Topic Author's Original Post - Jul 26, 2012 - 07:29am PT
From Ted at Skyline Adventure School
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Ben Horne and Gil Weis, two missing climbers who were attempting the South Face of Palcaraju and are overdue by 5 days. Our team of rescuers is up on the glacier this morning doing a preliminary search. At 7am this morning they found the climbers tent and are now searching the surrounding area."
Please send out your good thoughts and prayers to Gill, Ben and families and friends. I will up date when I get more news. Hoping against hope, this is sad news.
TY
"I sit here in a coffee shop in Huaraz, Peru, planning another foray into the Cordillera Blanca, where the sense that one’s life is in the hands of the mountains can be as blinding as the endless white glaciers, and a thirst for glory can darken our better judgment more than the blackness of night."
From Gil's most recent post on pullharder, regarding the death of Michael Ybarra.
As of right now, there isn't anything new to report. We are just hanging in there. It has been cold and a bit windy. The south faces were loose and slightly loaded from small but recent snow fall. keeping a light in the widow guys. TY
Sitting in La Casa De Zarela right now in Huaraz Peru. Just heard the news from Tony. I talked with Gil the night before he left. We were wondering why they hadnt gotten back to town. Such terrible news. My hopes are with them.
Sun Ribbon next day after Dark Star. I know Ben is an animal that has enough in the tank to get himself out of anything. Hoping for the best. This one was one of the most life altering trips for me.
We are trying to get the embassy to get a rescue mission, they are unable to do so for the second day. we need a light aircraft for the searching around the peak to help our own rescue team to be as our eyes from above. Please Help
In event that we need the plane for longer than today, and the funds we have are spent, I have setup a PayPal account so that we may have friends and family gather financial support---should we need it.
Any climbers in the Cordillera Blanca, we need your help in the Cojup Valley. Your assistance would be very useful in getting supplies up to a search team on the SW ridge of Palcaraju Oeste. Please ping me at charles.ince@gmail.com if you have ways to help with this effort.
At this point we have not seen ANY meaningful collaboration beyond the civillian efforts. Unfortunately the US Embassy or Peruvian authorities/government are "waiting for more information" before they dedicate any real resources to this.
If anyone has a way to help us get better contacts into the Embassy they would be greatly appreciated. Contact me at charles.ince@gmail.com
At this point we are attempting to privately fund the aerial search on our own and use our own means to resupply the SAR effort that is being spearheaded by Ted's team.
Palcaraju Oeste, 7/2/12 satellite shot. Ben and Gil likely climbed the south face, summited and then started down. Ground observations indicate their tracks seem to stop at the 5800 meter point.
It may be worth contacting Dianne Feinstein's office in SF. Senator Feinstein's husband attempted Everest once. She may be sympathetic to this cause. She will have considerable influence on the embassy in Peru.
I sent an e-mail to Senator Feinstein and also left a message with her office in Los Angeles Phone: (310) 914-7300 Perhaps other calls to this office will bring this situation to the forefront of her agenda. My sincere thoughts and best wishes to to all who are affected by this.
This is just terrible news in light of the fact that I am still recovering from my friend Mike Ybarra's death....even though I didn't know these men it feels more real to me now.
I, too, read the pullharder entry about Mike and it feels so disorienting after seeing this news.
Sorry that I don't know who is who (other than user names) so I suggested she look at the forum post and contact Chris McNamara. Maybe someone can send her a more direct contact.
I utilized an ex-pat(Tim)years ago in Huaraz to coordinate logistical efforts for a trek around the Codillera Huayhuash. He may be able to help in your SAR efforts and be able to expedite services. He operates a local coffee shop here's his email: tibben@ocf.berkeley.edu
..I met Gil and Ben in the Ishinca Valley on July 7th...They had just climbed Ishinca & Ranrapalca...were in very good spirits... they were headed to Huantsan and myself to the Santa Cruz Valley...very enthusiastic about being in the Blanca for the third straight season, Gil was very excited about getting back to Boulder with what he described as an "outstanding group of friends and a business waiting for him" ... I'm sorry to say that I am in lima now waiting to get back to the US and unavailable to assist with the search...I'm hoping for the best for these two... This really hits home- especially having just met them ... If anyone can help on the ground - certainly it's Ted... Hopes and prayers to Gil, Ben, family and friends...
I contacted Sara Peru (South American Rescue Association) www.saraperu.com. Karine said that she has contacts in the area that may be able to provide air support.
I was given these two cell phone numbers from the German consulate.
+51-974-796-354
+51-949-434-952
I only tried the first one and got through to Karine who speaks english.
Has anyone else had any luck with an airplane today?
A friend found people in Peru with a plane and send the info to lioradanan@gmail.com
If there is anyone else here who needs their contact info here is the message:
Reply from Alberto:
Here we have what you need.
