Missing Hiker Capitol Peak 7/31

[constipated_pete]

Can we please stop the analysis on a thread where a guy died? His family is probably reading all this. Some frequent posters who should know better are doing a lot of it here. RIP Kelly, condolences to all that knew him.

Condolences to the family of the fallen climber but I’ll never understand this. I was a whitewater kayaker for 25 years a sport that had fewer participants than climbing but a lot of deaths. Every accident was analyzed down to the smallest details in an effort to keep other paddlers from the same fate. American Whitewater even published the findings in an annual “how everybody died” issue. But for Colorado mountain accidents no questions can be asked on the most widely read forum. As to the family reading it I’d think they would want to know what happened.

This isn't some official source compiling accidents, this is a thread with a bunch of randos that his friends and family might read. Maybe they want to know what happened, but I'm sure they don't want some nobody's armchair analysis. The SAR report will be out soon enough

[Jorts]

Can we please stop the analysis on a thread where a guy died? His family is probably reading all this. Some frequent posters who should know better are doing a lot of it here. RIP Kelly, condolences to all that knew him.

Should I ever pass in a tragic accident in the mountains, by all means hold it up to critical analysis and scrutiny. May others learn from it and avoid a similar fate. I’m confident my family and friends would approve.

Just keep it tasteful and thoughtful; and don’t draw half baked conclusions from rampant speculation.

[painless4u2]

Honestly, the OP chose to post this under a general mountain discussion category and not under accidents or a memorial one. Even the Accidents category allows for analysis in it's heading. So as long as it's respectful, I see no harm in discussions and analysis, even speculative, on this site.

[TomPierce]

The SAR report will be out soon enough

Sorry to disappoint, but (a) no, it probably won't be widely distributed, if at all, and (b) read one of those lately? They understandably have gaping holes in the analysis, e.g. "Hiker fell for unknown reasons..." There don't appear to be any eyewitnesses to this tragedy, almost certainly no video exists. SAR can anlyze what it can analyze, but with zero evidence it'll necessarily be complete speculation. I've heard the "let's wait for the report" which is implicitly a "the experts know best, they will tell us." Sorry, that's not been my exerience at all.

Any like Jorts, if I die in the mountains, analayze away. I'd rather that my death maybe, possibly give others a lesson to learn from my mistakes. Climbers have always done that, and I assume always will, it's just part of a higher risk sport.

My opinions.

-Tom

[Bigfoot]

Here's a more detailed statement from the Pitkin Sheriff: https://bit.ly/2TSRmJC

The press release states that recovery may take days or weeks. I can't find anything on the status of this. I was debating trying to climb Sunday, but if recovery is still ongoing, I will put it off. Anyone have updated information?

[HikerGuy]

The press release states that recovery may take days or weeks. I can't find anything on the status of this. I was debating trying to climb Sunday, but if recovery is still ongoing, I will put it off. Anyone have updated information?

I don't have any info, but if I were MRA, I would have team members controlling traffic on the ridge to protect rescuers below. I'd say not the best weekend to climb Capitol, let the SAR team finish their work.

[BillMiddlebrook]

This is awful and if Kelly's family members or friends are reading this, I want you to know that search and rescue people are doing their best. He is positioned where rescuers could be injured if hikers above kick down rocks. I think they are hatching a plan to take him out while ensuring the safety of the team.

[dwoodward13]

Honestly, the OP chose to post this under a general mountain discussion category and not under accidents or a memorial one. Even the Accidents category allows for analysis in it's heading. So as long as it's respectful, I see no harm in discussions and analysis, even speculative, on this site.

I originally posted this in the 14ers section because SAR was looking for information on Kelly if anyone had seen him. There was no accident we knew of at the time. For all we knew he might have just changed his plans or been camping at the lake an extra night.

[bigredmachine]

The SAR report will be out soon enough

Sorry to disappoint, but (a) no, it probably won't be widely distributed, if at all, and (b) read one of those lately? They understandably have gaping holes in the analysis, e.g. "Hiker fell for unknown reasons..." There don't appear to be any eyewitnesses to this tragedy, almost certainly no video exists. SAR can anlyze what it can analyze, but with zero evidence it'll necessarily be complete speculation. I've heard the "let's wait for the report" which is implicitly a "the experts know best, they will tell us." Sorry, that's not been my exerience at all.



Any like Jorts, if I die in the mountains, analayze away. I'd rather that my death maybe, possibly give others a lesson to learn from my mistakes. Climbers have always done that, and I assume always will, it's just part of a higher risk sport.

My opinions.

-Tom

Dumb question, but why is the CAIC able to put out fairly detailed info on avalanche related accidents but there is nothing like that related to hiking. Obviously, there is more “evidence” with an avalanche, but I’d think they could release more detailed info that could help educate the public. For example, this news report says near the knife edge, but we all know this could mean anywhere from a couple hundred yards before or after the knife edge.

[justiner]

Dumb question, but why is the CAIC able to put out fairly detailed info on avalanche related accidents but there is nothing like that related to hiking. Obviously, there is more “evidence” with an avalanche, but I’d think they could release more detailed info that could help educate the public. For example, this news report says near the knife edge, but we all know this could mean anywhere from a couple hundred yards before or after the knife edge.

There is the Accidents of North American Climbing, which - yeah: does center on climbing, but they do cover things like accidents on Capitol:

http://publications.americanalpineclub. ... experience

I know the editor that's putting together the next report - it's a volunteer position he does - he talked to me about an unfortunate accident on Freeway/Second Flatiron (I wrote I know well). CAIC may do a better job with fundraising, but they're also mostly volunteers out there.


Sorry to hear about this new accident on Capitol. Never news that sits well with me.

[XterraRob]

It was a tragic event, s**t happens. May his spirit rest in peace.

[Urban Snowshoer]

The SAR report will be out soon enough

Sorry to disappoint, but (a) no, it probably won't be widely distributed, if at all, and (b) read one of those lately? They understandably have gaping holes in the analysis, e.g. "Hiker fell for unknown reasons..." There don't appear to be any eyewitnesses to this tragedy, almost certainly no video exists. SAR can anlyze what it can analyze, but with zero evidence it'll necessarily be complete speculation. I've heard the "let's wait for the report" which is implicitly a "the experts know best, they will tell us." Sorry, that's not been my exerience at all.



Any like Jorts, if I die in the mountains, analayze away. I'd rather that my death maybe, possibly give others a lesson to learn from my mistakes. Climbers have always done that, and I assume always will, it's just part of a higher risk sport.

My opinions.

-Tom

Dumb question, but why is the CAIC able to put out fairly detailed info on avalanche related accidents but there is nothing like that related to hiking. Obviously, there is more “evidence” with an avalanche, but I’d think they could release more detailed info that could help educate the public. For example, this news report says near the knife edge, but we all know this could mean anywhere from a couple hundred yards before or after the knife edge.

In adddition to the recommendation for Accidents in North American American Mountaineering, it looks like Custer County Search and Rescue publishes at least some of their <a href="https://custersar.org/missions">missions</a>, though I don't know whether the Search and Rescue entity responsible for the jurisdiction that includes Capitol does the same.

In answer to the previous question about why CAIC is able to but you don't see more from Search and Rescue, it is likely a time and resource issue--some Search and Rescue organizations may be streched too thin to have the time to write up missions on top of their primary responsibilities.