Falling Rock, Yukon Territory, Mt. Logan, South-Southwest Buttress

Publication Year: 1980.

FALLING ROCK

Yukon Territory, Mt. Logan, South-southwest Buttress

John Lauchlan, Jim Elzinga, and five others were climbing the South-southwest Buttress of Mt. Logan on an unstated date in the summer of 1978. One of the tents on the buttress was destroyed by a falling rock whilst its occupants were out climbing. Later, Lauchlan, while climbing a rockstep, pulled off a three-cubic-meter block which fell onto Elzinga’s head and shoulders. He was knocked out and had torn muscles in his right shoulder. After three days of storm, a helicopter lifted them from the mountain. (Source: J. Lauchlan, CAJ., 62:10 [1979]; Ottawa Journal, 5 July 1979)

Analysis

This accident emphasizes again that falling rock is a major danger on mountains. (Source: E. Whalley)