Mount Rainier National Park—On September 4, 1954, Mr. Rongvald Kvil- stad (47) took a party up to climb Mt. Rainier. A short distance above Camp Muir, his two companions became ill and decided to abandon the climb. Kvilstad continued on alone. He met two other parties near Camp Misery underneath Gibralter Rock. He was requested to rope in, but refused, saying he would do so after they made the 15-20 foot vertical descent onto the Gibralter ledge. He descended last on the guide’s rope ladder, and when about half-way down, slipped and fell. He landed on his back, after which he rolled over twice and came to a stop just short of the 400 ft. drop to the Nisqually Glacier. He was unhurt but lost his camera.

Kvilstad still refused to rope up. He climbed up the “chute” which leads from the ledge between Gibralter Rock and the Nisqually ice fall to Camp Comfort, where he was finally prevailed upon to rope in. Needless to say upon return to Paradise, legal action was taken because of his violation of park regulations; in addition, he was issued a warning from the Safety Committee of the Seattle Mountaineers.

Source: Report of Preston P. Macy, Superintendent, Mt. Rainier National Park.