STRANDED, PARTY SEPARATED, MISCOMMUNICATION, EXCEEDING ABILITIES Alberta, Rocky Mountains, Mount Rundle

A. and T. (30) began the ascent of the southeast end of Mount Rundle on Wednesday morning, April 8, 1983, with the intention of traversing the mountain to Banff. They bivouacked on Wednesday night. On Thursday afternoon they decided to descend the southwest slopes to Goat Creek due to difficult conditions. They rappelled to a ledge from which it looked too difficult to continue. A. ascended the ropes, but T. could not, and through miscommunication, A. somehow dropped the ropes to the ledge. A. then continued, arriving in Banff at 0200 the next morning. At 1400 he reported his partner overdue to the Park Service.

A helicopter search located T. who, after the long wait, had figured out enough about rappelling to begin descending the mountain. He was slung off and taken to Banff. (Source: Tim Auger, Banff National Park)

Analysis

There appeared to be personal problems between the climbers which limited their cooperation as a climbing team. The description of the circumstances in which the ropes were dropped was murky at best. Probably contrary to what the leader felt, both members of this party were over-extended if for different reasons. It is interesting to compare this incident with the August 4 incident on Mount Rundle reported below. They are quite similar in a few ways, but the differences are instructive. (Source: Tim Auger, Banff National Park)