FALL ON ROCK, CLIMBING ALONE AND UNROPED

Alberta, Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, Mount Brock

On April 24, a helicopter spotted the body of C.N. (31) in rough terrain at 8,400 feet in a gully on Mount Brock in the spectacular Opal Range in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park. C.N. was a climbing enthusiast who made a number of climbs in the U.S., Australia, France, and many other areas of the world. A rescue worker had to be lowered from the helicopter with ropes and a harness to recover the body. C.N. died as a result of major traumatic injuries he sustained in a fall of about 1,000 feet. It appeared from footprints that C.N. reached Brock’s 2,902-metre peak before falling on the descent. A search for C.N. had been launched after he failed to return from what was supposed to be a day-long climb on April 22. Rescue personnel scoured Mount Brock and nearby Mount Blane, where C.N. began his solo ascent. C.N.’s vehicle was located in a parking lot near the trailhead shortly after police received the call from the family. A helicopter assisted personnel searching on the ground. Conservation officers used scopes to check for any activity on the slopes. The air search was cut short on April 23 due to strong winds but resumed early on April 24. C.N. was familiar with the area, and was in Canmore/Kananaskis to make various climbs. (Source: Burke Duncan)

Analysis

C. N.’s death is the fourth solo climbing fatality in the park in two years.