R.I.P.

The first time I climbed Mt.Rainier was with Suzanne Allen of Alpine Ascents.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/l ... ers28.html

Sorry to hear this. My condolences to their family and friends.

Very sad. My condolences to the friends and family of all those lost on Denali this year.

We had the pleasure of meeting Suzanne and Peter at 14k camp and 17k camp. Suzanne was a perennial 'ray of sunshine', seemingly immune to the bad weather around us. She snuck into our cramped little megamid site and made us all burst out laughing with her infectious smile and extremely funny banter. I found it especially amusing that to keep her team occupied during the numerous spells of bad weather that she would run inter-tent situp relays and competitions. I could just imagine the muffled shouts between tents as each team' competed against each other to complete the most sit-ups.

On the 24th May after managing to get to the top the day prior, I had quite a lengthy conversation with Peter at 17k regarding the route and approximate times. He was excited and keen but calm. Their group had been particularly conservative with regards to weather and now seemed like their best shot as they were at the end of trip. Unlike another AAI group at the time, Suzanne's group was level-headed, cohesive and full of good spirit. On our summit bid, I had actually been slightly worried and disappointed that we were not able to climb alongside them. I would have been re-assured climbing within the same timeframe as Suzanne's group.

On the 25th May after getting back down to Talkeetna I was at the Ranger station and heard that a party of 4 had an accident while descending from the summit. I informed the ranger that conditions on Denali pass were not too icy and that volunteer rangers had actually placed additional snowstakes along denali pass and the autobahn to within 20 m of each other. The ranger at that time was unable to tell the name of the party involved in the accident. At that time I was briefly concerned that it was Suzann's team as they were a party of 4 but I quickly dismissed it as I assumed they were far too competent to befall a tragedy.

I was wrong.

Goodbye Suazanne and Pete. Get well Gary and James.

Wow, this does not seem to be a good year in the sense of lost lives in climbing casualties.

My condolences to their friends and family.

Those are sad news!. Suzanne was an awesome person, very professional and experienced guide. Alpine Ascents has lost one of its best ones.

R.I.P.

Awch, hope next year will be better - as I'll be there.

Very sad. I wonder if they were using anchors or just downclimbing roped. Doesn't sound like they were in crevasse country when they fell. Do people still climb on steep snow/ice roped up with no protection? I don't get that.

Trawinski wrote:Very sad. I wonder if they were using anchors or just downclimbing roped. Doesn't sound like they were in crevasse country when they fell. Do people still climb on steep snow/ice roped up with no protection? I don't get that.

That part of the mountain, yes. One of the more dangerous spots in my opinion and it's always a cluster... about 10 inch path on a 45 degree slope for two way traffic. If you slip, you are going to slide a LONG way. Unfortunately, it's about a 2 hour traverse from camp to just below Denali pass, so if they were to place pro, it would add untold hours to an already long summit day. It's just one of those place, you dont want to fall and if you do, you sure dont want your ice axe in it's holster. Very sad... RIP.

Trawinski wrote:Very sad. I wonder if they were using anchors or just downclimbing roped. Doesn't sound like they were in crevasse country when they fell. Do people still climb on steep snow/ice roped up with no protection? I don't get that.

This is what I don't understand. That particular section actually had additional snowstakes placed by volunteer rangers on the 23rd May. The practice was to ascend and descend using a running belay.

Sounds like the first Denali death this season (Luciano Colombo) also happened below Denali Pass, along what appears to be that same section you guys are talking about.

Yet another, this from June 10:

Denali National Park & Preserve (AK)
Mountaineer Dies At High Camp

A climber died of apparent cardiac arrest at the 17,200-foot high camp on Mt. McKinley on the morning of Friday, June 10th. According to his tent mates, Brian Young, 52, of Kodiak, Alaska, came into the tent to go to sleep after an arduous 20-hour summit day and suddenly stopped breathing. The tent mates immediately notified the NPS mountaineering patrol stationed at high camp who began CPR. Young did not regain a pulse and was pronounced dead by an NPS volunteer physician's assistant at high camp. Young's body will be recovered from high camp when weather permits. [Submitted by Maureen McLaughlin, Public Information Officer]

Suzanne was a good person. I met her on Denali in May 2010. She guided a group behind us. I drank tea with her at the 17k camp and took her picture on Denali Pass. Terrbile news. She will be missed.