Denali's Howl: The Deadliest Climbing Disaster on America's Wildest Peak (24 page)

“The snow was hard enough”
 . . . “Around that . . . there was a sleeping bag”:
John Ireton, interview by the National Park Service, tape recording, July 1967, Denali National Park and Preserve Museum Collection, NPS 7187, transcribed by author.

“We hollered”
:
Babcock telephone interview, March 2013.

“a ghastly sight”
:
Babcock journal.

“He was blown over”
:
Ireton NPS interview.

“I was twenty-six”
:
Nienhueser interview, August 2012.

the cold begins to penetrate the skin
:
J. L. Harrison and K. D. Davis, “Cold-Evoked Pain Varies with Skin Type and Cooling Rate: A Psychophysical Study in Humans,”
Pain
83, no. 2 (November 1999): 123–35; A. Kreh, F. Anton, H. Gilly, and H. O. Handwerker, “Vascular Reactions Correlated with Pain Due to Cold,”
Experimental Neurology
85, no. 3 (September 1984): 533–46.

renders brain enzymes less efficient
:
Peter Stark,
Last Breath: Cautionary Tales from the Limits of Human Endurance
(New York: Ballantine Books, 2001), 11–25.

blood surges into the nearly frozen flesh
:
“The Word: Paradoxical Undressing,”
New Scientist
194, no. 2,600 (April 21, 2007): 50.

“It was a nightmarish thing”
:
Babcock telephone interview, March 2013.

“We give negative”
:
Babcock journal.

“Not likely”
 . . . “Can this be accomplished commercially”:
Hansen ARG diary.

“It’s not the kind of rig”
:
Author interview with Dave Johnston, Talkeetna, AK, November 2012.

“Well, the plane flew over”
:
Babcock telephone interview, March 2013.

“By three fifteen we also reach the summit”
:
Babcock journal.

this time in his Super Cub
:
Talkeetna Air Service invoice, September 2, 1967.

The plane circled the slope
 . . . they wait and discuss it with Babcock:
Description of flight pattern and note from interview with Chet Hackney, reel-to-reel tape, George Hall Collection, transcribed by author.

“I really tried very hard”
:
Babcock telephone interview, March 2013.

orange wind pants, and green overboots
:
Ireton NPS interview.

“The body was in a sitting position”
:
Hackney e-mail interview, September 2013.

“He again was in a position” . . . “We looked into the cans”:
Ireton NPS interview.

“Mysterious clouds spill over”
:
Babcock journal.

“If we had dillydallied a half an hour”
: Babcock telephone interview, March 2013.

“I didn’t have enough knowledge”:
Wilcox interview, March 2012.

“Let’s go. They’ve found two more bodies”
 . . . it took a half an hour to dig their way out:
Wilcox,
White Winds,
158.

leaving the body where it sat
:
Babcock telephone interview, March 2013; Ireton NPS interview.

“Would you fellows consider”
:
Babcock journal.

“I think I yelled at Gayle”
:
Babcock telephone interview, March 2013.

“We had no feeling toward him”:
Babcock journal.

“24 July: The Colorado Party” . . . “Grace says not true . . . VH”:
Wilcox McKinley Expedition partial expedition log, 14 July through 26 July, written by Howard Snyder in Anchorage, evening of July 29, 1967, handwritten note added by Vin Hoeman, Grace and John Vincent Hoeman papers, Archives and Special Collections, Consortium Library, University of Alaska–Anchorage.

“We weren’t there
” . . .
“
with no divided channels”:
Snyder telephone interview, January 2014.

“My question was, are they alive”
:
George Hall, interviewed by Karen Brewster, April 16, 1999, Anchorage, H98-39-12, Part 1 Project Juke Box, University of Alaska Fairbanks oral history program, http://jukebox.uaf.edu/Sitka/program/htm/GeHa.htm [accessed January 5, 2014].

CHAPTER 11:
Whose Son?

“Luchterhand’s nineteen-year-old sister, Erika
”
:
Letter from Pat Luchterhand to Vin Hoeman, October 6, 1967, Grace and John Vincent Hoeman papers, Archives and Special Collections, Consortium Library, University of Alaska–Anchorage.

