Incident at Longs Peak Today (9/17/2022)

[bigredmachine]

Not sure why there is even a debate about whether or not analysis should be allowed when done respectfully.

It is entirely logical to seek information about how, when, and where things went wrong and try to draw some learning from it. SAR reports are great when it comes to avalanches but have not found any to be particularly helpful when it comes to hiking accidents. Firsthand accounts are the most useful information about the location of the accidents and conditions on the day of. RMNP is only going to say it happened on the ledges vs. someone that might knows it occurred below the false keyhole. I spent hours before failing to summit Longs looking for similar information (largely on this forum) so I was better informed on the risks and exact sections that demand extra caution. Conjecture about the individuals experience or complete speculation about the accident isn't helpful, but why silence those who are providing helpful facts to those who want to be better prepared.

This is fair, the capitol thread devolved not because individuals were looking for useful information. It devolved because blameful, irrelevant questions were being asked. There is nothing learned from…was the climber wearing a helmet? Was the climber solo? Considering both questions had already been provided prior in the thread, it came across very accusatory. We already know that it is recommended to wear a helmet and hike with a partner on capitol.

[Curve]

You can still avoid topics with the newsfeed format, no? I don't indulge in every "lost and found" thread on the front page.

[dan0rama]

Clearly that is not true, otherwise those who thought the questions were insensitive, unhelpful, accusatory, etc would have exited the thread permanently, leaving it only to those who wanted to keep the discussion going. But that’s not what happened. Do away with the newsfeed and save humanity from collapse.

[JROSKA]

blameful questions were asked …was the climber wearing a helmet? Was the climber solo? it came across very accusatory.

And round and round we go. This is the problem with you guys on the “please do not discuss” side. How in the world can you make all of those heart judgments and assessments of someone through their keyboard and your smart phone? You can detect “blameful” and “accusatory” over the internet? You can’t. You have no idea what the person was thinking as they typed. Maybe they are very busy or have been on a business trip for 2 weeks etc and it’s the first they are hearing about it. Who knows. But it’s an awfully big leap to start making character assessments and heart intentions behind a few simple questions. On the internet.

[Slawson405]

In the words of big Samuel L. " I'm tired of this MF bickering, on this MF thread."
Seriously, some of you are insanely petty arguers.
Chill out.

[cedica]

Do away with the newsfeed and save humanity from collapse.

You are laboring under a misapprehension that the humanity needs saving, right now. Please allow me to hit you with Flaubert: "Our ignorance of history causes us to slander our own times."

[timisimaginary]

Since this argument is once again infecting yet another thread in this forum, maybe we need a definitive statement from Bill on what is or is not going to be considered appropriate or disrespectful or offensive in this section of the forums. Shutting down the other thread didn’t do anything but move the argument elsewhere.

[speth]

Since this argument is once again infecting yet another thread in this forum, maybe we need a definitive statement from Bill on what is or is not going to be considered appropriate or disrespectful or offensive in this section of the forums. Shutting down the other thread didn’t do anything but move the argument elsewhere.

+1

[CaptainSuburbia]

From the Estes Park Trail Gazette:

Late Friday afternoon, September 16, Jacobs contacted a friend via cellular phone that he was lost and that the weather was deteriorating rapidly. Jacobs was unprepared for winter conditions or to spend an unplanned night at elevations above 13,000 feet. This information was relayed to park rangers. Park rangers were briefly able to contact Jacobs via text message to ascertain his location and learned he was going to try to move toward the Agnes Vaille Shelter. Communication with him was then lost.

Members from Rocky Mountain National Park’s Search and Rescue Team began searching in the Boulder Field and Keyhole area of Longs Peak on Friday afternoon. Search efforts were hampered by accumulating snow, ice, 35 plus mile per hour winds, below freezing temperatures, night fall and bitter wind chill. Rangers were able to reach the Agnes Vaille Shelter and could not locate the subject. The search team set up shelter in the Boulder Field overnight in case the subject was still attempting to reach the trailhead. Searchers in the field reported snow and sleet continuing through the night in the search area.

Search efforts were started prior to sunrise on Saturday morning. Rangers reported continued winter like conditions in the area. A clearing in the weather allowed for Northern Colorado Med Evac air ambulance to fly over the search area to look for anyone in distress while rangers continued to search in the Boulder Field. The man’s body was located approximately 80 feet above The Ledges by park visitors

[greenonion]

Do away with the newsfeed and save humanity from collapse.

You are laboring under a misapprehension that the humanity needs saving, right now. Please allow me to hit you with Flaubert: "Our ignorance of history causes us to slander our own times."

We humans are too smart for our own good.

[Rollie Free]

From the Estes Park Trail Gazette:

Late Friday afternoon, September 16, Jacobs contacted a friend via cellular phone that he was lost and that the weather was deteriorating rapidly. Jacobs was unprepared for winter conditions or to spend an unplanned night at elevations above 13,000 feet. This information was relayed to park rangers. Park rangers were briefly able to contact Jacobs via text message to ascertain his location and learned he was going to try to move toward the Agnes Vaille Shelter. Communication with him was then lost.

Members from Rocky Mountain National Park’s Search and Rescue Team began searching in the Boulder Field and Keyhole area of Longs Peak on Friday afternoon. Search efforts were hampered by accumulating snow, ice, 35 plus mile per hour winds, below freezing temperatures, night fall and bitter wind chill. Rangers were able to reach the Agnes Vaille Shelter and could not locate the subject. The search team set up shelter in the Boulder Field overnight in case the subject was still attempting to reach the trailhead. Searchers in the field reported snow and sleet continuing through the night in the search area.

Search efforts were started prior to sunrise on Saturday morning. Rangers reported continued winter like conditions in the area. A clearing in the weather allowed for Northern Colorado Med Evac air ambulance to fly over the search area to look for anyone in distress while rangers continued to search in the Boulder Field. The man’s body was located approximately 80 feet above The Ledges by park visitors

I've been in a similar situation. I was on the second day of a two day climb and figured the mileage was going to be minor. What I didn't know is that the mileage was irrelevant on this route. I had always been fairly cautious to that point but thinking it wouldn't take all day I'd compromise what I wore and carried. At a point I decided to 'go for it' and extend my climb to hit another peak, it was a 50/50 decision. Normally I might have made out ok but a heretofore unknown medical condition cropped up and I ended up spending a very miserable and concerning night trapped on a steep ridge as I had ran out of daylight.

Point being, these things happen fast when they do happen. We prepare but no one plans for these situations. I sure learned a valuable lesson and I personally think we should be able to learn from the errors of others. Because I would guess that everyone reading this has made poor decisions. Some manifested themselves as bad situations, others escaped notice because the other half of the equation (many times uncontrollable and random) didn't come into play.

[timisimaginary]

a little more information at this link: https://www.nationalparkstraveler.org/2 ... ional-park