Climbing
The Forest Service has announced the death of a climber who was hiking up a moderately difficult snowy and icy area on Mount Washington, NH the highest peak in the Northeast. 37-year-old Jeremy Ullmann of Somerville Massachusetts died on February 10th after a long sliding fall in the Huntington Ravine area.
Snow Rangers from the Mount Washington Avalanche Center responded to a report of an overdue climber on Sunday, Feb. 10. Volunteer search and rescue teams also assisted to search the terrain above Huntington Ravine. The body was found that evening, recovered from the mountain, and released to local authorities.
Dr. Ullmann, a neuroscientist at Boston Children’s Hospital, was wearing crampons and making his approach to a more technical part of Central Gully when he slipped and fell more than 300 feet into a boulder-strewn area known as the Fan. The Forest Service said icy conditions following several days of warm temperatures and rain increased the danger of long sliding falls the day of the accident.
“The scratches on the snow indicate that he made an attempt to arrest,” the Forest Services’ Frank Carus told NHPR’s Sean Hurley. “He had two ice axes one of which dragged quite well through the snow for a long distance.”
Although Dr. Ullmann was an experienced rock climber and mountaineer, Carus says this was an accident that could have happened to anyone.
“The thing that’s so unfortunate about these events is it’s just easy to chalk it up as some fool in the hills you know? But this guy is no fool you know. He’s a smart man and like many of us likes to go find joy in the mountains. You know, and it didn’t work out that day.”
The U.S. Forest Service says police are investigating the death of a mountain climber. Dr. Ullmann leaves behind his wife Kylie, and their 3-year old son, Oscar.
Experienced ? Define that please, how many actual days on the mountain to quantify being experienced ? How much training? How much” fill in the blank”. Call it what it is, a series of bad choices right out of the gate. There have been many well educated urbanites who have sought out adventure and ended up in big trouble at times resulting in death. If anything let Dr. Goldman’s tragic end be a reminder that mount Washington will exploit every lack of judgement,common sense and preparation, the mountain will be there another day, talk to the local climbing community and heed their advice.
Im his wife and your comments are not welcome. You don’t know his background