“Further information came”
:
Letter from Elmer Luchterhand to Vin Hoeman, June 17, 1968, Grace and John Vincent Hoeman, papers, Archives and Special Collections, Consortium Library, University of Alaska–Anchorage.

“and that he had contacted Senator Edward Kennedy”
 . . . “Capt. Gordon has talked”:
Hansen ARG diary.

“the generally slight prospects”
:
E. Luchterhand to Hoeman, June 17, 1968.

Steve Taylor’s parents
:
Author interview with Wally Cole, park hotel manager in 1967, Deneki Lakes, AK, March 2013.

“could be of any assistance”
 . . . return to the upper mountain to continue searching:
Hansen ARG diary.

“Send the Air Force”
 . . . “Whose son should I send?”:
Author interview with George Hall, Anchorage, August 1999.

Against the wishes of the regional director
:
Hall, Griffen interview, June 3, 1999.

“to find and bury” . . . “Little was added”:
Notes on the Humanitarian Climb, written by Vin Hoeman, Denali National Park and Preserve Museum Collection, DENA13611, 1967 Wilcox Expedition, Folder 109.

“Dear Vin and Grace”:
Letter from Perry Taylor to Vin Hoeman, June 20, 1968, Grace and John Vincent Hoeman papers, Archives and Special Collections, Consortium Library, University of Alaska–Anchorage.

“I know that considerable effort”
:
Letter from S .P. McLaughlin to George Hall, September 6, 1967, Denali National Park and Preserve Museum Collection, DENA13611, 1967 Wilcox Expedition, Folder 108.

“naïve but unlimited determination”
:
E. Luchterhand to Hoeman, June 17, 1968.

“Radio communication is a great thing”:
Letter from Vin Hoeman to Elmer Luchterhand, June 20, 1968, Grace and John Vincent Hoeman papers, Archives and Special Collections, Consortium Library, University of Alaska–Anchorage.

moved too quickly for observers to effectively search
:
Johnston interview, November 2012.

“
On the 17th and 18th”
:
Wilcox to Vin Hoeman, October 25, 1967.

“The six climbers made the push”:
Babcock journal.

“It would appear to me”:
Letter from Brad Washburn to Perry Taylor, September 22, 1967, Denali National Park and Preserve Museum Collection, DENA13611, 1967 Wilcox Expedition, Folder 108.

“you have to dig a snow cave”:
Hoeman to E. Luchterhand, June 20, 1968.

frozen and matted hair
:
Author interview with Gayle Nienhueser, Anchorage, May 2013.

hold his tent upright in the “blowhole”
:
Babcock journal.

“As soon as there is any kind of infarction”
:
Smith interview, December 2012.

Snyder put forth a similar scenario
:
Author telephone interview with Howard Snyder, April 2013.

If so, he said, decomposition would
:
Author interview with Dave McMahan, Alaska state archaeologist, retired, Anchorage, May 2013.

“The big difference”
:
Okonek interview, October 2013.

CHAPTER 12:
What Changed

the National Park Service convened a “critique” meeting
:
Letter from George Hall to parents of the Wilcox victims, September 21, 1967, Denali National Park and Preserve Museum Collection, DENA13611, Folder 109.

group strength is not measurable . . . “not always as described”:
Handwritten notes from critique meeting, undated, Denali National Park and Preserve Museum Collection, DENA13611, Folder 109.

“Whether we could do anything”
:
Merry interview, March 2012.

“This I don’t know”:
Ibid.

“Radio system funding and Climbing personnel”
:
Notes from critique meeting, undated, Denali National Park and Preserve Museum Collection, DENA13611, Folder 109.

“The critique meeting”:
Hall to parents of the Wilcox victims, September 21, 1967.

He routinely flew when he was needed
:
Nosek interview, May 2013.

“I explored all I could”
:
Hall, Griffen interview, June 3, 1999.

“I wear that one”
 . . . “At first I felt guilty”:
Wilcox interview, March 2012.

“I never got the impression”
:
Sfraga interview, December 2012.

