User Panel
Posted: 11/20/2014 1:28:36 PM EDT
Source
"After three days exploring the Longs Peak area of Rocky Mountain National Park, search and rescue personnel still have found no signs of the missing 25-year-old hiker from Broomfield. Peter Jeffris has not been seen since reportedly leaving Sunday morning to climb 14,259-foot-tall Longs Peak. He did not arrive at work Monday and his car was later found in the Longs Peak Trailhead parking lot. The search will continue Thursday. A 32-member search and rescue team from several organizations searched nearly 20 square miles Wednesday, the third day of the search. Park officials said no significant signs or clues of Jeffris' whereabouts were found." The guy may still be alive or more likely he is frozen by now. It is true that you can't stop stupid. Had the guy taken a PLB such as listed below, his location would have been know and perhaps rescued days ago. One brand of PLB |
|
[#2]
A PLB doesn't do any good if you pitch off of Chasm View or the top of The Diamond.
|
|
[#3]
Quoted:
A PLB doesn't do any good if you pitch off of Chasm View or the top of The Diamond. View Quote Obviously if you commit suicide or die in a fall or avalanche it won't work. Many of these cases of missing hikers could result in a positive outcome if they can be found quickly. A GPS enabled PLB can do that. |
|
[#4]
Was said to be doing the normal Cables Route / Keyhole on the North side, but they are also searching Keiner's and Lamb Slide on the East face - though I can't see how someone doing the walk up would think an East side descent would be the least bit safe. Broadway, or more likely, Mills Glacier may be worth a look - don't know how you'd be able to really check Mills, though.
|
|
[#6]
|
|
[#7]
|
|
[#10]
It has been cold recently and there may be significant snow on that mountain. In the last few days there could have been periods of strong winds.
It is not unreasonable to guess that his body may already be snow covered. |
|
[#11]
Soloing Longs in the middle of November? Not exactly something I would recommend.
|
|
[#12]
Chasm View Notch (right at the sunlight/shadow portion of the photo) may also be something for the search crews to check, but it's unlikely someone would lose his footing there - it's a desk-sized flat rock that you walk up to, not down to, and there should be some anchor webbing to hold onto if you want to peer out over the side.
|
|
[#13]
|
|
[#15]
But hey it was sunny when I left Denver
People don't really grasp how severe the weather changes here and how quick |
|
[#16]
|
|
[#17]
They located his body this afternoon. The info I saw said around 200 ft. below the Ledges on Keyhole. Sad, but he should have known better.
|
|
[#18]
|
|
[#19]
|
|
[#20]
Quoted: Quoted: They located his body this afternoon. The info I saw said around 200 ft. below the Ledges on Keyhole. Sad, but he should have known better. How did he die? Fall? I would assume so. I'm not sure how experienced he was, but that area can be tricky for anyone when snow is involved.
|
|
[#21]
|
|
[#22]
Quoted:
They located his body this afternoon. The info I saw said around 200 ft. below the Ledges on Keyhole. Sad, but he should have known better. View Quote I'm assuming he had crampons and an axe, right? I can't imagine trying this without. But, in early-season mixed conditions, it's easy to skate on black ice even with crampons, or especially exposed rock. Snow, thin snow, snow, then one step on a lone, exposed, wobbly rock with one crampon - and with a sharp, spine grating sound, you've lost footing in marginal conditions that aren't favorable for self arrest. Even if he was with somebody, it's easy to pull your partner off with you on 4th class terrain like that. |
|
[#23]
My initial view that a PLB or similar could have saved it was wrong. Obviously falling to your death is not changed by having a PLB.
|
|
[#24]
Quoted:
Was said to be doing the normal Cables Route / Keyhole on the North side, but they are also searching Keiner's and Lamb Slide on the East face - though I can't see how someone doing the walk up would think an East side descent would be the least bit safe. Broadway, or more likely, Mills Glacier may be worth a look - don't know how you'd be able to really check Mills, though. View Quote There is no walk up route on longs peak. This is the third person to die on the ledges this year, at least one death was in summer conditions. Also cables and keyhole are two very different routes. |
|
[#25]
The winds at the Keyhole have been clocked at 200 mph plus.
