September 23, 1884
Carrie J. Welton died of exhaustion near the Keyhole.Source: Longs Peak Nesbit, Paul 1990
August 28, 1889
A person by the last name of Stryker was killed by a gunshot near the Homestretch.Source: Longs Peak Nesbit, Paul 1990
July 20, 1921
Gary Aubuchon fell to his death from the East Face.Source: Longs Peak Nesbit, Paul 1990
September 26, 1921
H.L. Targett's skull was found 19 years after his disappearance below Peacock Pool.Source: Longs Peak Nesbit, Paul 1990
August 1, 1922
J.E. Kitts was killed by lightning on the summit.Source: Longs Peak Nesbit, Paul 1990
September 1, 1923
Ms. E. B. Ridenour was hit by lightning on just above timberline, surviving.Source: Longs Peak Nesbit, Paul 1969
January 12, 1925
Agnes Vaille froze to death at the base of the North Face, while Herbert Sortland later froze to death after suffering a broken hip in an attempt to rescue her.Source: Longs Peak Nesbit, Paul 1990
July 22, 1926
Forest Ketring fell to his death from the Notch chimneys.Source: Longs Peak Nesbit, Paul 1990
August 18, 1929
Chas Theimeyer fell to his death from the Notch chimneys.Source: Longs Peak Nesbit, Paul 1990
September 8, 1931
R. B. Key fell to his death on a solo attempt of the East Face.Source: Longs Peak Nesbit, Paul 1990
July 18, 1932
Robert Smith died from rockfall on the Cables route.Source: Longs Peak Nesbit, Paul 1990
August 29, 1932
Gray Secor, Jr fell from the False Keyhole to his death.Source: Longs Peak Nesbit, Paul 1990
August 8, 1938
John Fuller fell from the Left Dove to his death.Source: Longs Peak Nesbit, Paul 1990
August 7, 1939
Gerald J. Clark died of exposure near Fields Chimney.Source: Longs Peak Nesbit, Paul 1990
August 27, 1939
Ralph Bittelheim was serious injured by falling rock on the Cables Route.Source: Longs Peak Nesbit, Paul 1969
June 19, 1941
Elizabeth Mikalauski survived a fall occurring while in transit from Mount Lady Washington to Chasm Lake.Source: Longs Peak Nesbit, Paul 1969
September 1, 1946
Charles Grant fell to his death from Stettners Ledges.Source: Longs Peak Nesbit, Paul 1990
July 21, 1947
Donald Davidson fell and slid on snow down the North Face, surviving.Source: Longs Peak Nesbit, Paul 1969
July 17, 1948
Brad Van Diver fell while climbing Stettners Ledges and was seriously injured. His fall was checked by a rope.Source: Longs Peak Nesbit, Paul 1969
July 13, 1952
Henry Fortenback and Clifford Doty were hit with rockfall on the Cables Route. Fortenback's temple was lacerated and Doty was bruised on his left leg. Rangers subsequently removed loose rocks on the North Face.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering 1953
June 5, 1954
Earl F. Harvey slipped on snow and fell to his death from Zumie's Chimney while descending.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering 1955
August 30, 1955
Felix Haggerman fell from the Window Route on the East Face and was stopped by his partner Rod Harris, suffering a broken wrist, cuts to the hands, and legs.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering 1956
October 2, 1955
Sidney Cohen fell from the top of the Cables Route, hitting an outcrop that sent him falling 150 feet to a snowbank. Cohen survived the fall.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering 1956
August 15, 1956
Mrs. Hoffman was killed by lightning near Mills Moraine. Mrs. Hardwick, knocked down by the strike suffered from shock and cuts to the face.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering 1957
June 4, 1958
Steve Benson was injured by rockfall on the East Face.Source: Longs Peak Nesbit, Paul 1969
April 20, 1960
David L. Jones, Prince D. Willmon, Jane R. Bendixen, and James Grieg became stranded high on Longs Peak in a storm and had to spend the night. Grieg went for help after descending. Bendixen fell on the descent and was unconscious for a brief period before walking out. Jones' and Willmon's bodies were recovered; apparently they fell below the Homestretch, dying from their injuries and exposure.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering 1961
July 14, 1962
John Dick was on the South shore of Chasm Lake, when snow broke away, causing the serious accident.Source: Longs Peak Nesbit, Paul 1969
August 27, 1962
Kim Murphy fell to her death from the Northwest Ridge.Source: Longs Peak Nesbit, Paul 1990
September 30, 1962
James S. O'Toole fell onto The Dove while climbing solo and died.Source: Longs Peak Nesbit, Paul 1990
August 9, 1963
Ben Crouse fell and slid 600 feet into a hole on the Lambs Slide while retreating from Broadway, suffering a broken right femur.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering 1964
August 27, 1966
C. Blake Hiester, Jr. fell from the Notch Chimneys on the East Face 1,250 feet to his death after refusing a belay.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering 1967
January 27, 1968
Richard Kezlan fell and tumbled down the Lambs Slide on the descent from Kiener's Route, suffering a fractured skull and scalp lacerations.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering 1969
August 14, 1971
