Paul Crews’ “Accident on Mount McKinley”—A Commentary

Mount McKinley Mount McKinley in Denali National Park and Preserve is the giant of the Alaska Range and the highest peak in North America at 6194 meters (20320 feet). It is also the highest mountain in the world in or near the polar regions, situated at nearly 64 degrees North Latitude, 390 km from the Arctic Circle. Numerous accidents and tragedies have occurred on McKinley, still the mountain's official name though many now refer to it as Denali (an older Native American name for the mountain), since explorers first set foot on its slopes in June of 1903.1.Wickersham J. Old Yukon: Tales—Trails—and Trials. West Publishing Co, St. Paul, MN1938Google Scholar In many instances, lack of self-reliance and poor preparation have proved to be the undoing of mountaineering parties on McKinley.2.Waterman J. Surviving Denali: A Study of Accidents on Mount McKinley 1903–1990. American Alpine Club Press, Golden, CO1991Google Scholar,3.Wilson R. Mills W.J. Rogers D.R. Propst M.T. Death on Denali: Fatalities among climbers in Mount McKinley National Park from 1903 to 1976—analysis of injuries, illnesses and rescues in 1976.West J of Med. 1978; 128: 471-476PubMed Google Scholar However, as highly skilled climbers have sought out increasingly difficult and dangerous routes on the mountain, they too have made their own contributions to the accident statistics.4.The Rescue Operations at Mount McKinleyUnited States Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, S. Hrg. 105-775. U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington1998Google Scholar Prior to 1960, the few mountaineering parties that entered the Alaska Range had to place a premium on planning and caution, as any contingencies that arose would be theirs alone to handle.2.Waterman J. Surviving Denali: A Study of Accidents on Mount McKinley 1903–1990. American Alpine Club Press, Golden, CO1991Google Scholar,5.Beckey F. Mount McKinley: Icy Crown of North America. The Mountaineers, Seattle1993Google Scholar,6.Washburn B. Roberts D. Mount McKinley: The Conquest of Denali. Abrams, New York1991Google Scholar Participants in the these early expeditions realized that a serious accident or illness would probably result in fatalities, as rescue, if it came at all, would not be timely. The first fatality on the mountain occurred via crevasse fall during the Cosmic Ray Expedition of 1932, which incidentally was also the first party to make use of aircraft to access the mountain.2.Waterman J. Surviving Denali: A Study of Accidents on Mount McKinley 1903–1990. American Alpine Club Press, Golden, CO1991Google Scholar,5.Beckey F. Mount McKinley: Icy Crown of North America. The Mountaineers, Seattle1993Google Scholar,6.Washburn B. Roberts D. Mount McKinley: The Conquest of Denali. Abrams, New York1991Google Scholar Radio communications made its debut on McKinley in 1942 during a scientific expedition organized and led by Bradford Washburn, and was also utilized during the 1947 and 1951 Washburn McKinley expeditions.5.Beckey F. Mount McKinley: Icy Crown of North America. The Mountaineers, Seattle1993Google Scholar,6.Washburn B. Roberts D. Mount McKinley: The Conquest of Denali. Abrams, New York1991Google Scholar The first rescue team appeared on the mountain in 1954 in response to a serious fall suffered by the Elton Thayer party after a successful first ascent of the South Buttress.2.Waterman J. Surviving Denali: A Study of Accidents on Mount McKinley 1903–1990. American Alpine Club Press, Golden, CO1991Google Scholar With 1 party member dead and another seriously injured after a 275 meter (900 feet) fall off of Karsten's Ridge, a helicopter dropped a 7-man rescue team at 1800 meters (5900 feet) after a 6-day wait during which time 2 climbers had hiked out to the small community at Kantishna on the mountain's north side for help. The rescuers climbed up to the accident site and hauled the injured mountaineer down to an altitude low enough that would allow for evacuation by helicopter. These early accidents and rescue efforts on McKinley were but a prelude to what occurred on the West Buttress route in May of 1960. A rescue effort that can accurately be termed as epic was set in motion after the 4-man John Day party from Washington State fell on the ice slope at 5500 meters (18045 feet), just below Denali Pass, the night of May 17th after a successful summit bid earlier that day. This was the first reported accident at this location on the mountain, but as climbing traffic increased on the now-standard West Buttress route in subsequent years, many other parties have come to grief on this slope.2.Waterman J. Surviving Denali: A Study of Accidents on Mount McKinley 1903–1990. American Alpine Club Press, Golden, CO1991Google Scholar Most, like the Day party, fall while descending after a long and exhausting day of climbing to the summit. Many accounts, both primary7.Crews P.B. Accident on Mount McKinley.Summit. 