Lost Hikers on Missouri

[shaunster_co]

We can all learn from stories like this. Take your time, don't exceed your ability, and stop if you need too. I've climbed Wetterhorn 5 times and last year turned around on a bright, sunny dry day. Why? Ran into a little loose dirt on some rock and my little voice kicked in. Had a sandwich on the ridgeline on the way down and enjoyed some good Black Butte Porter and a plate of Nachos with my friends that night. We all accept the danger, and accidents happen, such as this tragedy. But everyone be smart when climbing the rest of the year. To the family, my prayers go out to you....

Well said!

[Kitten]

The part that still boggles my mind so far is how both were somehow involved in the same accident. I guess they could have been roped together though I haven't heard of them being roped, or maybe one knocked the other off. Unfortunately we will never really know the details of what happened. I'm curious as I usually go with a partner and I'd like to learn from this to avoid such a demise.

I wondered the same. Also they said on the news that they had been blown off the peak? but later somebody posted here that there was no wind that day? It is still unclear what happened and there is a lot of conflicting information on this one.

[MtHurd]

I suspect that if they did have ice axes on them then those who retreived the bodies would have said so.

[AJ_DND]

Missouri is deceptive, because the typical approach is long and benign. You might assume that the other routes are the same, but the side going down into elkhead pass (or up from it) is absolutely rotten. This was my first 14er, there were 4 of us. An older gentleman at REI in Co. Springs, who had climbed all the 14er's recommended a climb from Elkhead. He said, "It's a scramble, a bit of a puzzle, but you guys can do it." Bad advice. We spent a good while stranded on a steep shelf of some of the most rotten rock I've ever encountered. Some of us were just lying there trying not to trigger a slide. Storms were moving on us fast, and we somehow got across that area an up to the summit. We were so shook up that we didn't talk most of the way back down to pine creek.

It doesn't sound clear that this was their route, sounds like they were lower. But for those reading through this and thinking about Missouri, take Gary Roache's recommendation and stay to the easy route - remembering though that weather changes even easy ones into something totally different.

My condolences go out to the family, boyfriend, and friends.

[Tigerbear]

It has been guesses by SAR that they fell through a cornice. Of course there is no way to prove it.

[ThuChad]

I just heard about this on American Ninja Warrior last night on NBC. Makana's boyfriend was one of the competitors and was second overall. They had a short tribute to Michael and Makana. My condolences go out to the family.

[juliaf]

There's no way I would have let go of my daughter, even knowing the consequences.

+1

This is very sad. Thoughts and prayers going out to their friends and family.

[parsonne]

This is somewhat redundant to previous posts, however I couldn't help commenting on my considerable surprise when I came across this thread today and realized that the father wrote an article that I read less than two weeks ago on drinking untreated water (techniques I still have yet to employ). An interesting coincidence, I guess...
Thank you for the enlightening article.
My condolences to the family.

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin ... water.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (this link is elsewhere in the thread)

[SRVG]

I have photographs and video of Missouri Mountain taken from Mike's camera on June 22nd, 2011. I am his youngest surviving sister and am ready to respond on this forum with some answers to many of the questions and theories posted since the accident.

I can confirm they reached the summit.
The weather was not a factor; no late afternoon thunderstorms or other challenges.

As they traveled the ridgeline back, they continued along it and left the trail.
The exact location they fell from is impossible to determine. SAR theorizes Makana fell first and Mike went after her.
Blunt force trauma to head and neck meant she was out cold almost immediately and there we no visible signs that she attempted to stop her fall. Once motion stopped, no other motion was noted (day packs still strapped on, arms and legs akimbo).
Assuming the theory is correct, Mike went after Makana and attempted to slow and/or control his fall down a snow field as noted by the severe abrasions and lacerations sustained to his right hand.

He didn't make it down to her before losing control and also losing consciousness from head and neck impact injuries; blunt force trauma was the official cause of death.

They were not roped together. They did not have ice axes. SAR said neither of those would have saved them, the slope was too great.

Mike was found at an elevation of ~12,850, Makana was ~100 feet below him. The grade of the mountain where they fell is 60%. It was covered in snow. They came to rest in snow. The grassy knoll area was below them, that's where the rescue helicopter landed. (kudos to the media for f'ing up the details)

As you hike the trail from the bottom up through the gulch, somewhere up there on the right hand side is an outcropping of rocks, it's about 200 feet above and to the right of the trail. Both bodies were hidden by the rocks in what SAR described as a rocky knoll. As the first SAR groups hiked the trail looking for them, the rocky knoll hid them from view even though they were just 200 feet away. The newspaper did a poor job editing my brother Hans' statement.

It's impossible to say for sure if they fell thru a cornice, or who lost their footing first, or what exactly happened. Just one of those accidents that happens.

I think I covered all the questions, concerns, thoughts of all who posted. I skimmed very quickly thru the 146 posts from about a month ago and have been trying to figure out how best to reply. If I missed anything, I'll be back online now and again to check in.

Many thanks to all who assisted with the search and rescue efforts, I appreciate what you've done whole heartedly. Thanks too for the warm regards and condolences, it's been a rough summer coming to grips with my brother and nieces deaths. I signed up on this website because I'm in training to climb Mt. Belford next year to commemorate/memorialize Mike and Makana and take him up one more time.

My brother loved to climb, he was an avid "mountain man" and he had plenty of experience and passion. His daughter Makana visited at Thanksgiving one time, when she was 12 years old, and talked about other girls she knew that had climbed 14, 14ers, by the time they were 14 years old. She wasn't close to that number, but she was excited to keep adding to the list.

Thanks,
Stefania Romero (von Gortler)

[mountainmanny]

thank you.

[tmathews]

Stefania,

I am very sorry for the tragic loss of your loved ones. When you make the trip up Belford next year, I'm sure there are many here who would accompany you to honor their memories. 14ers.com is a wealth of information that will hopefully aid you in seeing that goal to fruition.

[14erFred]

Deepest condolences to you and the family, Stefania. May the memories of Mike and Makana be a blessing to us all, and may your training and preparations for the ascent of Belford go well.