The company it’s called UNISTAR,
website http://www.unistar.peAsk directly with Mr. Silverio polo, Gerente de Operaciones
His private mobile phone is 990700094.Central Lima: 719-5777
Tell him that you are calling by reference of Mr. Haren Montes (from Caraz) who is a friend of Alberto Cafferata and is who gave me this reference.
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Although I hope there is a plane already involved. Every minute counts in these types of situations.
From Huaraz, it has been cloudy all day today. bit windy as well. A fixed wing search would be problematic without a break in the clouds. Having said that I hope they are flying. I am still hoping for the best.
TY
Adam (Travelin-Light) and I (Jared Vagy) will head to the valley for 2 days tomorrow morning as an independent climbing team to aid in the search. Hoping for the best.
Response I got from the AAC, I hope they are right:
We contacted Global Rescue, the organization that provides rescue to all AAC members, yesterday and they've been providing us status updates. Last I heard, they've got a fixed wing aircraft doing fly-overs of the area (a few hours ago).
My name is Cory Lamz. I'm a reporter for the Daily Camera in Boulder, Colorado. I'm doing a follow up story to the one that was written by the Associated Press earlier today about Gil and Ben going missing. If you have climbed with Gil or Ben or know them personally in any capacity, I'd love to talk to you. You can reach me at 303-473-1361 or lamzc@dailycamera.com.
Cory and San Diego 10.
I have already contacted you directly via email to direct press energy. Please get in touch with me or with Galit (Gil's sister). Our goals are:
1) Put pressure to get an airplane or helicopter up in the air
2) Get donations for our privately funded search operation already underway
3) Get people to help us look through the large volumes of satellite imagery we are collecting.
We're 85% done tiling and uploading the newest satellite image. When it's done (hopefully very soon, matter of minutes) i'll post links to a google earth file, a google maps link, and our crowdsourcing interface where people can tag things they they find.
I will gladly spend hours going over any satellite imagery you have. You can contact me via this forum just send an attachment. I will give updates on progress positive or negative
I'm in Huaraz and spoke to Alfredo Quintana- a well respected member of the Casa De Guia. He says he is coordinating a rescue operation with the local guides today. He has 4 guides and he tries to find two more to go tomorrow. He said the terrain is very difficult, climbers attempted a new line on the mountain that is avalanche prone and the glacier under it is not easy to cross. They have been out so far for 16 days so it doesn't look too good.
Offered help but it seems he needs a tight team of locals.
I would be glad to help today with satellite image analysis. Leaving Reno in the morning but would be glad to assist the best I can this afternoon/evening.
Wow this is a wicked mountain. The most obvious descent line is really ugly. Vastly crevassed and steep. Am really working on these sat images ( took a bit to get oriented and identify some good landmarks for reference) but the best resolution still seems a bit weak to pick out what is needed. :(
It is a pretty gnarly place. I too wish the resolution were better, but this is the best & only current image we've got. The ones from today were too cloudy.
Possibly some snowfall between photos. Also possible that that softening of the 26th photo is due to lighting difficult to say, perhaps angle and efforts of digital rendering
possible old debris pile in bottom slightly left of center seems to give some scale. Some fairly good sized crevasses unfortunatley.
Dosn't appear to be high enough resolution to pick out footprints.
This is a frontal picture that Asa Firestone took when with Gil earlier in the month to scout the mountain. Asa marked where he thought they would climb and pitch the tent, for the search and rescue team.
More to the photo I just posted. Asa, who is only on a cellphone right now, thought they climbed to the top and tried to descend on the other side of the mountain, not where his line is drawn. (He had been with Gil earlier in the month, but bad weather prevented them from going up, and he had to leave for a prior commitment in the States -- and Ben then came and climbed with Gil.)
There is something about the object in the highlighted box that looks like it shouldn't be there. For instance, what is the white part on the right side when nothing else is white. Also, it is a slightly different color than everything else in the frame. Just seems out of place.
for reference, i have attached a more zoomed out image slice. This is just to the right of the ridge. Find the curved part on the left, and look to the right. The zoomed in image is just a closer version of the red square in the zoomed out image.
Nice freaking work y'all! That definitely looks like the three rescuers and we are going to use that image as an example of what people might look like in the imagery.
aveman nice work, those must be the 3 guides sometime yesterday
3 rescuers, found by aveman and tagged by some others as well
Credit: Nate Ricklin
they're pretty low down, probably below basecamp. This is a good example of what a person would look like against the snow in this imagery.
G Fleischman found this: two people?
Credit: Nate Ricklin
Here are the coordinates of where those 2 "people" that G. Flleischman found... they're WAY west of the descent ridge, you couldn't end up there unless you traversed the main ridge really far then came down.. does that make sense to do that?
Friends,
Share capability is now enabled. share your findings on FB, Twitter, or here by grabbing the share link. Click on the ‘share’ link at the top left corner of the interface.
When posting images in this thread, it would be helpful to snag the link in addition to the screenshot.
