HAPE: The High-Altitude Killer What is HAPE? The most common cause of death directly attributed to altitude is High Altitude Pulmonary Edema, or “HAPE.” Caused by a lack of oxygen, HAPE is an advanced stage of Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS). In conjunction with the breakdown of glucose, fats, and amino acids, oxygen is necessary for our bodies to produce energy. Too little of it […] Brains Tony Miller | February 1, 2020 0 Comments
2 Avalanche Deaths Today: 18-Year-Old Male Snowmobiler in Utah, Female Ice Climber in Colorado The Utah Avalanche Center is reporting that and 18-year-old male snowmobiler was killed in an avalanche above Farmington Canyon, UT today. The Colorado Avalanche Center is reporting that a female climber was killed in an avalanche in Uncompahgre Gorge south of Ouray, Colorado today. There was also a fatal inbounds avalanche at Alpine Meadows ski resort, CA yesterday. BREAKING: 1 […] Avalanche AvyBrains | January 18, 2020 0 Comments
Heli-Ski Expert Nicolas Gaide Killed in Horrific Ski Accident on Mont Miravidi The Times reports that seasoned French ski professional and father of one, Nicolas Gaide, has been killed in a fall while attempting to ski Mont Miravidi on the Italian-French border. Gaide, 43, was participating in a safety training exercise with other heli-ski guides on a 3,000m (9,842′) helicopter-accessed slope on Mount Miravidi when the unthinkable happened. Gaide and other guides landed […] Industry News SnowBrains | January 9, 2020 0 Comments
Pro Snowboarder Jaeger Bailey Took His Own Life On Christmas Day in Mammoth, CA | 1993-2019 According to Pat Bridges of Snowboarder Magazine, pro snowboarder Jaeger Bailey took his own life in Mammoth Lakes, CA on Christmas Day 2019. “On the evening of December 25, 2019, snowboarding lost one of the most colorful, charismatic, creative, talented, and authentic individuals to ever strap in and send it. The joy of the holidays has suddenly been juxtaposed with […] Industry News SnowBrains | December 26, 2019 8 Comments
New Zealand Volcano Erupted Yesterday: 5 Dead and 8 Missing The White Island Volcano in New Zealand erupted yesterday killing 5 people and injuring 31. 8 tourists are still unaccounted for. A cruise ship filled with tourists was exploring the island in the Bay of Plenty when the volcano erupted. 47 tourists were on the island at the time of the eruption. Currently, rescue helicopters, other aircraft, and tourist boats […] SnowBrains | December 10, 2019 0 Comments
Founder of Burton Snowboards, Jake Burton Carpenter, Has Died Jake Burton Carpenter (1954-2019), the snowboarding pioneer and founder of Burton Snowboards, passed away from cancer today at the age of 65. Burton Snowboards announced Carpenter’s death on Thursday in an email to employees. “He was the soul of snowboarding, the one who gave us the sport we love,” the company said. Jake Burton founded Burton Snowboards in a Vermont […] Industry News SnowBrains | November 21, 2019 0 Comments
HAPE: Mother Nature’s Silent Weapon Why do they do it? Why do so many people risk their lives to summit a mountain peak? Year after year we see countless outdoor enthusiasts tackle the powerful forces of mother nature to conquer high-elevation mountains around the globe. While many are aware of certain risks, such as avalanches and freezing temperatures, the leading cause of death in high […] Industry News Emily Crofton | November 8, 2019 0 Comments
The Deadliest Accident in the History of Mount Rainier, WA Mount Rainier is the highest peak in the state of Washington at 14,411 feet- almost three miles high. It is located about 59 miles south of Seattle. Almost two million people visit this national park each year. It is a stratovolcano, meaning that its height is built largely from many layers of hardened ash, lava, and pumice. Mount Rainier last […] Avalanche Sydney Stephens | November 1, 2019 2 Comments
Hunter Killed By Deer He Thought He Had Just Shot Dead A hunter in the US state of Arkansas has died after being gored by a deer he had just tried to kill. Thomas Alexander, 66, was hunting near the Ozark mountains when he shot the buck and watched it collapse. Assuming the animal was dead, Mr Alexander went to check on the body – at which point the deer stood […] SnowBrains | October 31, 2019 7 Comments
Mountaineer Killed On 14,154′ Mt. Sill, CA Last Monday Inyo County Sheriff’s Office: MT. SILL (PALISADES), CA. October 22, 2019 – On October 20 (late afternoon), two hikers/mountaineers were descending the L-shaped snowfield below Mt. Sill (14,154′) when one slipped and tumbled approximately 300-400 feet sustaining unknown but serious injuries. His partner notified the Inyo County Sheriff’s Office through the use of a satellite communication device. Due to the […] Industry News SnowBrains | October 23, 2019 4 Comments
