FALLING ROCK Washington, Mount Rainier A climb of Little Tahoma ...
FALLING ROCK Washington, Mount Rainier A climb o f Little Tahoma (3368 meters) was organized by the Seattle Mountaineers as part o f their basic climbing course. The party o f five left the trailhead at 0815 on August 22, 1988. The party reached the top o f the Whitman Glacier shortly before 0900. All mem bers appeared to be in good condition and competent to complete the ascent. The party continued to the summit, arriving shortly after 1000 and staying approximately 45 minutes. At 1330 the party was descending the upper Whitman Glacier along its northeast ern edge. About the 2970 meter level, the glacier narrows and steepens to 40 degrees as it falls to the lower Whitman. Phil Langford (31), who was descending at the front o f the first rope, had passed around an area o f hard ice and was continuing onto the steeper area below it. Two large rocks, each approximately 40 centimeters square, started to slide downhill o ff the hard ice toward the first rope team. The rocks, which had been resting on the snow, began to slide as the snow melted off, exposing the hard, clear ice underneath. The climbers on the second rope saw the rocks beginning to slide, and loudly shouted, “Rock! Rock! Big Ones!” Brent Hostetler and Ken Brameld on the first rope repeated the shout, but Phil Langford did not seem to hear at first. (Langford has no memory o f this part o f the events.) The sound o f water running down the shallow
chute, formed where the edge o f the glacier met the adjoining scree slope, may have drowned the calls. When the rocks were less than 20 meters from him, Langford was seen to turn and go into self-arrest position. One o f the rocks hit him on the back o f the top o f his climbing helmet. It is estimated that the rock weighed 25 kg and was sliding at more than 30 kilometers per hour when it hit him. Ken Brameld, the middleman on the first rope, shouted, “He’s been hit. Phil’ s been hit. On the head.” And then Ken Brameld and Brent Hostetler went into arrest position. Because o f the danger o f further rockfall, it was necessary to get the victim and those attending him out o f the chute as quickly as possible. Andy Dunning found a safe site on the scree slope about 10 meters away. Jack Northcutt prepared the site for the victim. When the examination o f the victim had been completed and his wounds dressed, Brent Hostetler and Jack Northcutt, with a little help from the victim, brought him up to the site. No further injuries had been found. Brent Hostetler and Jack Northcutt went for help about 1445. A bivvy site was prepared, and a comfortable night was spent. At 0630 the next day, rescue personnel arrived, and by 0930, Langford was evacuated by helicopter. (Source: Andrew Dun ning, Leader) Analysis The accident clearly demonstrates the importance o f wearing a hard hat even at times when there is no immediate or obvious rockfall danger. Without a hard hat, the victim would almost certainly have been killed in this case. The accident also raises the question o f what should be the correct response to rockfall. Should we try to get out o f the way, or should we try to protect ourselves? Climbing textbooks do not give any guidance. It appears, however, that whereas most novice climbers try to protect themselves, experienced climbers usually adopt a strat egy o f carefully watching the falling rock, and moving smartly out o f its way, at least for rockfalls consisting o f only one or two rocks. (Source: Andrew Dunning, Leader)
chute, formed where the edge o f the glacier met the adjoining scree slope, may have drowned the calls. When the rocks were less than 20 meters from him, Langford was seen to turn and go into self-arrest position. One o f the rocks hit him on the back o f the top o f his climbing helmet. It is estimated that the rock weighed 25 kg and was sliding at more than 30 kilometers per hour when it hit him. Ken Brameld, the middleman on the first rope, shouted, “He’s been hit. Phil’ s been hit. On the head.” And then Ken Brameld and Brent Hostetler went into arrest position. Because o f the danger o f further rockfall, it was necessary to get the victim and those attending him out o f the chute as quickly as possible. Andy Dunning found a safe site on the scree slope about 10 meters away. Jack Northcutt prepared the site for the victim. When the examination o f the victim had been completed and his wounds dressed, Brent Hostetler and Jack Northcutt, with a little help from the victim, brought him up to the site. No further injuries had been found. Brent Hostetler and Jack Northcutt went for help about 1445. A bivvy site was prepared, and a comfortable night was spent. At 0630 the next day, rescue personnel arrived, and by 0930, Langford was evacuated by helicopter. (Source: Andrew Dun ning, Leader) Analysis The accident clearly demonstrates the importance o f wearing a hard hat even at times when there is no immediate or obvious rockfall danger. Without a hard hat, the victim would almost certainly have been killed in this case. The accident also raises the question o f what should be the correct response to rockfall. Should we try to get out o f the way, or should we try to protect ourselves? Climbing textbooks do not give any guidance. It appears, however, that whereas most novice climbers try to protect themselves, experienced climbers usually adopt a strat egy o f carefully watching the falling rock, and moving smartly out o f its way, at least for rockfalls consisting o f only one or two rocks. (Source: Andrew Dunning, Leader)
