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Ice climber killed in avalanche
By Amber Peabody
This document was published online on Monday, January 05, 2009
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| Climbers Keith Spencer and Mark Jenkins of Laramie were ice climbing Friday near the top of “The Main Vein” (center) on the upper South Fork when an avalanche from about 2,000 feet above (top of picture in snow) killed Spencer. (Courtesy photo) |
A Laramie man was killed in an avalanche Friday afternoon while ice climbing on the upper South Fork.
Keith Spencer, 45, was climbing with friend Mark Jenkins, 50, also of Laramie, when the avalanche occurred, according to reports.
“The avalanche was massive,” said climber Aaron Mulkey who assisted in recovery. “The fracture line was about one-quarter mile long. It’s the first avalanche I’ve seen here in 10 years.”
The two experienced climbers were climbing in an area known as “The Main Vein” located off the road about 35 miles up the South Fork. Jenkins said they were near the top of the climb, more than 1,500 feet off the ground, with Spencer leading the climb and connected by rope to Jenkins.
Spencer yelled, “Avalanche” and then was struck head on by a wall of snow, according to a sheriff’s office report. Jenkins said he felt the rope go tight as it knocked Spencer off the mountain. Jenkins was protected because at the time he was standing below a bulge of ice, Mulkey said.
“It started almost 2,000 feet above them so by the time it hit them it was really moving,” he added. “More than likely a cornice broke up high and hit down below.”
Jenkins rappelled down about 160 feet to where Spencer was located and determined he was dead. Jenkins then hiked to a nearby ranch and called the sheriff’s office.
Park County Search and Rescue was notified and it was determined to be too dangerous for recovery Friday.
The area had received heavy snowfall all day and there had been some sluffing of snow, something common when ice climbing.
On Saturday it was determined Spencer’s body would be recovered by three expert climbers from Cody, Don Foote, Travis Hannon and Mulkey.
They reached Spencer about 12:30 p.m. and started the task of lowering him about 1,000 feet to waiting search and rescue personnel, who assisted with transporting the body to the road about three-quarters of a mile away. The group reached the road at 4 p.m.
“It was really cold and blustery,” Mulkey said. “There were moments you could barely open your eyes. They faced basically the same conditions when climbing Friday, only it was warmer.”
“We had no problems,” said Kirk Waggoner of Search and Rescue. “We used excellent ice climbers and things went smoothly and fairly quick.”
Sheriff Scott Steward commended the three for retrieving Spencer’s body under extreme temperatures and conditions.
“I’m sure they would say it’s just another day at the office, but nonetheless they did an outstanding job,” he added.
This was the second avalanche death in Wyoming in one week. Skier David Nodine, 31, of Wilson was killed in an in-bounds avalanche Dec. 27 at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.
(Amber Peabody can be reached at amber@codyenterprise.com.)
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