TR - Copeland Mountain "Backbreaker" Couloir

[dmandave]

Note: First and foremost this is not meant to enlist sympathy, I've received quite enough of that from friends and family already- this is just a recap of what went down, for the record.

May 16 was shaping up to be that perfect spring day for a front range descent- clear skies with excellent stable snow coverage.

Hence it was easy to convince Jonny and Daan to try out a ski descent of Copeland Mountain, a Wild Basin thirteener that had been on my list for a while, and one that I'd struck out on twice before.

Things were going smoothly, we made the summit well before noon via an easy ascent of the broad and mellow east face.





At the top we found ourselves looking down an ambitious but very skiable couloir that shot down the north face. From a previous trip up Isolation Peak I had studied this face and knew that a full descent could be pieced together but that it would require a bit of poking around to do so.








I elected to drop in first, this being my idea and all, and found the first turns into the entrance to be a little dicey with rocks. Conservatively picking my way through, I saw the pitch just below looked much more open. As I swung my skis around to get there though, my downhill ski snagged a rock just below the surface that caused me to tumble forward. Before I knew it I was being sent head over heels through the loose snow. My helmet compacted on a rock just below the surface and I felt my entire back compress. From that moment on I knew I had to gain control and stop myself from moving any further, I plunged both arms into the snow as I swung around to face the mountain.

Then I sat there. And sat, trying to regain control of my breathing and assess the damage. I was in shock, and had to consciously keep myself from hyperventilating.

Yes, I'd taken a good 30 foot tumble, but I was conscious, and had been throughout. My neck didn't hurt but my back did, immensely. I called back up to Jonny and Daan, confirming that I was overall okay.
Daan came next, and collected my yardsale of gear that was strewn about.



We decided to come up with a plan- first, we would activate the SPOT transceiver to alert search and rescue, and Jonny would ski out ahead in case the transceiver didn't work. Daan and I would make our way slowly to the lake at the base of the couloir and wait.

I knew there was something tweaked in my lower spine, and wasn't quite sure whether I could make it out entirely. Getting back up the couloir at this point would have been impossible, the snow was just too deep, I had to make my way down, and the most feasible way seemed be on skis. I did know that an extrication from within the couloir would be nearly impossible, so I put the skis back on and slowly worked my way down a pitch at a time, side slipping and “stepping”, just trying to keep my back as neutral as possible.



This was a slow and arduous process, and it took us a great deal of time to make it to the lake. At one point we heard Jonny calling up to us with news that there was a cliff in the main couloir that would have to be down climbed- he didn't think I would be able to do it. Luckily, Daan and I were still well enough above him that we could scope out other options. As it turned out, there was a line to our left (the west) that looked as though it went through. Daan and I elected to try this route, while Jonny, like a badass, made his way down the “Bomber” cliffs.



Every pitch was a nightmare for me at this point, but I utilized a breathing technique that I'd picked up from my girlfriend Julia's yoga classes to help deal with the pain (that, and Jonny had given me a Valium from his med kit, supplemented by a few ibuprofens). Daan volunteered to take my pack along with his own, which also helped ease the pain.

After a few hours of stop and go side slipping (with just a handful of overtly conservative kick turns), we had made it to the lake at the base of the run. The snow throughout had been very good, and it was an absolute shame not to have skied it- luckily though, Jonny and Daan got to make some very nice looking turns throughout!



We hung around the lake for a while, thinking we might see a helicopter or rescue party, Daan even put out some rocks in the shape of an “X” to signify our whereabouts. But as the sun moved further down it seemed more and more likely that we would have to stay up there for the night. I knew there was no way I would be getting any sleep with a broken back and no padding to sleep under, so we made the decision to get out of there.

It was the most painful few miles I've ever had to hike, but by the end my mind just set itself up to get out. Within the last mile we encountered a large crew of search and rescuers- they were surprised to see me. Apparently a two man team had already been dispatched, but we had missed them because we descended through a gully (following Jonny's tracks) instead of the official trail (which they had gone up). They were radioed to turn around.

I opted to not be back-boarded for the last stint, and hiked out the last quarter mile to the summer trailhead on my own. From there I met up with my dad, who had been watching our progress via the SPOT coordinates. I was taken by the ranger's car to the winter trailhead where the ambulance was waiting to take me to the hospital.

At the hospital in Estes Park they took some X-Rays and verified that I had indeed 'broken my back'- the fifth thoracic vertebrae had been compacted by more than 50% and the sixth by nearly 40. I was going to require surgery, which would require I be transferred to the Level 1 Trauma Center at Saint Anthony's Hospital in Denver.

