|
Aug. 27th, 2010
Rocky Mountain National Park officials reported that two climbing rangers witnessed a climber, later identified as Broomfield resident Benjamin Hebb, fall to his death from about 100' above the Broadway Ledge on Longs Peak at approximately 8am this Friday morning.
The RMNP climbing rangers were on a 'climbing patrol' on the Yellow Wall route of the Diamond when they and other nearby climbers saw Mr. Hebb continue to fall approximately 800' down the North Chimney and onto the Mills Glacier at the base of the wall.
After witnessing the slip, the rangers initiated a rescue with their radio and then descended via rappel to Broadway and the Mills Glacier where they joined other rangers who had approached from below Chasm Lake. It was reported that they reached the already deceased Mr. Hebb around 10 a.m. He was then flown via helicopter to nearby the RMNP Headquarters at Beaver Meadows before being transferred to the Boulder Country Coroner.
The photo at right shows the Diamond in typical June conditions with the North Chimney visible in the center and the Mills Glacier at far left. From eyewitness reports, Mr. Hebb was climbing alone a hundred feet or so above Broadway and directly above the North Chimney without the use of a belay. Other climbers reported on the web here that he was seen falling from the face and down the North Chimney. Mr. Hebb had apparently made plans to solo climb the route Dunn-Westbay, an aid route rated grade V 5.8 A3. He was carrying ropes and anchoring equipment and wearing a helmet at the time of his fall.
Benjamin Hebb had planned to graduate from CU in December with a degree in chemical engineering. He earned a degree in physics and was working as a research assistant at Gill Lab at CU. An article in the Boulder Daily Camera here includes comments from Benjamin's family and friends.
Our sincere condolences go out to Benjamin Hebb's family and friends.
Looking up the upper half of the North Chimney toward the Diamond. Broadway is not obvious from this perspective but most climbers traverse left near the top of the sun-shadow line to reach the bottom of the Broadway Ledge. The Dunn-Westbay ascends the Diamond directly above the North Chimney.
|
