My Adventure Story
Gannett Peak is the highest point in Wyoming and is located in the Wind River Range.This epic trip included Jimmy Kosieniak, Stephenie Steitzer, Kyle Hoelscher, and myself. After my cousin drop us off at the Louisville International Airport. We made are way by plane and car to Pinedale Wyoming. From Pinedale it's a short drive to Elkhart Park where we camped out for the night. Our epic adventure begun first thing Sunday morning at the trail head where we all waved goodbye to the last signs of civilization for the next 6 days. Jimmy and myself saw the only large animal early on in the trip which was a moose hidden back in the thick brush of the trees. Kyle and Stephenie were to far ahead for me to yell for the moose would of just ran away. That night we made camp at Little Seneca Lake. The following morning we made our way past Island Lake and to base camp in the Upper Titcomb Basin. The view was breath taking and with extra days factored in for bad weather it was an anonymous vote to take a day off and enjoy the area before pushing for the summit. On Tuesday Jimmy and I went half way up Bonny Pass to check it out and to get a good feel for navigating it in the dark. That afternoon we played on the snow and ice around camp practicing self arrest and other skills necessary to make our trip to the summit as safe as possible. As hard as it was we all headed to bed long before dark and decided our alpine start would begin at 2:30am. The push over Bonny Pass in the dark went just as planned and by the time we made it over and down to Dinwoody Glacier, twilight had begun. That day we made it to the summit and over the snow bridge but
I have a new respect
for the dangers encountered in the mountains after this trip. Many climbers over time become
more and more confident over their years of climbing and loose respect for the
possibilities of accidents in the mountains. I met a man and his son as I made
my decent from the summit. I was taking a break waiting on the rest of my team
and they were resting up for the final push to the summit. The father offered
me some gum and I offered him my beta from the summit.
I mentioned to them that the snow was becoming soft in the sun.They were all experienced climbers and the son had made the trip
before. I wished them a safe trip and made my way to the snow bridge
below. As we made our way to the snow bridge that mans farther had fallen. The soft snow had given out and to the best of my knowledge his ice ax wouldn't grab hold. The man slid
200ft down the snow and off the cliffs below. One of the members of that team had come down and was asking us if we had seen anything. Jimmy mentioned he heard what sounded like rock fall but didn't see where it was coming from. I knew no man could survive a fall of that nature and decided not to use our SPOTS to alert search and rescue for
our families would worry sick about us and wouldn’t be able to hear from us for
three days. Jimmy and I being the two fastest climbers not associated with the
man pushed as fast as we could to base camp to get word out that a man had
fallen. Before we could make it to base camp. Search and rescue showed up an
hour and a half later. Due to the high winds the helicopter could not land and
returned two days later to recover the body. Everyone in our team wishes that family the best. I look forward to the mountains to come and will always remember that day as I put my life in dangerous situations to be as careful as I can and to protect those around me. Knowing they will do the same for me.