Chris Chidsey was climbing the East Face when he fell, surviving after he was rescued.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering 1972
September 11, 1971
Rudolf Postweiler died of a heart attack near treeline.Source: Longs Peak Nesbit, Paul 1990
January 23, 1972
Fred Stone and Joan Jardine died of exposure, freezing to death near Lower Roaring Fork.Source: Longs Peak Nesbit, Paul 1990
April 1, 1973
Jay Van Stavern fell to his death onto Mills Glacier.Source: Longs Peak Nesbit, Paul 1990
May 2, 1976
A slab avalanche swept Alan Russell on the Cables route down 600 feet, suffering internal injuries.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering 1977
June 1, 1977
Michael G. Neri suffered a fatal fall from Broadway onto Mills Glacier.Source: Longs Peak Nesbit, Paul 1990
February 25, 1978
Stephen Weiswell developed pulmonary edema while hiking up to Chasm Lake, and was discovered in his tent blacked out with his feet sticking out on two consecutive days before being carried out.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering 1979
September 16, 1978
Harvey Schneider fell and slid 800 feet down the Lambs Slide to his death.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering 1979
September 1, 1979
Edward Swansky died of a heart attack at the Keyhole.Source: Longs Peak Nesbit, Paul 1990
October 6, 1979
Charles Nesbit fell on the Lambs Slide 2/3 of the way up, impacting the talus below. Nesbit lost consciousness and eventually died before help could arrive.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering 1980
November 14, 1979
Kris Gedney committed suicide by jumping near The Narrows.Source: Longs Peak Nesbit, Paul 1990
June 2, 1980
Milton Strickler fell while leading the second pitch on the Diamond. He suffered injuries to his head and received fractured vertebra before the rope stopped his fall.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering 1981
June 26, 1980
Robert Silver fell while in a panic 300 feet to his death while attempting to bypass snow on the Homestretch.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering 1981
January 10, 1981
Robert Elliot fell to his death while climbing the North Chimney.Source: Longs Peak Nesbit, Paul 1990
December 16, 1981
James Duffey iii died of exposure during a blizzard on The Ledges.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering 1982
January 5, 1983
Jimmy Shotten developed hypothermia and suffered a heart attack while he and his partner became stranded in bad weather below the North Face. He was rescued on January 7th.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering 1984
June 16, 1986
Scott Fangman slipped on ice and fell 700 feet from the base of The Trough, fracturing his tibia. He was later attended to and assisted out.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering 1987
September 12, 1986
Lawrence Farrell fell to his death while climbing Keplinger's Couloir.Source: Longs Peak Nesbit, Paul 1990
Unknown Date 1987
Reed Pierce was hit with rockfall in The Trough. He was assisted and returned to the trailhead.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering 1986
August 10, 1988
Kevin Hardwick was adjusting his crampons when he slipped and fell with no ice axe head first into the talus at the base of The Lambs Slide. He perished before he could be evacuated.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering 1989
July 21, 1989
Evan R. Corbett fell to his death while climbing in The Trough.Source: Longs Peak Nesbit, Paul 1990
July 31, 1989
Paul Hammond and Carl Steger were ascending the Lambs Slide when Hammond fell dodging rockfall. Hammond slid 200 feet down before arresting, causing Steger to follow downward on the rope before Steger was stopped by the rope, sliding 400 feet. Hammond injured his ankle in the fall, and Steger suffered rope burns on his neck.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering 1990
August 16, 1989
John Berry, Aaron Duncan, and Dennis Schutzenhofer became stranded on the North Face off-route and were evacuated by Rangers.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering 1990
August 25, 1989
Albert N. Fincham died of natural causes near Chasm Lake Junction.Source: Longs Peak Nesbit, Paul 1990
September 24, 1989
John Ashby slipped on ice while ascending Alexander's Chimney, falling on the Lambs Slide, where he continued to slide on and under the snow. He suffered a fractured skull, and left wrist. He was rescued.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering 1990
April 15, 1990
Randy Joseph fell 30 feet while leading Alexander's Chimney, fracturing his fibula and dislocating his tibia. After his belayer lowered him to the Lambs Slide, he crawled to Chasm Lake Cabin, where he was rescued.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering 1991
August 26, 1990
Spencer Hannah fell 200 feet from the North Face on icy vegetation, and was later hospitalized for a brief period with a dislocated ankle and multiple cuts and abrasions.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering 1991
June 29, 1990
Timothy Fromhalt slipped on wet rock on the Homestretch causing head injuries that resulted in his death.Source: Rocky Mountain News