You are freaking owning this. So many eyes looking for clues and stuff is coming up!
Adam Lawrance, Jared Vagy and I are headed up valley in the morning. Casa de Giua is indeed putting together a team to go up as well. We talked to their logistical coordinator this evening to confer and trade info. Ted's team got to high camp today. No sat phone contact yet with them. Thanks for all the sat image work. It may prove invaluable. Misha, I'm at Zarela's. Leave your contact info with her if I'm not back yet. Good news is we are most likely getting an fixed wing recon flight tomorrow. These guys are tough, Lets not let them down Keep your hopes up and send good thoughts to all involved; Gil,Ben family, Friends and those on the hill. Thanks.
TY
Possible camp spot. With some sharpening it looks like a yellow tent and 3 dark objects around it (packs?). There was nothing in this spot on July 2nd.
Possible camp spot.
Credit: Andre
No camp July 2nd
Credit: Andre
This spot is located directly underneath the attempted route and matches with Asa's descriptions.
I'm an absolute amateur at scouring satellite photos ... would resolution be high enough to spot the climbers' paths? They're seems to be a trail of some sort in this photo (I moved the markers slightly to the left for clarity).
I found what looks like was a sleeping person surrounded by tracks. It's the same outline as those pictures of Gil and Ben on the mountain with one arm in the air.
With respect to the footprints that they think were theirs beginning the decent, do we think there's any possibility they could have attempted to backtrack and go down the north side, or a different decent route if the objective hazards down the SW ridge were too gnarly?
Kristen, Look at the scale bar on the screen and compare that to the picture.....unless they are giants at 200m tall, I don't think that's what you think it is. :)
Been looking at that as well Nate - it kind of looks more like tumbling debris/snowballs, but that stuff is pretty easy to mix up with footprints. Definitely worth checking out in my opinion if we can get a team up there.
Been trying to visualize where they would attempt to continue down from there as well...
Come on homeys! I know you're digging deep, just keep hanging on, the SAR team is there! I saw you two in my dream two nights ago -- remember, start strong finish strong!
I have never looked at satellite photos before, but I'm giving it a go. Do these dots look like people? There's no tracks coming and going from them so I'm not sure...
just found this...lots of footprints...kinda looking around for a place to go up top. the most interesting part is in the orange box.
zoomed way into my screen on my mac and inside the orange box, there is something (?) that looks like arms on top of the snow trying to climb up on the rock. anybody else see similar?
if you follow that path south/southwest, you will find what was earlier identified as possibly 3 search and rescue crew (3 shadows even spaced on along the path)...
the lake in the left of your image is just west of Palcococha Lake in this google map view...for reference, Palcacocha lake is just south of the moutain.
Nice to hold out hope, but logic usually has the last word.
The two mountaineers had planned an excursion of between seven and 10 days. Their families contacted help after 13 days passed with no word from them.
The three-person search team found the climbers' bright yellow tent at 16,700 feet on Thursday and tracks coming off the summit as well as evidence of a nearby avalanche.
... the Cordillera Blanca ... (is) among the world's most dangerous (ranges) due to the instability of snow and ice caused by wide temperature fluctuations.
The potential camp site identified by Aveman is directly beneath the potential footpath/tracks identified by Andre. Here is a view looking down from the peak/ridge along the potential tracks toward the potential camp.
Credit: G Fleishman
The coordinates indicated were the result of holding the cursor very near the potential camp site. This image was taken from the Google Earth rendering and coordinate of the data.
The stitch of a footpath looks pretty convincing to me too... There also seems to be some other possible paths around it, and what looks to my completely untrained eye to be an avalanche. Maybe I'm just seeing things though...
RL--I am a novice at this but am trying my best--What I find intriguing in your photo is what appears to be a trail of prints going directly across to the right from the crevass, to what appears to be rocks/possibly cave? The path appears well used, with multiple tracks? Could they be hold-up there?
I am reluctant to post this because I don't want to throw anyone off but what does this look like to you all. Right above the circle marker. I apologize in advance if this is not helpful.
Thanks for the effort everybody, last night we sent in before/after shots and coordinates of the most compelling stuff found by you guys, and I hope that and the imagery itself was of use to the ground/air teams.
Last I heard a ground team left to explore the ridge at 3am, and a plane into the air around 9am (i think central time).
Can someone please view these Lat and Longs for me? 9'22.30'2 South 77.22.53.57 West Elevation 5391 Meters? I layered the July 2nd photo and the new Sat photo and the object is not in the old photo. It could be the rescue party, but it doesn't appear to be crevasse. It's pretty close to being underneath the route or close to the descent.
First of all there seems to be some discrepancy between coordinates in the google maps and google earth rendering of the images (am I the only one experiencing this?)
Anyway, when I locate those coordinates in the google earth rendering of the data, I am DIRECTLY over the potential campsite that has been previously identified by several other users (initially I believe by poster: aveman).
