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Manky
Social climber
Austin
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To Blinny, thank you for the great words about Walt and his family. I met him on MMSP back in 1981 and we became lifelong buddies and did lots of climbing and hiking and traveling and doing serious damage to the all you can eat salad bar in Bishop after our numerous trips up the peaks of the eastern escarpment of the Sierra and across the valley in the Whites. I gave him his first flute and he would practice it down in the canyons of the buttermilks while I sat up on a rock and tried to be a buddha. If there was any one human I would pick to emulate now, it would be him. He would deny being a deep person, but one would be lucky to find someone as selfless and compassionate and curious and fun! His intelligence and sense of humor were incomparable. Whaa!
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Stimbo
Trad climber
Crowley Lake
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Here's a photo of Walter Rosenthal, a tragic loss to all who knew him...
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WBraun
climber
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Excellent picture of Walt, Jim.
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Stimbo
Trad climber
Crowley Lake
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Sorry for such a large photo, but the guy was larger than life. We miss him terribly...
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Stimbo
Trad climber
Crowley Lake
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For all concerned, a memorial service is planned for the evening of Friday, April 14th at 6:30. This is a service to honor all of the patrolmen that died that afternoon. It will held at the old gondola station, the Main Lodge of Mammoth Mountain. Bring your hankys...
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Manky
Social climber
Austin
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Hi Blinny, that is me, but we don't need to correct the spelling as i want to keep as much info away from dubya as possible. I just found out yesterday. i'm disoriented still. I'll call her. thanx.
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Stimbo
Trad climber
Crowley Lake
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Hey Steve -- You were on my list of people to contact. Lori will be glad you have been "found." Sorry bro'... Walter died a noble death. We're still tweaked at him though. The knucklehead left behind a great family. Jim
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Derek
climber
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Apr 10, 2006 - 01:28pm PT
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Damn, damn damn. I too knew Scottie through PCOBS. We did new instructor training together in 1993 or 94. What a gentle, caring soul. Rest in peace, Scottie. My most heart-felt condolences to all those touched by this tragedy.
-Derek
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Brutus of Wyde
climber
Old Climbers' Home, Oakland CA
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Apr 10, 2006 - 01:30pm PT
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I am so sad to hear of this terrible tragedy.
Lacking specific information, I can nevertheless provide some information regarding gases typically found in situations like this:
Hydrogen Sulfide is a highly toxic gas often present near volcanic vents, heavier than air, colorless, with the odor of rotten eggs. Normal concentration in clean air is 0.0001-0.0002 ppm.
At concentrations of only 150 to 200 ppm, (.015% to .02%) it causes paralysis of the olofactory nerves, whereupon the odor will no longer be apparent. Attempts to rescue unconscious people from spaces with high concentration of hydrogen sulfide can often lead to the death of rescuers (so called "second man fatalities").
Concentrations of over 1000 ppm (0.1%) cause immediate collapse and loss of respiration, leading to death, even after inhalation of a single breath.
Carbon Dioxide: colorless and odorless, present in the atmosphere in low concentrations. Often present in higher concentrations near volcanic vents. People who breathe 5% carbon dioxide for more than half an hour show signs of acute hypercapnia (unusually high concentration of CO2 in the blood,) while breathing 7%–10% carbon dioxide can produce unconsciousness in only a few minutes. Carbon Dioxide is one of the primary hazards when exploring the steam caves inside the crater at the summit of Mt. Rainier.
Carbon Monoxide: Also often present near volcanic vents, typically in concentrations ranging from 0.01% to 2%. A concentration of 0.01% will cause a headache after several hours' exposure, whereas 1.3% and above will cause death in less than 3 minutes.
I am so very sorry to be sharing this information in such tragic circumstances. Although these gases are often a hazard in confined spaces in the industrial world, we so often take fresh air as a given when in the out-of-doors. My heartfelt sympathy to Kath and all others who knew the victims of this terrible event.
Brutus
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schilds
Trad climber
eastside
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Apr 10, 2006 - 01:49pm PT
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For anyone who knew Scott McAndrews, his friends and family are gathering to celebrate his life this Saturday, 4/15 at 10 am, here in Bishop. All are welcome; bring stories, photos, something to sit on, and maybe food to share. If you're coming from out of town we can find places for you to stay. Mary D., another former OB'er and longtime friend of Scott's, is here in town and has been hearing from a lot of PCOBS people. Let me know if you would like to come or want more info, or just if you want to email anything about Scotty that we could share with his friends and family. Thanks. My heart goes out to everyone who has been affected by the losses of these three men.
email: sarahechilds@yahoo.com
--Sarah (just one of the many, many people who counted Scott as a good friend)
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JuanDeFuca
Big Wall climber
Stoney Point
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Apr 10, 2006 - 01:50pm PT
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So all these years the danger existed around the vents. Its sad no one foresaw this type of accident happening. But that seems to be true of many accidents.
