Washington, Guye Peak—On April 10, Steve Hoit (17), and 17 other climbers climbed Guye Peak. The weather and climbing conditions were good. The party was well equipped and adequately clothed. The party descended en glissade down a steep snow slope. Hoit came down very fast and lost control near the bottom where it looked as if his ice axe hit some obscured rock under the surface of the snow. He went over a cliff and fell 150 feet.

The party put together an improvised stretcher and lowered him to a lower snow slope. One of the party had gone to the Summit Highway bringing back a stretcher sled. Everything went smoothly and he was out to the ambulance in two hours and in the hospital in four hours.

He suffered head lacerations and many bruises but was feeling fine as of April 27.

Source: Barry Prather.

Analysis: Glissading too fast for condition. (The prompt rescue resulted because of a large, strong party that was able to improvise a stretcher.)