Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
| Messages 1 - 7 of total 7 in this topic |
Fungus Amongus
Big Wall climber
Single Cell
|
|
|
Topic Author's Original Post - Mar 17, 2005 - 06:33pm PT
|
Found this on the Inyo SAR site. Sad news....
"On Monday afternoon 03-14-05 unrelated climbers reported a possible overdue climber on Mt.Whitney. A solo male climber was seen on the mountaineer’s route attempting to summit the mountain in a snowstorm, which arrived Sunday afternoon mostly effecting the higher elevations. The climber was not seen returning. The group found an empty campsite the following afternoon and reported the possible overdue climber. Ground search operations started early Tuesday morning for Richard Ferrari age 37 from Los Angeles. CHP helicopter H-80 out of Victorville spotted Ferrari’s body at the base of an ice chute on the north side of the summit. This location is in Sequoia National Park. Recovery efforts were turned over to NPS. No further assistance was requested from Inyo SAR."
|
|
akclimber
Trad climber
Eagle River, AK
|
|
|
Mar 17, 2005 - 07:37pm PT
|
At the top of the notch to the north is a nasty slope that goes 1000'+ down to the bottom. In icy conditions you are absolutely screwed if you slip. It is a bitch in the summer if there is ice there, suicidal in storm conditions.
|
|
WBraun
climber
|
|
|
Mar 17, 2005 - 08:30pm PT
|
Yes, so true ….my partner almost smoked down that sucker too. Luckily there were some rocks exposed not to far down from the top at that time that saved him.
|
|
euphoria
Trad climber
Slippery Rock, PA
|
|
|
Mar 18, 2005 - 02:30pm PT
|
From www.nps.gov--basically the same thing:
"The body of Richard J. Ferrari, 37, of Los Angeles, was recovered by park rangers on Wednesday, March 16th. Ferrari fell to his death while solo climbing Mount Whitney in Sequoia National Park last Sunday. His body was recovered along with his mountaineering gear and other personal property. It’s been determined that he fell approximately 1,000 feet from a point near the Notch on the Mountaineer’s Route on the north face of the mountain. The elevation at this location is about 14,000 feet above sea level. On Tuesday, the park was notified that Ferrari was overdue from his climb. An Inyo County deputy was flown to the area that afternoon in a California Highway Patrol helicopter and found his body. Since the incident was within the park, a team of rangers flew to the vicinity of the site on Wednesday morning to investigate and recover his body. The fall appears to have been accidental. According to other climbers who reached the summit on Sunday, the mountain was enveloped in clouds and falling snow, with extremely high winds and poor visibility."
Contact Information
Name: Alexandra Picavet, Public Information Officer, and Bob Wilson, Law Enforcement Specialist
|
|
bobh
climber
Bishop, California
|
|
|
Mar 18, 2005 - 02:45pm PT
|
Actually, it was an Inyo County search and rescue volunteer, not a deputy.
|
|
Festus
Mountain climber
Antelope Valley
|
|
|
Mar 18, 2005 - 05:06pm PT
|
Started down that slope late one day in August after climbing the east face. There was about an inch of ice on most of the rock. We were tired, and not thinking as straight as we should have been, and we started down...but came to our senses shortly after and realized we only had one choice. The Mountaineer's Route was out 'cuz there was plenty of ice in there, and a climber had taken a fatal fall there just a few days before we started in. Needless to say, we had nothing but rock gear and daypacks and ended up hiking down the main trail by full moon--which we were lucky to catch on a crystal clear, windless night. Had to hike to Upper Boyscout the next morning to get our backpacking gear...and the brother we left behind, who got to spend the whole night wondering if we bought the farm! This wasn't too long after a couple people had died in the summit hut when lightening hit it--so we weren't too keen on that option, especially with the charred walls and the smell that hadn't altogether vanished.
I'd like to think I wouldn't have continued trying to pick my way down the north slope if I'd been alone, but I'm not entirely sure, even now. Taught me a good lesson about how fatigue and a bad decision can get cozy with each other real quick. And, yeah, it was Cracko who got me to the top of the climb in the first place, and recognized before I did that the north slope wasn't gonna go.
Of course, then the bastard jumped in his car (after a night at the Dow Villa Motel on my f*cking credit card) and left me to hitch back up to Whitney Portal, and hike up the trail to get my gear--and his--along with the aforementioned brother.
|
|
Festus
Mountain climber
Antelope Valley
|
|
|
Mar 19, 2005 - 11:31am PT
|
Jody,
It was 1989.
|
|
| Messages 1 - 7 of total 7 in this topic |
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!