Jeff
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bobh
climber
Bishop, California
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Apr 10, 2006 - 02:49pm PT
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Stimbo, thanks for that shot of Walter, and thanks Dave for posting some of the facts about the incident -- understanding what happened helps me. It was just a year ago both Walter and Scott were so kind in helping me through my own grieving process. This is rough.
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Brutus of Wyde
climber
Old Climbers' Home, Oakland CA
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Apr 10, 2006 - 09:20pm PT
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bump for those from other sites looking for information.
Brutus
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WBraun
climber
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Apr 10, 2006 - 09:35pm PT
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Brutus
Thanks for the information, very helpfull for the understanding.
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GoMZ
Trad climber
Paradise
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Apr 10, 2006 - 11:15pm PT
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Mammoth Mountain, CA- Rusty Gregory, Mammoth Mountain Ski Area Chairman and CEO issued the following statement to the community today:
"The community of Mammoth Mountain is much larger than our family of
2,800 employees or the 7,000 full time residents in the Town of Mammoth
Lakes. You are part of our community and I know you feel, as I do, that
the loss of our patrollers in last Thursday's tragic accident has broken
our hearts and ripped at our gut. Many of you have e-mailed me
wonderful ideas on how best to raise money and respectfully honor the
memory of Walter, James and Scott. Instead of working on many separate
small-scale efforts, I want to give us all one big idea that will raise
a significant amount of money for the families and give us all something
to focus on to ease the pain we feel. I have decided to contribute all
--100% without any deduction or adjustment -- of this Friday's gross
ticket sales to provide financial support to the Rosenthal, McAndrews
and Juarez families and to create a permanent tribute on the mountain to
our fallen heroes. I encourage you to participate this Friday, April
14, in a day of solidarity to honor the memory of Charles Walter
Rosenthal, James J. Juarez, John Scott McAndrews and to recognize
Mammoth Mountain's Ski Patrol and their brothers and sisters of alpine
safety and rescue professionals world-wide who risk their lives so the
rest of us may enjoy the wonder of our mountains."
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Fluoride
Trad climber
on a rock or mountain out west
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 11, 2006 - 12:15am PT
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"I have decided to contribute all--100% without any deduction or adjustment -- of this Friday's gross ticket sales to provide financial support to the Rosenthal, McAndrews and Juarez families and to create a permanent tribute on the mountain to
our fallen heroes."
So Friday, April 14th if you've to a way to be there, be skiing on the Mountain. You know your lift ticket fee that day's going to benefit the families.
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Stimbo
Trad climber
Crowley Lake
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Apr 11, 2006 - 12:39am PT
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Calling all east-siders -- see you on the Mountain this Friday! Let's raise some hell out there...
Bon Voyage my friend!
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Courtney
Trad climber
California
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Apr 11, 2006 - 01:00pm PT
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Hi All,
My condolences to friends and family of Walter, James, and Scotty as well as the entire patroller community and their famiies. I was lucky enough to spend a smidgen of time with James, who my husband Jim patrolled with and thought of so highly.
Even if you can't make it to ski Mammoth this weekend, you can buy a ticket online to support James', Walter's, and Scotty's families: https://secure.mammothmountain.com/memorial/index.cfm?cid=214h
My deep admiration goes to all the Mammoth patrollers--they are an unbelievably dedicated, skilled, and professional team. Yosemite is lucky to have had three of these patrollers on YOSAR last year: Ben, CJ, and Alex. I know Ben is returning to Valley SAR this year (I haven't heard CJ's and Alex's plans).
Wishing everyone safe adventures,
Courtney
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Cath
Mountain climber
Descanso,CA
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Apr 11, 2006 - 01:36pm PT
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Thank you everyone for the eulogies and pictures of Walt Rosenthal. If you don't mind I want to forward them to Walt's college friends from UCLA Bruin Mountaineers. This was a sorrowful way of finding an old friend. My best trip with Walt was in the late 1960's when he, I and Ed Mercurio bagged Tindal, Williamson, Muir and Whitney one week. I had to do Whitney in sandals becuase I got blisters coming down from Williamson to the valley floor in one day.
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