an attempt next year on Mount Everest.
The team of four climbers (Wickwire party) spent the night at Camp Muir and started their climb at approximately 1:30 AM. The climb proceeded normally and the team took a rest break at Ingraham Flats (11,000 ft.). The route from the Ingraham Flats ascends another 300 feet then traverses right onto the ‘Nose’ of the Disappointment Cleaver. The Disappointment Cleaver is a prominent rock feature that separates the Ingraham and the Emmons Glaciers. Later in the climbing season, the Disappointment Cleaver is mostly exposed, loose rock; any remaining snowfields are hard, icy and have large suncups that requires slow careful climbing.
At approximately 5:40 AM, the sky was dark and the moon was setting as Wickwire lead Herlehy, Rose, and Hommer up the Cleaver. They were traversing rockbands near 11,700 feet when Wickwire heard a “whizzing” sound (falling rock). He respond by yelling “ROCK!”. Shortly thereafter, Rose (third on the rope) reported getting tugged backward and thrown off balance. After regaining his balance he called down to Hommer and received no answer.
Wickwire then belayed Herlehy and Rose down to Hommer, which took about 30 minutes. Once there, it was apparent that Hommer was struck and instantly killed by stonefall. Hommer was found laying face up on the snow with visible trauma to his upper torso, neck, and head.
The climbers were on scene with Hommer for over an hour while they called the Park Service for help. Another team of two climbers on their way to the summit came to the aid of Wickwire’s team. They declined to continue to the summit and instead assisted Wickwire’s party back to Camp Muir.
Ranger’s Kirschner and Winslow planned for a body recovery operation. Two climbing rangers, Giguere and Shank, boarded a helicopter at Kautz Helibase and were flown to the top of the Disappointment Cleaver. From there, they down climbed the route to the accident site where they then placed Hommer into a body bag and then into a cargo net. From there, Hommer was flown off the mountain to Kautz Helibase. Giguere and Shank, along with Wickwire’s team, were also flown off the mountain too.
Observations:
The Disappointment Cleaver is the most popular route on the mountain. It subjects climbers to sustained periods of rock and icefall hazards at varying locations; teams that move quickly and safely limit their time in these areas. Hommer’s team got an alpine start and was moving at a reasonable pace. Sadly, rock fall is common on the Disappointment Cleaver, especially late in the year.
Colder conditions may reduce the rock fall hazards. It seems, however, as though there is always some amount or rock and/or ice fall hazard on Mount Rainier, making it possible for experienced teams like Hommer’s to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Hommer was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident; it was believed that a helmet wouldn’t have made a difference however. Though a helmet may not have made a difference in Hommer’s case, the National Park Service strongly recommends that all climbers wear helmets when ascending Mount Rainier.
On May 29th, Mount Rainier National Park communications received a 911-cell phone call from a climbing team at St. Elmo’s Pass. They were requesting a rescue for Andreas Kurth, another climber who reported having an accident near Liberty Cap the night before. Andreas just descended the Winthrop Glacier solo after his team, Cornelius Beilharz, Grit Kleinschmidt, and Keeta Owens, encountered serious trouble during a storm. Kurth reported that Beilharz was already dead from a fall and that the condition of the other two women was unknown. Andreas had last seen them in an exposed snow cave, hypothermic near Liberty Cap.
The Kurth team had summitted Liberty Ridge the night before, close to 6 pm. They became disoriented while trying to descend from Liberty Cap to the Winthrop Glacier in a fierce storm with whiteout conditions. After unsuccessfully locating the Winthrop Glacier, the team then attempted to set up tents however the winds were too strong and made the task impossible. Still disoriented, the team then proceeded to dig snow caves. Upon doing so, they encountered an impassable ice layer three feet below the surface. Unbeknownst to the team, the snowcaves were being constructed atop a steep ice slope, just southeast of Liberty Cap, and fully exposed to the weather.
