Crestone Needle - Fatality

[d_baker]

Unless you've been in the position we were in on Saturday, some of you here may never understand the emotions that run through ones mind, heart, and soul.
I will probably never understand why the phone calls were made, or why the tragic event was posted here and elsewhere before they could be done by the appropriate parties. Especially when we already told KirkT that SAR had been notified and were in route to the scene.

Regardless, what has been done is done. There're no take backs.
Perhaps in the future this won't happen and maybe it will.
But I hope people think clearly and think about what they don't even know for fact before running to the keyboard.


With that aside, the picture of Linda says it all about how she was feeling on Saturday. All of us were feeling good and enjoying our climb. Nothing but good vibes.
I would also like to share with you that my friend and I saw a Sun Dog yesterday while out on a short hike in Manitou.
Perhaps it was Linda sending me a sign.

A big thanks to Custer County SAR and El Paso SAR for everything you do. And for being there for us on Saturday when we came out of S. Colony.


Darin

[ClemsonClimber]

You are all amazing people .. and this is tough. I believe everyone did what they thought was best at the timeas far as posting. But I guess the latest thing that has occurred to me may provide another perspective .... those of us who were with her were still on the mountain after having watched our friend die .and we HAD to hold it together to get down safely --after staying with our friend .. lying there motionless .. for hours. I cannot even begin to express to you how very difficult that was. All of our friends who were made aware of linda's death .. KNEW we were still there.. knew we were still in danger given the situation psychologically and physically from the ordeal. My guess is that all of them reading this knew that mountain and the type of terrain we were in and what we still had to do. I still am not sure where the strength came from to do it, but I know that without Lisa and Darin and Sam, I couldn't have. I feel like our friend Bill hasn't been mentioned here as helping us get down ... but that is because he had gone on to Broken Hand pass to meet up with SAR - -this is after he tried CPR for 15 minutes or so after getting to her with Darin and Lisa. I think I just need people to know that he was there with us too.

So . .this is just another perspective .. something else to think about.
And I'm probably babbling somewhat, but then ... that's me on a good day

[ClemsonClimber]

For me personally, this thread has been very helpful. I do think that KirkT was genuinely concerned about us and that this was not done out of desire for sensationalism. And I do think that the initial post of Keith's was very tastefully done. It helped me to come home and see it all despite my initial anger upon getting off the mountain. I believe people did what they felt was right at the time -- perhaps dealing with their own shock.

I seem to recall that the link for the newspaper article was at 6:30 ish? So, we were off the mountain before the "formal" media printed anything, so it occurs to me that the posting out of concern for the media getting it out wrong might not be a good reason to do it. I suspect that SAR would have wanted those of us who were still on the mountain with her safely off before anything was all over the place. Part of their job was to be sure we were down safely too.

But .. me babbling again.

[Araujo38]

To Monique and everyone that was with Linda that day,
Ricardo Peña here. I talked to you guys on Friday at your Colony Lakes campground and on the trail after I was coming off Crestone Peak and going back to Boulder. I am very shocked and very sorry to hear about all this. Goes without saying I am very sorry for Linda's family. My most sincere condolences.
I am also very sorry about what you guys (that were with her) had to go through. If there is anything I can do to help please let me know. It is truly sad and tragic to see Linda at the campground and find out these terrible news less than 48 hours later.
It is always tragic to hear of anyone dying on the mountains, especially an experienced climber like Linda, who was doing things right.
That same day I saw 3 or 4 young guys going up Broken Pass in steep, somewhat hard snow with just ice axes, no crampons and two dogs. I am very comfortable on soft snow with just an ice axe, but these conditions definitely called for crampons and I don't think they had any. Their dogs were left tied to a rock when they could no longer climb the steep snow. I hesitated to say anything. As a mountain guide I have a habit of trying to help people I meet on the mountains but I also don't want annoy anyone that is not asking for help or advice, or get in the way of them experiencing "the Freedom of the Hills" in the way they want to. All I said was "you guys be careful" but I kind of regretted I didn't say more. It just seemed to me that these guys didn't realize exactly what they were getting themselves into climbing Crestone Needle. I was afraid they would fall on the descent with no crampons and with the dogs. I guess no news on them is good news, I assume they are alright.
If a fatal fall can happen to an experienced climber like Linda who is doing everything right, the chances of happening to less experienced climbers that are pushing their luck is even greater. I see more and more people attempting very challenging ascents in Colorado with very little experience (and of course I am not talking about you guys that were with Linda) I think it's worth mentioning here to anyone thinking of climbing these peaks, that these are dangerous and very unforgiving peaks. Very different to most "walk up" 14ers. Please approach these mountains with respect and know your skills before trying these peaks. Even then you are not guaranteed safety as this tragedy reminds us all.
Some people at the campsites were asking me about Beta about Crestone Peak which I climbed via Broken Hand Pass/Cottonwood lake/South Couloir. For the sake of disseminating helpful info that may help all of us understand better what happened and hopefully help avoid any more tragic incidents, I write the following. Here are the conditions I observed the day before as I made my way around Crestone Needle and up Crestone Peak.
Broken Hand Pass has steep snow that I would definitely recommend using Crampons and Ice axes. Descent to Cotton wood lake is free of snow. The route up Crestone Needle from Broken Hand pass and Cottonwood lake looks almost free of snow. Looks like mostly rock. The ascent/descent up the south couloir of Crestone Peak has hard snow on the upper part and it is challenging due to having to front point quite a bit of vertical. Right now an Ice axe and an ice tool will make that ascent more comfortable and safe. I only had an Ice axe and crampons. It was ok but a tool would have been nice, safer and faster. And of course all the routes on the Peak and the Needle are very exposed. It is worth remembering for anyone attempting these peaks these are serious climbs. Be careful!
I hope this helps those who want to understand what the conditions were and those who are planning on going there.
Of course my main feeling right now is one of sorrow for the family and friends of Linda. Please let me know if I can be of any help.
Ricardo Peña
info@alpineexpeditions.net

[ClemsonClimber]

Everyone,

I may speak at Linda's memorial tomorrow. I am still working on what to say, but I was thinking that I would like to share some of the sentiments from this thread. So many of you have expressed so many wonderful things about the impact this has had on you and your caring for Linda. I would like to know if anyone would have a problem with me doing that. I think it would mean something to her family to know the caring of this community and how she continues to touch lives.