I've been up Longs numerous times, I've literally had to crawl to get past the keyhole before. |
|
[#26]
Quoted:
There is no walk up route on longs peak. This is the third person to die on the ledges this year, at least one death was in summer conditions. Also cables and keyhole are two very different routes. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
Quoted:
Was said to be doing the normal Cables Route / Keyhole on the North side, but they are also searching Keiner's and Lamb Slide on the East face - though I can't see how someone doing the walk up would think an East side descent would be the least bit safe. Broadway, or more likely, Mills Glacier may be worth a look - don't know how you'd be able to really check Mills, though. There is no walk up route on longs peak. This is the third person to die on the ledges this year, at least one death was in summer conditions. Also cables and keyhole are two very different routes. My mistake for confusing the routes. I'm not very familiar with the routes once you move off the Diamond. And as you said, these normal routes are sketchy enough in good conditions, let alone early winter mixed conditions. |
|
[#27]
When we first moved here I was appalled how people just wander off into the wilderness to "hike" without proper winter gear for high elevations, enough water, the means to build a fire, or even a "call 911 if I don't come back after 3pm Sunday" contingency.
Now I just see it as Darwinism at work. |
|
[#29]
Quoted:
When we first moved here I was appalled how people just wander off into the wilderness to "hike" without proper winter gear for high elevations, enough water, the means to build a fire, or even a "call 911 if I don't come back after 3pm Sunday" contingency. Now I just see it as Darwinism at work. View Quote Some "smart" people |
|
[#30]
Quoted:
Longs Peak kills people every year. View Quote This. People wrongly assume that since so many people climb Longs Peak every year (10,000+) that it must be easy. It has killed at least 4 TIMES as many people as any other mountain in Colorado, more than 70 now. The difficult section on the keyhole route is about 1.5 miles, all above 13,000 feet, mostly in the shade all day. The rocks can be polished smooth from heavy traffic. I fight with the 14er community about this occasionally. |
|
[#31]
Quoted: This. People wrongly assume that since so many people climb Longs Peak every year (10,000+) that it must be easy. It has killed at least 4 TIMES as many people as any other mountain in Colorado, more than 70 now. The difficult section on the keyhole route is about 1.5 miles, all above 13,000 feet, mostly in the shade all day. The rocks can be polished smooth from heavy traffic. I fight with the 14er community about this occasionally. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: Longs Peak kills people every year. This. People wrongly assume that since so many people climb Longs Peak every year (10,000+) that it must be easy. It has killed at least 4 TIMES as many people as any other mountain in Colorado, more than 70 now. The difficult section on the keyhole route is about 1.5 miles, all above 13,000 feet, mostly in the shade all day. The rocks can be polished smooth from heavy traffic. I fight with the 14er community about this occasionally. |
|
[#32]
Quoted:
Yeah. Although I imagine its super popularity plays into the death toll, the number of people climbing it doesn't mean its easy at all. It just means its popular. Hope to climb it one day. Hope I can move out to the springs in a couple of years. It is certainly not going to be high on the to do list. Not the mountain I want to cut my teeth on. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Longs Peak kills people every year. This. People wrongly assume that since so many people climb Longs Peak every year (10,000+) that it must be easy. It has killed at least 4 TIMES as many people as any other mountain in Colorado, more than 70 now. The difficult section on the keyhole route is about 1.5 miles, all above 13,000 feet, mostly in the shade all day. The rocks can be polished smooth from heavy traffic. I fight with the 14er community about this occasionally. Bierstadt would be the standard "cut your teeth on" 14er. If you want a 14er with supplemental oxygen, try Bear Peak in Boulder. If you want a higher mountain but still not a 14er, go for Twin Sisters in RMNP. Or Chief's Head in RMNP -- that one's almost a 14er. |
|
[#33]
Quoted:
Was said to be doing the normal Cables Route / Keyhole on the North side, but they are also searching Keiner's and Lamb Slide on the East face - though I can't see how someone doing the walk up would think an East side descent would be the least bit safe. Broadway, or more likely, Mills Glacier may be worth a look - don't know how you'd be able to really check Mills, though. View Quote Until late last year, I was the LP Area Ranger. Man, let me tell you, people do ALL kinds of crazy things..... The two kids a couple years ago who climbed up to Broadway Ledge thinking they were on the Keyhole Route, nuff said. When we were installing some fixed anchors above the False Keyhole (for tech rescue work) tons of people came wandering up thinking they were on route. Anyway, i just got off a crappy rainy 10 hr rescue so I'm going to bed. cheers, |
|
AR15.COM is the world's largest firearm community and is a gathering place for firearm enthusiasts of all types.
From hunters and military members, to competition shooters and general firearm enthusiasts, we welcome anyone who values and respects the way of the firearm.
Subscribe to our monthly Newsletter to receive firearm news, product discounts from your favorite Industry Partners, and more.
Copyright © 1996-2024 AR15.COM LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Any use of this content without express written consent is prohibited.
AR15.Com reserves the right to overwrite or replace any affiliate, commercial, or monetizable links, posted by users, with our own.