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Mt. Hood climber falls, descending basic South Side route

MAN SURVIVES 300 - FOOT FALL DOWN MOUNT HOOD
The Oregonian
October 22, 2008

A novice climber is recovering from injuries after falling 300 feet down the south side of Mount Hood.

Chris Biddle, 39, of Puyallup, Wash., was descending from the summit early Sunday afternoon when he lost his footing and tumbled down the south side of the mountain.

He tried to stop the fall with an ice ax, he said, but he couldn't get it to sink in.

"It was just spraying ice all over", he told the Oregonian newspaper.

"I remember thinking that I might just slide a long, long ways down the hill", he said.

Moments later, Biddle said, his face struck the icy mountainside and he blacked out. His fall ended on a plateau.

His face waas bruised and scraped, but the wood products worker said Monday he wasn't in any pain. He did not suffer any broken bones or other serious injuries. His knee ached, and he twisted his ankle, he said, but he can walk

Biddle said he mostly feels lucky, and grateful to two other climbers, Jeff Manor, of southwest Washington, and Philipp Jelinek, of Austria.

Manor, a volunteer - in - training with the Littlerock Fire Department in Washington, said he called 911 with his cell phone before descending to seek help. Jelinek waited with Biddle.

A helicopter flew Biddle from the Hogsback area to Oregon Health & Science University Hospital in Portland.

Biddle said he is new to climbing and wants to go up again - after he has received more training.

What can climbers learn from this common event?

It is not made clear whether the climber was wearing a helmet. It is clear that even a "short sliding fall" can be dangerous. His fellow climbers are lucky that other climbers were not carried down with him.

Down climbing facing in with the ice axe in the stake self belay position does not seem to be part of the techniques of many beginning climbers. Done correctly, there is little possibility of a catastrophic slide.

This accident was reported by a cell phone.

Mt. Hood is said to be "out of condition" in the summer and fall. Ramps of winter snow blown over the top of ridges and summit are replaced by steep walls of rotten ice at the Pearly Gates on the south side Standard Route. When the route is hard ice, basic fourth class techniques are usually required

Read More below for information about some of the objective hazards of climbing volcanic cones.
--Webmeister Speik

A suggested minimum standard news advisory for all backcountry travelers

"We would like to take this opportunity to ask our visitors to the backcountry of Oregon to plan for the unexpected.  Each person should dress for the forecast weather and take minimum extra clothing protection from a drop in temperature and possible rain or snow storm or an unexpected cold wet night out, insulation from the wet ground or snow, high carbohydrate snacks, two quarts of water or Gatorade, a map and compass and optional inexpensive GPS and the skills to use them, and a charged cell phone and inexpensive walkie-talkie radios. Carry the traditional personal "Ten Essentials Systems" in a day pack sized for the season and the forecast weather.

Visitors are reminded to tell a Responsible Person where they are going, where they plan to park, when they will be back and to make sure that person understands that they are relied upon to call 911 at a certain time if the backcountry traveler has not returned. If you become lost or stranded, mark your location and stay still or move around your marked location to stay warm. Do not try to find your way until you are exhausted, or worse yet - wet. Wait for rescuers.

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TraditionalMountaineering is founded on the premise that "He who knows naught, knows not that he knows naught", that exploring the hills and summitting peaks have dangers that are hidden to the un-informed and that these inherent risks can be in part, identified and mitigated by mentoring: information, training, wonderful gear, and knowledge gained through the experiences of others.

The value of TraditionalMountaineering to our Friends and Subscribers is the selectivity of the information we provide, and its relevance to introducing folks to informed hiking on the trail, exploring off the trail, mountain travel and Leave-no-Trace light-weight bivy and backpacking, technical travel over steep snow, rock and ice, technical glacier travel and a little technical rock climbing on the way to the summit. Whatever your capabilities and interests, there is a place for everyone in traditional alpine mountaineering.

    WARNING - *DISCLAIMER!*
Mountain climbing has inherent dangers that can, only in part, be mitigated

Read more:
Mount Hood - Accident claims three lives; rescue helicopter crashes
Mt. Rainier -  Fatality from falling rock in summer conditions
North Sister - Climbers swept by avalanche while descending Thayer Glacier Snowfield
North Sister - AAC Report of fatal fall from east side by Martina Testa
Mount Hood - Climber injured by falling ice, rescued by helicopter
Mount Hood - Avalanche proves fatal for member of Mazamas climbing group
Mount Hood - Final Report to the American Alpine Club on the loss of three climbers in December 2006
Mount Hood - Veteran climber injured during ice axe arrest on Mt Hood