Unable to penetrate the ice, Kurth used the remains of a tent and the beginnings of a snowcave to erect a makeshift shelter for him and Kleinschmidt. Beilharz and Owens were attempting the same. Kurth and Kleinschmidt took cover in their shelter and got some rest as Beilharz and Owens worked to finish theirs. That’s when the initial accident occurred. Beilharz somehow slipped while digging the snowcave and fell out of sight down the steep slope. Owens then rushed to report the incident to Kurth and while doing so, accidentally collapsed the makeshift shelter.
Struggle ensued as the team was again exposed to the storm. Kurth could not find one of his plastic boot shells after the snowcave collapsed. This presented problems as he attempted to resurrect the shelter in the dark. While securing the tent to the cave, Kurth also slipped and fell. The slope below the snowcave was roughly 50 degrees and icy, but it leveled off a few hundred feet below. There, Kurth landed and found Beilharz; unfortunately, his climbing partner was dead.
Kurth tried to climb up to the snowcave but was unable to on the steep ice without a hard boot shell. He instead spent the rest of the night nearby in a naturally protected site, huddling in a salvaged sleeping bag that had also fallen from the snow caves. At first light, he reoriented himself and made his way down the Winthrop Glacier to report the emergency.
The Park Service began rescue efforts that afternoon. Dee Patterson led the field team off six climbing rangers. They were flown to the summit of Mt. Rainier to search, rescue and recover the climbers. Another helicopter was dispatched to St. Elmo’s Pass to pick up Kurth. Initial aerial reconnaissance of the summit helicopter revealed two climbers face down in the snow beneath a steep icy slope. They were located a few hundred feet below Liberty Cap on the southeast side. The US Army Chinook then inserted the Park Service team between Liberty Cap and Columbia Crest.
The team quickly located Beilharz and Owens at the base of the steep icy slope below the snowcave. Owens was dead when found. The team then began searching for Kleinschmidt, checking first the snow cave and later a heavily crevassed area below the accident site. Ground teams, however, did not locate her that day. Deteriorating weather conditions and sunlight constraints forced the recovery to be called off and only Owens could be retrieved.
The next day, similar efforts resumed except this time under more favorable weather. Kleinschmidt was located from the air and recovered along with Beilharz and the climbing gear from the snowcave. Kleinschmidt, apparently, survived the fall and died of exposure while taking cover from the storm in the crevasse. Beilharz also died from exposure and Owens expired from trauma, most likely sustained during the fall.
Observations:
The Kurth party possessed the experience and technical skills to ascend the route. What caught the team was inclement weather and pace. The team had planned to ascend Liberty Ridge more quickly, but was unable to do so. Generally speaking, the larger the team, the more slowly it moves.
When the four finally reached Liberty Cap, it was late in the day and there was little daylight left. Furthermore, the storm had intensified and the visibility had deteriorated. It’s not uncommon for climbers to ascend the mountain under “reasonable” weather conditions, only to be hit by fierce storms once on top. This is especially the case with Liberty Ridge, because the route is protected but the summit and Liberty Cap are directly exposed to the winds off the Pacific.
Though it seems counter productive to descend the route, away from an easier descent route and an established base camp, it’s sometimes much safer to do so when confronted by these conditions. It’s very difficult to safely navigate in severe weather while on the summit just after finishing Liberty Ridge. Many climbers have found more favorable bivy sites and snow cave locations back down the ridge (especially near the bergschrund) when faced with these conditions.
Wedberg/Hernstedt Incidents
On June 6th, Mount Rainier Climbing rangers responded to two mountaineering accidents on the Ingraham Direct Glacier Route. The rescues are interconnected and began on June 5th.
That evening, climbing rangers Glenn Kessler and Paul Charlton noted a single occupied tent when passing through Ingraham Flats Alpine Camp on summit patrol. While descending later that night, the rangers encountered a party of two, Benjamin Hernstedt, 25, and Jeffrey Dupuis, 21, at 13,000 feet ascending the mountain. The rangers contacted the team and discussed current conditions, which were; barely penetrable ice and hard snow, a poorly defined climbing route, clear, but windy and cold weather. The climbers said there were prepared and would descend immediately upon reaching the summit. The climbers also stated that they were the team camped in the tent at Ingraham Flats.