I think this would be appropriate, but if anyone thinks otherwise, please let me know. For those of you that have PMd me, there are some thoughts there that I would like to share as well. If nothing else, I'd like to tell them how many people expressed their condolences for us. I won't share any names, just thoughts.

Thanks for all your caring and concern. I had been one of those "lurkers" for years, but just actually joined and started posting a few weeks ago after my Snowmass trip when we had a trip report and I wanted to comment on it. I spent hours reading the Talus Monkey forums last year. I never had a clue that I would one day be a recipient of your kindness and caring. You are all amazing people.

[Phill the Thrill]

Dear Monique:

Thank you for sharing the photo of Linda and the story of your Friday evening devotional with her. That has touched me deeply. I agree that finding your Bible open to that passage in Isaiah is no coincidence. I have a friend who calls these things "God-incidences".

My heart goes out to you, your friends who were there with you on Saturday morning, and all of Linda's family and friends. Please know that I and many others share your sorrow and your grief.

Isaiah 53 says that the Lord is "a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief" and later that "surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows." I know that He will carry you as you grieve and remember your friend Linda.

Much love and peace to you,

Phill

[wtcheetah]

My group and I were on Crestone Peak when this happened, and it was certainly very sobering to see the helicopter descending so close. I'm terribly sorry for everyones' loss and cant imagine what you are going through. We saw Ricardo on our way to the lakes and I second everything he said. I personally felt lucky to make it back down unscathed (even with crampons and ice axe) and after reading the news back home, even more so. I was also very impressed by the skill and professionalism the SAR guys exhibited on the mountain. Just my 2 cents. I wish Linda's family and friends much peace and time for healing.
-Dave

[luca4351]

I think you have managed to to turn this into something it was not meant to be. This is a website for climbers who want and need to know about these accidents. As hard as it is on the families, they must know that people are going to come on and talk about it. Nothing specific was given as information but it managed to inform us climbers that there is much need to be cautious near the peak of Crestone Needle (or on any fourteener). All of us give our prayers out to the family and friends in their time of need but don't make more drama where there is already more than enough. I've had a couple friends die in the mountains and all you can hope for is that people learn from their mistakes. I would personally post something to make sure that people knew what was going on.

[DArcyS]

First, my condolences to all friends and family of the victim. The photos posted here give us a sense of the lost.

As I read the media news stories, I was struck by the use of the word "experienced" in the stories and immediately thought these people must be involved with the web community. To fend off any of the second guessing which seems to occur after these accidents, you can detect the defensive use of the word "experienced" so that no others can use the pejorative term "inexperienced."

Truth is, after a fatality, whether one is experienced or inexperienced is immaterial. I have come to loathe the term "inexperienced" to describe the victim in a climbing accident, as it is disrespectful to the victim. Of what relevance is the experience level after an accident? What benefit is received by others by labeling the victim as experienced or inexperienced? The term "inexperienced" seems to be used by others who wish to let others know that they are experienced and are above such accidents. Of course, accidents happen to inexperienced and experienced climbers alike, and they all deserve our respectful thoughts.

There are potentially two meaningful uses of the word "experienced" in the climbing community. First, describing a route as suitable for "experienced" climbers serves to warn of the routes danger. That's a good use of the word. Second, describing climbers to SAR who need to be rescued as experienced or inexperienced gives SAR a sense of the urgency, although I doubt it influences their actual rescue efforts.

D'Arcy

[La Mula]

weighing the experience of a person that needs aid is not even a consideration in rendering aid.

We'd get Steve House, Ed Viestuers, or Tommy Caldwell out of a pickle the same as we would anyone else; I probably wouldn't even know it was one of them until after we're all out of the area.

[myrone]

Experienced/inexperienced.........who cares? We're all up there together and most offer each other help and knowledge.
I found no poor taste or improper etiquette in any of these postings. I appreciate the frankness and urgency of safety.
My condolences and prayers to Linda's family, friends and loved ones.

[Beagle]

I am glad to see that much of the ethical debate has abated since Monday morning. It is not the time to blame anyone for posting, preaching or pontificating. As another person who also spent a good chunk of their life as a reporter I can tell you that journalists are charged with handling sensitive and tragic news very carefully. Bad news is best relayed to loved ones by family and friends whenever possible. This is just a tremendous Web site, especially for the exchange of useful and helpful information. So let us live and learn.
First of all, if another climber's death makes us all a little more careful then they have not died in vain. Let us honor their memories by exercising great care and rejoicing, as they did, in every step up and down the mountain. Any day you can walk off of a 14'er in good health, even if you don't summit, is a good day.
Secondly, whether you are posting here or anywhere, it is wise to use discretion. Keith mentions a good disclaimer "For more details send a private message or make a phone call.
Thank you for sharing your pictures of such a lovely lady. She was blessed to spend her last moments in the company of such good people, doing something she obviously loved.
Peace be with Linda, her family and friends.

Beagle