FALL ON ICE, CLIMBING ALONE AND UNROPED, WEATHER New Hampshire, Willey Slide On N ovem ber 17, 1987, Brian D onleavy (20) w as found near the base o f Willey Slide by m em bers o f the N ew H am pshire M ountain Rescue Service. He had been reported m issing by friends from the D artm outh O uting Club. He had apparently fallen about 150 to 200 m eters, either because he w as hit by a chunk of ice or because he cam e out of his holds. (Source: N ew H am pshire M ountain Rescue Service)
Analysis There are some points w orth m entioning beyond the obvious factors o f clim bing alone in tem peratures w ell above freezing and early in the ice-clim bing season. This young man, w ho w as President of the D artm outh M ountaineering Club, w as eager, intelligent, and brash. He w anted to get good at clim bing fast. He w as adm ired for his ability by fellow students, yet there w as concern for his judgm ent expressed by some. He had broken his arm a year earlier and his leg during the sum m er prior to his death, both in rock-clim bing situations. On the day o f his fatal clim b, his zest and enthusiasm clouded his judgm ent. O nly his peers m ight have persuaded him not to attem pt the clim b, but they w ould have (1) had to know w hat he w as setting out to do, and (2) have been as strong-w illed as,or stronger-w illed than, D onleavy to have convinced him. (Source:J. W illiam son)