FALL ON SNOW, INADEQUATE EQUPMENT AND CLOTHING, WEATHER

Wyoming, Tetons

On August 14, 1984, Dan Winters (21) camped with six friends in the South Fork of Garnet Canyon. The next morning they ascended the Southwest Couloir of the Middle Teton. As they reached the summit the weather was showing signs of deteriorating. On the climb the party encountered a climber who told them there was a shorter route between the Southwest Couloir and the South Fork of Garnet Canyon. It required crossing the snowfield at the head of the South Fork of Garnet. Heavy rains fell as the party descended the Southwest Couloir. Mr. Winters was dressed in cotton shorts, T-shirt, polypropylene top and Nike Approach shoes. He repoted being very cold by the time they reached the bottom of the couloir. Because of the inclement weather, the party was anxious to return quickly to their camp. At 1400 they decided to take the shorter route into the South Fork of Garnet Canyon across the snowfield. Only one member of the party had an ice ax; Mr. Winters did not have an ax. Mr. Winters reported carefully kicking steps in the snow, but one foot slipped out of the footsteps and resulted in a 40 meter slide down the steep snow slope into the boulder field below. Mr. Winters struck the boulders with his feet and then tumbled 10 meters across the boulders. Mr. Winters’ friends assessed his injuries and decided he was capable of walking out. At 1630 in Garnet Meadows, Rangers Eastman and Kimbrough were told by Mr. Ashliman about the accident. At that time Mr. Winters was 200 meters above the Meadows and proceeding slowly. Rangers Eastman and Kimbrough contacted Mr. Winters and his party at 1645. The injuries were assessed, the rescue coordinator contacted, and arrangements made to evacuate Mr. Winters by Kjerstad helicopter to St. John’s Hospital. Before loading Mr. Winters into the helicopter a KED was applied. Mr. Winters was flown from Garnet Meadows about 1815; he was admitted to St. John’s Hospital. He had a compression fracture of a thoracic vertebra and a renal contusion. Rangers Eastman and Kimbrough and the rest of Mr. Winters’ climbing party hiked out to the Lupine Meadow parking lot. (Source: Barb Eastman, Ranger, Grand Teton National Park)