The next morning, RMI Guides contacted NPS climbing rangers at Camp Muir to report that one of their rope teams had fallen into a crevasse on the Ingraham Glacier. Near 11,800 feet, Melody Wyman, Charles Grubbs and their guide Kurt Wedberg fell after a wind gust knocked Wyman off her feet. When she fell, Grubbs and Wedberg were pulled along for the ride. The trio attempted to self-arrest but slid 100-150 feet on hard icy snow before falling 60 feet into a crevasse. Wyman broke an ankle and Wedberg and Grubbs sustained non-serious head injuries. Wedberg was knocked unconscious for an undetermined but presumably short period of time. Wedberg and Grubbs managed to climb out, while another RMI team assisted with the crevasse rescue of Wyman.
NPS climbing rangers climbed towards the accident site and assisted the guides who were lowering Wyman in a rescue litter to Ingraham Flats. Since it was decided to fly Wyman off the mountain, Ranger Kessler remained at Ingraham Flats to prepare for helicopter operations. During the preparation of a helicopter landing-zone he observed that no occupants were in or around the tent he noted from the night before. This seemed odd, as the pair of climbers contacted the evening before should have returned to their camp many hours earlier.
While the Wedberg helicopter evacuation was underway, the NPS also tried to determine the location of the Hernstedt party. The contents of the Hernstedt tent revealed overnight and cooking gear but no climbing gear; it appeared the team had not returned. Every tent was checked and all parties were contacted at Camp Muir and Schurman to determine if the Hernstedt party had inadvertently descended another route. Around 2:30 pm, Wyman and Grubbs were airlifted. All rescue efforts then focused on locating the Hernstedt party.
A search team of NPS Climbing Rangers and RMI guides began an ascent of the Ingraham Direct Glacier route checking all likely fall lines and crevasses. A Bell Jet Ranger and US Army Reserve Chinook actively joined the search around 5 pm, focusing higher up the mountain. Shortly thereafter, the crew of the Jet Ranger spotted what appeared to be two individuals, down, near 12,400 feet on the Ingraham Glacier below an ice-cliff.
The pilot of the Jet Ranger then guided the search team through crevasse and serac fields to the accident site. At the base of a 100-foot ice cliff on the Ingraham Glacier, Kessler’s team found Hernstedt and Dupuis, dead and entangled in rope. Because of their location and daylight constraints, US Army Chinook hoisting operations were ordered to remove the pair. A technical lower of each was required in order to keep the Chinook away from the ice cliff over which the climbers had fallen. After relocating them some 400 feet away, the bodies and equipment were hoisted and flown to Kautz Helibase. Technical search teams were able to descend to Camp Muir before total darkness.
Observations:
The weather had been poor for numerous days before June 5th preventing many climbers from summiting. When the weather finally cleared on June 5th, climbers started going for it. This weather window was enticing, but such weather can also be accompanied by very firm snow/icy conditions. These types of snow conditions can make for great climbing (i.e. cramponing) but they can also be particularly unforgiving in the event of a fall.
When the weather and snow conditions are such, it’s quite possible that being tied into a rope to other climbers poses its own dangers. If the fall of one member might potentially lead to the sweep of an entire rope team, running protection, such as pickets, should be used. Also noteworthy is the fact that more than once on Mount Rainier, the smallest person on a rope team has pulled numerous larger teammates off the mountain.
Wedberg’s team fortunately came to rest without life threatening injuries. More than likely, Dupuis and Hernstedt experienced a similar sliding incident with more serious results. The position of the bodies and the entanglement of rope strongly suggest that the climbers slipped and fell somewhere above the ice cliff. They were dressed for cold weather and were wearing headlamps. Based on their last known location, time, and clothing description, it suggests that they were descending when the accident occurred.
Whitcomb Incident
Around 11:30 AM on June 25, 2002, Mount Rainier Park Communications received a 911 call from a team of three climbers requesting a rescue from 9,700 feet on Liberty Ridge. The team reported that one of their members, Jessie Whitcomb, had been struck by a rock in the head while ascending lower Liberty Ridge. The force of impact was so great that it destroyed the helmet and knocked Jessie unconscious.
