Avalanche fatality in The Taylor Hilgard range. Montana. Few details yet

[Danno]

Many years ago Kim Schmitz, a big mountain climber with lots of Himalayan experience, told me that you can't judge decisions that were made in a mountain accident if you weren't there. There are so many things we will never know because we weren't there. Many things seem obvious from the warm comfort of your living room, but often it is a series of small things in the mountains that 999 out of 1000 times would be inconsequential, but for some reason add up to catastrophe this time.

We will never know what led them to make the decisions they did, but we do know they were very experienced and didn't make major mistakes normally. Maybe they had a big ass argument on the hike in and were so mad they didn't think clearly about beacons. Maybe they had walked on rocks for miles, had just put on skis and didn't realize they had moved into an area with snow that was more than a few inches deep. Maybe one of them had gear trouble or something else and the other had just joined them to help when the avalanche broke. Maybe this, maybe that. There are so many things we will never know, and it does no one any good to judge them. They paid the ultimate price for their decisions. Leave them at that.

We do know that we can learn from the things that in hindsight seem so obvious: always wear your beacon, always check your partner's beacon, always travel one st a time in avalanche terrain,etc.

well said

[plugboots]

Agree. WMD, You bring up some good points

[summit]

We do know that we can learn from the things that in hindsight seem so obvious: always wear your beacon, always check your partner's beacon, always travel one st a time in avalanche terrain,etc.

We knew that already. So did they. The question is always "then why did it happen?" And we won't know that...

I think that is half of the why this one hits so hard even for those who didn't know them. It is another reminder that the high performers can still suffer from basic lapses when they know better. Thus so can we... humans are fallible.

How do we deal with it though?

The other half that strikes us all so hard, perhaps harder, is that TH either terminated his unfathomable sadness or fell on his sword out of unendurable self-blaming before anyone could help him through it. And we all shudder to think of ourselves in his shoes if we aren't flashing back to something similar...

[mtcham]

RIP Inge and Hayden. May your spirits soar throughout the mountains.

Our family is heartbroken over Inge's death and wish both families and friends the strength needed at this time of sorrow.

A tribute to Inge written by one of her friends
http://www.thesewordslikerocks.com/j...f-inge-perkins

[iceclimb]

One of my favorite things today. Many in this town are hurting, and so they take to the mountains for healing.

[Danno]

That was a beautiful tribute, thanks for sharing. I feel crushed by the loss of two people I never met.

[galibier_numero_un]

I keep thinking that I'll grow "immune" to news like this.

Condolences to surviving friends and family.

... Thom

[FussyDutchman]

That was a beautiful tribute, thanks for sharing. I feel crushed by the loss of two people I never met.

Very well stated. The tribute is very moving and all of us can take something from it to relate to our own lives. They were clearly two amazing people who shared a zeal for life, family, friends and each other.

[baron]

whew, tough one> rip

At least she died up in the mountains , doing her thing... my buddie had his son murdered in front of his house last month.

Lookout for the old leftover rotten snow! Early season avalanches happen where the older layer meets the new one. They are hard to detect and quite deadly. As those old snow molecules break down, they lose the ability to hold new snow on top of them. Just a reminder >no offense to the fallen!

Can We get some pics of this dudes radical climbing?????????? sounded gnarly

[PNWbrit]

snow molecules

What?

[Norseman]

[Kinnikinnick]

Read a few of the articles out there about these two young people.

Sound like great people. Crying shame.

We'll never know the full story how they ended up in that spot without beacons on and how it went down since they both are gone. I hate seeing these groups of recognized mountaineers go down. Seeing this picture of these two with Kyle Dempster (who disappeared on the Ogre II in Pakistan) it strikes home how a certain class of adventurers hang together and are in the red zone and too often pay the ultimate price.

I can't help but be reminded of the trio Dave Rosenbarger, Arne Backstrom, and Kip Garre. There's probably a similar picture of all three together and now all three similarly are gone from skiing/avalanche accidents.

