fall on rock and snow, climbing alone british columbia...

FALL ON ROCK AND SNOW, CLIMBING ALONE British Columbia, Coast Mountains, Slalok MountainIn late Septem ber, 1988, Kirby Inwood, an inexperienced clim ber in his early 30’s, was on Slalok M ountain, a 2650 m eter peak abou t 30 kilom eters east o f Pem berton. H e was ascending rock tha t was covered with snow and verglas, bu t which was o ther­wise easy. In the early afternoon, a t the 200 m eter level, he slipped and fell. H e sus­tained m ultiple injuries, including broken bones, cuts and bruises, and in ternal inju­ries, and was unable to descend.

A storm kept him stranded for two days and three nights, until W histler Search and Rescue was able to use a long line on a helicopter to evacuate him to a lower elevation. T here he was transferred to ano ther helicopter and flown to the hypother­m ia u n it at L ion ’s Gate Hospital. Hospital staff who exam ined him on arrival esti­m ated tha t he was within two hours o f death from severe hypotherm ia and injuries. It was D ecem ber before he left hospital. (Source: Doug Fox, W histler, BC)AnalysisEasy rock can becom e very dangerous when covered with a thin layer o f ice o r snow. Climbers clim bing alone should expect the worst and be especially cautious. (Source: D oug Fox, W histler, BC)