“Joe is a real convenient target”
 . . . “Paul and I have talked about it”:
Snyder telephone interview, May 2013.

“It’s funny, we had some friends”:
Schlichter telephone interview, February 2013.

“He suffered physically”
:
Snyder telephone interview, April 2013.

He maintained a card catalog
:
Author interview with Jed Williamson, editor of
Accidents in North American Mountaineering
, published by the American Alpine Club. Hoeman’s card catalog is part of the Grace and John Vincent Hoeman papers in the Archives and Special Collections at the University of Alaska–Anchorage Consortium Library.

five of America’s finest mountaineers and two Sherpas
:
Author telephone interview with Bob Gerhard, April 2013.

she met the same fate as her husband
:
Author telephone interview with Gary Hansen, February 2012.

Mount Everest, where his body remains
:
Ray Genet death certificate, George Hall collection.

“My office is on the second floor”
 . . . “We wanted to thank him”:
Nosek interview, April 2013.

end climbing in Mount McKinley National Park . . . “He wouldn’t put it in writing”:
George Hall, Griffen interview, June 3, 1999.

“We wanted to show our opposition”
 . . . “The appreciation for your dad”:
Nosek interview, April 2013.

CHAPTER 13:
Thirty Years After

“The lows usually come” . . . “If it had lasted a few more hours”:
Smith interview, December 2012.

“Too many rescuers are killed”
:
Author interview with Daryl Miller, Anchorage, November 2012.

“I never even considered calling” . . . “I called down to fourteen”:
Smith interview, December 2012.

“The winds were only half”
:
Author interview with James Nelson, science and operations officer, NOAA, National Weather Service, Anchorage, March 2013.

EPILOGUE:
Memory in a Lifetime

Merry had no recollection of the encounter
:
Merry interview, March 2012.

neither did Bob Hafferman
:
Author telephone interview with Bob Hafferman, Kalispell, Montana, November 2012.

nor Wally Cole
:
Cole interview, March 2013.

thirty tourists at Eielson Visitor Center
:
Wonder Lake logbook, July 24, 1967, entry, Denali National Park and Preserve Museum Collection, DENA26382.

temporarily cutting off road access to the park
:
Wonder Lake logbook, July 25, 1967, entry, Denali National Park and Preserve Museum Collection, DENA26382.

The page numbers in this index refer to the printed version of this book. To find the corresponding locations in the text of this digital version, please use the “search” function on your e-reader. Note that not all terms may be searchable.

Air Force, U.S., 158–159, 180, 190

Alaska, European exploration of, 11

Alaska Highway, 39, 40, 51

Alaskan Natives, 9–10, 12–13, 21

Alaska Range, 10–11, 14, 16, 20, 128

Alaska Rescue Group (ARG)

Johnston-Genet-Davidson expedition rescue efforts, 97

National Park Service critique meeting participation, 190

rescue protocols, 99

Wilcox Expedition rescue arrangement, 33, 100–101

Wilson Expedition rescue efforts, 134–136, 146, 147, 173

Alpenstocks, 13, 15

Altitude sickness, 79, 83–85, 90–91, 113–117, 118, 140, 143

Anderson, Pete, 15, 87

Andrew, Alex, 21

Archdeacon’s Tower, 48, 111, 160, 170, 175, 182–183, 187, 205, 208

Aten, Arthur, 16

Athabaskan people, 9, 17

Avalanches, 20, 78

Babcock, Bill

MCA Expedition, 100–106, 127, 137–139

National Park Service critique meeting participation, 190–191

speculation about deaths of climbers, 181–182

Wilcox Expedition first group assistance, 144

Wilcox Expedition rescue efforts, 145, 147, 148, 152–154, 155, 157–158, 159, 160, 161, 163, 166–167, 173, 185