1960; 6 (Aug): 2-7Google Scholar, 8.Whittaker L. Gabbard A. Lou Whittaker: Memoirs of a Mountain Guide. The Mountaineers, Seattle1994Google Scholar, 9.Whittaker J. A Life on the Edge: Memoirs of Everest and Beyond. The Mountaineers, Seattle1999Google Scholar, 10.Wilson R. Mountain medicine: Comments on the rescue of climbers on Mount McKinley in May 1960.Ala Med. 1960; 2: 109-111Google Scholar, 11.Wilson R. Medical and personal log, Mt. McKinley climb May 7 to May 25, 1960.Google Scholar, 12.Accidents in North American Mountaineering. New York: American Alpine Club; 1961.Google Scholar, 13.Johnston J.H. Report of Rescue Operations on Mount McKinley Alaska May 17–25, 1960. Alaska Rescue Group, Anchorage1960Google Scholar and secondary,2.Waterman J. Surviving Denali: A Study of Accidents on Mount McKinley 1903–1990. American Alpine Club Press, Golden, CO1991Google Scholar,5.Beckey F. Mount McKinley: Icy Crown of North America. The Mountaineers, Seattle1993Google Scholar,6.Washburn B. Roberts D. Mount McKinley: The Conquest of Denali. Abrams, New York1991Google Scholar cover the events on the mountain immediately prior to, during, and after the accident. The scope of this rescue was enormous enough to also make national headlines in prominent news publications of the time.14.Champlin C. Intrepid men vs. mighty Mac.LIFE. 1960; 48: 24-31Google Scholar Some of the primary sources differ with respect to how certain details of the rescue unfolded, but this is perhaps not entirely surprising, given the intensity of events that often accompany a large, complex, and extended rescue. All of the primary and secondary accounts make for very interesting reading, and it is not this author's intent to dissect the various tales for agreement or disagreement on the details of the accident and subsequent rescue. The decision to use the Crews article7.Crews P.B. Accident on Mount McKinley.Summit. 1960; 6 (Aug): 2-7Google Scholar as a basis for commentary is due to Bradford Washburn's assertion that Crews’ article, which appeared in the August 1960 issue of the mountaineering journal Summit, is “Probably the most accurate and detailed account of the dramatic John Day/Helga Bading crisis and rescue on McKinley's West Buttress … written by one of those deeply involved from start to finish.”6.Washburn B. Roberts D. Mount McKinley: The Conquest of Denali. Abrams, New York1991Google Scholar As Washburn's quote suggests, John Day and his team were not the only people to merit consideration in this rescue. Helga Bading, a member of Crews’ Anchorage climbing team, also figured prominently in the rescue. Bading was troubled by symptoms of acute mountain sickness (AMS) from 2400 meters (7874 feet) onwards, the severity of her discomfort waxing and waning with effort and rest, respectively. According to Rodman Wilson, MD, the physician member of Crews’ climbing team and subsequent author of several articles dealing with injury and illness at high altitude,3.Wilson R. Mills W.J. Rogers D.R. Propst M.T. Death on Denali: Fatalities among climbers in Mount McKinley National Park from 1903 to 1976—analysis of injuries, illnesses and rescues in 1976.West J of Med. 1978; 128: 471-476PubMed Google Scholar,10.Wilson R. Mountain medicine: Comments on the rescue of climbers on Mount McKinley in May 1960.Ala Med. 1960; 2: 109-111Google Scholar,15.Wilson R. Acute high-altitude illness in mountaineers and problems of rescue.Ann of Intern Med. 1973; 78: 421-428Crossref PubMed Scopus (32) Google Scholar,16.Wilson R. Deaths among climbers of Mount McKinley and Mount Foraker in Denali National Park in Alaska.Jpn J of Mountain Med. 1983; : 3Google Scholar from 2400 (7874 feet) to 4900 meters (16076 feet) Bading suffered listlessness, headache, nausea, and vomiting during periods of exacerbation.10.Wilson R. Mountain medicine: Comments on the rescue of climbers on Mount McKinley in May 1960.Ala Med. 1960; 2: 109-111Google Scholar Bading's AMS worsened in high camp at 5000 meters (16404 feet) just as the 4 sound members of the Crews party began to assist in the rescue of the stricken Day expedition.7.Crews P.B. Accident on Mount McKinley.Summit. 