April 20, 1991
Joe Massari was climbing up towards Broadway when he slipped and fell 1,500 feet to Mills Glacier, where he was covered by an avalanche and died of his injuries.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering 1992
July 14, 1991
Mark Horton slipped on a snowfield at the base of the Cable Route, suffering a dislocated shoulder and injury to his hip.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering 1992
August 2, 1991
Judy Swales was ascending the Lambs Slide with her partner Randy Moss when she slipped and tumbled 300 feet before Moss was able to arrest their fall. Swales fractured her wrist and sprained her ankle.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering 1992
August 24, 1991
Tim Finnegan was hit by lightning while climbing 'Teeter Totter Pillar', entering his upper back and exiting his foot. He suffered burns but did not lose consciousness.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering 1992
October 11, 1991
An unknown 21-year-old male fell near The Homestretch on an icy section 70 feet. He suffered severe head and lower back injuries.Source: Rocky Mountain News
August 9, 1992
Andy Griffiths fell on the Lambs Slide and slid 300 feet, injuring his elbow, ankle, and hip.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering 1993
August 30, 1992
Lathe Strang fell 20 feet while climbing The Diamond, fracturing his ankle when his foot impacted the rock. His partner lowered him 800 feet down the East Face.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering 1993
September 6, 1992
Paul Price suffered a broken leg after catching it in between boulders on The Trough. He was carried to the summit and evacuated by helicopter.Source: Rocky Mountain News
September 19, 1992
An unknown climber was killed by lightning.Source: www.crh.noaa.gov
February 3, 1993
Carl Siegel and his partner were descending the Cable Route after completing The Diamond when Siegel fell from a patch of snow and lost his ice axe. He fell a total of 500 feet to his death. Derek Hersey attempted to rescue Siegel to no avail, and ironically died in a climbing accident himself in Yosemite 3 months later.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering 1994
September 12, 1993
Kelly Thomas and Charles Judd ascended the East Face and became stranded on the summit overnight due to a snowstorm. Not being aware of the Keyhole Route, they descended the East Face, where Thomas slipped on the Lambs Slide. Thomas died from injuries and likely hypothermia. Judd was able to hike out and was treated for hypothermia and frostbite.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering 1994
November 13, 1994
Dan Bedford was hit with falling debris from an avalanche while descending Alexander's Chimney. He fell 500 feet down a snow slope sustaining a concussion and a large cut on the chin. He was able to hike out with his partner and received treatment from Boulder Community Hospital.Source: nsidc.org
August 25, 1995
Jun Kamimura fell from Keplingers Couloir while descending too fast, hopping from boulder to boulder and losing his footing. Rangers watched him fall to his death 400 feet.Source: www.sarinfo.bc.ca
July 14, 1996
Nathan Dick failed to arrest while attempting a glissade down the Lambs Slide, cutting arteries in his neck with his ice axe. He also injured his hip and collarbone. Climbers nearby were able to save his life by slowing the bleeding.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering 1997
July 24, 1996
A woman was descending during a rain storm and passed The Keyhole, ending up on Storm Peak, where she slipped and fell 200 feet down a snowfield. She sustained cuts and abrasions to her face and limbs, and broke her tailbone. She was able to make her way to a tent on the Boulderfield for help and was evacuated by helicopter.Source: E-mailed Submission
August 19, 1997
Steve Mestdagh received a broken foot when a rock came loose on the North Chimney and landed on him. He was able to descend and rescuers evacuated him.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering 1998
September 10, 1997
An unknown 26-year-old male fell near The Loft dying from head trauma.Source: Rocky Mountain News
October 11, 1997
Chris Sproul and David Sweedler were climbing the Notch Couloir when they encountered strong wind. Choosing to traverse a different route, Sproul fell near the Open Book, causing their protection to pull out. Sproul and Sweedler received minor head injuries, and were rescued.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering 1998
October 11, 1997
Madrone Coopwood slipped and fell 200 feet down the Lambs Slide, puncturing his left lung and fracturing ribs.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering 1998
August 1, 1998
An Unknown female slipped and fell down the Lambs Slide and was later rescued.Source:
September 19, 1998
Mike Riter and Simeon Bateman were ascending the Lambs Slide when Bateman slipped and hit Riter on the way down. Riter was able to arrest both of them just before the rocks at the base. Bateman punctured his calf with his crampons and Bateman injured his elbows and right ankle.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering 1999