After a few more tests it was decided that I would undergo the surgery the following evening. The surgeons screwed a titanium rod to the three vertebrae above and below the fifth thoracic.





The rest is recovery, more of which can be found on my dad's blog here:

http://jimrockware.com/201005DavidsLatestAdventure.aspx


Looking back on this, I'm thankful that it was not any worse; and without my helmet on, I might have died.




I also want to give infinite thanks to Jonny and Daan, without whom I wouldn't have made it down, you guys are awesome. The rest of their photos are here:

Daan's

Jonny's

[alto]

Thank you for sharing. I'd still claim I ripped the shit out of it. Badass stuff, way to stay calm.

[Core Shot]

holy shit balls.

It takes some large ones to share your mistakes.

This thread is a good lesson and a good inspiration as well.

Heal up. Good luck.

[^^^]

Wow dude. Glad you are alright. Way to pull through and stay strong. Heal up quick and get back out there next winter. Thanks for sharing. Glad the SPOT worked out in this situation too.

[KansasBoarder]

May 15th...I was on Long's with Jarrett Luttrell and company for his historic 54th 14er descent. You can probably see me vomiting all over the loft in your second shot.

When we reached the Sandbeach TH at damn near 7pm, SAR was just setting out - responding to your SPOT activation. They were quite interested in us, and whether or not we had come across you. Unfortunately, we had no information/advice for them as to your whereabouts.

Awesome to hear that there was a positive end to this search.


Cheers and a quick recovery to you!

[Pow4Brains]

Wow. Good on you for not dying and hope you have a full recovery.

[smitchell333]

Holy Shit. That is tough terrain to have something like that happen in.

Glad it worked out OK.

Good luck healing up.

[skiATL]

I think its super bad ass that you got down from there and hiked all the way back. I couldnt imagine how shitty that must have been.

[powdork]

I woulda side stepped it healthy.
holy shit those screws are huge. does that thing come out?

[The Duke of Hurl]

holy shit balls.

It takes some large ones to share your mistakes.

This thread is a good lesson and a good inspiration as well.

Heal up. Good luck.

What mistake? He got bit by a subsurface chickenhead. Same thing happened to me in Chile with less serious (equally inconvenient) consequences. The man saved his own life by self arrest probably. Good on you, Dave.

I woulda side stepped it healthy.
holy shit those screws are huge. does that thing come out?

Not usually. Only if it causes pain, which, surprisingly, it rarely does.

[dmandave]

Duke is right, those puppies are stayin' in there unless something goes wrong.

Also, by the by, Jonny is none other than [ame="http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/member.php?u=10633"]Teton Gravity Research Forums - View Profile: highflyingpilot@@AMEPARAM@@View Profile: highflyingpilot</title>@@AMEPARAM@@highflyingpilot[/ame]

[spankthepow]

So how tall are you now exactly? You already towered over me before the accident haha. But seriously, thanks for sharing man and heal up. Hit me up if you're on my side of town.

[lynchdogger]

That's a serious injury in a serious location! You must be one tough SOB! Plus you have solid partners looking after you. Lucky you were wearing a helmet! Glad you are OK and hope you'll be able to ski at the same high level. Good luck.

[goldenboy]

Checked out your dad's blog a little and it says something about the SPOT not giving coordinates for the rescuers. Care to expand on that a little?

Glad you're OK, that's a heck of a walk out, and thanks for sharing the story

[GIR]

Pussy



Man, you seriously should have come to Glenwood with J and me. Nice to hear you are doing well and everyone is keeping you active and busy. We'll have to have a BBQ when I get back from MN. And good to finally see the pictures.

[dmandave]

Checked out your dad's blog a little and it says something about the SPOT not giving coordinates for the rescuers. Care to expand on that a little?

Sure- according to my dad, the people at SPOT did not start receiving the coordinates right away, only the SOS signal. I think this must have been due to the fact that we put the unit in the top lid of my pack during the descent. When we got to lake we took it out, and that's when they did finally get them.

At the time I didn't think the thin fabric of the pack would have been enough to stifle the signal, but I guess I was wrong.

This is great advice to others with a SPOT, keep the thing within direct line-of-sight of the sky.

The SAR people also mentioned that the signal was lost as soon as we entered the trees...

[Kya]

Glad your mostly okay, damn. Thanks for sharing the info on spot. That surprises me about the loss of signal and the backpack interference. Seems kind of weak and almost defeats the whole purpose of the thing. Will make me be more concious of where/how I pack mine.

Heal strong this summer!