Cascade Range Volcanoes Three Sisters Mount JeffersonMt. HoodMt.Adams Mt.Saint Helens Mt Rainier.
AVALANCHE Washington, Mt. St. Helens. Snow...
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AVALANCHE — Washington, Mt. St. Helens. On April 26, 1975, during a period of wet snow, precipitation and high winds, five students from the University of Puget Sound were killed in a massive avalanche which occurred at 8 p.m. The 29 climbers were led by UPS mountaineering teacher Harmon Jones and had camped at the 6500-foot level earlier in the day. The climb was under univer - sity sponsorship, part of a night school course listed as Ice Seminar and Overnight Snow Camp. The climbing class is offered by the university’s physical education department and the climb was a field trip. Jones said that his group camped in a relatively safe place on the east side of the ridge called the Little Lizard. The first to report the massive snowslide was a climber, Bill Glenn, who descended to the parking area, got into his car and drove to the first cabin down the road. Rescue operations took place over a three-day period under very difficult conditions. (Source: Edited from several newspaper reports in The Seattle Post- Intelligencer. ) Analysis: As a field operation leader of the Mountain Rescue Council, Seattle Unit, for 23 years, and as a mountaineer of 29 years, and having personally participated in the recent St. Helens avalanche, I feel it is desirable that we break our traditional silence in these matters and point out some of the basic factors involved in the recent tragedy. Geographically, Mt. St. Helens is a mountain which attracts thousands of mountaineers, many totally inexperienced, each year. It is easily accessible from timber line and in good weather makes an interesting one-day climb. There is not a weekend, winter or summer. that there are not parties upon the mountain. The major ski areas all have snow rangers of the U.S. Forest Service who are experienced in forecasting avalanche conditions and in controlling such avalanches. These activities are, however, limited to ski areas, and the Forest Service at this time is curtailing the services because of budgetary problems. Recent years have seen a dramatic increase in the use of our mountains and wilderness areas. Mathematically, increased exposure by its very nature must mean an increase in the number of accidents. It is impossible for an experienced mountaineer to predict with certainty whether a slope will avalanche simply by looking at it. Usually the mountaineer arrives with no background on local conditions and must simply go by his basic knowledge. Even most experienced mountaineers do not have in-depth avalanche training unless they happen to be members of a ski patrol unit. I do know that the climb leader of the accident on Mt. St. Helens performed in an exemplary way. He had known the location of each tent in the snowcave and had checked them out. When the avalanche came, his knowledge allowed him to organize the survivors and dig out those who were buried, including those in the snowcave.
Transcript of AVALANCHE Washington, Mt. St. Helens. Snow...
AVALANCHE— Washington, Mt. St. Helens. O n A pril 26, 1975, during a period o f wet snow, precipitation and high winds, five students from the University of Puget Sound were killed in a massive avalanche which occurred at 8 p.m.
T h e 29 climbers were led by UPS m ountaineering teacher H arm on Jones and had cam ped at the 6500-foot level earlier in the day. T h e climb was u n d er un iversity sponsorship, part o f a night school course listed as Ice Seminar and Overnight Snow Camp. T h e climbing class is offered by the university’s physical education dep a rtm en t and the climb was a field trip.
Jones said tha t his g roup cam ped in a relatively safe place on the east side of the ridge called the Little Lizard.
T h e first to rep o rt the massive snowslide was a clim ber, Bill G lenn, who descended to the parking area, got into his car and drove to the first cabin down the road.
Rescue operations took place over a three-day period u n d er very difficult conditions. (Source: Edited from several new spaper reports in The Seattle Post- Intelligencer. )
Analysis: As a field operation leader o f the M ountain Rescue Council, Seattle U nit, fo r 23 years, and as a m o u n ta in e er o f 29 years, and having personally participated in the recent St. H elens avalanche, I feel it is desirable that we break our trad itional silence in these m atters and point ou t some o f the basic factors involved in the recent tragedy.
G eographically, Mt. St. H elens is a m ountain which attracts thousands o f m ountaineers, many totally inexperienced, each year. It is easily accessible from tim ber line and in good w eather makes an interesting one-day climb. T h ere is not a w eekend, w inter or sum m er. tha t there are not parties upon the m ountain.
T h e m ajor ski areas all have snow rangers o f the U.S. Forest Service who are ex p e rien ced in forecasting avalanche conditions an d in contro lling such avalanches. T hese activities are, how ever, lim ited to ski areas, and the Forest Service at this tim e is curtailing the services because o f budgetary problems.
Recent years have seen a dram atic increase in the use o f ou r m ountains and w ilderness areas. M athem atically, increased exposu re by its very n a tu re m ust m ean an increase in the num ber o f accidents.
It is impossible for an experienced m ounta ineer to predict with certainty w hether a slope will avalanche simply by looking at it. Usually the m ountaineer arrives with no background on local conditions and m ust simply go by his basic knowledge. Even most experienced m ountaineers do not have in-depth avalanche training unless they happen to be m em bers o f a ski patro l unit.
I do know tha t the climb leader o f the accident on Mt. St. Helens perfo rm ed in an exem plary way. H e had known the location o f each ten t in the snowcave and had checked them out. W hen the avalanche came, his knowledge allowed him to organize the survivors and dig ou t those who were buried , including those in the snowcave.
T h e re a f te r , he saw to th e evacuation o f th e in ju re d , the safety o f the survivors. He even re tu rned on Tuesday to assist us in locating the buried tent.
H aving personally been to the scene of the tragedy, and excluding the use of hindsight, I cannot say that, had I been the party leader of that class, I would not have established camp in the same place. (Source: Paul M. Williams, O perations Leader, M ountain Rescue Council. Published in The Seattle Post-Intelligencer. )
