Accident Reports ANAM
Fall Into Moat — Climbing Unroped, Exposure Canada, British Columbia, Coast Mountains, Chimai Mountain

Seven mountaineering club members had planned a climb of Chimai Mountain (2,306 meters), northwest of Squamish, in July. Although the mountain is glaciated, online research had suggested there was a route to the top that did not involve glacier tr...

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| Published 2020 | Author Bob Manson, Squamish Search and Rescue


Accident Reports ANAM
Leader Fall On Ice Wyoming, Cody, South Fork Valley

On February 8, I took a long leader fall on the third pitch of Broken Hearts, a long ice route in the South Fork Valley. I was climbing in a group of three ahead of five friends doing the same route in two rope teams. At around 11 a.m., I was near...

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| Published 2020 | Author Rick Dvorak and Park County Sheriff's Office


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall From Base of Route Wyoming, Wind River Range, Bonnet Peak

On August 2, Junghyun “Jiji” Nam fell at the base of the Feather Buttress route (5.10+) on the north side of War Bonnet Peak, above the Cirque of the Towers. Nam and her climbing partner were gearing up to start the climb when she slipped and tumb...

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| Published 2020 | Author The Editors


Accident Reports ANAM
Rockfall Causes Anchor Failure Wyoming, Wind River Range, Pingora Peak

Four climbers summited Pingora Peak in the Cirque of the Towers on September 5 and started down the south buttress. They chose to rappel a line to the left of the main south buttress route, using two ropes tied together. Two of them had used this ...

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| Published 2020 | Author Climbing partner's report, Rock and Ice Magazine and The Editors


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall Near Summit Wyoming, Grand Teton National Park, Grand Teton, Exum Ridge

At approximately 6:45 p.m. on September 10, the SAR coordinator on duty was connected with a caller who said he and his partner were at the “Boulder Problem in the Sky,” near the top of the Exum Ridge and the summit of the Grand Teton. The partner...

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| Published 2020 | Author Grand Teton National Park Search and Rescue and The Editors


Accident Reports ANAM
Crevasse Fall — Hypothermia Wyoming, Grand Teton National Park, Teton Glacier

After descending from Mt. Owen via rappels in the Koven Couloir, a two-person climbing party (Kia M., Ryan S.) came upon a distressed climber (Josh A.) in the flats of Teton Glacier at about 9:20 p.m. on August 8. Josh explained that his partner, ...

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| Published 2020 | Author Ryan Stolp, Grand Teton National Park SAR and Sharp End Podcast interview with Tyler Willis


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall on Snow Wyoming, Grand Teton National Park, South Teton, Cave Couloir

On July 4, a party of two male climbers climbed the South Teton from their camp in the Meadows of Garnet Canyon. They were using ice axes and crampons and wearing helmets. During the late afternoon and early evening, several thunderstorms passed o...

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| Published 2020 | Author Grand Teton National Park Search and Rescue


Accident Reports ANAM
Top-Rope Anchor Failure — Sling Cut by Sharp Rock Wisconsin, Devil's Lake, Gill's Buttress

In the afternoon of June 21, a party of four was top-roping Gill’s Nose, a 5.11 route at Gill’s Buttress. The top-rope had been set up by Person 2. Three of the climbers had climbed on the route, falling and lowering safely without any issues. Cli...

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| Published 2020 | Author Close Associate of Climber 1


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall on Rock — Broken Hold West Virginia, New River Gorge, Endless Wall, Party Buttress

It was November 21, and our day started by warming up on Riding the Crest of the Wave (5.9 trad) at Idol Point. We then walked to Party Buttress to attempt Harbinger Scarab (5.12c), a 100-foot, mostly bolted route that requires a couple of traditi...

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| Published 2020 | Author Nick Rico


Accident Reports ANAM
Ground Fall — Cam Pulled Our West Virginia, Cooper's Rock State Forest, Roof Rocks

On October 4, I (Mike Paugh, 38) and Sarah Smith were searching for areas at Cooper’s Rock to bring clients with my new guide service, Ascension Climbing Guides. We were also climbing routes in the area. At about 2 p.m., I racked up to attempt Upc...

