Kinda Dumb But Serious Hypothetical - Best Practices in event of Body Recovery

A conversation about an accident with a climbing friend led to a discussion about self rescue, PLBs, etc.

One topic that came up that I legitimately didn't have a good answer to was "What do you do in the event of a partner fatality in a remote / off trail / alpine setting?". Suppose for the sake of argument that you could stay put without exposing yourself to serious hazards, and the prospect of a recovery is credible.

Should you walk out until you're able to get in contact with authorities? Press the PLB / InReach button and sit tight (to ensure / smooth the recovery process)?

I was in favor of the former, this friend was in favor of the latter.

I pose the question because this would be a really stressful situation and it could be hard to make rational and prudent decisions in the moment. Having a prior idea about what's best to do could be helpful. I'm fortunate to have never been in the situation and obviously hope to never be in it.

I don't know anything about SAR practices really or what goes on in a recovery effort, which is why I'm posing this to the hivemind.

I am going to assume you have confirmed that your partner is deceased (i.e. obvious serious trauma, decapitation, caved in chest cavity, 600 m fall from overhanging wall or otherwise obviously splat or crushed). If you are not a medical professional and the above does not apply, then initiate an emergency response.

In no way should a PLB or SPOT emergency device be used to initiate the recovery. A recovery is not an emergency, and does not necessitate an emergency response which would potentially put responders at risk, especially given the limited information those devices usually transmit (i.e. they assume the worst case scenario and prepare to save lives).

If you can safely descend and return on your own, do so, then contact authorities. Document the location of the body to the best of your ability. Realize that a recovery might not happen, because risking lives for bodies is not a great trade off. Don't risk doing so yourself.

+1 to FosterK's answer.

If the person is already dead and you can safely descend and exit, then do that. Then you should call 911 and give them as much information as possible so they can safely retrieve the body.

If you're stranded without your partner (clipped to an anchor 3 pitches up and your partner took the rope with them when they fell, or something like that) then use the PLB.

Good question and good thoughts by Foster and Quinn.

In the US, the details will vary slightly from state to state and county to county. A death in the back country will trigger a law enforcement investigation to determine cause and manner of death. Usually this will be a cooperative effort between the county sheriff's and coroner's offices.

If no one else is injured or in danger, it is not an emergency. Don't get hurt rushing to do the right thing.

What to do? Ensure your own safety first. Provide appropriate medical care if appropriate within your training and as conditions allow. If it's clear that the person is dead, self rescue if needed and notify the police/sheriff ASAP.

If possible, have someone stay with or near the body to guide responders. Don't take gratuitous pics, but if you have to abandon the body, pics of the body relative to nearby landmarks will help responders locate it more easily.

Do not move or manipulate the body once life-saving efforts are over. Leave personal effects, harness, rope and gear in place. Remember, it's a law enforcement investigation. Most cops are smarter than they look and know when things don't seem right.

Events like these can be hard to process. Talking about what happened with trusted friends can be a good way to work things out. It can take a while to put it in context and move on...

I've had to deal with this. We left them there and hiked out to meet the authorities. They took our statements and contact information and they went in for the recovery the next day. Our situation was a little different since we were in immediate avalanche danger and had to get to a safe area.

I've only dealt with dead BASE jumper buddies. While they're way obviously dead, usually they would want the gear removed and given to someone specific. The gear is expensive and frequently would have some sentimental value to whomever.

The authorities usually cut the gear to ribbons and/or throw it away so it would be best if a jumper was there and assisted in the removal of the gear. Either way, I've never heard of a hassle with removing gear from a dead BASE jumper from the authorities standpoint. Extra special care for the GoPro video which is usually present. That's a really tricky thing. The family doesn't want to see it and they certainly don't want the BASE ghouls seeing or sharing the video.

Saying that, I agree completely with most of what's been said so far. Your safety should be 1st, and call 911. Rough stuff..