AVALANCHE—Washington, Mt. St. Helens. On April 26, 1975, during a period of wet snow, precipitation and high winds, five students from the University of Puget Sound were killed in a massive avalanche which occurred at 8 p.m.

The 29 climbers were led by UPS mountaineering teacher Harmon Jones and had camped at the 6500-foot level earlier in the day. The climb was under university sponsorship, part of a night school course listed as Ice Seminar and Overnight Snow Camp. The climbing class is offered by the university’s physical education department and the climb was a field trip.

Jones said that his group camped in a relatively safe place on the east side of the ridge called the Little Lizard.

The first to report the massive snowslide was a climber, Bill Glenn, who descended to the parking area, got into his car and drove to the first cabin down the road.

Rescue operations took place over a three-day period under very difficult conditions. (Source: Edited from several newspaper reports in The Seattle Post- Intelligencer. )

Analysis: As a field operation leader of the Mountain Rescue Council, Seattle Unit, for 23 years, and as a mountaineer of 29 years, and having personally participated in the recent St. Helens avalanche, I feel it is desirable that we break our traditional silence in these matters and point out some of the basic factors involved in the recent tragedy.

Geographically, Mt. St. Helens is a mountain which attracts thousands of mountaineers, many totally inexperienced, each year. It is easily accessible from timber line and in good weather makes an interesting one-day climb. There is not a weekend, winter or summer. that there are not parties upon the mountain.

The major ski areas all have snow rangers of the U.S. Forest Service who are experienced in forecasting avalanche conditions and in controlling such avalanches. These activities are, however, limited to ski areas, and the Forest Service at this time is curtailing the services because of budgetary problems.

Recent years have seen a dramatic increase in the use of our mountains and wilderness areas. Mathematically, increased exposure by its very nature must mean an increase in the number of accidents.

It is impossible for an experienced mountaineer to predict with certainty whether a slope will avalanche simply by looking at it. Usually the mountaineer arrives with no background on local conditions and must simply go by his basic knowledge. Even most experienced mountaineers do not have in-depth avalanche training unless they happen to be members of a ski patrol unit.

I do know that the climb leader of the accident on Mt. St. Helens performed in an exemplary way. He had known the location of each tent in the snowcave and had checked them out. When the avalanche came, his knowledge allowed him to organize the survivors and dig out those who were buried, including those in the snowcave.

Thereafter, he saw to the evacuation of the injured, the safety of the survivors. He even returned on Tuesday to assist us in locating the buried tent.

Having personally been to the scene of the tragedy, and excluding the use of hindsight, I cannot say that, had I been the party leader of that class, I would not have established camp in the same place. (Source: Paul M. Williams, Operations Leader, Mountain Rescue Council. Published in The Seattle Post-Intelligencer.)