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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 2 of 2)
Jamie Rhein Sep 24th 2009 4:58PM
Hi Judy,
Sorry to hear about your friend's death. The one I know about happened later than that. He was also on a hike.
plat250 Sep 24th 2009 4:53PM
Jamie, Your story was fine. I understood it perfectly. Sometimes people just cant give anyone a break.
Jamie Rhein Sep 24th 2009 4:53PM
For folks wondering about the word tumble. Here's the direct quote from the original story.
"A 24-year-old Pennsylvania man hiking in the backcountry of Grand Teton National Park tumbled 300 feet to his death on Teewinot Mountain."
David Sep 24th 2009 5:18PM
I think the word "tumble" is an appropriate word to use. It is a stronger verb than just writing "fell." I also think your relating to personal experience was indeed beneficial. I believe when a writer (in your case) or a reader (in my case) can connect factual information to his or her own life, the writing can become more meaningful. I don't think your writing intended to present just the facts but to evoke human emotion. But--to each his own regarding opinions of writing style, I suppose. I grieve for the family, the fellow hiker, and other friends especially as I consider the numerous mountain hikes my son has undertaken and his potential danger.
K Sep 24th 2009 5:18PM
As an avid mountain hiker myself, I find this very sad. It really could happen to anyone braving the tougher trails, pushing themselves to get to the top.
JAN Sep 24th 2009 5:31PM
My boyfriend keeps saying over and over more people die on day hikes than back country hikes because they're not carrying the right gear or enough water/food...in this case they either lost track of the trail they wanted or decided to go off of it(something every Ranger and regular hiker says never do). But the thing is when they realized how steep it was getting they should have turned around(i have on a couple of occasions when i didn't feel safe on a trail even though other people continued on-but i know my limitations and stick to them).
i'm sorry for what happened to this poor man and feel sorry for his friend and family but they were unfamilar with the area and common sense should have told them not to continue.
Nikki Sep 24th 2009 7:33PM
Wow. This seems like really weird timing for me to see this story. Just this past weekend a good friend of my fiancee's was hiking in a park in vancouver, washington and fell 1,000 feet. I guess these kinds of accidents happen more than we realize.
Dorian Sep 24th 2009 7:32PM
Jamie. Thanks for the article. Yes, it's very sad to read about an incident like this. I've been to Glacier and Teton many times, and it's very easy to have something like this happen. Again, thank you, and don't worry about some negative comments. Some people just don't get some things, and some people just aren't happy with themselves, and criticism is an easy way to make them feel better. Dorian.
Steve-a-rino Sep 24th 2009 7:41PM
Don't you wish all news reports were written this way? "Reminds me of the time my uncle was attacked by rabid dogs." Sheesh! Whatever happened to who, what, when and where, all written in third person. Reminds me of the time I clicked out of another lame news story . . .
ZAK Sep 24th 2009 7:47PM
Stupid is as stupid does.
tom Sep 24th 2009 7:59PM
Have been in Yellowstone and the Tetons down to Jackson. Many ways to die there, you never know when your time is up. Heckuva way to go tho.
Jonitia Johnson Sep 24th 2009 8:08PM
The story was okay. It let us know someone died, his friend probably did not attempt CPR, and the survivor and the deceased was recovered in three hours. The reference to your husband situation was over the top. You seem to change subjects. First and the supposed main subject of story was the death of a hiker in the Grand Tetons. Then the subject changed to emotional aftermath of tragic losses. Both are important but maybe you should have considered two separate articles--one about the tragedy and a couple days later one about the emotions of the surviving friend.
Evelyn Sep 24th 2009 8:08PM
I liked the article the way it was written. I appreciated that it had the whole story, not just a sort of teaser to get conversations started. I feel cheated when web authors do that. Thanks for a good story, compassionately told, Jamie.
dennismlns Sep 24th 2009 8:31PM
I found the story well written and informative, what I don't understand is "majianxiao708" using a comment to advertise for an "I'm so messed up I can't get a date" web sight. That is inappropriate and needs to stop, comments should pertain to the story, find somewhere else to run your adds.
Janine Sep 25th 2009 1:26AM
I agree with CMT, adding that the title doesn't match the article.
JudyQ Sep 25th 2009 9:42AM
A classmate from my high school (graduated in 1972) died at Yellowstone in 2006 while on vacation with her husband and children. She stepped over a retaining wall to take a picture, slipped down an embankment, and fell 500 feet over a cliff. The news story regarding the accident, from a local Michigan newspaper:
Debbie Lundquist Chamberlin - Crestwood, Class of 1972
Rockford school official dies in fall at Yellowstone
Saturday, June 17, 2006
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. (AP) -- A western Michigan school official who stepped over a retaining wall to take a photograph here lost her footing and fell 500 feet to her death, park officials said.
Deborah Chamberlin, 52, of Rockford, was visiting the park with her husband Gary and two children Alex and Kelly.
Chamberlin was vice president of the school board for the Rockford Public Schools, according to a local newspaper. Rockford is 12 miles north-northeast of Grand Rapids.
The Chamberlins and their two children had stopped their vehicle at an overlook along the road about three-quarters of a mile north of the Tower Fall area about 10 a.m. Saturday.
Chamberlin stepped over a low rock retaining wall to take a photo when she lost her footing, slipped down an embankment and went over a cliff. She fell about 500 feet, coming to rest near the Yellowstone River, park officials said.
Gary Chamberlin flagged down a passing motorist, who called 911. High, fast-moving water prevented rescuers from reaching Deb Chamberlin by raft. A ranger rappelled down the canyon wall to reach the woman, who died at the scene.
Her body was placed in a litter suspended by a cable from a helicopter and flown out Saturday afternoon.
gary Sep 25th 2009 11:22AM
CMT.... you dont read too good. First paragraph said he was killed. Your comment is off base. Article gave all information needed. Did you graduate from HS?
BobJ Sep 26th 2009 8:59AM
The story is eerily reminiscent of the moron who fell off a cruise liner.