9/17 Crestone Needle Incident

[Codyhill1991]

Just finished reading the thread on the Longs Peak fatality and switched to Facebook only to see Custer County SAR post about working on an incident on the needle. No details other than helicopters are in use. Does anyone know anything? Hoping for a happy outcome.

[TehWoopig]

Climber lost most of their eyesight on the way down from Crestone Needle. Possibly got off route and cliffed off before not being able to see well enough to move anymore. Contacted SAR. My understanding is 2 rescuers are either on their way up or assisting the climber down the mountain.

I spoke with this climber on the phone. That's all we know for now.

[TehWoopig]

I'm not part of SAR or the SO. I personally know this climber

[Rock-a-Fella]

SAR almost to climber. Walk off is plan A.

[Codyhill1991]

Thanks for the info y'all so glad to hear the climber is walking off.

[mikefromcraig]

How does one lose most of their eyesight on a summer summit? Is this supposed to say lost line of sight?

[dwoodward13]

How does one lose most of their eyesight on a summer summit? Is this supposed to say lost line of sight?

Hope this has a good outcome and the climber makes a fully recovery first of all.

There are several conditions that can cause blindness in non-snow conditions. A complication with a previous eye surgery, high altitude retinopathy, high altitude corneal edema (different than the HACE we usually hear about) could all cause issues. I'm sure there are many other conditions. I've heard/read about it a few times, its not as uncommon as you might think.

[bigredmachine]

How does one lose most of their eyesight on a summer summit? Is this supposed to say lost line of sight?

Hope this has a good outcome and the climber makes a fully recovery first of all.

There are several conditions that can cause blindness in non-snow conditions. A complication with a previous eye surgery, high altitude nephropathy, high altitude corneal edema (different than the HACE we usually hear about) could all cause issues. I'm sure there are many other conditions. I've heard/read about it a few times, its not as uncommon as you might think.

Darkness…dead or no headlamp

[mikefromcraig]

How does one lose most of their eyesight on a summer summit? Is this supposed to say lost line of sight?

Hope this has a good outcome and the climber makes a fully recovery first of all.

There are several conditions that can cause blindness in non-snow conditions. A complication with a previous eye surgery, high altitude nephropathy, high altitude corneal edema (different than the HACE we usually hear about) could all cause issues. I'm sure there are many other conditions. I've heard/read about it a few times, its not as uncommon as you might think.

Darkness…dead or no headlamp

I don't think it is accurate to say that one loses their eyesight every time it gets dark. It must be one of the medical reasons listed above.

[dwoodward13]

How does one lose most of their eyesight on a summer summit? Is this supposed to say lost line of sight?

Hope this has a good outcome and the climber makes a fully recovery first of all.

There are several conditions that can cause blindness in non-snow conditions. A complication with a previous eye surgery, high altitude nephropathy, high altitude corneal edema (different than the HACE we usually hear about) could all cause issues. I'm sure there are many other conditions. I've heard/read about it a few times, its not as uncommon as you might think.

Darkness…dead or no headlamp

The FB post from SAR about an active mission came at about 6pm. Still should have been plenty of light at that time.

[Carl_Healy]

Hope this has a good outcome and the climber makes a fully recovery first of all.

There are several conditions that can cause blindness in non-snow conditions. A complication with a previous eye surgery, high altitude nephropathy, high altitude corneal edema (different than the HACE we usually hear about) could all cause issues. I'm sure there are many other conditions. I've heard/read about it a few times, its not as uncommon as you might think.

Darkness…dead or no headlamp

I don't think it is accurate to say that one loses their eyesight every time it gets dark. It must be one of the medical reasons listed above.

That or something as simple as lost glasses/contacts?
Though admittedly the phrasing suggests otherwise.

[DArcyS]

How does one lose most of their eyesight on a summer summit? Is this supposed to say lost line of sight?

Hope this has a good outcome and the climber makes a fully recovery first of all.

There are several conditions that can cause blindness in non-snow conditions. A complication with a previous eye surgery, high altitude nephropathy, high altitude corneal edema (different than the HACE we usually hear about) could all cause issues. I'm sure there are many other conditions. I've heard/read about it a few times, its not as uncommon as you might think.

One of my friends suffered from blindness as a result of altitude sickness, although perhaps it wasn't complete blindness. But, yeah, it can happen without snow.