FALL ON ROCK AND SNOW, CLIMBING ALONE British Columbia, Coast Mountains, Slalok MountainIn late Septem ber, 1988, Kirby Inwood, an inexperienced clim ber in his early 30’s, was on Slalok M ountain, a 2650 m eter peak abou t 30 kilom eters east o f Pem berton. H e was ascending rock tha t was covered with snow and verglas, bu t which was o ther­wise easy. In the early afternoon, a t the 200 m eter level, he slipped and fell. H e sus­tained m ultiple injuries, including broken bones, cuts and bruises, and in ternal inju­ries, and was unable to descend.

A storm kept him stranded for two days and three nights, until W histler Search and Rescue was able to use a long line on a helicopter to evacuate him to a lower elevation. T here he was transferred to ano ther helicopter and flown to the hypother­m ia u n it at L ion ’s Gate Hospital. Hospital staff who exam ined him on arrival esti­m ated tha t he was within two hours o f death from severe hypotherm ia and injuries. It was D ecem ber before he left hospital. (Source: Doug Fox, W histler, BC)AnalysisEasy rock can becom e very dangerous when covered with a thin layer o f ice o r snow. Climbers clim bing alone should expect the worst and be especially cautious. (Source: D oug Fox, W histler, BC)