Two American doctors die on Mt. McKinley

[Liberal_in_LA]

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/cnn-news/19737882/detail.html

Local Doctor Dies In Fall On Mt. McKinley
Officials Say Men Plunged Several Thousand Feet
June 12, 2009

BOSTON -- A Newton doctor was one of two climbers who died Thursday when they fell several thousand feet on Mt. McKinley in Alaska.

Dr. John Mislow, 39, and Dr. Andrew Swanson, 36, of, Minneapolis, were roped together at the time of the fall, according to the National Park Service.

A team saw the pair fall between the 16,500-foot elevation on the Messner Couloir and its base at 14,500 feet. It was not clear if the men were ascending or descending at the time of the fall.

Three skiers in the vicinity were first to respond to the climbers, who were located about 30 minutes away from the 14,200-foot camp. A team of four volunteer NPS rangers, including an emergency room nurse and two medics, followed close behind and confirmed that the two men had died in the fall.

Officials said the two men began an ascent of the West Rib route on May 30, and their climbing registration forms did not specify a particular descent route.

Mislow and Swanson were both experienced mountaineers, according to park officials. In 2000, Denali National Park and Preserve presented the two men with the Denali Pro Award, an honor recognizing the highest standards in the sport for safety, self-sufficiency, and assisting fellow mountaineers.

[angstlessk]

1. mountain climbing is a dangerous sport and I am sure they knew it..which is why

they participated. I am sure the life they lived till they died was very satisfying..I only fell sorry for their families.

[timeforpeace]

2. "It was not clear

if the men were ascending or descending at the time of the fall."

That would be descending.

[BlueJazz]

3. "not clear if the men were ascending or descending at the time of the fall"

It pretty clear they were descending.

'
"It was not clear if the men were ascending or descending BEFORE the time of the fall."

Geez...

[kestrel91316]

4. You simply don't mess around with the Messner Couloir. A classmate of

mine from vet school was soloing Denali years ago (I know, but he really didn't SEEM insane in vet school) via the Messner Couloir and tripped on his pack strap while descending and fell all the way down it.

He lived to tell the tale. It got written up in Accidents in North American Mountaineering. And yes, he broke lots of bones.

http://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/upload/1987_Mtnrg_Summary.pdf
".....In early June, an American was descending the Messner Couloir, plunge stepping into soft snow. During
one of the steps, his cramponed boot snagged on either a pack strap or some other item dangling from his
harness. He lost his balance, pitched forward and took a 1500’ tumbling fall. A soft patch of snow
stopped the fall but the climber was battered and sustained a fractured hip. Fortunately, the fall had been
seen by climbers in the 14,200’ basin. A rescue team was quickly organized and the injured climber was
lowered to a landing site and air evacuated by helicopter....."

[aikoaiko]

5. In a situation like that I wonder if a mtn climber is terrified or amazed at the experience

I almost drowned once, and while I sinking into the depths of the lake weighted down by my down jacket, jeans, & boots, I was overwhelmed by the sensations of no sound, increasingly cold water, the dimming of the light. If I hadn't hit bottom and been able to push really hard to get back to the canoe, I'm sure the terror of breathing in my first mouthful of water would have hit.

Sad for the climbers either way.

[kestrel91316]

6. Their reaction would have been pretty much: "OH SHIT".