The Whitcomb team left White River Campground and spent two days getting to the base of Liberty Ridge. Hoping to make Thumb Rock by then, they instead elected to bivy near 9,200 feet on the ridge and continue climbing the next day.
The team left the bivy site around 9 AM and noticed rock fall right from the start. While attempting to regain to the ridge-crest, Jessie was hit. He doesn’t remember exactly how the incident occurred, but his father noted that rockfall was prevalent in that specific area, which the team was forced to cross.
Though Whitcomb was knocked out, he regained some level consciousness as his father helped move him to a safer location. The team then waited, calling for help, which took nearly two hours because of poor cellular service.
The Park Service initiated rescue efforts by flying climbing rangers Stefan Lofgren and Nick Giguere to the base of Liberty Ridge via a US Army Reserve Chinook helicopter. The two were inserted via cable-hoist (Jungle Penetrator) at 8,900 feet on the Carbon Glacier. From there, they climbed with medical and rescue gear to the accident site on the ridge. Once on scene, they provided patient assessment and stabilization, determining that Whitcomb needed to be evacuated immediately. The patient, however, could not be hoisted from that location and had to be lowered 900 feet to a safer landing zone on the Carbon Glacier.
Additional rescue personnel comprised of NPS climbing rangers and RMI guides organized and prepared for the technical lowering. A smaller helicopter (a Bell Jet Ranger - 87L) was to ferry and insert the additional rescuers on the Carbon Glacier. RMI Guide Dave Hahn was flown from the NPS helibase to Camp Schurman to pick up Lead Climbing Ranger Chris Olson. Those two comprised the second team of rescuers. After picking up Olson at Camp Schurman, 87L circled north around the mountain and attempted to insert the team on the Carbon Glacier. While doing so, the helicopter crashed-landed.
Rangers observed the ship as it attempted to land on the glacier slope. When the helicopter did this, the skids underneath the ship began to slide. Something struck the ship in the rear and the helicopter quickly rose from the ground. It then began rotating to the right, crash-landing downhill roughly 40 feet away. Thankfully, all occupants walk away from the crash unhurt however the ship was badly damaged. The tail boom wrapped around the body, the rotors fell apart and the transmission crashed through the passenger compartment nearly hitting Olson and dousing him in engine fluids.
Remaining rescue personnel were quickly redirected to the Chinook helicopter for Jungle Penetrator insertion. Rich Lechleitner and Brian Hasebe inserted at 87L’s crash site, while the pilot of the 87L was extracted. Olson, Hahn, Hasebe and Lechleitner then continued to the climbing accident site to help complete the rescue of Jessie Whitcomb.
From there, Lofgren directed the technical evacuation, which required a 900-foot high angle lowering through ice and rock fall hazards as well as a bergschrund crossing. Once the patient, his partners and rescue team were on the Carbon Glacier, the Chinook Helicopter returned and hoisted them all off the mountain. The patient was flown to Madigan Army hospital at Ft. Lewis and has since made a full recovery. The helicopter was never salvaged from the accident site because of its high exposure to avalanche, ice and rockfall hazards.
Observations:
Temperatures were warm that day and the snow on the lower ridge was soft. On such days, it is strongly recommended that climbers leave early. Alpine starts apply when traveling on loose rocky ridges or over glaciers with lots of crevasse slots. Many challenges exist on the Liberty Ridge route far below high camp.
Warm temps on Mount Rainier also mean rockfall, which the Whitcomb party noted. Wearing a helmet can only do so much when confronted with baseball and larger sized rocks. Thus, pace also becomes more important. The ability to move rapidly can help with success and safety. Many teams ascend Liberty Ridge too slowly. Siege climbing the route has again and again proven dangerous. In this case, the Whitcomb Party’s pace was slow; this increased their amount of time in rockfall hazardous areas.
Quillen/Phan Incidents:
On Saturday, June 29th, the Quillen party of two was rescued from a summit crevasse bivouac, 3 days overdue from a planned climbing trip of Liberty Ridge. Also that day, climber Yong Phan was rescued from 8900 feet on the approach to Camp Hazard. Phan had broken his lower right leg/ankle.