Other observations about this site:
1) It is NOT present in the July 2nd images but IS present in the July 26th images.
2) There appears to be little change to the crevasse located slightly south-east of the potential campsite between the two (historical and recent) images.
3) There is some, albeit rough, correspondance between the google earth rendering of the local topography surrounding this site and the image of the climber's campsite released by Peruvian authorities.
4) It is located at the southern end of the west peak at the base of a steep section that one might consider the summit push. This is completely consistent with the climbers' planned route.
5) Moving very slightly north west of this potential camp, there are pretty convincing tracks identified previously by Andre that seem to come up to (or down from) the ridge at the (considering the whole mountain) the south-west summit. (See my previous post for photo.)
6) These tracks are (according to google maps) approximately at the elevation 5,800 M (= 19,028.87 Ft.), which is the elevation previously discussed by SAR where they had identified tracks.
If this IS where the climbers were camped though, then SAR has already been through there. I'm sure the tomnod aggregation provided other locations where SAR has not yet been as high priority flyover and ground search sites.
Well, we tried everything we could think of to help out. Those guys were so damn strong, I can't believe it. F*#kign twice as strong and fast as the rest of us.
They're the first friends and climbing partners I've ever lost... It's a sad day to lose anyone so full of life, motivated, positive, and willing to share their energy with others. I'm blown away by the climbing community's response to the search effort. There were easily over 1000 people that helped. While I'm sad to have lost such amazing people from my life, I'm glad that I'm part of such a spectacular community.
Thanks to everyone who helped with the physical search, the online search at Tomnod, supplying information and contacts, and so much more.
If you still want to help, you can donate to help pay for the search and recovery effort:
It was amazing to see so many friends, family, and members of the climbing community mobilize so quickly on a global scale. I only wish the outcome was more favorable. RIP Ben and Gil. You have inspired and will continue to inspire me to push my limits.
I'd been lurking on this thread & hoping for best possible outcomes. It was such a great effort on the part of friends and family & am terribly sorry to now read of your loss. RIP to your dear friends.
I had just recently met Ben, there seriously couldn't be a nicer person, I know everyone says that all the time but its true. It was at his slideshow recently and talked to him a bit and was pretty wonked out on painkillers recovering from an injury and he sat there and let me talk at him incoherently for like 15 minutes... my mom won't even do that...
Never met Gil but all those guys, Josh, Shay, Scott... what makes people like Gil and Ben, to me, has almost nothing to do with how talented they are but how big their hearts are. Ben loved climbing, climbers, and above all a positive attitude. People don't get much better.
I'd also like to offer my sympathy to Ben and Gil's families and friends.
If there's any silver lining, perhaps we can make better use of this tomnod app, Google earth, etc. to facilitate future searches. I'd never seen anything like this before. I spent some time on it but couldn't find anything that was worth posting; nonetheless, it represents a significant development.
There's room and now perhaps some demand for improvements: quicker updates on maps and improved resolution, enhancing the interface and overlays, training viewers how to read features, encouraging those who are lost to leave markers easily viewable with this technology.
While I share in the sadness of their loss, hopefully this may open doors to an opportunity where future lives will be saved.
Just for information, for those that do not know, the International Distress Signal is 3 of ANYTHING.....3 lines in the snow, logs laid next to each other, light flashes, whistle blasts.....
In over 25 years of SAR, I have been involved in 8 searches that resulted in a find based on spotting this signal in one of so many forms.
To echo the thoughts of many others here, an amazing effort by family, friends and fellow climbers to locate these guys.
Although the outcome wasn't as we'd hope, a shining moment for ST.
Condolences to all.
"My candle burns at both ends, it will not last the night, but oh my friends, and oh my foes, it gives a lovely light."
FILES... You're two very inspirational guys, and we'll miss you both dearly. Thank you for the energy, drive and love you brought out in all of us. Do do doooo doo...
Horrible. I didn't know the duo but they sure looked like great young men. Ever ever so sad. At times it is very hard being a climber; this is one of those times.
hey there say, tyear, and family and friends of gil and ben...
my concolences to you at this sad time of your loss...
may new memories of remembered things of the past, be there
to help you through this hard time...
My deepest condolences to all the friends and family of these two men. They are at peace now and can see by this amazing outpouring and effort from the climbing community how much they are loved.
I am so sorry for the loss of these two young, strong guys. From everything I've read they were standout climbers and human beings.
The Cordillera Blanca is a magnificent and amazing range, but with its glaciers that change so dramatically from season to season, it can be an exceptionally severe place to climb.
I wrote this a little while ago, in memory of my late father-in-law, and posted it on a thread I put up in his memory.
Reading through this thread, these words seem to fit these amazing young men...
