Another Fatal Longs Tragedy

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Air Squared
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Re: Another Fatal Longs Tragedy

Post by Air Squared »

pbakwin wrote:A volunteer ranger at the Longs RS told me today that the person had gear - ax & crampons. If that's true then this accident is especially puzzling.
He give you any other theories as to what happened?
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Re: Another Fatal Longs Tragedy

Post by pbakwin »

No theories. Apparently the climber had summited and was descending.
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Hungry Jack
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Re: Another Fatal Longs Tragedy

Post by Hungry Jack »

Weird.
please rotate your device
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Re: Another Fatal Longs Tragedy

Post by DoctorBreaks »

The climber did not have an ax or crampons. I would assume he ran into a section of rock that was iced over and slipped due to not having any traction.

http://www.coloradoan.com/story/news/lo ... /10644583/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Very sad
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Re: Another Fatal Longs Tragedy

Post by EatinHardtack »

Wow, the climber only grew up about 10 minutes south of where I grew up in Georgia. RIP.
"In our youths our hearts were touched with fire" - Oliver Wendell Holmes
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Tatra
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Re: Another Fatal Longs Tragedy

Post by Tatra »

Very sad and heart breaking.
It looks that there was another rescue yesterday in that area:
http://www.coloradoan.com/story/news/lo ... /10640371/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Crampons and ice axes are definitely mandatory on most of higher peaks this season.
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Re: Another Fatal Longs Tragedy

Post by iholdthepain »

I crossed that snowfield the day before, for the first time ever. You definitely need to pay attention to each footstep. Traction + poles or tools are also very helpful there. Hard snow early turned very slushy and slippery under the late morning sun. Self-arrest would not be easy, It's a place you definitely don't want to fall.
To quote the great Paul Petzoldt,

“…Some people say that experience is the best teacher. To heck with that. I know people who have been making the same mistakes for forty years.”
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Re: Another Fatal Longs Tragedy

Post by jpenny »

Conditions on my descent were great weather, but incredibly hard snow. All I had was a CAMP Corsa Ice Axe and Kahtoola KTS crampons. It was warming pretty fast as I ascended the Homestretch from Meeker and later came down to the narrows but it froze hard the night before and I was not getting much purchase at all in the snow. It was the hardest snow I have ever been in at that time of day in that weather this time of year. At 2 pm I couldn't kick more than 3-4 inches into the snow. It took all I had to get the spike of my ice axe in and took multiple tries on occasion. I was hoping the snow would soften up eventually but I just kept hoping. It was probably even harder while he cane up. I was surprised to hear about a fall in the trough though and it doesn't seem right. That area was the only area with huge steps kicked in and in most areas a fall, while potentially bad, would probably be stopped by a rock ledge somewhere. Also, if he were to have made it across the ledges the trough would have been a relative relief. The ledges had very hard snow as well and traversing them took my full attention. My guess is he fell and went over the ledges and must have fallen into the trough.

One of the news reports said you wouldn't fall very fall on this route. I disagree. The ledges, with all the snow and ice on them, could send you for a ride and Keplingers would be terrible. Be careful if you go out there this time of year.
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Air Squared
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Re: Another Fatal Longs Tragedy

Post by Air Squared »

With all of the snow this past season, I'm not even sure my "late August" rally will be a slam dunk.....

I'm starting to come to grips that there just might not be a window this year where the conditions are perfect on Longs.
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Re: Another Fatal Longs Tragedy

Post by semitrueskerm »

Air Squared wrote:With all of the snow this past season, I'm not even sure my "late August" rally will be a slam dunk.....

I'm starting to come to grips that there just might not be a window this year where the conditions are perfect on Longs.

I know that's happened before. Wasn't there a couple of seasons where Keyhole route conditions never became "summer"? I think I recall the NPS actually called the Keyhole Route "closed"...and didn't patrol it, etc. Anyone remember?

Condolences for the loss.
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Re: Another Fatal Longs Tragedy

Post by mtgirl »

Even if there is a one-month "non-technical" window for the keyhole route, I cannot imagine how crowded it will be. Crowds suck.....
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Re: Another Fatal Longs Tragedy

Post by Air Squared »

Sheesh, I had no idea that there was an actual possibility of the route never being upgraded to "summer" condition all year???
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