By zoso
Jan 23, 2013
| "She was on top of the ice when she fell."
What the hell does that mean?
Belay error? Lead fall?
At least the media got it right that they were climbers. | 
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By PAS
Jan 23, 2013
| Mooner, wrong thread for slag, at best details for learning points and condolences and at worst your style. Unfortunately many ice climbers get the chop while under unfortunate circumstances.
| It happens !
Submitted By: PAS on Jan 23, 2013
| |
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By notmyname
From Salt Lake City, UT
Jan 23, 2013
| i'm hoping it wasn't a girl I met there a few weeks ago, age and gender are the same. PM me her name if you know, please
-Mike |
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By Nathaniel Holt
Jan 24, 2013
| There was a girl from park city a couple of weeks back that posted that she was looking for a partner and that she had extra gear for anyone just getting into the sport. Was This her? Regardless I hope they are ok. I have not been able to find any updates on their conditions. Last I saw was from 11 hr ago and she was in critical condition. My heart goes out to them and their friends and families.
Does anyone know a current update of their injuries?
Cheers |
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By ddriver
From SLC
Jan 24, 2013
|
Based on this story and the accompanying video, it appears to have been a free fall from atop the first curtain of Stairway to Heaven:
32-year-old Meghan Arnold and 38-year-old John Lavalla, both from the Park City area, were ice climbing when Arnold fell approximately 40 feet. Lavalla tried to help, but ended up slipping himself, then called 911.
A search and rescue team arrived, stabilized Arnold, then made their way down to an AirMed helicopter where she was transported to the University of Utah Hospital in very critical condition.
“We found them at the bottom of the falls, her condition is extremely critical right now,” said Sgt. Eldon Packer, Utah County Sheriff’s Office. ”She had some significant head injuries. It definitely is a very serious situation for her.” |
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By John Herreshoff
From Ann Arbor, MI
Jan 24, 2013
| Meghan is a friend of me and my wife, and we're shocked by this. Here's to hoping she's able to make a complete and speedy recovery. |
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By OldManRiver
From Cottonwood Heights, UT
Jan 24, 2013
| Any update on her condition or what led to the fall? Been on my mind and haven't seen any updates.
Best of luck to her & loved ones. |
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By Stich
From Colorado Springs, Colorado
Jan 25, 2013
| OldManRiver wrote: Any update on her condition or what led to the fall? Been on my mind and haven't seen any updates. Best of luck to her & loved ones.
Definitely hope they both recover. My guess is that neither were wearing crampons yet and stepped on some ice near the cliff edge. With snow covering the ice it makes this even more treacherous in that you can't tell the regular snow patches you can walk on from the icy ones. |
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By scott cooney
From La Casa Taco
Jan 25, 2013
| Stich wrote: My guess is that neither were wearing crampons
my personal guess knowing the climb is they did have their gear on, with one having been hit by ice fall I have a strong feeling that they were cleaning or setting a route on the first pitch without being tied in and took some ice fall knocking her off. mind you just my hunch and not proven fact or ficition. hopefully she's improving in condition and will make a full recovery. |
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By Wendy Stein
From Holladay, UT
Jan 25, 2013
| My heart aches. I climbed and adventured quite a bit with JP over the summer. From what I've gathered through the unofficial grapevine this is still very serious. Prayers to Meghan, JP, their families and loved ones. |
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By jackson marvell
Jan 25, 2013
| I heard she was soloing the first pitch? Did anyone else here this? |
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By Jim VanDerslice
Jan 26, 2013
| I am a good friend of Meghan who was injured. She is still in critical condition at U of U hospital with multiple life threatening injuries. We have established a Caring Bridge site where you can receive more information. www.caringbridge.org/visit/meghanarnold. I will post any major new developments.
From what I have heard JP should be released soon. Both fell some 40 feet. I will see if JP or Kai want to post the details. The rescuers had to transport Meghan 400' down to a level spot. |
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By Raichle
Jan 27, 2013
| I just learned from a friend of Meghan's and then found confirmation on the Caring Bridge site that she passed away last night just before 10p from excessive fluid build up in her lungs.
They weren't climbing yet, but traversing onto the route - for a pitch 2 start? Meghan slipped and her partner tried to grab her and then he slipped also.
Very sad. She seems to have been a bright light who enjoyed a life of adventure and world travel. I think she was a student in the U of U School of Medicine.
:( |
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By CJC
Jan 27, 2013
| that sucks. rip.
careful out there kids. |
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By zoso
Jan 27, 2013
| Sorry to hear. Condolences. |
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By OldManRiver
From Cottonwood Heights, UT
Jan 27, 2013
| wow, RIP & thoughts for her injured partner, family, friends. |
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By Allen Sanderson
Jan 27, 2013
| Raichle wrote: I just learned from a friend of Meghan's and then found confirmation on the Caring Bridge site that she passed away last night.
Bummer, condolences to all that knew her.
Raichle wrote: They weren't climbing yet, but traversing onto the route - for a pitch 2 start? Meghan slipped and her partner tried to grab her and then he slipped also.
From what I can figure out, and basing it solely on the reports of their approximate location and that they fell 40 feet it sounds as though they might have been traversing the bench midway between the two main steps on the first pitch. Traversing out on to the bench can put one any where from 20-80 feet up.
If one is by-passing the first pitch and starting the second pitch they would have normally traversed way to the right then come back left. That said there is an icy section on the traverse right which is more of an ankle breaker. It is certainly plausible that they were on the traverse back left and slipped which that drop is certainly in the 40 foot range in places. However, that area is typically mostly snow. |
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By notmyname
From Salt Lake City, UT
Jan 27, 2013
| this is very, very sad news. |
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By Mooner
From Bountiful, UT
Jan 27, 2013
| =( RIP. |
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By Unassigned User
Jan 28, 2013
| How saddening this is to hear. Any update(s) on how she/they are doing?
Where they roped up and/or had a pro in the ice when she fell?
Very sad. My thoughts and prayers are with all of them and their families.
Is there anyone taking up donations and such for this woman and man?
: ( |
FLAG |
By zoso
Jan 28, 2013
| Try reading the thread. |
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By Unassigned User
Jan 28, 2013
| Oh no! I missed that part.
Condolences to Meghan's family, and friends as well.
This is very sad to hear of course...
:( |
FLAG |
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