A life well lived is to be treasured
From dawn's first light, nothing measured
In deft pursuit of heartfelt dreams
Achieving goals.....planning schemes
All with one intent in mind
Milk each day, rob it blind
Take what even failures bring
Sweeter then will victory sing
No stone unturned nor door left closed
End each day in content repose
Fully spent..completely sated
No matter what the path was rated
Give your best so others see
That glory lies not in the lee
But rather in pursuits so grand
A leader be, not also-ran
Let actions speak of who I am
Rather a lion, not a lamb
Other lives I choose to bless
Just one kind word, a warm caress
One day my daily quest may end
My years well gone around the bend
Some may say I did it wrong
Fear not, for I have finished strong.
We are talking about mountaineering.
People die doing that all the time.
It's a known risk, and not an unlikely outcome.
I'm really sorry these guys will not be coming home, but I'd rather celebrate their passion for adventure than mourn their passing.
They knew the risk and they accepted it.
Nobody lives forever, and a mountaineer doesn't even come close.
This is terrible news. I met Gil randomly at the Bachar boulders near Mammoth - the dude was super nice and we chatted about all sorts of climbs. Later on, I read his trip reports and saw his name in a few summit registers with ridiculous car-to-summit times.
This is a horrible loss. Condolences to the friends and family of both climbers.
It's unfortunate for climbers that passion for the experience sometimes brings death, especially in the mountaineering world. The rewards for commitment in climbing are so high, but sometimes the price paid is even higher.
Sad news - I feel like I knew them well - even though we never met.
I was holding out hope, Ben and Gil have done so many hardcore climbs before, I figured they would surface,and have another terrific tale to share with us.
But that is not to be.
My sincere condolences to their family and many many friends.
Wow, just got back from a long weekend and had hoped to see positive news here - this sucks. While I never met Ben or Gil we are all part of the brotherhood of the rope, and it's really a sad day when we lose our brothers. Condolences and strength to the family, friends and community.
So sad to hear this today. I was hoping as I left town on Friday that things would work out better. The way the community pitched in to find these inspiring young men was a sight to see.
To their families and loved ones, I send prayers of comfort for your loss.
This article was in the Washington Post today. Ben was a local and his family was interviewed on the local TV today. They seemed at peace that he was living his life to the fullest when he passed.
just saw the news on msnbc and immediately knew it was related to this thread I had just read a day or so before. Good to hear one of the families has some context for it. Still not easy, but hate to hear of families in pain because of a loss.
Gil often said that climbing for him was where he found the balance between freedom and control. I don't have many words to describe the feeling of loss, but i know that he was doing what he loved the most... a motto he lived by.
This is especially hard to hear again just weeks after losing Mark Cartier on Mt. Hood. Such strong, vital climbers and all will be dearly missed. Condolences.
I met Gil back in 2005 or 2006 when he moved to San Diego after graduating from George Washington University. I can only remember climbing with him once, but he struck me as very ambitious. He had an eagerness and drive that put him on the fast track to some major climbing accomplishments. He seemed to make friends easily and was surrounded by very talented climbers within the San Diego community. After moving to Boulder, I lost contact with him. Sadly, I read his name on CNN.com and could't believe it...
I hear a lot of people taking comfort in that he died doing what he loved. For me, I can't imagine a worse place to pass on. The mountains are cold, harsh, and unforgiving. It seems he understood this, but it doesn't make his death any easier to understand. To his father, sister, and family, I wish the best in your time of grief. Gil was a great man who chose a life of extraordinary adventure. It was an honor to know him.
Please keep us informed on memorial services. Many of Gil's climbing friends, including myself, are now living in the North East and would like to attend, if you would have us.
Adam, Jared and I just arrived back in Huaraz. This was a hard pill for me to swallow. I need a beer( or ten) and a shower. We spent the last two days accompanying our friends out of the mountains. Adam and I were there when the recovery team brought the bodies to high camp. We coordinated via sat phone with Ted of Skyline Adventures. This was a very difficult recovery. Many are to be thanked. I will post a complete report from my perspective, when I have recovered enough. Thanks everyone for your thoughts and prayers.
RIP Ben and Gil.
TY
a regretable undertaking. Have 11 beers sir...May the spirits of Ben and Gill move on, climbing better than ever. thank you for keeping us informed from start to finish. They had a great freind in you.
I attempted this face with Gil in June, but we bailed due to bad weather. Here is the line that I believe they climbed before falling on the descent. It is a truly badass ascent. We had discussed calling the line "Live and let die" after a guns and roses song but that seems inappropriate. Maybe this line should just be known as the American Direct since it goes directly to the summit.
South face of Palcaraju Oeste, showing the ascent of the American Direct
hey there say, asa.... man oh man, it sure is a whole other world, in a sense, up there...
edit (was said as to the picture of one of the climbers, up there, that loved that area)...
Thanks so much to all the people who helped in the recovery. Such a difficult task which means so much to friends and family. We salute your courage and humanity.
Some words from Pope John Paul II that Ben shared before the accident. God rest the souls of Ben and Gil, and let us thank God for the inspiration they gave us.
