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john hansen
climber
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Topic Author's Original Post - Feb 23, 2018 - 08:39pm PT
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I was reading through the year 2000 of Accidents in North America, and found the report on Malcolm Daly and Jim Donini and their attempt on Thunder Mountain.
Ended up being a very complex rescue over many days.
I met Malcolm once at facelift central.
There were lots of pilots and many other people involved , helping in all kinds of weather , over many days.
It was just luck that the Pilot saw Jim and got the rescue started.
Hoping for some stories from people who were there.
Respect for all involved.
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Feb 23, 2018 - 09:40pm PT
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Malcolm has talked about it here in thread called something like, "greatest epic stories"
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Feb 23, 2018 - 10:06pm PT
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"Nov 17, 2007 - 09:08pm PT
Donini and I were 2,500' up a new route in Alaska when I fell 200', shattering both ankles. We self-rescued a couple hundred of feet and then things went to sh#t. Donini chopped me a ledge in the ice, anchored me in. We tied both ropes together and I lowered him 450' to the end.
Then I dropped the ropes to him so he could get all the way down and try to signal a plane. I had all the clothes and all the food but no way, whatsoever, to get down if Donini wasn't successful.
It was a miserable belay ledge. Compound fractures, bleeding, down to 0° at night, and no assurances that I would ever get down.
I hated that ledge..."
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Feb 24, 2018 - 04:08am PT
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I came away from that incident with a profound respect for the strength of character and resolve that Mal showed. He is the epitome of someone whose glass is half full rather than half empty.
I got back to our tent on the glacier at 9:00 pm just as clouds started scudding in from the southwest. I knew a storm was coming in and that planes wouldn’t be flying the next day. We were in a remote area but our pilot and friend, Paul Roderick, had been making daily flights to check on us. We had seen him flying below us earlier in the day when we were high on the climb. I thought that flights were unlikely the next day or two and that it was likely the Mal would perish on the ledge where I left him.
As I was sitting in the warmth and safety of the tent brooding about the situation I heard the noice of a plane’s engine. Paul had just dropped off some climbers at “Kahiltna Base” and on the way back to Talkeetna had a “hunch” that caused him at the last moment to take a diversion and check on us.
I signaled him in and an hour later found myself sitting on the floor at the ranger station relating the situation while a medic treated the puncture wound in my thigh that I had received from Mal’s mono point as he fell past me.
A rescue was started resulting in a daring heli manuever with a rescuer hanging from a 200 ft. rope who got to Mal an hour or so before a major storm shut down all flying. Due to marginal flying conditions this wasn’t accomplished until Malcolm had spent two nights, sans sleeplng bag, on the ledge. Both nights Mal was kept awake clearing his ledge from spindrift avalanches. He suffered frostbite and was found to be suffering from slow internal bleeding that would have eventually proved fatal.
Despite all of this, Malcolm (the founder of Trango) had the aplomb to greet his rescuer with...”cool, you have Trango tools!”
I hate to think what would have happened if Paul hadn’t had that “feeling” and diverted from his last flight of the day to check on us.
As many of you know, Mal’s injuries were serious...resulting in him eventually having his right foot amputated below the knee. He has never once complained about what happened. He chose to use this life changing event as the impetus to cofound Paradox Sports...an organization that takes people who have lost limbs or have suffered paralysis on trips ranging from ice climbing to fly fishing in Alaska.
Hats off to Malcolm...the paradigm example of a person who always sees the better side of an adverse situation and turns it into something better.
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Feb 24, 2018 - 04:27am PT
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And thank you Jim!
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steveA
Trad climber
Wolfeboro, NH
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Feb 24, 2018 - 04:40am PT
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Jim,
Nice job writing that up!
Epic tale.
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Ezra Ellis
Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
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Feb 24, 2018 - 11:35am PT
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Quite a story,
Malcolm had some fortitude for sure, as did you Jim.
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micronut
Trad climber
Fresno/Clovis, ca
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Feb 24, 2018 - 01:00pm PT
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So cool to hear it first hand. Thanks for sharing.
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Fritz
Social climber
Choss Creek, ID
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Feb 24, 2018 - 01:55pm PT
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The story is much longer & better, first-hand from Donini over a glass or two of wine during a long evening in camp. I vividly recall him talking about Malcom falling down towards him, totally out of control, after receiving most of his injuries, & planting his crampon deeply in Donini's thigh, on the way by.
I think I may have noticed the scar, but I do try to avoid staring at Donini's skinny thighs.
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john hansen
climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 24, 2018 - 09:29pm PT
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Thanks for the reply Mr Donini.
I know Malcom Daly used to post here sometimes.
Hoping if he see's this, we might get a story from him too..
Waiting it out for 2 days...
The best thing about Super topo has always been,
that you can always find a bunch of great stories.
And then, sometimes, you can ask questions and get answers from the people who were there.
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Alexey
climber
San Jose, CA
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Feb 25, 2018 - 08:31am PT
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I would say terrifying story, but nightmare with the good end. for both.
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TWP
Trad climber
Mancos, CO & Bend, OR
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Feb 25, 2018 - 08:45am PT
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Thanks DMT for the post to Odwrot.
Talk about brutal! I'll let Moose tell us whether this movie is as existentially and elementarily "POLISH" as Americans stereotypically conceptualize "essence of Polishness."
Odwrot is Polish for "retreat." In this movie think retreat as in "Napolitan's retreat from Moscow" in Alpine terms. As in retreat in abject defeat ... leaving the dead behind to die ... alone, suffering and hopeless.
In other words, I suggest STers view DMT's link or view it on Youtube directly:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlZdwYouXnw
The Donini/Daley epic turned out far better than the fate of the heroes in Odwrot. So Hollywood should make our boys rich and buy the rights to their true story.
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justthemaid
climber
Jim Henson's Basement
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Feb 25, 2018 - 09:14am PT
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Great thread. Malcomb is one of the finest humans I've ever met. I miss his presence around here. I had forgotten that Jim was the partner on that adventure for some reason. Thanks for posting Jim.
... and that movie Odwrot Holy crap that's an amazing short film. Totally gripped.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Feb 25, 2018 - 10:17am PT
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Respect. Gotta believe their karma arranged the fortuitous outcome.
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Marlow
Sport climber
OSLO
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Feb 25, 2018 - 10:22am PT
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Yes, persistence, planning in the moment/reflection in action, a clear mind and luck enough...
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mouse from merced
Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
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Feb 25, 2018 - 11:04am PT
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I've met the Dalys at Facelift, just the one time. Mal is a fine camp cook. His lady, whose name escapes me, is a better flyfisherperson than he is a camp cook. Delightful people. Thanks for keeping him alive, Jim.
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originalpmac
Mountain climber
Timbers of Fennario
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Feb 25, 2018 - 06:22pm PT
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Paradox Sports is great. That's a fun bunch of determined individuals. Nothing like drinking from prosthetic legs at Hutchs on a cold Ouray night. Good. People for sure.
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steveA
Trad climber
Wolfeboro, NH
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Feb 26, 2018 - 08:24am PT
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That Polish movie is perhaps the best movie I've ever seen on climbing. Even thou it was obviously staged, it conveyed the real feel of alpine climbing.
I'm amazed that the guy didn't break both ankles, considering all the falls he took wearing those crampons! Surprised I never heard of this movie before today
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NutAgain!
Trad climber
South Pasadena, CA
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Feb 26, 2018 - 09:00am PT
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Being aware of adventures like this is a great tool to keep minor suffering in perspective.
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