Brand New CMC Book: Colorado 14er Disasters

The Colorado Mountain Club has recently published a new book detailing some of the climbing disasters that have taken place along some of the 14K foot peaks in Colorado. The following is a summary review from the Amazon page (I must confess that I haven't read this yet, but it's at the top of my Christmas wish list!):

"The drive to summit all of the 14,000-foot peaks in the state of Colorado rages on like a growing wildfire. Summiting a Colorado 14er is an incredibly popular activity, but the ominous potential of a mountaineering accident casts its dark shadow on what is otherwise a positive experience for hikers and mountaineers. This book explores the disturbingly easy ways that hikers become stranded, severely injured, or killed on the 14ers. When those accidents happen, the victim is far from help and in an environment where rescue is difficult at best. Colorado 14er Disasters, 2nd Edition is an unflinching exploration of these hair-raising events and rescue attempts, and describes mountaineering accidents as no book has ever done previously. This in turn gives any mountaineer helpful information for avoiding such disasters."

The new book is available at Amazon.com



Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
HikingintheSmokys.com

CMC Video: Avalanche Safety and Winter Travel

Planning a trip into the mountains this winter? You should probably watch this video first - as a first step towards building your winter skills set and practicing safety while recreating in the backcountry during the winter. This is the first video in the Colorado Mountain Club's series focused on backcountry education. The series was made possible by the CMC Steve Gladbach Memorial Fund.



Steve Gladbach was a beloved Colorado mountaineer, a long time member of the Colorado Mountain Club, and was a member of the 14ers.com community. He loved climbing. In the summer of 2013 he lost his life while descending Thunder Pyramid Peak.

One of Steve's passions was mountaineering education and safety. Through the generosity of family and friends, the Steve Gladbach Memorial Fund was created to promote Colorado mountaineering education.






Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

CMC Video: The 10 Essentials

Planning a backcountry trip into the mountains this summer? If you're new to hiking or backpacking, or maybe it's been awhile, you might want to watch this video first - as a first step towards building (or refreshing) your backcountry skills set. This is the second video in the Colorado Mountain Club's series focused on backcountry education. The series was made possible by the CMC Steve Gladbach Memorial Fund.



Steve Gladbach was a beloved Colorado mountaineer, a long time member of the Colorado Mountain Club, and belonged to the 14ers.com community. He loved climbing. In the summer of 2013 he lost his life while descending Thunder Pyramid Peak.

One of Steve's passions was mountaineering education and safety. Through the generosity of family and friends, the Steve Gladbach Memorial Fund was created to promote Colorado mountaineering education.

If you're in need of any new gear, maps or guide books, please check out our online store.






Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

Andrew Skurka Presents: The Ultimate Lightweight Hiking Skills Clinic

Renowned long-distance backpacker and former National Geographic "Adventurer of the Year", Andrew Skurka, will be at the American Mountaineering Center in Golden, Colorado next month to present his clinic on Lightweight Hiking Skills.

The event is sponsored by the Colorado Mountain Club, and will take place at 7pm on May 7th.

A backpacking trip consists of two distinct activities: hiking and camping. In this instructional clinic Skurka will discuss the gear, supplies and skills necessary to make hiking more fun and less work, without compromising your safety or your comfort in camp.

It begins with a discussion about how to define trip objectives and how to assess the environmental and route conditions that are typically encountered on a backpacking trip - like temperatures and precipitation. Skurka will then explain exactly what he would bring on a hypothetical multi-day trip in a nearby and familiar location of the audience’s choosing. He focuses not just on his footwear, shelter, food, and other gear and supplies, but also on critical skills like foot care, campsite selection, and food protection techniques.

Questions from and discussions with audience members are highly encouraged, and are in fact critical to maximizing the value of the clinic.

In addition to a variety of high profile adventures, Mr. Skurka is also the author of The Ultimate Hiker's Gear Guide.

For more information on the event, please click here.



Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

CMC Video: Avalanche Safety and Winter Travel

Planning a trip into the mountain this winter? You should probably watch this video first - as a first step towards building your winter skills set and practicing safety while recreating in the backcountry during the winter. This is the first video in the Colorado Mountain Club's upcoming series focused on backcountry education. The series was made possible by the CMC Steve Gladbach Memorial Fund.



Steve Gladbach was a beloved Colorado mountaineer, a long time member of the Colorado Mountain Club and belonged to the 14ers.com community. He loved climbing. In the summer of 2013 he lost his life while descending Thunder Pyramid Peak.

One of Steve's passions was mountaineering education and safety. Through the generosity of family and friends, the Steve Gladbach Memorial Fund was created to promote Colorado mountaineering education.






Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

CMC Hike to Black Lake This Friday

The Shining Mountains Group of the Colorado Mountain Club is a leading a hike to Black Lake in the Glacier Gorge area of Rocky Mountain National Park this Friday.

Black Lake is a spectacular alpine lake that fills a deep cirque basin carved out of the base of McHenrys Peak and Chiefs Head Peak. From its north shore you'll also be able to see The Arrowhead and The Spearhead.

Along the way hikers will also visit Mills Lake, Jewel Lake and Ribbon Falls.

Those planning to participate will meet at the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center parking lot - at the far end from the buildings at 7:30 AM this Friday, August 9th. Hikers will then carpool to the Glacier Gorge or Bear Lake parking lots. Construction on Bear Lake Road is still going on, so carpooling will be encouraged.

For more information on this CMC hike, please click here, or email: billptrsn@earthlink.net. For more information on hiking to Black Lake, please click here.


Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

Fatalities on Longs Peak

**** For an updated post on these statistics, published on 3/25/2021, please click here.

The summer 2011 edition of Trail & Timberline, a quarterly publication from the Colorado Mountain Club, includes an interesting article on fatalities while climbing Longs Peak throughout the history of Rocky Mountain National Park. Included with the article was a map charting the location of each fatality, as well as a list of those who have died over the years.

Between 1915, when Rocky Mountain became a national park, and 2010, a total of 344 park visitors have died as a result of accidents, car crashes, heart attacks and various other reasons. Included in those statistics are 60 fatalities associated with climbing Longs Peak. Since the article included some basic information on each of those deaths, I wanted to dig a little deeper into some of the statistics.

* Among the 60 fatalities on Longs Peak between 1915 and 2010, only 4 were women. This likely has a lot to do with the ratio of men versus women climbing the mountain during that time period, but could also suggest that women take less risks or are more careful. Unfortunately there's not enough data to make any solid conclusions regarding this.

* The average age for those that have died on the mountain is 32.5. The oldest person to die was 75 when he slipped on ice along the Narrows section of the Keyhole Route. There were also two 16-year-olds that have died on the peak, one in 1932, and the other in 1980. A total of 9 victims were teenagers, which represents 15% of all deaths.

* Although 57% of the victims were below the age of 30, the average age for climbing deaths since 1999 has jumped to almost 45.

* During the first decade of the 21st Century, 8 fatalities have been recorded. However, the deadliest decade was the 1970s when the mountain claimed the lives of 13 people.

* Two-thirds of all deaths were the result of a fall - roped and unroped.

* The technical East Face route has witnessed the most fatalities during the lifespan of the park: 14. However, the Keyhole Route reported 13 deaths during that same time period. Additionally, three other people have died at or near the Keyhole, while another died of hypothermia at the Boulder Field.

* The Homestretch on the Keyhole Route has seen the most deaths of any one location on the mountain: 7.

* 20 people have died on the mountain for reasons other than falls, including 6 that had heart attacks, 4 hypothermia, 3 by lightning, and 3 by exhaustion and exposure. Two people have died as a result of suicide, including one person who ingested anti-freeze at the Narrows in 1979. It's not clear as to whether she was trying to kill herself, or trying to stave off the cold.

* Perhaps the most famous person to perish on the mountain was Agnes Vaille. On January 25, 1925, Ms. Vaille became the first woman to climb Longs Peak in the winter. While making her descent along the Keyhole Route, Vaille slipped and fell about 150 feet. Spent with fatigue, Vaille insisted she needed a short nap, but froze to death before her hiking partner could bring help back. Today, just below the Keyhole, is the Agnes Vaille Shelter. Built as a memorial to Ms. Vaille, the shelter also serves as a refuge for hikers and climbers in need.

* One other notable death occurred in 1889 - prior to the park's establishment. Frank Stryker was descending down the Homestretch on the Keyhole Route (according to Death, Daring & Disaster he was still ascending) when a loaded pistol fell out of his pocket and discharged into his neck. You could say there was a bit of karma involved. The 28-year-old was taking pleasure in launching large boulders down the mountain while climbing the mountain. The newspaper account at the time said "he announced his intentions of sending off a particularly huge stone" just before the accident occurred. The man continued to cling to life for ten more hours while his companions attempted to transport him down the mountain on a makeshift litter.

If considering a hike to the Keyhole or Chasm Lake, or a climb to the summit of Longs Peak, it's always a good idea to know your limits and to respect the mountain.

For more information on hiking to Chasm Lake, please click here.

For more information on hiking to the Keyhole, please click here.





Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com

Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park