Archive for the ‘Climber’ Category

Climber cited for disorderly conduct after abandoning climbing partner

Friday, September 30th, 2011
Grand Teton National Park rangers finalized an investigation stemming from a search and rescue response in August that was initiated by the activation of a SPOT rescue locator. Dave Shade, 33, from Missoula, Montana was issued a citation because his actions that day created a hazardous situation during a late-hour rescue operation to retrieve his stranded climbing partner, Jesse Selwyn of Florence, Michigan. Shade was charged with disorderly conduct.

On Friday, August 19, Shade and Selwyn intended to climb the Black Ice Couloir on the northwest side of the Grand Teton; however, the two climbers could not find the entrance to the couloir and got off route, ending up on the Grandstand. After an extended discussion about how to proceed, Selwyn informed Shade that he felt he was unable to continue. Selwyn said that he believed he would become injured or die if he attempted to retrace the route they had come. He then told Shade that he was going to call for a rescue by activating the SPOT rescue locator that he was carrying. Until that time, Shade did not know that Selwyn was carrying the device.

Selwyn then activated the device and Grand Teton National Park Rangers were notified. After rangers hovered over the scene in a Teton Interagency helicopter and Selwyn signaled that he desired a rescue, Shade told Selwyn that he (Shade) did not need to be rescued. Further discussion ensued and ultimately, Shade left with the party's climbing rope, made four rappels and then began to retrace his route to the Valhalla Traverse. Shade made this decision before confirming that rangers were indeed going to return to rescue Selwyn.

The citation was issued because Shade assumed a rescue would occur and left his partner, taking their only climbing rope. Shade's decision created a hazardous condition for Selwyn, since at this point there was no guarantee of rescue. Selwyn was reached by Rangers that night, and was extracted via short-haul with darkness imminently approaching.

Wow, the citation seems a little harsh in my opinion. Maybe Dave Shade can be accused of acting a little irresponsibly, but I'm sure the only reason he proceeded with his actions is because he was 100% sure that his partner was going to be rescued at that point. If a SAR helicopter hadn't showed up, then yes, by all means, throw the book at him.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com

Posted in Climber, Grand Teton National Park, disorderly conduct | Comments Off

The Wildest Dream: Conquest of Everest

Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010
Opening this weekend, The Wildest Dream: Conquest of Everest brings to screen the last days of adventurer and Mount Everest climber George Mallory – the man who may or may not have been the first to scale the world’s most highest peak. After disappearing 800 feet from the summit in 1924, Mallory’s body was never found – until present-day climber Conrad Anker discovered it, frozen and intact, 75 years later.

Linking the past with the present, The Wildest Dream recounts Anker’s efforts to scale Everest in precisely the same fashion as Mallory – with authentic equipment and clothing – to see if Mallory could indeed have made it to the top. Sifting through clues left by Mallory, some of which have only come to light with the discovery of his body, Anker and his team attempt to solve the mystery of Mallory’s death and grant him the accolades that he may well be due.

Narrated by actor Liam Neeson, The Wildest Dream will be released in both 35 mm and giant screen formats. It will include never-before-seen archival footage combined with the grandeur of present-day Everest.

The film is set to open across the U.S. on August 6th.

Below are two film clips of the movie. The first is the official trailer:



The second clip takes a look into the Himalayan superstitions that surround Everest, and the warnings that Mallory received from monks living in the area that implored him not to go. They told him that they feared something bad would happen to him....




Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com

Posted in Climber, Conquest of Everest, Conrad Anker, George Mallory, Liam Neeson, Mount Everest, The Wildest Dream | Comments Off

Climber clings to icy cliff by his fingertips for 6 hours!

Saturday, December 26th, 2009
A Scottish newspaper is reporting that a young climber was forced to cling to an ice-covered cliff - by his fingertips - for six hours before being rescued!

Last weekend a British climber and his climbing partner became stuck on the 3790-foot mountain in Scotland known as the Lochnagar. Roughly 300 feet above solid ground, the lead climber found himself completely stuck on a climb known as the Giant's Head Chimney, unable to move up or down and with no ledge or space to rest on. Fortunately the second climber was able to find a safe ledge and was able to make a call for help. It would be six hours before the two climbers would be rescued, with the stuck climber clinging to the rock by his fingertips for the entire time.

Rescue co-ordinator Inspector Andrew Todd said: "The lead climber had just climbed himself into difficulty and couldn't go forwards or backwards. He was completely stuck.

"The conditions were absolutely freezing although the visibility was good and the helicopter was a big help.

"The bottom climber was fine and was quite warm but the lead climber was in quite a difficult position and had to hold that position for hours. He was literally just hanging on to the cliff face."

One of the rescuers was lowered from a helicopter who helped the pair back to the bottom.

The lead climber suffered mild frostbite to his fingers after his ordeal in temperatures as low as -8C on the cliff face.




Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com Detailed information on trails in the Smoky Mountains; includes trail descriptions, key features, pictures, video, maps, elevation profiles, news, hiking gear store, and more.

Posted in Climber, Giant's Head Chimney, Lochnagar, Scotland, cliff, clings, fingertips | Comments Off