Babcock, Jeff, 101, 144, 148, 153, 159, 161, 190

Batkin, Jacques “Farine,” 22, 96, 97

Beaufort Sea, 2

Bellows, Helen, 177

Boulton, Edward, 174, 175

Brooks, Alfred, 9–10

Browne, Belmore, 15–17, 87

Browne Tower, 76, 81, 83, 129, 138

Cache Creek, 103, 167

Carlson Creek, 103

Carpe, Allen, 22

Chena River, 12, 217

Clark, Jerry

altitude sickness, 85

Camp II establishment, 60

Camp VII ascent and stay, 90

decision to stay behind first summit group, 108–109

descent from summit, 129

expedition membership, 24, 25, 32

expedition preparation, 52–53

friendship with McLaughlin, 80

mountaineering experience, 24, 42, 190

Mount Rainier training, 35–36, 37

physical characteristics, 24

radio communication, 85, 119, 121–123

road trip to Alaska, 39, 41

ski use, 60–62, 71

summit ascent, 118–126

on Wilcox’s leadership, 47

Clearwater River, 167–168

Climbing tools and gear, 13, 62–63, 77–78

Cole, Wally, 216

Colorado climbers, 32–33, 35–39.
See also
specific climbers

Cook, Frederick, 14–15

Cooley, Dave, 79

Coxcomb, 81, 86

Crenshaw, Charles, 174, 175

Crews, Paul, 98, 135–136, 154, 190

Davidson, Art, 95, 96, 98, 99, 190

Denali.
See also
Names of expeditions

atmospheric conditions, 18–19

climbing routes, 54–56

early summit ascents, 12–18

elevation, 10

fatalities, 22, 78, 96, 187

features and geology, 10–11, 18–20

female expeditions, 197

first successful summit attempt, 17–18

first summit in winter, 95–100

first woman to top, 27

first written reference to, 11

names for, 9, 11–12

snowfall, 14

storms on, 16–17, 203–213

temperature, average, 18

Washburn’s summit, 26–27

wind speed, 19–20

Denali Highway, 47, 51

Denali Pass, 48, 96, 110–111, 113, 159, 160, 174, 192, 204, 205, 208

Densmore, Frank, 11

Dickey, William, 12

Don Sheldon Amphitheater, 14

Eielson Visitor Center

as communication hub, 52

memorial service for climbers, 174

storm stranding tourists at (July–August 1967), 216

Wilcox Expedition’s check-in, 52

Eskimo, 2

Everest, Mount, 10, 26, 198

Everett, Boyd, Jr., 129

Fairbanks, 17

Farthing Horn, 17

Fathauer, Ted, 93, 150–151

Football Field, 205, 208

Frederick A. Cook Society, 15

Freezing, death from, 156–157

Gay, Ward, 136

Genet, Ray, 95, 96, 98, 99, 174, 175, 197–198

Gordon, Captain, 172

Great Icefall, 74

Griffen, Kristen, 200

Haber, Gordon, 52, 112–113, 119–125

Hackney, Chet, 101, 102, 144, 148, 154, 155, 160–163, 167

Hafferman, Bob, 216

Haglund, Don, 101, 102–103, 105

Hall, George

absence during early days of Wilcox Expedition tragedy, 133

comforting families of victims, 172, 173

critique of Washburn’s letter to Wilcox, 30–31, 53

dinner with Wilcox, 164–165

expedition rescue planning, 100

MCA honorary membership, 198–201

National Park Service career, 20–22, 133

National Park Service critique meeting participation, 189, 192–193

relationship with Wilcox Expedition rescuers, 197–198, 215–216

Wilcox Expedition rescue efforts, 147, 169, 174

Wilcox Expedition tragedy impact, 3–7

Hannan, Leo, 101, 104

Hansen, Gary

Humanitarian Climb organization, 174, 190

on Johnston-Genet-Davidson expedition rescue efforts, 97, 98

National Park Service critique meeting participation, 193

Wilcox Expedition rescue efforts, 134, 135–137, 138, 154, 158, 159, 172, 173

Hansen, Julia Butler, 133

Harper, Walter, 17–18

Harper Glacier, 14, 16, 48, 83, 87–88, 90, 91, 131, 138, 154, 161, 175, 187

Harper Icefall, 76, 139

Hartzog, George, 22, 133

Hayes, Art

CB radio communication, 52

National Park Service critique meeting participation, 189, 192

Wilcox Expedition check-in, 48

Wilcox Expedition concerns, 32–33, 100, 133

Wilcox Expedition rescue efforts, 134, 135–136, 164, 169, 173

Hill of Cracks, 67, 73, 74

Hoeman, Grace Jansen, 101, 143–144, 145, 148, 167–169, 174, 175, 197

Hoeman, Vin, 168, 174, 175, 176, 178–179, 180–181, 183–184, 190, 197

Humanitarian Climb, 174–177, 189

Iditarod Trail, 16

Ireton, John, 101, 103, 144, 148, 154–156, 160–163, 190

Janes, Hank

background of, 43

Camp III establishment, 71

Camp VI establishment, 83

Camp VII ascent and stay, 90, 110

descent from summit, 129

expedition membership, 32

father’s arrival in Anchorage to await search party, 172

friendship with Luchterhand, 80

Mount Rainier training, 33, 35–36, 37

Muldrow Glacier crevasse field passage, 73

road trip to Alaska, 39, 40, 41, 47

stove fire, 88–89

summit ascent, 118–126

Vietnam War deferment, 72

Janes, Paul, 172, 177

Japanese expeditions, 30

Jeffery Glacier, 13

Johnston, Dave, 95, 96, 98, 99, 159

Kahiltna Glacier, 14, 22, 99, 102, 111, 174

Kahiltna Pass, 10

Kantishna mining district, 17

Kantishna River, 12

Karstens, Harry, 17–18, 88

Karstens Notch, 76

Karstens Ridge, 16, 17, 22, 48, 56, 76, 78, 81, 83, 85, 127, 131, 137, 140, 152, 165

