Another Death on Mt. Washington

[quilteresq]

Looks like falling 800 feet down Tuckerman Ravine is a particularly nasty way to die. I wish I understood the appeal of doing this in the winter.

http://www.conwaydailysun.com/featured/story/fall011112

[rocketsocks]

Thanks for the post QE just finished reading the book"Not Without Peril"about accidents on Mt.Washington from the 1800's to present.Falls are the #1killer of climbers obviously,but of hikers as well,and in all types of terrain.

[4eyedbuzzard]

Sad. It's always dangerous up there in winter. News reports say he departed on what was to be a day hike/climb that morning. He summitted, which in hindsight likely figures prominently in the cause, as he was on his way down in the dark at the headwall when he fell. As Ed Viesturs says, "Summiting is optional, getting down is mandatory."

Condolences to his family.

[Driver8]

Poor fellow. Why he was trying to descend via Tucks at night in the winter, I don't know. He could've taken the Auto Road or Lion Head winter route instead. An unnecessary shame.

[Tinker]

Looks like falling 800 feet down Tuckerman Ravine is a particularly nasty way to die. I wish I understood the appeal of doing this in the winter.

http://www.conwaydailysun.com/featured/story/fall011112

I've been up and down the headwall at least 6 times, only once when there was ice, and it could be avoided. There are a lot of cliffs to fall over after a slide and many huge boulders. I haven't checked snow conditions there this year (no way I can hike right now), but, from what I've seen in the rest of New England there can't be much of a snowpack to cover those rocks.
Very sad to hear.

[Blissful]

A shame....

[WingedMonkey]

Forest service snow rangers now issue avalanche advisories daily and reported Tuesday moderate avalanche danger for Tuckerman and moderate and low danger in Huntington Ravine.

At risk of sounding like a broken record, it’s worth mentioning again that the terrain features on the mountain and the relative lack of snowfall this year are creating conditions with a high degree of spatial variability." Snow Ranger Jeff Lane said in Tuesday's report. "It would not be difficult to go into either ravine and find unstable snow. But move a short distance and the stability can change quickly. Careful route finding and constant stability evaluation can help mitigate the hazards under these conditions."

http://www.unionleader.com/article/2...WS07/120119994

[Chaco Taco]

I've been up and down the headwall at least 6 times, only once when there was ice, and it could be avoided. There are a lot of cliffs to fall over after a slide and many huge boulders. I haven't checked snow conditions there this year (no way I can hike right now), but, from what I've seen in the rest of New England there can't be much of a snowpack to cover those rocks.
Very sad to hear.

There is plenty of snow on Washington and the headwall is covered in a sheet of ice from all of the melt and refreeze.

[Meriadoc]

Very sad. Mountaineering is never worth a life.

I've been up an icy Tuckerman's in less than ideal conditions and I am lucky to still be here.

It's a unfortunate way to learn but I hope people take heart from this accident. I intend no criticism of the deceased because I don't know what happened and don't want to judge him. But regardless of what happened, it bears repeating that sometimes turning around is the bravest thing to do.

[d.o.c]

i like to trun around when i dont feel 100% bout a part of trail but still i i feel for his family hopefully he left us doing one of his fav things..

[Bati]

As they say, you can tell how good a mountaineer is not by how many mountains he's climbed but by how many he's turned around on.

The same applies to taking routes around high water fords.