1960; 6 (Aug): 2-7Google Scholar,10.Wilson R. Mountain medicine: Comments on the rescue of climbers on Mount McKinley in May 1960.Ala Med. 1960; 2: 109-111Google Scholar,11.Wilson R. Medical and personal log, Mt. McKinley climb May 7 to May 25, 1960.Google Scholar Dehydration, prostration, delirium, and coma quickly followed (without respiratory distress) in Bading10.Wilson R. Mountain medicine: Comments on the rescue of climbers on Mount McKinley in May 1960.Ala Med. 1960; 2: 109-111Google Scholar while the Crews team strove to help the injured men in the Day party at 5300 meters (17388 feet). The assessment of the injuries of members of Day's team revealed a broken leg, frostbitten digits, head injury with concussion, and possible fractured ribs.11.Wilson R. Medical and personal log, Mt. McKinley climb May 7 to May 25, 1960.Google Scholar Radio contact was established with the outside world shortly after the accident. The need for evacuation of the Day party was thus announced. However, no one in the Day party was in as unstable condition as Helga Bading. Less than 24 hours after the Day team fell just below Denali pass, as Crews’ party attempted to stabilize the injured and arrange for a precedent-setting high altitude air evacuation, it was realized that Bading was quickly becoming the rescue priority.7.Crews P.B. Accident on Mount McKinley.Summit. 1960; 6 (Aug): 2-7Google Scholar,11.Wilson R. Medical and personal log, Mt. McKinley climb May 7 to May 25, 1960.Google Scholar Of the many notable occurrences connected with this rescue, perhaps the one most interesting from a medical standpoint was the progressing severity of Helga Bading's AMS. High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE) had yet to be identified as a distinct, severe form of high altitude illness. Little was known about the pathophysiology of AMS in 1960 (let alone the treatment), and the cerebral form of high altitude illness that was first clinically described in the English language by English physician Thomas H. Ravenhill in 191317.Ravenhill T.H. Some experience of mountain sickness in the Andes.J of Trop Med and Hyg. 1913; 16: 313-320Google Scholar had all but been forgotten.18.West J.B. High Life: A History of High Altitude Physiology and Medicine. Oxford University Press, New York1998Crossref Google Scholar,19.West J.B. T.H. Ravenhill and his contributions to mountain sickness.J of Appl Physiol. 1996; 80: 715-724PubMed Google Scholar In fact, Ravenhill's landmark paper17.Ravenhill T.H. Some experience of mountain sickness in the Andes.J of Trop Med and Hyg. 1913; 16: 313-320Google Scholar wasn’t “rediscovered” until 1964 when William H. Hall of the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine carried out an extensive literature search19.West J.B. T.H. Ravenhill and his contributions to mountain sickness.J of Appl Physiol. 1996; 80: 715-724PubMed Google Scholar prior to writing a paper on AMS.20.Hall W.H. Barila T.G. Metzger E.C. Gupta K.K. A clinical study of acute mountain sickness.Arch of Environ Health. 1965; 10: 747-753Crossref PubMed Scopus (8) Google Scholar More than 48 hours after the Day party's fall, while air/ground evacuation options were still being sorted out for them, it was decided that Bading needed immediate evacuation to a lower altitude. Oxygen had been supplied in one of the airdrops that occurred at over 5000 meters (16404 feet), but Bading refused to wear an oxygen mask. Hence, her parka was draped as a tent over her sleeping bag and the oxygen (1000 L) dropped inside her sleeping bag.21.Fitch R.F. Mountain sickness: A cerebral form.Ann of Intern Med. 1964; 60: 871-876Crossref PubMed Scopus Google Scholar no was in her condition and In Crews’ decision to Bading down the of the West Buttress to meters feet) with the at of a rescue that had been than for an outside rescue team or her R. Medical and personal log, Mt. McKinley climb May 7 to May 25, 1960.Google Scholar meters feet), the Crews team members Bading were by many rescuers from the Anchorage and still on the had both the Day and Crews to McKinley earlier in made a high altitude at meters feet) in his just Bading and her team P.B. Accident on Mount McKinley.Summit. 