Re: Oakland climber in Yosemite dies after weather turns bad

That's sad. Sounds like a nice guy.

Yosemite National Park (CA)
Climber Caught In Storm Dies Following Descent

On the morning of November 11th, Tuolumne ranger Jason Ramsdell encountered a man at the Cathedral trailhead who had just walked out of the backcountry during a snowstorm and was shivering uncontrollably. The man told Ramsdell that a friend was unconscious along the trail to Cathedral Peak and was probably dead from hypothermia. Ramsdell warmed the man, then launched a rescue operation. Rangers found the body of 43-year-old Peter Noble near the Budd Creek trail about a mile and a half above the Tioga Road just after 10 a.m. Although the investigation is still underway, it appears that Noble succumbed to the cold after climbing Cathedral Peak. The two men had become severely hypothermic while rappelling down after climbing the southeast buttress as blowing sleet and snow moved into the area in the early morning hours. Intending to be out of the backcountry by just after dark, the men did not have warm clothing with them and had not taken along much food. Equipment, including warm hats, matches and waterproof jackets, had been left behind near the base of the climbing route.

eeek wrote: the men did not have
> warm clothing with them and had not taken along much food.
> Equipment, including warm hats, matches and waterproof jackets,
> had been left behind near the base of the climbing route.
>

It would be easy to pass judgment, but hind site is 20/20.

I would suspect that they weren't in a position to be thinking clearly by the time they got down to the base of the peak due to the hypothermia. They may have thought it was better to quickly do the three miles to 120 instead of wasting time getting geared up for the hike out.

---

Old Dude

I was thinking something as simple as a metalized Mylar "space blanket" might have been enough in an emergency to keep them warmer even if they were wet. I always carry one or two of those things in my pack, and they barely take up any room. In case of a search, they create a massive reflection.

In any case, I thought that hypothermia typically set in because people are both wet and have stopped moving (i.e. resting). When I'm moving and wet, I still feel warm, but when I stop it gets cooler and clammy.

i took a group of 14 yr old scouts up to Nevada Falls about 10 yrs ago... i warned them to bring warm clothes with them on the hike (even though the weather was sunny and warm normally during that time of year), AND to bring rain jackets etc... only one kid did... about 8 of them were near tears once we reached the top... it began to snow!!! the snow barely stuck to the ground for any length of time,but it was cold nonetheless...it was nothing life threatening, but a great lesson for them to learn... they were cold to the bone.. the other adults and i couldn't help but chuckle.... some kids just have to learn the hard way.

>i took a group of 14 yr old scouts up to Nevada Falls about 10 yrs ago

What time of year was it?

reminds me of the mt hood thing last year . there is alot of machismo or legend etc in climbing that isn't necessarily logical or intelligent . once you abandon certain safeguards and practises it's just a matter of time til stuff like this happens

Lucrativ wrote:

> reminds me of the mt hood thing last year . there is alot of
> machismo or legend etc in climbing that isn't necessarily
> logical or intelligent . once you abandon certain safeguards
> and practises it's just a matter of time til stuff like this
> happens

Sometimes there seems to be almost a pathological desire to reduce weight, including simple items (rain jacket was mentioned) that could save ones butt in a bad situation.

y_p_w wrote:

> Sometimes there seems to be almost a pathological desire to
> reduce weight, including simple items (rain jacket was
> mentioned) that could save ones butt in a bad situation.

One February I saw a guy jogging in nothing but shorts and shoes on the JMT near Nevada Falls. All he had to do is trip or twist his ankle to be in dire risk of hypothermia.

Any final report on the circumstances around this death?

---

Old Dude

mrcondron wrote:

> Any final report on the circumstances around this death?

I doubt that we'll ever hear anything more about the incident.

eeek wrote:

> mrcondron wrote:
>
> > Any final report on the circumstances around this death?
>
> I doubt that we'll ever hear anything more about the incident.

The Chron never reported on this again, but Google News is your friend. Just like most of us thought - hypothermia.

http://www.mymotherlode.com/News/article/kvml/1195231222

Quote

Cause Of Climber's Death Determined

Friday, November 16, 2007 - 08:45 AM
Bill Johnson
MML News Director
Sonora, CA -- The Tuolumne County Coroner's office has determined that 44 year old Peter Charles Noble of Oakland, CA died of hypothermia.

Noble and a climbing parter started a descent of Cathedral Pak in Yosemite very early Sunday morning. At approximately 7:30 Noble's partner met a park ranger on the roadway.

A rescue team retrieved Noble's body shortly thereafter.

Written by [email protected]

Post Edited (12-08-07 23:16)