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Search for Missing Climber on Mt Rainier DEM #97-1945 October 25, 1997 |
The unit was contacted by the Pierce County Department of Emergency Management on Saturday the 25th of Oct. at 9:00 P.M.. The Rangers at Mt. Rainier National Park had requested six mountain rescue volunteers to help in the search for a missing climber on the Ingraham Glacier.
Two climbers from Petaluma , California, Mark Moyer, 26 and Nicholas Giromini, 25, had climbed on other mountains in California , but with no experience on glaciers had wandered off route on their descent from the summit. They had not registered with park rangers for their climb and had left Camp Muir with no packs or food or water, and with only ice axes, crampons over hiking boots and wearing light fleece jackets and Gore-Tex pants for a summit attempt .After reaching the summit and descending to the 12,500 foot level around the top of Gibraltar Rock they began to argue upon which was the safest route down. Moyer wanting to climb back up and find the route, Giromini wanting to continue down the Gibraltar Chute. Around 3:30 p.m. unable to resolve the dispute they separated each taking the route he thought best. Moyer climbed across the Ingraham Glacier, where he found the tracks they had made during their ascent and returned to his tent at Camp Muir. He was contacted by other climbers who had seen the pair leave that morning as to the whereabouts of his partner. They then contacted Park Rangers by cell phone.
Five team members responded to the callout they were: Mike Mixon, Fran McFarland, Jim Andrues, Dave Wright John Kirkman and Ron Langhelm. They were asked to meet at the Cache at 6:00 a.m. or at the Longmire Ranger station at 8:00 a.m. After arriving and being briefed they split into two teams. One team would climb to Camp Muir while the other waited to be lifted up by helicopter if the weather cleared.
Mike, Fran and John were picked as the team to climb up to Muir. As they left the Paradise parking lot the snow and wind were already picking up. By the time they reached Pebble Creek at the 7,000 foot level the winds had picked up to 60 mph and the visibility had been reduced to 10 feet or less. With an ambient temperature of 20ºF the wind chill was approximately -40ºF When they reached the 8,000 foot level with no sign of change they decided to turn back to Paradise. After consulting with the rangers the teams returned to the Cache around 7:30p.m.
Mt. Rainier asked for another twelve volunteers for Monday morning; only one team member answered the callout Sunday. Members from the Seattle Mountain Rescue Council went up on Monday morning. With clearing weather above 9,000 feet Giromini’s body was spotted 700 feet above Camp Muir. It appeared he had taken a fall of about 700 feet down a 35-40 degree slope. Whether he died from hypothermia or the fall is unknown at this time. The body was lifted off with a helicopter from Ft. Lewis and turned over to the Pierce County Medical Examiner.
Tacoma Mountain Rescue |
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