“If it is true that sports activity, in developing and perfecting the physical and psychological potential of the person, contributes to a more complete maturity of the character, this is especially true for those who practice mountain climbing and engage in it in respect for the ideals which this sport sustains and nourishes. I exhort you in the words of my predecessor, Pius XII, to be “docile to the lessons of the mountain: . . . it is a lesson in spiritual elevation, of an energy which is more moral than physical.” I congratulate you on your programs which aim at educating your members in respect for nature and in a deepened examination of the message which she imparts to the human spirit. Have special concern for the young, to train them to follow the type of life that the mountains demand of their devotes. It requires rigorous virtues in those who practice it: strict discipline and self-control, prudence, a spirit of sacrifice and dedication, care and solidarity for others.Thus we can say that mountain-climbing develops character. In fact, it would not be possible to face disinterestedly the difficulties of life on the mountains if the physical and muscular strength, which is very necessary, were not sustained by a strong will and an intelligent passion for beauty. Help your members also to be contemplatives, to enjoy ever more deeply in their mind the message of creation. In contact with the beauties of the mountains, in the face of the spectacular grandeur of the peaks, the fields of snow and the immense landscapes, man enters into himself and discovers that the beauty of the universe shines not only in the framework of the exterior heavens, but also that of the soul that allows itself to be enlightened, and seeks to give meaning to life. From the things that it contemplates, in fact, the spirit is lifting up to God on the breath of prayer and gratitude towards the Creator.”
I believe this is a video shot by member(s) of the Casa de Guia. In this video you hear Hector speak about this rescue and recovery, along with some details of the accident. Hector,who along with Ted Alexander, from Skyline and Eric Tomczak were the real heroes of this epic. I was not present when this was shot. We; Eric, Adam, and members of the Police High Mountain Rescue Group were taking Gil down from high camp @17,200' to the base camp @14, 700' at this moment. Please excuse any mistakes in memory, as I am still processing this event.
TY
"I am an Alpinist.
I am this before everything else. It is what has and will define me as long as I have breath in my lungs and a fire in my eyes. These mountains have forged friendships more steadfast than the slowest moving glaciers. Before this is all over I will have a laundry list of friends who have given their lives to conquer these massifs of rock and ice. This is okay with me as each one of them will have lived a life worth living.
I will never stop climbing. I am thankful each day for the lessons I have learned in the truthful cold and for the opportunities I have had to discover exactly who I am. If you identify with the words written here then raise your glass and celebrate the fact that you are one of the lucky ones.
I am an Alpinist. Chase your dreams and be somebody."
Embed? WARNING!! Respectfully presented body of one climber is shown wrapped and prepared for transport home. It will likely be a tough thing for loved ones and friends to see however.
He was explaining that it appears that a cornice broke from under the pair while on the ridge, and they fell down the rock wall that the camera pans up.
Here are some details, without being morbidly graphic , as best as we can determine. Ben and Gil left their tent about 3am. They climbed their new route to the summit of Pulcaraju Oest and reached the top at around 4pm. The last time stamp on for a summit photo was 4:01pm. Kind'a late in the day, but it was a new route and it takes time to figure things out. There are some photos of the descent, but only a few and the last time stamp is 6pm, near the top of the serac from which they fell. Few photos can be interpenetrated as the descent was problematic. Their tracks, going up, down and around obstacles attest to this theory. I imagine they were tired, dehydrated and just wanted to get down to their tent. Ben was leading down the ridge. Gil was following. They were moving together in classic alpine style without intermediate points of protection. It is a very complicated descent that cannot be fully appreciated from below. Their tracks show they made many detours and end-runs to get around crevasses and séracs. The tracks end abruptly at the edge of a sérac. It is supposed that Ben could not see where he was on the edge and as he walked to further out to investigate, the lip collapsed, falling away , taking Ben with it. He would have fallen about 10-15 feet down onto a sharp knife edge ridge. Then it was a coin toss as to which side he slid down. He slid down the southern side. He would have had about another 15 to 20 feet of steep, crappy snow to self arrest before he went over the edge of the rock band and into a tumbling fall down this rocky face. He did not arrest and the rope yanked Gil forward, face first, after Ben. Both went over the edge and fell, tumbling, down the rocky face to come to rest on the glacier a below. Estimates as to the length of the fall vary from about 150 to 300 meters. Gil had about 12 feet of rope tied to him, where at that point it was severed. Ben was wrapped in the remainder of their rope. Length of time would have been measured in seconds and death was mercifully quick. These are the details as I know them to be. There are facts that I have mentioned that cannot be explained without going into graphic detail. I reserve the right, out of respect to family and friends who were not their, not to be specific on this forum, as it relates to their deaths. I hope this is understood and respected.