Europe Averages 100 Avalanche Deaths Per Year According to European Avalanche Warning Services (EAWS), avalanches kill an average of 100 skiers and snowboarders every year in Europe. Figures are based on reports received from EAWS members and their partners. That’s nearly 4 times the average amount of skiers and snowboarders killed by avalanches in the U.S, where an average of 27 persons die by avalanche each year. […] Avalanche SnowBrains | October 18, 2019 0 Comments
Man Who Died Saving His Wife in Yosemite Receives Honor From Queen Elizabeth II A British climber who was crushed by falling rocks at Yosemite National Park was killed saving his wife’s life. Andrew Foster, 32, received the Queen’s Gallantry Medal from Queen Elizabeth II for his heroic actions. Foster was trapped when more than 1,000 tons of rock fell from the face of the El Capitan monolith on Wednesday. He is thought to […] Climbing Martin Kuprianowicz | October 2, 2019 0 Comments
Kansas Ultramarathon Runner Struck by Lightning During Race, Dies Tragically A Kansas runner has died after being hit by lightning near the finish line of a 31 mile (50km) ultramarathon, BBC News says. Thomas Stanley, 33, received first aid from runners and officials at the Elk City State Park race on Saturday, but died from his injuries, police say. Stanley is survived by his wife, Ashley, and three children. A […] Industry News Martin Kuprianowicz | October 1, 2019 0 Comments
Woman Fell 500-Feet To Her Death From Half Dome Cables In Yosemite, CA Yesterday A 29-year-old woman fell 500-feet to her death while hiking up Half Dome in Yosemite National Park in California on Thursday. Yosemite National Park spokesperson Scott Gediman reports that Danielle Burnett was climbing the steepest part of the climb up the cables near the summit of Half Dome when she fell over 500-feet down steep, rocky terrain. Officials are investigating […] Industry News CragBrains | September 6, 2019 0 Comments
Former Amazing Race Canada Competitor Fell Over 800-Feet to His Death off Mount Gimli, BC An experienced hiker and former Amazing Race Canada contestant has died after falling more than 800-feet from the peak of a popular mountain near Slocan, BC. Related: 33-Year-Old Squamish, BC Climber Falls to His Death on Stawamus Chief Mountain The body of Kenneth McAlpine was recovered from Mount Gimli, at the edge of Valhalla Provincial Park, late Tuesday. It’s believed the 28-year-old stumbled on […] Climbing CragBrains | August 29, 2019 0 Comments
California Man Dies After Competing in Taco-Eating Contest According to local police, a California man died after competing in a taco-eating contest at a Fresno Grizzlies minor league baseball game in Fresno, California on Tuesday. It’s unknown how many tacos the man consumed in the contest. “He apparently began to choke, so Fresno Grizzlies medical staff rushed over, started to give him first aid and then turned him […] Industry News SnowBrains | August 15, 2019 0 Comments
Rockfall Kills Teenage Girl In Her Car In Glacier National Park Yesterday A 14-year-old girl was killed by rockfall on Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park, MT yesterday, August 12th, 2019. The rocks came down on the top of their vehicle, shattering the rear windshield, and fatally injuring the girl as well as injuring her parents and the two other children in the vehicle. “The rocks that hit the vehicle were between […] Industry News CragBrains | August 13, 2019 0 Comments
61-Year Old Hiker Falls 200-Feet to his Death on 14er Maroon Peak, CO Mountain Rescue crews worked yesterday to retrieve the body of a 61-year-old man who died Wednesday after falling 200-feet on a steep section on 14,163-foot Maroon Peak. The man, who was not from the Aspen area, was helicoptered out of the backcountry late Thursday afternoon and becomes the first death of the summer climbing season. Related: 3 Women Hikers Airlifted […] Climbing CragBrains | July 12, 2019 0 Comments
Body of Missing Of Mt. Whitney, CA Hiker Found Dead Yesterday According to the Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, CA, the body of missing Mt. Whitney hiker Ling Dao was located on Tuesday afternoon, June 18th 2019, on the north slopes of Mt. Whitney. Ling was last seen alive near the summit of 14,495′ Mt. Whitney on June 12th, 2019. The exact cause of death is under investigation. Ling Dao […] Industry News CragBrains | June 19, 2019 0 Comments
35-Year Old Woman Slipped and Fell to Her Death Taking a Photo at Eagle Falls, CA The El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office has identified the woman who lost her footing, slipped and fell to her death while taking a photograph at Eagle Falls near Lake Tahoe’s Emerald Bay as 35-year-old Bay Area resident Stephanie “Dina” Espinosa. She was sitting in one of the pools of water near the waterfalls when she fell on Friday. “Dina slipped while reaching […] SnowBrains | June 3, 2019 0 Comments
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