Its not for me or anyone to second guess whether they should be doing things things - heck I've done stuff similar to where these two were in early "pre-season" and I've even had incidents where we started on dry trail in the sun and the beacon didn't get activated. Shit happens.

Maybe its just the price of high adventure in the mountains, especially at the level of challenge these groups are drawn to. I suppose there is a good chance nothing will change and we'll see a steady stream of characters continue to reach the pinnacles of acclaim and bold accomplishments and then pay the price. Maybe its just the inevitable course as the moths are forever drawn to the flame of high adventure, acclaim, and too large a % get too close and burned whether in the form of pushing the limits or just another day in the hills. When being on the very edge, underneath or above the reaper in the form of cliffs, avalanche slopes, etc, and staring into the maw becomes the norm people become complacent. As Doug Coombs said in Steep: "Complacency is what gets everybody."

I think that its worth it for all of us, but especially those "in the game" at that high level, to ALWAYS consider at EVERY adventure whether you are making a wise reasoned choice with all options considered and mitigating means engaged or whether complacency has crept in.

One other thought is to carry a personal locator beacon. Asking for help immediately may not have made a difference here, but maybe a heli coming in in 30 minutes with searchers to probe could have.

Take care.

Edit to add
This is heartbreaking how close she was. That and seeing his shovel and probe sitting there as testament to his efforts.

[wyeaster]

informative, as usual, but hard to watch and think about what was happening in that space. very sad.

[skinipenem]

Awful events and surrounding circumstances. Vibes to all involved. Hopefully many will learn from their tragic deaths. And hopefully they will be remembered for the apparently wonderful people they were.

Sent from my SM-G935V using TGR Forums mobile app

[dark_star]

Like many here, although I didn't know them, I'm hit hard by this. The tragedy cuts to the core in so many ways. It's clear Hayden was in nothing short of agony. I cannot imagine if I were in his shoes, it must have been too painful to comprehend.

Life can turn so quickly.

Condolences to friends, family, and the community.

[seano732]

Can We get some pics of this dudes radical climbing?????????? sounded gnarly

Kennedy and Dempster (also gone, RIP), on what won them the Piolet d' Or.......

[plugboots]

JHC, watching that... finding myself laughing and really liking these guys, and then it’s over and I realize they’re both gone...

[zartagen]

Here is Hayden on the FA of the hardest route at Indian Creek:



This really sucks. My heart is hurting and I didn't even know these two.

[Hacksaw]

I keep thinking that I'll grow "immune" to news like this.

... Thom

Sadly, even when you work in the "avalanche business" you don't become immune to these accidents.

[GoldMember]

I think that is half of the why this one hits so hard even for those who didn't know them. It is another reminder that the high performers can still suffer from basic lapses when they know better. Thus so can we... humans are fallible.

That's what hits me, too. I remember the shock when Doug Coombs was taken. My thought surrounding this point was that, if it can happen to Doug, it can happen to any of us. This accident is similar but worsened by the final outcome of Hayden's decision to take his own life. I've tried to imagine (but can't fully) his state of mind at the time it happened, a failed effort to find her, the adrenaline that had to be coursing through him, the walk out and self-blame, and the overwhelming grief. It was obviously just too much for him to handle. What a tragic story. RIP to both.

[Dantheman]

Edit to add
This is heartbreaking how close she was. That and seeing his shovel and probe sitting there as testament to his efforts.

Man, I thought the slide was much larger. Good reminder that small slopes can be deadly.

[Norseman]

Full report is up.

http://www.mtavalanche.com/accident/17/10/12



Man this sucks. It's so hard to try to imagine the grief.

[mall walker]

he searched for 3 hours god that must have been awful.

[MTT]

Just really sad and unnecessary.

I feel so bad for this couple, and the people they left behind.

There is no right place to type this stuff.

But those who do this allot, the excellent the experienced.

You are not immune to the basics.!! The deaths we read about each year. It is almost never a newbie killed for being clueless.
It's the ones who knew better

[tripice351]

Didn't know them, never been to Bozeman, my only connection is a shared love of the mountains. This story just broke my heart. Condolences to all, and RIP.