TY
"We are in the zone that is near the accident. The bodies were found about 20 meters behind me. It appears they followed the main coliuor to the high point where you see the sun shining. There it appears they were looking for a way down and had to backtrack and a chunk of ice fell from beneath them or a mistake of some type was made which caused them to fall.
How far did they fall?
About 200 meters. They had a single rope which indicates that they were not rappelling. They were observing for a way to get down and fell or a piece of ice fell off beneath them."
Wherever it is that our souls go once we pass this plain, I hope you are smiling and climbing Gil and Ben. Very sorry for your loss friends and family.
For the sake of family and friends who have come to this thread and who may not be ready for it, it might be worth giving a warning that one of the climber's bodies appears in the YouTube clip that TYeary links above.
Recone, the same thoughts went through my mind as well. I only knew Gil as a rock climber and not as an Alpinist. I'd be curious to know what level of formal training he had, or if his climbing experience was gained through his friends. Either way, it doesn't matter any more.
The youtube video is pretty hard to watch. Based on his look, Im pretty sure that's Gil. Might want to put a warning on that. Im sure his family will come here.
Recone, those guys on Denali do deserve a thank you - ripping on these guys isn't gaining them one though. Gil and Ben were well known in multiple climbing circles, and therefore this story got a lot of publicity. It doesn't detract from anyone else's sad demise in the hills. As for the stake... it may have helped, it may not have. We weren't there, and therefore will never know what happened or what other considerations there were. I know somewhere you can put the stake though... and while you're doing so, let's let this thread be, and these guys rest in peace.
Colin, it wouldn't take you much digging to find out what kind of experience Gil had. He had multiple seasons in South America already, and other routes of similar magnitude. Unfortunately, sometimes you draw the wrong card - it could have been any of us. With respect to training, who knows. I've had both types though, and that gained by one-on-one experience with a friend has proved far more valuable than most "formal" trainings.
People, we go into the mountains accepting the risks. Some people push those limits more than others, but anyone can be unlucky, and anyone can be killed - whether it be pushing hard in the Andes, or on some 5.7 at your local crag. You've accepted that for yourselves by being climbers, I recommend you let the deceased rest, and realize they had to accept that to some level as well.
Ben and Gil, on second thought, screw the resting stuff, I hope you're still finding a way to push your limits and be the amazing souls we knew you as, albeit no longer with us, but rather in a better place.
Recone, I find your comments to be strange and inappropriate. Give it a rest, please.
I'll add something for those unfamiliar with climbing in the Blanca. TY explains to us that the last photo on the descent was taken at 6 pm. Remember that this is a range close to the Equator, and that it gets pitch dark around 6 pm, maybe just a bit later. They were most likely racing darkness.
Also, darkness falls very quickly there, again because of the latitude of the Blanca, without the drawn out sunset that many of us are used to milking when we complete a day of climbing in North America. These guys must have been exhausted, descending a complicated ridge with plenty of hazards along the way, with rapidly dwindling light, if not in complete darkness. The light of a headlamp shows close features, but not the major features that one would need to see in order to make challenging route finding decisions. Having a headlamp would not give me very much comfort, and might not be all that helpful in getting down in those conditions. These guys must have known this as they were making their descent.
Descending a glaciated ridge, everything looking down such a ridge looks about the same, which is to say it is very difficult to tell which is the safest way down; or for that matter if the next roll in the ridge is gentle or a huge drop off. It is impossible to belay every dangerous inch on a mountain of that scale with that kind of terrain, and in fact is not necessarily the safest approach. Gil and Ben must have been dealing with all of these factors as they were making their way down the ridge.
Tony, you and the others on the mountain after the accident did a very noble act. Much respect to you all, and my sincerest condolences to the families and friends of Ben and Gil.
Reflection:
Climbing is such a unique addiction. There is something to be said about sport where a single false move or misjudgment could lead to death. Everytime we go out to climb, we roll the dice. We assess the risk involved, draw upon our experiences but in the end life and death may be a simple matter of luck. Some climbers choose to embrace the modern ethics of climbing and rise up to the challenges of pushing limits and setting new routes. Some climbers embrace the social aspect of the sport and enjoy casual outings with friends on easy terrain. Some climbers lie in middle. The truth of the matter is this sport is dangerous and at whatever level you climb, there is always risk involved. Gil and Ben pushed the limits of climbing to the extreme. They embodied the mentality of fast and light and if something was too hard, you pulled harder. They served as an inspiration to all climbers at every ability level. When I climb now, they climb with me. Their memory will live on and inspire even as their time on this earth has passed. -Jared
Thank you Cragman and WBW. Your comments and insights are welcomed and you spoke my thoughts eloquently. I have no desire to get into a pissing match with anyone here about climbing style or ones qualifications, visa-vi their climbing resume.
Recone, I have nothing to say to you.
Port, if you read my post up thread you would know.
" I was not present when this(video) was shot. We; Eric, Adam, and members of the Police High Mountain Rescue Group were taking Gil down from high camp @17,200' to the base camp @14, 700' at this moment."
