www.esryle.comLOCAL NEWS ACROSS THE NATION
Posted on 07/01/2004 9:28:40 AM PDT by esryle
6/30/04 - ANCHORAGE, AK) — Climbers poking around a high-elevation camp on Mount McKinley discovered a human foot sticking out of the snow. Rangers dug out the frozen corpse of a man who died 35 years ago.
Ranger Darryl Miller said authorities believe the body is that of Gary Cole of Cody, Wyo., who died of acute mountain sickness June 19, 1969.
The grim discovery was made Friday, said Kris Fister, a Denali National Park spokeswoman. While looking for supplies at a storage area at the camp site, climbers noticed what looked like climbing gear in the snow, Fister said.
A closer look revealed it was a foot in a sock.
At that elevation, the mountain is perpetually frozen, and the man's body was fairly well-preserved after it was dug out, Miller said.
Cole was one of six climbers who had set out to stash supplies at the 17,200 foot-high camp before returning to a lower camp, where the men were to launch their ascent to the 20,320-foot summit.
But a storm forced the party to remain at the high-elevation camp, Cole's fellow climbers told the Anchorage Daily News on Tuesday.
"When the storm broke the next day, we went for the summit," said Walter Vennum, 63, of Sebastopol, Calif.
Cole, however, was vomiting and decided to stay back with another climber. After making the ascent, the other climbers returned to the camp and slept for six hours. They awoke to find Cole unconscious, his lungs filling with fluid.
An oxygen bottle revived Cole for a time, Vennum said. "But the oxygen ran out, and that was the end of him," he said.
An Army helicopter failed to reach the men June 18, according to a newspaper account. It returned the next day but never landed after the crew learned Cole had died.
"He had passed away and we had left him in a cave that was at 17,200 feet, and some of the other climbers went back up and buried him," Henry Noldan, 74, of Wilmington, N.C., told the newspaper. "We were all so exhausted, we couldn't take him down the mountain."
Of 93 people who have died on Mount McKinley since 1932, the bodies of 35 are still on the mountain, Park Service records show. The only one known to have been buried in the area of Friday's discovery was Cole.
Miller said the frozen body was lowered to a 14,200-foot basin Tuesday and was to be flown to Talkeetna.
After a positive identification, state troopers will try to locate family members, he said.
I wonder how one dies "by the Associated Press"? Ink strangulation?
BTTT
Well, the pen IS mighter than the sword, so...
I wonder how one dies "by the Associated Press"? Ink strangulation?
I wondered the same thing.
Maybe he gagged on an article and chocked to death.
This is an entirely preventable disease by simply avoiding risky lifestyle behavior. No telethon solicitations please.
I believe you got that mixed up with "Acute Mountings Disease"?
Note to self - don't take up mountain climbing.
But some people are born with a preference for cute mountains. It's not a matter of "choice".
Simple. Every time you read an AP press release a few of your brain cells burst. Kill off enough of the grey matter and your toast!
Bush's fault.
Acute mountain sickness?
I'm sure it's a real syndrome...but I can't help imagining that someone with it would do things like eat teriyaki jerky and trail mix at the same time.
Congressional Democrats demanded an investigation into possible involvement on the part of the Bush Administration. Tom Harkin has demanded that Bush stop lying about this issue, and Charles Rangle has filed a brief calling for the President's impeachment.
To quote Terry Pratchett: "only if the pen is very sharp and the sword is very small."
What's this about cute Mounties?
LOL...
They ummm "always get their man"?
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