Washington State: (2) Cascades, Mt. Rainer National Park. On 5 August 1951 Jo Ann Ramey, 17, of Seattle, and three teen-age companions climbed Naches Peak, an easy mountain rising about a 1000 feet above the road to Tipsoo Lake. On the descent, against the advice of her companions, Miss Ramey took a short-cut down a steep slope toward some rock cliffs. Shod only in sandals, she slipped and fell 200 feet to a talus slope below. She died en route to the hospital without regaining consciousness.

Source of information: report from the National Park Service, Mt. Rainier National Park.

Analysis. Miss Ramey had no previous climbing experience. She was apparently untrained and obviously ill- equipped. Why she failed to feed the warning of her companions, one or two of whom possessed some climbing experience, is not known.

Young people with an interest but with little experience in the mountains, such as the group involved in this accident, especially should receive the direction and training which organized clubs and experienced companions can provide. It should remain a prime responsibility of our regional clubs actively to seek prospective climbers among the out-door and alpine minded young people and provide safe and sound indoctrination for them.