EXPOSURE, FATIGUE, INADEQUATE CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT

California, Yosemite Valley

On October 28, 1984, at 1025, David D. Dryden (19) reported that he and Thomas Apel (19) had been climbing Lost Arrow Spire, and due to unexpected fatigue, they had to spend the night on top. Sometime in the night Dryden noticed his friend quit shivering, become disoriented, give inappropriate responses and comments in conversation, become weaker as time went on, and finally become unconscious. Dryden said he then returned to Yosemite Valley to alert NPS Rangers and to arrange a rescue of Apel.

Dryden said that after he left Apel and completed the Tyrolean to the edge of the Valley, he ran to Yosemite Valley, and before he got very far he ran into Robin L. Madgwick who was headed to the Spire for a climb. Madgwick told Dryden that he and his climbing buddy would take a sleeping bag to Apel on top and help Apel out as much as possible while Dryden went to the Valley to alert NPS Rangers.

Ranger John Dill was flown to the top by 1200, and found the victim to be unconscious and appeared to be dead. He was flown to Yosemite Medical Clinic and pronounced dead at 1310.

An interview with David Dryden revealed that both of them were tired due to their “inefficient” climbing, not because they were out of shape. It was Apel who suggested that they bivy. They had jackets and sweaters, and at the time, 1900, there wasn’t much wind. By 2000, the winds picked up. Dryden remembers it being 2100, then midnight, and that they talked during that time, though the wind made it difficult to hear. Dryden said they were shivering the whole time. By 0400, Dryden noticed Apel’s deterioration, which continued to the point where, by 0600, Apel was leaving his hands out of his pockets and giving totally inappropriate responses. Finally, Dryden lay on top of Apel and rubbed him in an attempt to warm him up. He began mouth to mouth respiration sometime after that, but he noticed Apel’s eyes had become foggy and he was totally unresponsive. By 0800, Apel was “completely out of it.” By 0900, Dryden felt there was nothing he could do for Apel. The sun wasn’t out yet and it was still windy, so Dryden decided to jumar across the Tyrolean and to get the Rangers. (Source: Carol Moses, Ranger, Yosemite National Park)

Analysis

Dryden said they were both leading 5.10 and had done 5.10 routes in the Valley before. He felt they were both good, capable climbers, but that they “just weren’t experienced.” He felt they were prepared for their climb, but that they “just didn’t think they would spend the night on top of the Spire.” (Source: Carol Moses, Ranger, Yosemite National Park)

(Editor’s Note: One can’t help but continue to wonder how two individuals in the same predicament come to such different ends. In any case, John Dill’s comments about Yosemite weather clearly indicate the desirability of being prepared to spend a cold, wet night or two—even if the plan is to do only a day climb.)