The Quillen team began their climb on Sunday, June 23rd, ascending just ahead of the Whitcomb party previously mentioned. The Quillen team had communication with the Whitcomb party before their accident and witnessed the rescue and helicopter activity from Thumb Rock high camp Tuesday, June 25th. On the morning of June 26th, the Quillen team continued with their ascent of Liberty Ridge, wondering what had become of the Whitcomb party.
Most of the day was spent carefully climbing the route as the team moved cautiously over the exposed icy terrain. At sunset, they finally reached Liberty Cap. Spent, they decided to make camp and enjoyed the lights of Seattle. By 4:00 AM, the temper of the mountain had changed; the visibility had decreased to whiteout conditions and the wind speed and precipitation increased dramatically. A significant storm had blown in.
They broke camp and attempted to find a route over to the Emmons/Winthrop Glacier. Quickly, they recognized how futile this was, even remembering the tragic events of previous weeks. Instead, they decided to take cover and bivouac in a crevasse near the Summit Col. During the storm, they found a suitable slot and fixed an anchor with an ice ax. From there, they rappelled 50 feet into a cold dark hole to wait out the weather.
On a “shelf” in the crevasse, the pair huddled, inside sleeping bags wrapped in the tent. The average temperature was 20-25 degrees and there was little food other than Gorp remaining. They also lacked fuel to run the stove, and were forced to melt water by collecting spindrift in plastic bottles, wrapping those in the sleeping bag. Roughly twice each day, one of them would ascend the fixed rope to the surface and check weather conditions. Once there, they would also reset the emergency signal marker, which was a red piece of fabric attached to a metal tent pole, stuck in the ice on the large summit plateau.
Melting snow, running out of food and living in a crevasse was quickly accepted as a losing battle, but the team remained calm and stayed together. They considered descending but the storm was too fierce given their deteriorated condition. The Park Service was aware of the overdue party but could do nothing because the weather was too severe for both flying and upper mountain climbing. Not until Saturday afternoon June 29th did periods of clear skies make flying possible.
During this, another climbing accident had occurred below the high camp on the Kautz Glacier Route. Mr. Phan twisted and broke his lower leg while sliding with crampons. Phan was assisted to a safe location by his teammates who then hiked out to Paradise to call for help.
Mid morning on the 29th, a ground team from Tacoma Mountain Rescue climbed towards Phan’s location from Paradise. The weather was poor for upper mountain flying, but reasonable for lower mountain climbing. The TMR team made good progress as the weather cleared throughout the day. These clearings enabled the US Army Chinook Helicopters to provide aerial support for the Park Service on both rescue missions.
Because of occasional cloud cover, the initial flight inserted ranger Giguere and rescuer Haseby via Jungle Penetrator 600 feet above Phan’s accident site. They down climbed to meet Phan, where they then stabilized and prepared him for air evacuation.
After inserting team one, the Chinook then began aerial search for the Quillen party. They searched Liberty Ridge, it’s fall lines and the summit plateau and Liberty Cap. Nearly an hour later and near the end of a fuel load, the helicopter finally noted a small hole in the ice near the Summit Col. Next to it was a tent pole with a red marker. The ship hovered over the hole for some time, but no activity was seen. The ship then returned to Gray field to refuel.
During this time, Giguere and Hasebe prepared Phan for Jungle Penetrator evacuation. This required leg stabilization and transport to a better landing zone some 300 feet higher. It also meant waiting for the weather to clear, as the clouds were in and out throughout the rescue.
Sunset was approaching when climbing rangers Gottlieb, Shank, and Richards were dropped off on the summit to spend the night and search the “marked” crevasse. After drop off, the Chinook departed to assist Giguere’s team. The weather, however, remained obstinate. At 8:45 Gottlieb reported finding the Quillen party alive in the crevasse. He immediately called for a pickup, as both were very hypothermic and in need of food, warmth and better shelter.
The Chinook quickly returned to the summit and picked up the Quillen party and Gottlieb’s team. Then it returned to Giguere’s location, where fortunately, the weather had improved, making it possible to hoist the rescuers and patient before nightfall.