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| Published 2020 | Author Mike Paugh


Accident Reports ANAM
Skiing Fall Washington, Liberty Ridge

In the afternoon of June 26, Matthew Bunker (28) was descending on skis when he fell on steep terrain around 10,400 feet, just below Thumb Rock, the high camp for the Liberty Ridge route. His partner reported Bunker missing at about 3 p.m. Climbin...

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| Published 2020 | Author Mr. Rainier National Park


Accident Reports ANAM
Various Rescues — Climber Falls and Rockfall Washington, Cascade Range, Mt. Stuart

On July 29, a 23-year-old woman was struck by rockfall near the top of the north ridge of Mt. Stuart and took a long fall as a result. She was seriously injured, with a head injury and fractured arm and leg. A Naval air rescue team tried to reach ...

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| Published 2020 | Author News reports and Chelan County Mountain Rescue


Accident Reports ANAM
Rockfall During Descent Washington, Morpheus Boulders

On March 21, with COVID-19 shutdowns and social-distancing guidelines in place, my housemate, Will, and I decided to avoid crowded Mt. Saint Helens and instead go search for unclimbed boulders near the established Morpheus area, south of Highway 2...

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| Published 2020 | Author Jamie Sookprasong


Accident Reports ANAM
Crevasse Fall — Climbing Unroped Washington, Glacier Peak Wilderness, Kololo Peaks

On September 5, Jake Robinson (26) and a partner were traversing below a rock wall near the head of the Suiattle Glacier on Kololo Peaks, at 8,000 feet in elevation. The climbers were unroped, and Jake suddenly plunged into a hidden hole and disap...

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| Published 2020 | Author Snohomish County Sheriff's Office and The Editors


Feature Article AAJ
Pushing Me ’Ard: The First Ascent of Captains Courageous Canada, Newfoundland, Gros Morne National Park

Casey Shaw in the elevator-shaft chimney of Captains Courageous during the 1999 first ascent of the longest ice climb in eastern North America, gaining over 2,000 feet in all. Photo by Joe Terravecchia “Feel free to get involved, Jimmy,” says...

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| Published 1999 | Author Casey Shaw


Accident Reports ANAM
Falling Ice — Running in Crampons to Escape Debris Washington, North Cascades National Park, Mt. Goode

On September 5, two experienced climbers (female, 32, and male, 36) were attempting to climb the Northeast Buttress of Mt. Goode. A little after 10 a.m., as they were trying to cross from the Goode Glacier onto the start of the rock route, a large...

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| Published 2020 | Author North Cascades National Park Mountaineering Rangers


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall On Rock — Unroped Scrambling Washington, North Cascades National Park, Forbidden Peak

On August 14, two climbers were attempting to reach the west ridge of Forbidden Peak via the Cat Scratch Gullies. The two had just switched over to rock shoes and started to travel up a gully unroped when one climber, a 24-year-old male, fell abou...

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| Published 2020 | Author The Editors


Accident Reports ANAM
Rappel Anchor Failure — Rock Horn Broke Washington, North Cascades National Park, Mt. Shuksan

On July 19, a party of three climbers was descending Mt. Shuksan after summiting via the Sulphide Glacier route. The party was rappelling the standard descent on Shuksan’s summit pyramid. They reached a flat ledge and found an existing anchor cons...

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| Published 2020 | Author North Cascades National Park Mountaineering Rangers


Accident Reports ANAM
Rockfall — Belayer Injured Washington, North Cascades National Park, Mt. Fury

On July 5, a party of three climbers was attempting a new route on Mt. Fury, a remote peak in the Picket Range. The lead climber accidentally caused some rockfall, which impacted the belayer in the head. Luckily, he was wearing a helmet, but his i...

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| Published 2020 | Author North Cascades National Park Mountaineering Rangers


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall on Rock While Wearing Crampons Washington, North Cascades National Park, Hozomeen Mountain

On July 4, a 46-year-old male climber attempted a solo climb of North Hozomeen Mountain. At 6:30 p.m., the climber was ascending 3rd- and 4th-class terrain in the south gully when he fell approximately 200 feet down 45-degree rock terrain, coming ...

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| Published 2020 | Author North Cascades National Park Mountaineering Rangers and King5.com interview