Here’s an update from Craig Luebben’s website about his tragic accident on Mount Torrent in North Cascades National Park in northern Washington:
“On the 9th the pair were attempting to climb the Torment and Forbidden Traverse, starting the traverse on the SE Face of Torrent via the Taboo Glacier. At the bergshrund, with Craig leading and Willie belaying, Craig attempted to bypass the remnant ice hanging above the bergshrund by ascending rock on the right, and then traversing left on to the ice for the exit moves. According to Willie, at approximately 6:30 a.m. as Craig transitioned from the rock to the ice, a block of ice described as being the size of a car calved off taking Craig with it and, resulting in a 30-foot fall. While not struck by the initial block, Craig was pelted by debris as he hung from his rope. Willie managed to get Craig to his belay stance in the bergshrund, stabilize and treat his injuries, and contact rescue personnel. Despite Willie's heroic efforts and a swift response from NCNP SAR personnel, Craig succumbed to his injuries. Willie suffered minor injuries to his leg and is expected to make a full recovery.”
It appears that this summer’s hot weather in the Northwest played a part in the ice fall and the accident. The Washington State Climatologist says a “heat wave gripped the state on Monday, July 27 and lasted through Thursday, July 30.” The state had record highs that soared as high as 108, including an all-time record high of 105 in Seattle on July 29 and 108 in Vancouver, Washington. This past July tied July, 1941 as being the warmest on record in Seattle with an average temperature of 69.5 degrees. Hot weather means the glacier was melting and probably creating unstable conditions.
A post on Supertopo from Les directly relates to the warm weather situation on Mount Torment. Les noted that a couple of his friends attempted the Torment-Forbidden Traverse in July. They first climbed Torment and “reported that the moat crossing was super sketch…the leader had had to plunge an ice axe in and used it as a picket at the lip of the moat they crossed to access the rock. They bailed on the traverse because the separation of the snow from the rock the rest of the way was too much.”
Photograph above: Craig Luebben coils a rope on the summit of Mont Blanc du Tacul, a sub-peak of Mont Blanc in the French Alps. Photograph courtesy Craig Luebben/Facebook
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