1960; 6 (Aug): 2-7Google Scholar Bading his and immediately for Anchorage and at were for 2 R. Mountain medicine: Comments on the rescue of climbers on Mount McKinley in May 1960.Ala Med. 1960; 2: 109-111Google Scholar The on Bading's illness by in R.F. Mountain sickness: A cerebral form.Ann of Intern Med. 1964; 60: 871-876Crossref PubMed Scopus Google Scholar another of J.B. High Life: A History of High Altitude Physiology and Medicine. Oxford University Press, New York1998Crossref Google Scholar from Ravenhill's clinical T.H. Some experience of mountain sickness in the Andes.J of Trop Med and Hyg. 1913; 16: 313-320Google Scholar by It be that Ravenhill or the a medical for 2 at high altitude that were the for his clinical J.B. High Life: A History of High Altitude Physiology and Medicine. Oxford University Press, New York1998Crossref Google Scholar termed what now as as of a T.H. Some experience of mountain sickness in the Andes.J of Trop Med and Hyg. 1913; 16: 313-320Google Scholar being the for mountain accurately termed his sickness of the cerebral R.F. Mountain sickness: A cerebral form.Ann of Intern Med. 1964; 60: 871-876Crossref PubMed Scopus Google Scholar the of of the of mountain The ascent of of rescuers from to Mt. McKinley during this B. Roberts D. Mount McKinley: The Conquest of Denali. Abrams, New York1991Google J.H. Report of Rescue Operations on Mount McKinley Alaska May 17–25, 1960. Alaska Rescue Group, Anchorage1960Google Scholar not set the for of high altitude illness. an from had climbed from meters feet) to the camp at meters feet) on the West Buttress to experience of and by his day in R. Mountain medicine: Comments on the rescue of climbers on Mount McKinley in May 1960.Ala Med. 1960; 2: 109-111Google Scholar just a few hours subsequent to Helga Bading's out to Anchorage with the day as Bading's evacuation to medical May his of the to meters feet) and John B. Roberts D. Mount McKinley: The Conquest of Denali. Abrams, New York1991Google P.B. Accident on Mount McKinley.Summit. 1960; 6 (Aug): 2-7Google Scholar The day this to rescue at the altitude. The day that was off by in dramatic an over the The of the Day party with members of Crews’ team on foot to at meters feet), the of the to camp in the of the P.B. Accident on Mount McKinley.Summit. 1960; 6 (Aug): 2-7Google Scholar,11.Wilson R. Medical and personal log, Mt. McKinley climb May 7 to May 25, 1960.Google Scholar the as the climbers and rescuers out the at meters feet), the member of the rescue team had been of and was to though in his sleeping bag with and of and R. Mountain medicine: Comments on the rescue of climbers on Mount McKinley in May 1960.Ala Med. 1960; 2: 109-111Google Scholar,11.Wilson R. Medical and personal log, Mt. McKinley climb May 7 to May 25, 1960.Google Scholar it was not at the the and of this is with what as high altitude It be when in this R. Medical and personal log, Mt. McKinley climb May 7 to May 25, 1960.Google Scholar his was with the medical of that at in the had been for many in South America by medical in high altitude as of the in J.B. High Life: A History of High Altitude Physiology and Medicine. Oxford University Press, New York1998Crossref Google Scholar this was not to the of the medical community until 1960 when and an account of a to in H. 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Oxford University Press, New York1998Crossref Google Scholar was of a had with severe and when a meter feet) in the in that evacuation was involved in the rescue and his after evacuation revealed and and both with to A of the a with the on the The was not and in May the was by a in that was no which to the of any form of Acute of high J of Med. 1960; PubMed Scopus Google Scholar but In the 1960 issue of Summit, reported the the or in a of many of his this to the of or 1960; 6 Scholar the time of his 1960 in The New of Acute of high J of Med. 1960; PubMed Scopus Google Scholar had that this was a of acute on by the of high and It is thus to that was with 2 high clinical on McKinley in May of 1960 the of being to and and and symptoms for what they The contributions to of the and of these illnesses by high altitude and of medical that high altitude mountaineers can all too often for In the made the not only for the Day party and his but for the that was in need of rescue of his of what is as May after the had a was made for yet another air The was out via aircraft by on May and quickly at lower R. Medical and personal log, Mt. McKinley climb May 7 to May 25, 1960.Google Scholar The of the climbers and rescuers on foot that day to meters feet) they were by U.S. Army and aircraft had in the rescue efforts that and the day and out to and the early was a of time in the