New Mexico Rocky Mountains

Publication Year: 1948.

New Mexico Rocky Mountains: In late October 1947, two girl secretaries from Los Alamos lost their lives on an icy slope of Truchas Peak (13,275 ft.), New Mexico’s highest mountain. One was 34 years old, the other 35. Having climbed the peak, they were descending late in the afternoon to the point where horses had been left. With them was Sam Martin, whom they had employed as guide. Against his advice, one of the women took a shortcut across a wide expanse of ice (?). After going only a short distance, she fell and slid several hundred ft., cutting her leg and head. The party had no rope. Being unable to move the injured woman without one, the party made her as comfortable as possible; and her companion volunteered to remain with her while Martin went for help. The rescuers arrived shortly before noon the following day to find the two crushed bodies several hundred ft. below the spot where the guide had last seen them alive.

Source of information: newspaper accounts.

Analysis. Although details of this tragedy are available only from newspaper accounts, several obvious points may be emphasized. Apparently the guide was inadequately qualified, both in experience and in equipment, to undertake the responsibility of leading such a trip. The mention of horses suggests that he may have been a horse guide rather than a mountaineer. Presumably the victims had no knowledge of the mountains. No experienced climber would attempt the crossing of a dangerous and extensive slope without a rope, nor after injury would he move from a secure position before the arrival of a rescue party.

The State Police were called upon to effect the rescue. Before they found the bodies, they returned to civilization to purchase 5000 ft. of rope and other equipment. This would have been an opportunity for a trained and well-organized rescue team from some near-by mountaineering organization. Pain, hunger and exposure may impel injured climbers to further their own rescue. Delay in getting rescue personnel into the field may therefore mean disaster.