Observations:
The Quillen party undoubtedly saved themselves in a location and under similar conditions that have killed others. Their survival techniques are commendable but there pace put them in a position to need them. The party admitted that though they were able to climb the route, they had hoped to do so in better style and time.
Every year, teams over estimate their skill and ability when measuring up to Liberty Ridge. The route is committing, longer and more strenuous than most perceive. A 2-3 day trip commonly becomes a 4-7 day trip when the weather kicks up its heels. Add a little altitude sickness and general fatigue and your team suddenly moves at a snails pace above 13,000 feet. If you want to climb Liberty Ridge and not spend a week or ten days doing it, make sure you’re in the best shape possible and are comfortable moving on exposed big mountain terrain with a pack.
Glissading seems like an easy way down the mountain, but it’s also dangerous. Many climbers and hikers are injured glissading on Mount Rainier each summer. What seems like an innocuous descent technique has actually resulted in numerous broken ankles, twisted knees, pulled muscles and at minimum, loss of gear.
Hommer Incident:
On September 23rd at about 5:30 a.m., a rock struck and killed noted climber Ed Hommer, a double amputee from Duluth, Minn. Ed and three companions were climbing the Disappointment Cleaver route in preparation for an attempt next year on Mount Everest.
The team of four climbers (Wickwire party) spent the night at Camp Muir and started their climb at approximately 1:30 AM. The climb proceeded normally and the team took a rest break at Ingraham Flats (11,000 ft.). The route from the Ingraham Flats ascends another 300 feet then traverses right onto the ‘Nose’ of the Disappointment Cleaver. The Disappointment Cleaver is a prominent rock feature that separates the Ingraham and the Emmons Glaciers. Later in the climbing season, the Disappointment Cleaver is mostly exposed, loose rock; any remaining snowfields are hard, icy and have large suncups that requires slow careful climbing.
At approximately 5:40 AM, the sky was dark and the moon was setting as Wickwire lead Herlehy, Rose, and Hommer up the Cleaver. They were traversing rockbands near 11,700 feet when Wickwire heard a “whizzing” sound (falling rock). He respond by yelling “ROCK!”. Shortly thereafter, Rose (third on the rope) reported getting tugged backward and thrown off balance. After regaining his balance he called down to Hommer and received no answer.
Wickwire then belayed Herlehy and Rose down to Hommer, which took about 30 minutes. Once there, it was apparent that Hommer was struck and instantly killed by stonefall. Hommer was found laying face up on the snow with visible trauma to his upper torso, neck, and head.
The climbers were on scene with Hommer for over an hour while they called the Park Service for help. Another team of two climbers on their way to the summit came to the aid of Wickwire’s team. They declined to continue to the summit and instead assisted Wickwire’s party back to Camp Muir.
Ranger’s Kirschner and Winslow planned for a body recovery operation. Two climbing rangers, Giguere and Shank, boarded a helicopter at Kautz Helibase and were flown to the top of the Disappointment Cleaver. From there, they down climbed the route to the accident site where they then placed Hommer into a body bag and then into a cargo net. From there, Hommer was flown off the mountain to Kautz Helibase. Giguere and Shank, along with Wickwire’s team, were also flown off the mountain too.
Observations:
The Disappointment Cleaver is the most popular route on the mountain. It subjects climbers to sustained periods of rock and icefall hazards at varying locations; teams that move quickly and safely limit their time in these areas. Hommer’s team got an alpine start and was moving at a reasonable pace. Sadly, rock fall is common on the Disappointment Cleaver, especially late in the year.
Colder conditions may reduce the rock fall hazards. It seems, however, as though there is always some amount or rock and/or ice fall hazard on Mount Rainier, making it possible for experienced teams like Hommer’s to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Hommer was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident; it was believed that a helmet wouldn’t have made a difference however. Though a helmet may not have made a difference in Hommer’s case, the National Park Service strongly recommends that all climbers wear helmets when ascending Mount Rainier.
posted by Mike Gauthier at 11:06 AM
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