Posted on 04/19/2019 3:03:50 PM PDT by BenLurkin
Three of the world's most elite climbers are missing and presumed dead by park officials after an avalanche in Alberta, Canada.
Jess Roskelley, a U.S. citizen, and David Lama and Hansjörg Auer, who are both Austrian, had been attempting to climb the east face of Howse Peak in Banff National Park. They were reported overdue on Wednesday, according to the park.
"Based on an assessment of the scene, all three members of the party are presumed to be deceased," the park said.
A statement from Parks Canada said that responders "observed signs of multiple avalanches and debris containing climbing equipment."
"Search and recovery efforts are not currently possible due to weather and dangerous avalanche conditions," it said. The avalanche hazard is expected to continue, Parks Canada said, because of more strong winds and precipitation.
Washington native Roskelley, 36, was the youngest American to summit Mount Everest. He accomplished the feat when he was 20 with his father. John, who is also a well-known climber.
Jess Roskelley has been called "one of America's boldest alpinists," Men's Journal wrote. The Spokesman-Review said he made first ascents in Alaska and in northeast Pakistan.
"It's how he lived, really. He took life by the horns," his father told the newspaper. "When you're climbing mountains, danger is not too far away. It's terrible for my wife and I. But it's even worse for his wife."
David Lama, the 28-year-old son of a Nepali mountain guide and an Austrian nurse, made waves early in his career. According to the trio's sponsor, The North Face, "at age 12, David became the youngest climber in the history of the sport to complete an 8b+," an extremely difficult rock climbing grade.
Lama made the first free ascent of the southeast ridge of Cerro Torre in Patagonia, which was documented in a film called Cerro Torre: A Snowball's Chance in Hell.
Auer, 35, who grew up in the mountains of Austria, was known as "one of the world's top solo climbers," as Outside reported. In 2007, he famously free-soloed "The Fish," a legendary route on the south face of Italy's Marmolada.
"All three of them, they had in common this similar goal of going and doing remote climbs on big mountains in a very pure, alpine way," Gripped magazine Editor-in-Chief Brandon Pullan told CBC. The difficult route that the group was on had only been climbed once, according to the broadcaster.
Parks Canada described the route as a "remote and an exceptionally difficult objective, with mixed rock and ice routes requiring advanced alpine mountaineering skills."
The Howse Peak area has been closed to all traffic and travel until further notice.
So who pays for the rescue/recovery?
Yup, about 5000 feet vertical
that’s what the climbers love
It sure is tough climbing to the top of that profession.
Too bad.
At the risk of getting flamed, I’ve always thought that mountain climbing or free climbing was the most selfish sport for a family person. One slip and your gone and your family is left to themselves.
I know we can all go at any moment but once you get married and start a family find another activity a lot less risky.
Take up chukar hunting. You get to climb basalt covered steep hillsides and shoot birds. Follow that hunt by grilling the birds and drinking a hearty red wine with your spouse.
Just my 2 cents worth.
Wondering if that mountain goes snow free in the winter? IOW will the remains be recovered unlike a majority on Everest at the higher altitudes.
The bodies will be removed once the avalanche risk has diminished.They had snowfall warnings for that area earlier today.
Everyone is anxious to return them to their families as soon as it can be done safely. It seems like an odd time of year to attempt that climb.
Banff-Jasper is breathtakingly beautiful.
That’s too bad. Now they’ll have to take the peak down.
and lets not forget those that risk their lives to rescue “selfish sport” enthusiast
They all need to post $1 million bonds to cover the cost for search and rescue efforts.
back in the 70 80 ustah fly SAR out of CG Mia looking for “Overdues”
Sometimes 2 3 fixed wing on scene
Guy would be found shacked up at West End and never ntfd his unsuspecting spouse.
The reason CG no longer does stupid Tows and other EXPENSIVE crap
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