Skier falls and dies on Mt Washington amugst multiple rescues this weekend

[MidnightJester]

Skier, 20, dies after 600-foot fall from New Hampshire mountain

Madison Saltsburg, 20, was killed after falling more than 600 feet amid icy conditions on New Hampshire’s Mount Washington over a stormy weekend that saw at least two others rescued.

nypost.com

 

[deadheadskier]

Sounds like sketchy conditions in the bowl. I wonder if part of the decision to go for it was because after already making the trek to the base, they didn't want to forfeit the plan. I bet that happens fairly frequently; people pushing themselves to ski conditions they normally wouldn't because they already put in a large effort. Not that this couldn't happen during very good conditions also.

Tragic when anyone dies skiing, but the victim only being 20 is really tough to hear.

 

[2Planker]

Was there. That should have never happened…

 

[Abubob]

What’s odd is that I can’t find any local report on this, either on Fish and Game or Mt Washington Avalanche Center. It’s national news but doesn’t make a dent in local news?

 

[Smellytele]

What’s odd is that I can’t find any local report on this, either on Fish and Game or Mt Washington Avalanche Center. It’s national news but doesn’t make a dent in local news?

It was on channel 9 in Manchester.

 

[Abubob]

It was on channel 9 in Manchester.

WMUR apparently too but I was expecting something more “official“. I don’t remember when the hiker died in the Pemi Wilderness being splashed all over national news. What am I missing?

 

[BodeMiller1]

20 years old, be interesting to see how it happened.Who knew there'd be ice? Whats the chance you die or get maimed up there these days?

 

[mister moose]

Farther down the article:

Last week, a hiker from Kentucky had to be rescued from another part of the mountain after slamming his head in a fall and becoming hypothermic, WBTS said.

Joabe Barbosa, 23, fell off the trail and down Ammonusuc Ravine around 6:45 p.m. on Thursday, hitting his head and face and losing one of his sneakers.

Sneakers? You were hiking in the winter, high in the mountains, in the dark... in sneakers?

 

[Abubob]

Farther down the article:

Last week, a hiker from Kentucky had to be rescued from another part of the mountain after slamming his head in a fall and becoming hypothermic, WBTS said.

Joabe Barbosa, 23, fell off the trail and down Ammonusuc Ravine around 6:45 p.m. on Thursday, hitting his head and face and losing one of his sneakers.

Sneakers? You were hiking in the winter, high in the mountains, in the dark... in sneakers?

Yeah right? Seemed an odd thing to slap on there to fill out the article. But that’s the sort of high quality reporting you get from the NY Post.

Hmm. Same on the AP. Weird.

 

[2Planker]

What’s odd is that I can’t find any local report on this, either on Fish and Game or Mt Washington Avalanche Center. It’s national news but doesn’t make a dent in local news?

Backcountry skier dies amid icy conditions on New Hampshire’s Mount Washington

The skier died after falling 600 feet at Tuckerman Ravine, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Several other skiers were hurt on the mountain on the same day.

www.nbcnews.com

 

[cdskier]

Yeah right? Seemed an odd thing to slap on there to fill out the article. But that’s the sort of high quality reporting you get from the NY Post.

Hmm. Same on the AP. Weird.

And Post likely sourced from the AP...

Not really sure what's so weird about it though. Shows that there have been numerous recent incidents and highlights that some people are unprepared.

 

[kingslug]

Very easy to fall off that climb up. I hit ice while climbing it and had to crab walk over to better conditions...scary as hell.

 

[Hawk]

Was there. That should have never happened…

So what happend? Were the condition so bad that she should not have been up there? Where did she fall? Was she over her head ability wize? Was it a freek accident? I am thinking that all of the above is the anwser.

 

[Abubob]

And Post likely sourced from the AP...

Not really sure what's so weird about it though. Shows that there have been numerous recent incidents and highlights that some people are unprepared.

I did notice later it was quoting AP but it just seems unrelated and inconsequential to this poor girls death. She was obviously competent enough to hike up with full gear and comparing her to this dipwad on the other side of the mountain hiking at night in sneakers no less, just seems a bit insulting.

 

[Smellytele]

I did notice later it was quoting AP but it just seems unrelated and inconsequential to this poor girls death. She was obviously competent enough to hike up with full gear and comparing her to this dipwad on the other side of the mountain hiking at night in sneakers no less, just seems a bit insulting.

The hike up is a walk in the park until you get to the bowl.

 

[Abubob]

The hike up is a walk in the park until you get to the bowl.

That’s what’s lacking in the AP report. Nothing about where or how she fell. I image if she fell 600 feet she was fairly high in the bowl. Certainly not on the trail or approach.

 

[KustyTheKlown]

So what happend? Were the condition so bad that she should not have been up there? Where did she fall? Was she over her head ability wize? Was it a freek accident? I am thinking that all of the above is the anwser.

upper organgrinder was unsafe skiing on saturday. a cold cloudy day after an overnight deep freeze. there is no way tuckerman was remotely skiable on saturday.

 

[Smellytele]

WMUR apparently too but I was expecting something more “official“. I don’t remember when the hiker died in the Pemi Wilderness being splashed all over national news. What am I missing?

Channel 9 is WMUR

 

[crank]

the only weekend i ever hiked/skied tucks it was blizzard conditions on saturday. snowing and blowing and nothing was sticking to the refrozen, rock hard surface of the bowl. Traffic was extremely light up there for a Saturday in mid-May. As my friend and I were hiking us, skis on shoulders, wondering are we really gonna do this?

Thinking I sure wish my edges were sharp! We encountered some sort of AMC patroller or ranger, not on skis but with crampons and an ice axe, sitting down about 1/4 of the way up. He was not letting anyone continue , said something about the bowl being closed. It was a good thing he was there to save us from ourselves. We were 20- something and too dumb to realize we were on a fool's mission

We hiked sideways towards Hillman's Highway and a gully with some trees where we thought some snow might have collected. Nope. We took our skis off to navigate through the trees - big mistake. I fell and slid about a thousand feet and probably 300 vertical feet. Bounced over rocks and brush. I was able to launch myself over the tops of them sand thus avoid serious injury. Didn't stop until I reached the flat bottom.My skis and poles stayed up in the trees and my buddy was too freaked out to bring them down to me. I had to kick little toe hold steps way through the ice all the way back up.

We went back on Sunday in perfect 50 degree,sunny, calm weather and skied tucks and Hillman's with great corn snow and hundreds of folks enjoying the day.

I can see how this tragedy could easily happen up there.

 

[abc]

Farther down the article:

Last week, a hiker from Kentucky had to be rescued from another part of the mountain after slamming his head in a fall and becoming hypothermic, WBTS said.

Joabe Barbosa, 23, fell off the trail and down Ammonusuc Ravine around 6:45 p.m. on Thursday, hitting his head and face and losing one of his sneakers.

Sneakers? You were hiking in the winter, high in the mountains, in the dark... in sneakers?

When you consider the guy was from Kentucky, where there’s no mountain and few ice, what does he know? Where can he get the knowledge there’s ice up high when it’s all grass on the parking lot?

I‘ve told this story to many people. I was in Michigan and an SUV with an Arizona plate had tried to drive on the snowmobile trail and got stuck! He’s never seen a snowmobile trail!

OK, so these guys aren’t very bright. But there’s really such a thing that they don’t know what they don’t know.