Knik, 15–16

Knik Arm, 11

Koven, Theodore, 22

LaVoy, Merl, 16

Lewis, Jerry

altitude sickness, 85, 113, 115, 140, 143

attempt to rescue second group, 131–133

Camp I hike, 58

Camp VI after summit ascent, 117–118, 130, 140

Camp VII ascent and stay, 90

descent from summit, 167–169

life after tragedy, 197

Muldrow Glacier crevasse field passage, 68, 69–71

road trip to Alaska, 38–39

summit ascent, 110–113

summit ascent preparation, 108

Vietnam War deferment, 72

Wilson Expedition merger, 32, 37

Lewis, Steve, 32, 33

Lower Icefall, 60, 62, 69, 87, 104, 105

Luchterhand, Dennis

altitude sickness, 115

background of, 42–43

Camp II establishment, 60

Camp III establishment, 71

Camp VI establishment, 83

Camp VII ascent and stay, 90, 107, 110

descent from summit, 129

early concerns about exhibition, 36

expedition membership, 32

family’s arrival in Anchorage to await search party, 171–173

friendships with other climbers, 80

group photo, 75

identification of dead body as, 172

Mount Rainier training, 33

road trip to Alaska, 39–40, 41, 51–52

stove fire, 88–89

summit ascent, 118–126

summit ascent planning, 86

Luchterhand, Elmer, 171–173, 178–179, 183–184

Luchterhand, Erika, 171

McGonagall, Charlie, 87

McGonagall Pass, 17, 40–41, 48, 57, 58, 62, 74–75, 90, 103–104, 105

McKinley, Mount.
See
Denali

McKinley River, 102, 168

McLaughlin, Mark

background of, 41–42

Camp VI establishment, 83

Camp VII ascent and stay, 90, 110

death of, 177

descent from summit, 129

expedition membership, 24, 32

friendship with Clark, 80

Mount Rainier training, 33

Muldrow Glacier crevasse field passage, 68, 70–71

radio contact, 124–125

road trip to Alaska, 40, 41

ski use, 60–62, 71

summit ascent, 118–126

summit ascent planning, 86

Vietnam War deferment, 72

McLaughlin, S. P., 177

McMahan, Dave, 186, 187

Mercer, Baxter, 56–57

Mercer, Berle, 40–41, 54, 56–57

Mercer, Kirk, 56–57

Merry, Wayne

on ARG’s rescue protocol, 99–100

on author’s childhood encounter with mystery climber, 216

National Park Service critique meeting participation, 189, 190

radio contact, 112

speculation about deaths of climbers, 186

Wilcox Expedition rescue efforts, 135, 145, 146, 147, 163–164, 191–192

on Wilcox Expedition’s preparation, 53–54

on Wilcox’s leadership, 37

Miller, Daryl, 212–213

Millett, Marion, 27

Minchumina, Lake, 11

Mountaineering

climbing tools, 13, 62–63, 77–78

as rarity in 1960s, 6

trail marking, 110, 111

weight loss, 80

Mountaineering Club of Alaska (MCA), Hall’s honorary membership in, 198–201

Mountaineering Club of Alaska (MCA) Expedition

description of events and conditions during, 102–106, 127, 131, 137–139

Humanitarian Climb participation, 190

