FALL ON ICE, FAILURE OF ICE SCREW, EXCEEDING ABILITIES

Vermont, Smuggler’s Notch

On February 9, 1981, Larry Dieringer (26) was climbing with a group from the Stowe

School. The accident occurred around 4:00 p.m. Dieringer climbed 15 feet on mixed vertical and high-angle ice on The Playground and placed an ice screw. He climbed another five feet and, while he was swinging his ax, his ice hammer came out of the ice. He fell backwards to the bottom of the pitch because his ice screw did not hold. He was hospitalized and his injuries were described as serious. (Source: Steven Carroll, The Stowe School)

Analysis

Dieringer needed more experience, additional upper body strength, and better screw placement. (Source: Steven Carroll, The Stowe School)