On August 16 at 10:52 a.m., National Park Service (NPS) climbing rangers received a call from a climber on the Cathedral Traverse, between Teewinot and Mt. Owen. His climbing partner had fallen from the col atop the Koven Couloir. The reporting party (RP) stated his partner had been coiling a climbing rope and suddenly fell off toward the north, opposite the Koven Couloir, and landed several hundred feet below. The RP had voice contact with the patient and relayed that the fallen climber believed he had suffered broken ankles, a fractured hip, and lacerations. The RP reported being stranded at the col without a rope and unable to descend to the patient’s location.

At 11:50 a.m., a helicopter lifted from Lupine Meadows with rangers on board. At 12:22 p.m., two rangers were inserted to the scene via short-haul. An additional ranger and equipment were inserted during a second short-haul.

Rangers completed an assessment and emergent care while packaging the patient in a vacuum mattress and rescue litter. At 1:23 p.m., the helicopter extracted one ranger with the patient. The injured climber was transferred to an air ambulance in Lupine Meadows and transported to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center.

Despite instructions to remain in place, the RP had descended toward the accident scene while rangers were caring for and packaging his partner. Following the patient extraction, the remaining climbing rangers ascended to the RP’s location and packaged him in a rescue seat. The helicopter returned to the scene and extracted all three individuals to Lupine Meadows at 2:06 p.m. (Source: Grand Teton National Park Search and Rescue Report.)

ANALYSIS

This was one of two reported accidents in this year’s book in which an individual who, while managing a rope in rocky alpine terrain, unexpectedly fell several hundred feet. In this case, the climber survived. The other was not so fortunate (see report here). In addition, the climbing partner in this case failed to heed the ranger’s request to stay in place. These requests are for the safety of all those on scene. (Source: The Editors.)