of of high altitude illness. and H. Medical in Med 1960; Scholar as as Acute of high J of Med. 1960; PubMed Scopus Google Scholar landmark in May and 1960, respectively. the serious illness of Helga Bading the basis for the very by in R.F. Mountain sickness: A cerebral form.Ann of Intern Med. 1964; 60: 871-876Crossref PubMed Scopus Google Scholar the of from the of the 1960 in the of mountain this epic 1960 rescue on McKinley a for rescue in Alaska in and Mount McKinley in It is probably not an to that the the of many mountaineers in climbing Prior to 1960, outside rescue was in the of the of those on its B. Roberts D. Mount McKinley: The Conquest of Denali. Abrams, New York1991Google Scholar the of and other aircraft involved in the 1960 rescue, it was that rescue was a According to climbers in the had been known to for a rescue, not to from an but to a long down a B. Roberts D. Mount McKinley: The Conquest of Denali. Abrams, New York1991Google Scholar The that was of the climbers on McKinley by and on other J. Surviving Denali: A Study of Accidents on Mount McKinley 1903–1990. American Alpine Club Press, Golden, CO1991Google Scholar all of this had of an on the of those came to the The by the not to the of the that was alone in a of the among many McKinley As one been with the climbing on McKinley for than and as a on high altitude National Park this author that as as it be to to the of the this is an However, the at Denali National Park and Preserve realized the came to a that the of U.S. and climbers to climb McKinley and the increasingly rescue that were a The of to come with to accident and illness among climbers on McKinley and among those have for an rescue a in the mountaineering the of High of the University of with the of the and the air of the U.S. the of a medical on the meter feet) of the West F. Mills W.J. The Denali medical Alpine J. Scholar this termed the Denali Medical Research was not situated on the mountain for of and rescue, the and in this were mountaineers and prominent in high altitude of mountain the of of this camp from to F. Mills W.J. The Denali medical Alpine J. Scholar, Denali National Park and Scholar, Denali National Park and Scholar, Denali National Park and Scholar, Denali National Park and Scholar, Denali National Park and Scholar was not those involved with the with medical to all climbers altitude illness and on injury and other medical and F. Mills W.J. The Denali medical Alpine J. Scholar These were all of proved in a of and had a on the and of rescue on the and other problems not make of the Denali Medical Research after the realized how it was to have a camp at meters feet) on the West Buttress which of the climbing traffic on mountain with Hence, in place of the Denali Medical Research the Denali mountaineering established a camp at meters feet) on McKinley for the mountaineering Denali National Park and Scholar This mountaineering and in several or during the mountaineering to in contact with climbers and high altitude and rescue Prior to the it that the would with air during the of In to and air for high altitude rescues on McKinley, Denali National Park and Preserve an helicopter to be in for the mountaineering Denali National Park and Scholar The was on that its on 2 successful rescues 5500 meters (18045 feet), 1 of which at meters feet). This small but aircraft been by Denali National Park and Preserve for rescue as as high altitude during subsequent mountaineering with The climbing on McKinley was in the of climbers on the mountain as as in the of mountaineering This the most of rescue in the mountain's and by Denali National Park and Scholar Rescue as rescue or climbers were by the mountaineering and the of the a had been and that in the climbers on McKinley and meter feet) high Mount Foraker to be a mountaineering of The of the was to mountaineering as and the high altitude camp at meters feet) on the West Buttress mountaineering at the of and Denali National Park and Scholar for the was the that climbers of McKinley and Foraker with the a of in of on the This was to the Denali mountaineering an to to mountaineers on and how to and their to these were from by the mountaineering after the mountaineering that the in over a the of mountaineering rescues as as the of on the Denali National Park and Scholar The in the of and rescues during the several on McKinley the assertion that the during the were that were have been over the of the to be at their

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