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Teton death

Original Post
rging · · Salt Lake City, Ut · Joined Jul 2011 · Points: 210

"...East Prong feature between Teewinot and Mount Owen about 500 feet below an area that requires a notably challenging climbing move"

Anyone know what this might consist of? Just wondering if it is normal to do unroped, unprotected as his partners were not concerned until they summited and he wasn't there. Tragic nontheless.

nationalparkstraveler.com/2…

Christian "crisco" Burrell · · PG, Utah · Joined May 2007 · Points: 1,815

I read this yesterday too. I was confused as to why the rest of the group would leave him behind in the first place. High in the mountains is not a place to ditch anybody (even if it is on "easy" terrain). If he was having trouble at a spot, perhaps they could have offered him some kind of assistance.
Also wondered if (like you asked) this was commonly done un-roped.

Scott McMahon · · Boulder, CO · Joined Feb 2006 · Points: 1,425
Christian "crisco" Burrell wrote:I read this yesterday too. I was confused as to why the rest of the group would leave him behind in the first place. High in the mountains is not a place to ditch anybody (even if it is on "easy" terrain). If he was having trouble at a spot, perhaps they could have offered him some kind of assistance. Also wondered if (like you asked) this was commonly done un-roped.
Yeah that's a unsuprising violation of backcountry rules. Here's an article in Boulder where they let a 74 year old woman with onset dementia leave the group. Play it smart people.

dailycamera.com/ci_21078273…
Leeroy · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2012 · Points: 0
Jake Jones wrote: Am I just a dipshit that's reading this wrong and can't put it together chronologically?
Yes.
Rocky_Mtn_High · · Arvada, CO · Joined Apr 2010 · Points: 230

Leeroy, please review Guideline #1.
Jake, since it's a traverse, my guess is that the route requires some rappels, and apparently they were on the last section that required a rap. The victim evidently set out (for the summit of Mt. Owen) before the entire group finished the rap, and he fell on a dicey move, ahead of the rest of the group.

rging · · Salt Lake City, Ut · Joined Jul 2011 · Points: 210

It was a traverse with several peaks involved so there was some rappelling in the middle. If its a scramble then it would not be uncommon for someone(s) to move ahead instead of waiting for the ropes to be pulled and packed (gets you out of carrying the rope, right). Given they didn't look for him until the next summit leads me to believe it is stanard practice to do that section unroped but I am not familiar with it.

Leeroy · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2012 · Points: 0
r_m_high wrote:Leeroy, please review Guideline #1.
WTF?

OK. I'll post it again. I answered his question directly without comment. What's with busting my balls for politely confirming his suspicions?

And WTF is with the editing of all of my comments all of a sudden? Not marked as edited/deleted but just deleted without comment. Rules must have changed again. Someone must have spent the whole weekend whining to the mods around here and now they're back in super defensive delete mode.

Sorry to hear about the fallen climber. Too bad this place is such a cesspool. It'd be nice to have an actual conversation about accidents like this without the usually perma gumbies showing up and screaming about stupid off topic shit because they failed to read and comprehend the information in the posted link.

Apparently providing a direct answer to a direct question is now considered offensive and any post that exhibits this unforgivable trait will be quickly deleted with no explanation. I'll assume that a request for explanation will go unanswered.
Leeroy · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2012 · Points: 0
Jake Jones wrote: Leeroy, do you not find it confusing at all that the article reads like they're finishing up a descent, yet, the victim is ahead of them (and unroped), then they're going up, and the victim is ahead of them, then they arrive at the top, and they're waiting on the victim, which was ahead of them?
No. At least I think that's the answer to your blabbering gibberish of a run on sentence.

Might I suggest re-reading the article? Focus on the letters and keep a dictionary near by. Sound out the words if you get stumped. Keep trying. You'll get it!
FrankPS · · Atascadero, CA · Joined Nov 2009 · Points: 276
Jake Jones wrote:This completely proves that you're not a dramatic troll seeking to start shit. Congrats. My question was an honest one, and there were two people also someone confused by what was in the article. You took the chance to jump in, call someone a dipshit, and pour your senseless derision on yet another post without offering anything that would add to the discussion- per your usual useless fare. Then you proceed to proclaim that you are a victim of overmoderation and further proclaim this place is a cesspool, one which you apparently cannot get enough of- all while contributing nothing but bullshit. I hope this answers your question.
True dat! Hang in there, Jake!
Leeroy · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2012 · Points: 0
Jake Jones wrote:This completely proves that you're not a dramatic troll seeking to start shit. Congrats. My question was an honest one, and there were two people also someone confused by what was in the article. You took the chance to jump in, call someone a dipshit, and pour your senseless derision on yet another post without offering anything that would add to the discussion- per your usual useless fare. Then you proceed to proclaim that you are a victim of overmoderation and further proclaim this place is a cesspool, one which you apparently cannot get enough of- all while contributing nothing but bullshit. I hope this answers your question.
Jake, You are looking in a mirror as you type this, right?
Mark Lewis · · Salt Lake City, Utah · Joined Mar 2012 · Points: 260

You had a legit question Jake; like you, I too was confused about the article and what exactly happened. +1 to all those who call DB's out on worthless, mean posts - and +1 for MP trying to clean it up some!

