Clint McHale - Free solo Fatality on Camelback

[Dave1]

Hiker dies after fall on Camelback Mountain

A hiker who sustained a critical head injury after falling near the top of Camelback Mountain died during helicopter transport to a nearby hospital Wednesday afternoon, Phoenix Fire Department officials said.

The 24-year-old man was hiking with a companion when the two ventured off the trail and began to navigate more rugged terrain, officials said. It was reported that the man then slipped and slid down 20 feet of the mountain before taking a 30-foot drop, knocking him unconscious.

He later regained consciousness but died in the rescue helicopter en route to Scottsdale Healthcare Osborn Medical Center around 4:15 p.m., fire officials said.

The victim's name has not been released, and fire officials are still investigating the incident.

Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/community/phoe ... z1LRp4JIhQ

[Dave1]

A little more info here:

Hiker dies after falling up to 50 feet at Camelback Mountain

PHOENIX – A man died after falling between 40 and 50 feet while hiking at Camelback Mountain in Phoenix.

Firefighters and emergency personnel responded to the mountain after receiving reports a hiker had fallen and was injured.

The 25-year-old victim, identified as Clint McHale, was rescued from the mountainside with the help of a chopper but died en route to the hospital.

Detectives have learned McHale and a friend were hiking as they often did and decided to “free climb” along the south part of Camelback Mountain. They both hike often and police say they usually stay on the trails.

McHale at some point was unable to keep climbing and fell. His friend tried to help but was not able to hold onto the victim until rescue crews arrived.

http://www.azfamily.com/news/local/Hike ... 97639.html

[cactuscat]

Sounds like free-soloing to me, not free climbing ... big difference!! Also, if he was just a hiker who ventured into vertical terrain, he probably didn't even know he was free-soloing. Free-soloing is usually done by expert climbers who know that they can climb a route without any ropes or gear ... and even then they still sometimes fall and die. I would call this dumb-pumpkin climbing with predictable results.

[big_load]

Poor guy. There are no do-overs for some things.

[John9L]

Did this happen on the Cholla side? The second article mentions the "south part". I've seen some heros going way out of their way to "free climb" off trail. This is what can happen. Very sad. I wonder if they closed the mountain. There was a heart attack fatality just over a month ago and they completely shut the mountain down.

[azbackpackr]

Yeah, don't you just love it when the news media thinks they have the terminology correct (which they did not, as cactus cat has pointed out, since they use the term "free climbing" when they should have used "free soloing") and then make all climbers look bad, or all hikers. The word "climber" can signify someone who just happens to be climbing up something steep, OR it can mean someone with very specialized skills who knows what they are doing. Same goes for the term "hiker." This is a semantic problem, which the news media likes to ignore.

There is a segment of the public which feeds on fear, and lives by fear, and they eat up this kind of story, and then they waste my time telling me that what I do is dangerous.

I do feel sorry for the guy, don't get me wrong. I think we hikers have ALL been one slip away from death more than once. It is easy to see how it can happen.

[John9L]

It happened on the Echo Side. Video is on Fox Phoenix

http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/dpp/news/lo ... n-05042011

[cactuscat]

I think we hikers have ALL been one slip away from death more than once. It is easy to see how it can happen.

Very true.

[Alston_Neal]

How very sad..
I feel bad for his hiking partner. It'll take a long time for his soul to heal.

[BobP]

I would call this dumb-pumpkin climbing with predictable results.

Call it what you like...but remember family members may google and read your remarks.

It is very sad when someone young or old...experienced or not dies on or off-trail. My prayers go out to his family and friends.

[kingsnake]

It's that time of year. N plz: ext news story will be about some yahoo doing the climb in 110 degree weather, with no water, and dying of heat stroke.

[sbkelley]

All of us were new at this once, and probably made some decisions - which seemed fine at the time - that we look back on now with anxiety/relief/horror. I reflect on that from time to time. He won't get that chance. I feel terrible for the family and friends when I see stories like this...

[cactuscat]

No offense ... I have certainly done my share of dumbass things too - haven't we all? I just get so irritated with how the media can never seem to get the facts or terminology right. And I worry that these incidents will eventually cause Camelback to be closed to all off trail activities, including legitimate climbing.

[Alston_Neal]

Having been born and raised in the shadow of Camelback, it's a miracle I'm alive today.
I've always felt that Camelback has a unique quality.....Looks easy, starts easy and then Oh Pumpkin!


Ok sorry a little mod editing there......must make note to self.....the word is pumpkin.... ;)

[big_load]

I just get so irritated with how the media can never seem to get the facts or terminology right

That's true, but I doubt the difference between free climbing and free soloing is something they'll never get, because the word "free" so readily implies the inference they always draw. As I've said many times before (and as others have said here), there's nothing I fear as much on the trail as a simple slip and fall.

[PatrickL]

Very sad to hear. I hope his friends, especially the one that was present yesterday, and family are doing alright.

[cactuscat]

Channel 10 news was just showing a rescue going on at Camelback right now ... I missed the beginning so I don't know what happened, just that it's a woman being rescued.
They also referred to yesterday's fatality, and reporter Marc Martinez actually used the correct free solo term, though anchor Troy Hayden again called it free climbing ...

[cactuscat]

Just realized the title of this thread has it wrong, too.

[PatrickL]

Channel 10 news was just showing a rescue going on at Camelback right now ... I missed the beginning so I don't know what happened, just that it's a woman being rescued.
They also referred to yesterday's fatality, and reporter Marc Martinez actually used the correct free solo term, though anchor Troy Hayden again called it free climbing ...

I wonder if this one was heat related.

[cactuscat]

Apparently she suffered a broken ankle.