*** High-Risk Rescue of Avalanched Ice Climbers - one fatality ***

Date:    Fri, 31 Jan 1997 18:18:24 -0600
From:    Chris Reed <CReed@smith-intl.com>
To:      sarinfo@mindlink.bc.ca

January 25, 1997
Ice Climbers Caught in Avalanche, one fatality
Location: Bridal Veil Falls, Near Provo, Utah
Submitted by: Chris Reed, Utah County Sheriff Search & Rescue

A large, out of the ordinary storm struck Utah this morning.  It snowed
heavily along the Wasatch Front until noon and then switched to a mixture
of heavy rain and snow, and later in the afternoon went back to snowing.

Ice climbers were on the ice in the vicinity of Bridal Veil Falls during
this warming period. The Bridal Veil Falls area in Provo Canyon is world
renowned for spectacular ice climbing and it is also the location of the
steepest tram in the world. That was until last year when the tram was
destroyed by an avalanche.

At about 1215 hours an avalanche came down through a chute just east of
Bridal Veil Falls. It caught two roped together ice climbers, swept them
off the ledge they were on and took them 250 feet down steep terrain
through scattered pines and oak brush. Other ice climbers in their
vicinity responded to their aide. One of the victims was buried in about
two feet of snow with only an arm and his face clear. They called the
Utah County Sheriff's Office on a cell phone while they were digging the
victim out of the avalanche. They said that one victim was seriously hurt
and that they were doing CPR on a second victim.
 
Members of the Utah County Sheriff Search and Rescue were immediately
dispatched and they were at the victims in under an hour. An avalanche
dog and a handler from nearby Sundance Ski Resort also responded in case
there were other victims. The ice climbing area is about 800' above the
canyon floor.

The steep ascent combined with knee-deep snow in pines and oak brush
made the climb difficult. An attempt was made to stay clear of the
avalanche runout zones but there were not many choices in getting to
the victims.

The two victims were about fifty feet apart and they were doing CPR on
the lower victim at the foot of a large pine tree. The approaching
hasty team was split, three members went to the injured victim and two
to the possible fatality. The injured and buried climber was Scott Lee
from Sandy, Utah. He was buried with only an arm free. Scott cleared
his own face but he was unable to dig anymore than that free. There is
no doubt that the ice climbers saved Scott's life. Scott knew his
climbing partner was probably dead and he said his name was Doug Hall,
a world class ice climber from Silverton, Colorado.

Scott was still caught in a pocket of rock hard avalanche debris and it
was not easy to get him out of the hole and onto a backboard. His
injuries consisted of hip, lower back and chest pain, and the whole side
of his head was starting to swell. Scott said he broke his back skiing
the year before and that this accident might end his winter sports.
His vitals were stable and level of consciousness good. Scott was
shivering uncontrollably and he was soaking wet, but everyone agreed -
stabilize and run.
 
The avalanche danger was extremely high and the rescue operation was in
an obvious avalanche runout zone. As Scott was being packaged in the
stokes an avalanche ran out of Lost Canyon, across the highway from
the rescue. It came down at least 2000' and it stopped at the edge of
the highway. The billowing snow cloud came halfway across the canyon
and it was an awesome sight.

The command post had the canyon closed. The weather conditions were
letting up some but the blowing rain and snow continued.

Scott had been lowered half way down to the command post when an
avalanche ran at Vivian Park. That was one mile east of the rescue on
the same side of the canyon and on the same slope. Just prior to
reaching the command post another avalanche ran at Bridal Veil Falls,
on the same slope and less than 1000' to the west. Needless to say,
everyone was `making haste' quickly!

Scott was delivered to waiting Provo Paramedics and Doug Hall's body
was brought out twenty minutes later. As everyone was driving out of
the canyon another small avalanche ran just west of Bridal Veil Falls.
It was good to be out of there!

I checked with the Utah Valley Regional Medical Center the following
morning and Scott was listed in stable condition. Our hearts go out to
Doug Hall's family and friends and they can be rest assured he died
doing what he enjoyed, in some of the most beautiful country Utah has
to offer.

Submitted by: Chris Reed, Utah County Sheriff Search & Rescue
Image: bridalveil.tif

                        ----------------------------