Taylor-B. · · Valdez, AK · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 3,186

Super Tragic!

Nick Stayner · · Wymont Kingdom · Joined Mar 2006 · Points: 2,315

In my experience, normal to climb without a rope on much of the Traverse. Only used on the North Ridge of the Grand and a couple of raps along the way.

Jake, hopefully what others have said about the route will answer some of your questions. If you check out a map (or Google Earth) of the terrain involved, it will probably make more sense. The terrain is typical alpine- complex with lots of 4th class terrain funneling climbers into various sections of more technical climbing. Variations certainly possible at a number of points along the Teewinot-Owen section.

I suspect at this point there are still a lot of unknowns that may or may not remain that way depending on how much morei information the other members of the party may give.

ON ANOTHER NOTE: I don't know who does this, but could a mod maybe move this typical meaningless Leroy hijack to a different thread (or delete it entirely)? It's disgusting to see it overtake a thread involving a fatal accident.

Jake, in the future just try to ignore the sad pot-stirrings of a lonely, attention-craving man.

sqwirll · · Las Vegas · Joined Mar 2006 · Points: 1,360
Jake Jones wrote: Is anyone else confused by this? He separated from them and moved ahead of them... going down? His partners were completing "final rappels", so... they were descending on ropes right? And if they were, why wasn't he? It then goes on to say "His group continued to climb..."- weren't they just completing final rappels? Does this route require a rap in from the top? Does the author know his ass from a hole in the ground? Am I just a dipshit that's reading this wrong and can't put it together chronologically?
When doing the traverse, you summit Teewinot first and start heading west along a ridge between Teewinot and Owen. The East Prong is on the ridge between the two peaks. When I did it, we did a couple of rappels to bypass this section.

He must of either gone first on rap or downclimbed and fallen shortly there after since his body was found below the East Prong. I'm guessing his friends assumed he continued on to the summit of Owen since that's about the only way to go from there.
rging · · Salt Lake City, Ut · Joined Jul 2011 · Points: 210

Thanks for the link. I wasn't sure if this was part of the grand traverse or not. After reading the description and seeing the words down climbing 5.4 that did it for me. Just easy enough to be confident and just hard enough to be difficult. Perfect simul (down)climb terrain but since it is part of a very long route time is always an issue.

Buff Johnson · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2005 · Points: 1,145
Nick Stayner wrote: ON ANOTHER NOTE: I don't know who does this, but could a mod maybe move this typical meaningless Leroy hijack to a different thread (or delete it entirely)?
To a point.

But really, most of us already know going unroped, moving fast, an not falling is a norm rule on that stuff; the rope and pro are a luxury, it's not a sport crag. Maybe Leeroy's a f'n douche, point taken, but half of this other shit reads like peak bagging gumby dumbass crap.
Erick Valler · · flat midwest · Joined Feb 2011 · Points: 20

It was so nice when Yarp finally disappeared from the forums... leave it to some bored-ass ruining an awesome name like Leeroy.

Leeroy · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2012 · Points: 0
Erick Valler wrote:It was so nice when Yarp finally disappeared from the forums... leave it to some bored-ass ruining an awesome name like Leeroy.
*chuckle*
David Sampson · · Tempe AZ, · Joined Sep 2006 · Points: 1,207

Agreed; Leeroy you appear to be an unpleasant, unhelpful chap.

Anonymous · · Unknown Hometown · Joined unknown · Points: 0
David Arthur Sampson wrote:Agreed; Leeroy you appear to be an unpleasant, unhelpful chap.
Said like a sir! It is sobering everytime I read of a fellow climber dying. Easy to get ahead of ourselves out there.
Norm Larson · · Wilson, Wy. · Joined Jan 2008 · Points: 60

This accident is especially tragic to me. The mountains are rarely forgiving and this shows that once again. Why Eric decided to climb around that chossy pinnacle alone on the way to the East Prong I don't know, or care. We all make choices in the mountains and you better be prepared for the consequence. But your choices don't have effect only on you.
The tragic part to me are the ones who are still here and what they have to be going thru. You proabaly don't know that the others in the party all had the last name of Wilson. All related. I was good friends with their father. A great man, a Teton guide for a while, and a really strong climber. First ascent of Torre Egger etc. But mostly a really great guy to be with. He died from an anchor failure in Indian Creek in the mid eighties before most of you were climbing or even born. To lose your father and then your lover to climbing has to be especially hard. My heart goes out to Zinia and the others.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Injuries and Accidents
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