August 4, 1999
Jim Page became off-route in whiteout while ascending the Loft and slipped on a wet slab, falling 50 feet. "We were ascending the Loft Route, but got off route in a whiteout and descended (as part of the ascent) a steep gully in the Palisades. Midway down the gully it suddenly started pouring. Cliffed out and without rope, we climbed back up toward the Loft, but Jim slipped on a steep, wet slab and fell about 50 feet to a talus ledge below. He died there a few hours later."Source: Sam Page
August 14, 1999
A climber had turned back due to strong winds near the Homestretch and fell 450 feet to his death near from The Ledges. The fall likely was attributable to the wind.Source: Denver Post
August 15, 1999
A French male was traversing from the Keyhole to The Trough when he fell 150 to 300 feet from the narrows. His wife had witnessed the fall and found another climber who was a pediatrician to check his vitals, and found he was dead.Source: www.bugsinthenews.com
February 7, 2000
Gene Williamson encountered strong winds near the Keyhole which forced him into some rocks, fracturing his fibula.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering 2001
March 7, 2000
Erin Colby Sharp fell 300 feet down a cliff to his death near The Loft.Source: Rocky Mountain News
June 25, 2000
Jesse Woods was hit in the face with falling ice while climbing The Diamond. His partner helped lower him down. He received lacerations to the face, a broken nose, and a concussion.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering 2001
July 6, 2000
Cameron Tague fell 800 feet to his death onto Mills Glacier while climbing at the base of the Yellow Wall en-route to the Diamond unroped on loose Class 4 terrain.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering 2001
July 12, 2000
Andy Haberkorn was killed by lightning while climbing The Diamond.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering 2001
August 5, 2000
James A. Guest fell 30 feet while climbing The Diamond, breaking both legs. His partner, Brent Moore and others were able to lower him to Mills Glacier, where he was evacuated.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering 2001
January 4, 2001
Brian McMahon lost control in a standing glissade down the Lambs Slide, falling 300 feet and fracturing his right tibia and fibula.Source: www.fortnet.org
August 3, 2001
Jeff Snyder slipped on Mills Glacier and slid down to the rocks, en-route hitting a protruding rock, causing a 10" long cut on his leg.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering 2002
August 8, 2001
Scott McLeod slipped and fell 70 feet down the North Chimney, impacting his feet and injuring his ankles. He was able to descend and was rescued via helicopter.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering 2002
July 28, 2002
An unknown climber fell 50 feet near the Keyhole while scrambling off-route. He was rescued via helicopter near the Agnes Vaille Shelter.Source: www.network54.com
August 21, 2003
Marc Therriault was ascending the Diamond Face when he slipped and fractured his leg. He was helped down by his partner and rangers help carry him out once near the base of the route.Source: Americasroof.com
September 5, 2004
Sudheer Averineni was found dead on the summit after a search was called at 6:00 p.m. Two others had last seen him and retreated at the Homestretch. in a snowstorm and freezing temperatures, he was wearing only light clothing - jeans and tennis shoes.Source: News4Colorado.com
January 20, 2005
Jamin Camp fell an estimated 100 feet from the Narrows, suffering serious head and back injuries. He had been crawling 4.5 miles to get to Chasm Junction where he was spotted by a hiker and his guide eight hours after the fall. He was later carried out on a litter.Source: 9News.com
September 8, 2005
Jeff Villano fell while climbing near the top of The Trough, breaking his leg and spending three nights before he was carried out out on a litter to the trailhead by over 30 rescuers. Attempts to lift Villano out via helicopter were unsuccessful in poor weather conditions.Source: Channel 7 News
April 16, 2006
Matt Shepard was ascending Kiener's Route with a companion near Broadway he he fell 30 feet, injuring his ankle. Another party aided Shepard to the summit where they arrived around sunrise. They were able to descend the North Face.Source: Rocky Mountain News
July 29, 2006
A male fell 60 feet and was rescued, later carried out by helicopter. The same day, a 57-year-old woman was rescued, suffering from altitude sickenss and a 68-year-old man had injured his leg.Source: CBS4
August 19, 2006
Ben Cort lost his footing on the Lambs Slide and was unable to self-arrest. He impacted a boulder, breaking his leg and began sliding again. He came to rest at the base suffering more inujuries. He was assisted by others at the base and later carried out.Source: CBS4
Longs Peak - The Diamond
Courtesy of Hoffmeyer.com photography