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Tragedy in the Grand Tetons is a warning to stay on firm footing
Even with the best of plans, tragedies happen. A mountain side is too steep, the terrain too rugged, one turns left instead of right, and a person can take a tumble. That's what happened on Tuesday when two hikers veered slightly off-course on Teewinot Mountain in the Grand Teton National Park. One of them slipped and tumbled 300-feet. The tumble killed him.
According to Kurt Repanshek's post in the National Park Traveler, the two men, Eliot Kalmbach and Jon Winiasz, both in their early twenties, hadn't planned to do any major climbing so they weren't wearing helmets or carrying climbing gear. They had talked to park rangers to find out where they should hike before they headed out a couple days before the accident and were following the rangers' suggestions except that they mistakenly headed across a steeper section of Teewinot after a night of camping at Lupine Meadows. That's where Kalmbach fell.
Fortunately, Winaisz was able to reach Kalmbach to use his cell phone to call for help. Kalmbach, however was already not breathing and didn't have a pulse. Thankfully, the rescue of both men took less than three hours. Winaisz was lifted out within two.
This story reminds me of a similar one that happened years ago when one of my husband's close friends fell to his death in Glacier National Park. My husband worked with this friend at the park's Glacier Park Lodge in East Glacier and remembers exactly what it was like waiting for the body to be recovered. His friend's death is something he recalls as being one of the worst events of his life.
I can't imagine what Winiasz is going through after what sounds like a blissful adventure with a friend turned into a trip that he'll never forget for such a horrible reason. How very sad.
Filed under: Climbing, Hiking, Stories, News, Travel Health
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Baaa! Sep 24th 2009 2:41PM
If God wanted you to climb mountains, he would have made you a mountain goat!!
cmt Sep 24th 2009 3:18PM
Jamie your piece is terrible. You make it sound like the dead man was rescued.
"thankfully, the rescue of both men took less than three hours."
It sounds like the victim was okay...I had to read the piece three times to understand
what you meant is one man was rescued, the other body recovered.
Then to end the piece relating it to your husband's friend...who cares?
The man who is gone has a family who is grieving. A little respect, please. I'm sure
you could have chosen a better term than "tumbled." You make it sound almost fun.
domo Sep 24th 2009 3:58PM
hahahah, i agree with you here!!!
who gave this lady the right to write this terrible article?
Michael Sep 24th 2009 10:07PM
I got it on the first read. Maybe you are a little dim witted.
amanda Sep 24th 2009 10:12PM
i fully agree.
Jeff Sep 24th 2009 3:22PM
Just a little word of advice. The article was good until you made it personal. Stick to the story and save personal experience and feelings for another article. Not trying to be insulting, just come constructive criticism. Do with it what you like.
Edwina Murray Sep 24th 2009 3:21PM
It appears as though the previous readers should learn how to read and actually get something from a story. Jamie is being compassionate to the survivor of this hike and they are ridiculing her efforts. I happen to know the site where the accident happened with her husband's friend and the family of the victim. I am sure that all the families of all victims suffer, but so do the survivors of a horrible event, each in their own way. And they never ever forget that it could have happened just as easily to them.
Jamie Rhein Sep 24th 2009 3:18PM
CMT, sorry you feel that way. In the first paragraph I said the tumble killed him. Read the last sentence. He did tumble. I don't think tumble sounds fun.
The reason this story struck me as being so tragic is because of my personal experience with someone who has lived with a similar experience. When I read about this incident I was struck by the similarity. Perhaps others have had similar experiences in their youth that they've never gotten over.
The point is accidents last much longer than the day they happen. Also, did you not read the last paragraph?
Recovered might have been a better word choice, but the point is thankfully this was not an incident that left either party on a mountain for long. Can you imagine what it would be like leaving a dead friend's body behind for hours?
Judy Sep 24th 2009 3:41PM
The article is well written. So many people, in their own insecurity, find comfort in lashing out at others.
albie Sep 24th 2009 4:32PM
Jaime, you should have left your own personal experience out of it, the focus was no longer on the unfortunate untimely death of one of the hikers, the story you were supposed to be writing about.
Tina Sep 24th 2009 7:14PM
Jamie, don't worry, your story was fine. I completely understood that one man died and the other didn't, and I didn't have to read it more than once to figure that out. If you were writing for a major publication, your personal experience might be out of place, but I think we tend to get a bit too rigid with the rules sometimes in less formal places such as this. When something tragic happens, it's heartwarming (to me at least) to see that people can address the situation as a human instead of an impersonal news machine, and show some empathy with the ones who are suffering as a result of it. Thanks.
Jamie Rhein Sep 24th 2009 3:21PM
CMT,
By the way, thanks for reading and commenting. Even though I don't exactly agree with you, it's always good to get feedback. Just wanted to add that in.
cmt Sep 24th 2009 3:43PM
Thanks for being open-minded. Do you see my point, though?
Jeff is also giving good feedback here. Sticking to the facts is very important. And don't tell your reader how to feel. They know what the writer is implying, and will have their own feelings.
tct Sep 24th 2009 3:47PM
Poor guy.
Bob Sep 24th 2009 4:06PM
"His friend's death is something he recalls as being one of the worst events of his life."
What possibly could be worse?
BobJ Sep 25th 2009 7:50PM
Um, maybe a son, daughter, spouse?
LaReesa Sep 24th 2009 4:12PM
This is very sad. I am from the Glacier National Park area, and while these parks are so beautiful they can also be so very dangerous. It sounds as though these two young men were using their smarts, but accidents just happen sometimes.
arthur vasconcellos Sep 24th 2009 4:13PM
hi edwina:son't know how people get funny?? liiked ur ans. toomany things are taken lightly..getting to be a sad world..
art vee
Mitch Sep 24th 2009 4:21PM
Sorry... this piece is terribly written. Maybe you should re-visit a writing class? It sounds way too "jolly" for a story that involves a human being's death. Did you honestly think "tumble" would make his death 'better' or less hard to take? Death is death. Call it what it is when reporting and please, leave personal experiences out. Thanks!
Judy Sep 24th 2009 4:25PM
I worked in Glacier National Park back in the summer of '74 when one of my fellow employees fell to his death while on a hike. Just wondered if the person you referred to is the same one.