training, 100–102

Wilcox Expedition first group assistance, 143–144

Wilcox Expedition rescue efforts, 147–148, 151–163, 165–169, 173

Mount McKinley National Park, 3, 22, 25, 48, 100, 134

Muldrow Glacier, 15, 16, 17, 22, 24, 28, 40, 48, 54–56, 58–59, 67–71, 76, 102, 127

Muldrow River, 14

National Geographic,
26

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 149–151, 214

National Park Service

climbing rangers on mountain during 1997 storm, 212

critique meeting, 189–193

flight rules, 28

Hall’s career with, 20–22, 133

rescue support, 134

Wilcox Expedition application approval, 32–33

and Wilcox Expedition-Colorado team merger, 37

National Weather Service, 93

Nelson, Jim, 214

The
New York Sun,
11–12

Nienhueser, Gayle

on finding dead climber, 156, 167

on MCA Expedition events and conditions, 104

MCA Expedition membership, 101

Wilcox Expedition first group assistance, 144

Wilcox Expedition rescue efforts, 148, 152–153, 154, 159, 160, 161, 166

on Wilcox-Schiff argument over rescue call, 146

Nisqually Glacier, 36

Northwest Buttress, 15

Nosek, Frank, 88–89, 93–94, 99–100, 146, 147, 190, 199, 200

Okonek, Brian, 187

Orient Express, 208, 214

Papineau, John, 149–151

Parker, Herschel, 15, 16

Parker Pass, 83, 152

Park Road, 51, 216

Peabody, Willy, 204–205, 208, 210, 211, 213, 214

Perkins, George, 52

Peters Basin, 14

Peters Glacier, 13, 14

Pig Hill, 205

Prusik hitches, 36

Radio communication, 52

Rainier, Mount, 25, 33, 35–37

Reichardt, Louis, 128, 130–131, 137, 141–142, 149

Rescue Coordination Center (RCC), 97, 98, 99, 134, 146, 158, 172

Riley Creek, 216

Russell, Jane, 45–46

Russell, John

altitude sickness, 79, 85, 113, 114, 116

background of, 45–46

bamboo summit pole found by MCA expedition search party, 155

Browne Tower leg lead, 81

Camp II establishment, 60

Camp III establishment, 71

Camp V establishment, 76–77

Camp VII ascent and stay, 110, 113–115

conflicts with expedition members, 60–63

criticism of Schiff, 78–80

expedition membership, 32

flag carried by and found by Humanitarian Climb expedition, 113–114, 174–175, 184–185

group photo, 75–76

July 4 firecracker, 75

missing from second group’s summit ascent, 126, 129, 184

Mount Rainier training, 33, 36

personality of, 80

radio contact, 91–92

road trip to Alaska, 39, 40

speculation about death of, 184–186

stove fire, 74, 88–89

summit ascent plans, 86

Vietnam War deferment, 72

Russians, 11

Ruth Gap, 10

Ruth Glacier, 14

Rutter, John, 199–200

Sassara, Chuck, 147

Schiff, Anshel

altitude sickness, 84, 85, 115, 116, 143

attempt to rescue second group, 131–133

background of, 44–45

Camp VI after summit ascent, 117–118, 129–130, 139

Camp VII ascent and stay, 110, 113–115