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Death on Mount Washington, NH

Original Post
Morgan Patterson · · NH · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 8,945
unionleader.com/article/201…

Sad news... I think i understand what occured with the PLB giving multiple locations across the ridge. I assume that SAR was picking up the long range pings which gives can occur in about a 1-3mi radius. Once SAR gets to that area they would need to ping for the short range frequency in order to locate the victim in a 100m radius area.

I'm not 100% sure and was wondering if anyone on here is familiar with the incident and can advise why the readings were so scatter and if they had the equipment or received any short range pings. Were the short range pings the ones that were all over the place or just the long range pings?

My thinking is this is a major shortfall in PLB's without GPS and that everyone should be fully aware of how they function and why non GPS one are basically useless.

I know quite a few sailors and outdoor folks scratching their heads and really looking to understand this one for all ours' sake.
M Sprague · · New England · Joined Nov 2006 · Points: 5,090

Kate Matrosova

She died on Mt Adams. There is more information here bostonglobe.com/metro/2015/… for those trying to understand what happened. There is also further discussion and links on the NEClimbs.com forum.

A sad loss. Condolences to those who knew and loved her. I am sure her absence is felt by many. At least it seems she lived her life very richly in the time she had. Thanks to all who tried to rescue her.
Trad Princess · · Not That Into Climbing · Joined Jan 2012 · Points: 1,175

I wonder which PLB she was using?

It's very sad that someone died, but I'd imagine she knew what she was getting into. I know, when I first started out and took more risks, I'd wait for storms to come in and go out into them alone, just trying to test myself and my gear. Now that I'm a little older and hopefully wiser, I look back at that and I'm thankful I didn't get into worse trouble than I did.

The weather over there is pretty dang crazy, we've got it sweet in the Sierra it would appear.

Bill Kirby · · Keene New York · Joined Jul 2012 · Points: 480

Morgan, would just like to say your post was written very tastefully. Much different than the other BS I've read. I don't know how dumb ass people I've talked with over the years that don't pack a Bivy or a transceiver or extra food or a compass. That includes myself some days.

Adam, I heard she was using a Spot. I was in IME last weekend and Rick Wilcox was talking about it. Was good to hear all the rescuers made it back safe.

Trad Princess · · Not That Into Climbing · Joined Jan 2012 · Points: 1,175

Thanks Bill, I thought it might be a Spot. I've heard some stories of those getting a little weird - very similar story in the Sierra of placing the victim on one ridge, than another, and so on. They had trouble tracking her down as well, but I think she made it okay. Not 100% on the details.

My brother/stepfather chipped in and picked up this one (or one similar) a few years back

rei.com/product/815753/acr-…

Supposedly a more serious device when needed - doesn't allow you to instatweet to your facebook page, or whatever, which may be why some of the less reliable but more "robust" PLBs are popular.

I hope I never have to use it.

Morgan Patterson · · NH · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 8,945
Adam Burch wrote:I wonder which PLB she was using?
The wilcox writeup seems to indicate SPOT.

conwaydailysun.com/newsx/lo…

Mark - Do you or anyone, have any insight as to WHY the PLB was so inaccurate?
Morgan Patterson · · NH · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 8,945
Bill Kirby wrote: Morgan, would just like to say your post was written very tastefully. Much different than the other BS I've read.
LMAO! Well it's only because I'm looking for a serious answer... I'm sure the BS will start to leak out again when I get bored and start surfin the forums for entertainment.
Pnelson · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2015 · Points: 635
Adam Burch wrote:The weather over there is pretty dang crazy, we've got it sweet in the Sierra it would appear.
Yeah, some friends and I were backcountry skiing in Western Mass during that Feb 15 storm that claimed her life. We had a high of 5°F that day, although the sustained 30mph winds were taking the windchill down into the -20s. It was without a doubt the coldest day I've ever been dumb enough to play outside. I can't imagine how much worse it must have been up in the Presidential Range. These northeastern cold snaps are getting really old this season.
JohnnyG · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2009 · Points: 10

yes, the inaccuracies of the PLB are disconcerting

and +1 to what Sprague wrote

M Sprague wrote: A sad loss. Condolences to those who knew and loved her. I am sure her absence is felt by many. At least it seems she lived her life very richly in the time she had. Thanks to all who tried to rescue her.
Jeremy B. · · Unknown Hometown · Joined May 2013 · Points: 0
Adam Burch wrote:I wonder which PLB she was using?
The Boston Globe story would suggest a traditional PLB based on this:

"Matrosova had pushed the button on a personal locator beacon. That triggered an instantaneous alert at Tyndall Air Force Base in Panama City, Fla., where emergency satellite signals from all such devices are monitored."

On BPL the device is mentioned to be an ACR ResQLink 375, but the source for that info isn't specified. I suspect Wilcox was using "spot device" as a generic term for all PLBs.
wankel7 · · Indiana · Joined Oct 2010 · Points: 10
Morgan Patterson wrote: The wilcox writeup seems to indicate SPOT. conwaydailysun.com/newsx/lo… Mark - Do you or anyone, have any insight as to WHY the PLB was so inaccurate?

The SPOT is not a Personal Locator Beacon. It falls very very short and in my opinion is not worth the weight to even bring it. SPOT talks to commercial satellites and the SPOT is built to no standard.

While the PLB talks with satellites maintained by the Government. The 406mhz frequency used is the standard for recoveries. The same PLB tech used in a hiking PLB is the same used in Emergency beacons on airplanes, personal boats, and commercial vessels.

PLBs also transmit a signal on 121.5mhz that is independent of the 406mhz signal used to talk with the satellites . The Civil Air Patrol normally has equipment to home in on this signal. SPOT does not transmit a separate homing signal on 121.5.

However, after reading this blurb :

unionleader.com/article/201…

"With help from a Civil Air Patrol aircraft, the signal from Matrosova’s PLB was determined to be coming from the area of Star Lake and Pelchat’s AVSAR team was directed to go there. "

I think she actually may have been using a PLB and not SPOT.

However, it would be outstanding to know what beacon she was using and how it was deployed. Maybe even recreate the scene to see how the terrain played a role in the GPS reception and 406mhz transmissions.
Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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