I, along with Eric, Adam, Jared, and Gary Sorenson( who helped with all communications and the over flight) sat down with Mr. Horne and Liora Danan( a very good friend of Ben) and discussed the details of the climb and accident as we know them to be. Mr Horne was very appreciative. He asked pointed questions, which we answered with respect and candor. He was sometimes calm, sometimes emotional, sometimes in tears. He is a father who just lost his son. He is leaning heavily on his Faith to get him through this very difficult time. My good thoughts are with Ben and Gil's families and friends.
I have nothing but admiration for those who helped in bringing Ben and Gil home. Especially, Ted, Jared, Adam, Hector, and Eric.
Big thanks as well to the many friends, here on ST and FB and at home who have personally given their emotional support and good tidings to me; this eased my burden and bolstered those relationships.
I have been climbing in the Blanca for many seasons. I love this place; it's mountains, people, and culture. I will continue to return. As Jared says, "When I climb now, they climb with me. Their memory will live on and inspire even as their time on this earth has passed. -Jared "
Suerte, Peace.
One thing that struck me most about the video was the obvious strain and exhaustion on Hector's face. This accident must have taken a huge toll on him as well. I have a friend in the Casa de Guias who has done these types of recoveries before. Those guys are super strong, highly trained and very compassionate in my experience.
Tony, you and I apparently share a love of Peru, Peruvians and the Cordillera Blanca. I'm glad to read that you will return after this difficult season. I've lost three friends that I spent time with in Huaraz in climbing accidents in the Blanca, but I never felt that not returning was a good option. Un viaje seguro, amigo.
Ron--did anyone answer your question about the company that gathered the data from the satellite photos? 'Sorry didn't see your question sooner--the company is Tomnod, and their site is:
tomnod.com
You can find info on their site about how to contact them. Phone: (858) 412-7693, email: info@tomnod.com
That video made me sick. Did not really want to see the body. But I guess that's a good reality check and a reminder to stay alert out there.
May sound f*#ked up, but I really wish it wasn't these guys. Ben was such an interesting person with many talents, seems like his friend was an awesome guy too...very very sad.
Before this thread degenerates with the vultures relishing the gory details of how a couple good men perished...
I only knew Gil briefly. I never had the pleasure of meeting Ben - I wish I had - he sounded like a warm individual who brightened the lives of many people here. Gil and I crossed paths for about a month or two - he had just hooked up with the pullharder circle down in SD. The one thing that struck me was what an incredibly motivated individual he was. Even after moving away, I kept following his awesome trip reports on Facebook - it was awesome route after awesome route. He was an inspiration for me to keep dreaming of amazing adventures in the mountains. Many things in life keep you from the mountains. Eventually the years pass by. But Gil and Ben (as a PhD graduate student!) made it happen - traveling to Andes. I was sad to see this tragic ending. It's heartbreaking. I realize this must be a tough time for the crew down in SD.
My condolences to the family and friends. It's hard to lose young, vibrant and happy people.
Tony, so proud to know you. There are good people everywhere and you are the best example of goodnesss one can find. Awesome on all of you who helped to bring them back to their families.
All of you here on Supertopo are just absolutely incredible. I was on the original search & recovery team that found, and brought out Ben and Gil. I was in contact with Ted via sat phone and got the info you guys were giving about things spotted in sat photos. What ended up answering the question was just simple observation and a little luck, but your information was greatly appreciated.
I just returned to the US and am blown away by how many people cared about, and invested their time into looking for, Ben and Gil. Even from thousands of miles away. All of you guys are awesome, thank you so much for your help in finding our friends.
Keep it up, this is a beautiful show of community from the climbing world.
Eric, I just read your letter to pullharder. I am grateful for the assistance that you, Asa, Ted, Hector, Henry and the other members of the ground search crew provided. You put your own lives at risk to bring closure to the family and friends of Ben and Gil.
This continues to be such a wrenching tragedy on many levels. My heart and prayers are still going out to Ben and Gil's families, friends, acquaintances and beyond.
In particular, I'm feeling with you Tony. I know this is not the first time you've been down this road. Your efforts here... well, I'm sure we all are very grateful for them. Glad you were there to help out as best you could. Do take care of yourself and reach out if needed. This is a lot to handle and we want you healthy and coming home safe and sound too.
Tragedy
The call came the way we always imagine it will, but never expect. It’s Asa. He’s concerned about Gil, he hasn’t heard from him in awhile. He lays the cold hard facts out, one by one. Gil and Ben are several days overdue in Peru. Gil’s flight is scheduled to leave in a few days, but no one has heard from them. They are probably fine, he emphasizes, but just in case he’s working to organize a search team. We’ll all have a good laugh when we get to the bottom of this, he assures me. I listen, and speak some words, but we both know he’s dealing from a stacked deck. I hang up, and collapse into tears.
Luke
Let us know!