A WITNESS TO DEATH “In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.” —John Muir

No one knows if the great naturalist was talking about , but he easily could have been. Majestic peaks, MOUNT RAINIER breathtaking waterfalls, the forest, the trails—Mount Rainier is a gift that never ceases to amaze. FATALITIES IN MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK, JANUARY 1, 1897, TO PRESENT (Points represent an individual fatality.) But as quick as it is to give, it is even quicker to take away. Since 1897, and without passion or prejudice, Mount CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN Rainier has taken approximately 390 souls. So whether you AIRPLANE ALTITUDE ASPHYXIATION ASTHMA BEE STING CAPSIZED EXPLOSION EXPOSURE FALL see it as your weekend playground, your home, or your HEART ATTACK HOMICIDE ICE/ MOTOR VEHICLE OTHER/ TREE FELL ROCKFALL SUICIDE ever-distant backdrop, Mount Rainier requires that you never AVALANCHE ACCIDENT UNKNOWN take it for granted.

CARBON RIVER ENTRANCE STANLEY L. QUANDE FEBRUARY 24, 2007 Quande was CHENUIS killed in a snow MOUNTAIN avalanche near STEPHEN FLOE Crystal Mountain ISPUT CREEK JUNE 4, 1957 while skiing out FRANCES A. BLAKELY A falling tree crushed the car containing of bounds. ROBERT D. BLAKELY JASON A. RUSSELL Floe and two other occupants. MARCH 19, 2007 KENT SWANSON SEPTEMBER 12, 2010 While on a hike, Frances fell MARCH 24, 2000 Russell fell into a river and drowned into Isput Creek. Her husband, Swanson died of a heart attack while on a day hike in the park. Robert, attempted to save her, while hiking. CPR was performed but they both drowned. by his son and a bystander for an hour and a half, but to no avail. N

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MARVIN H. SKILLMAN SLUISKIN S MOUNTAIN RANDALL H. LANE & MARCH 26, 1978 PHILLIP CRUISE Skillman died of MOTHER MOUNTAIN MARCH 21, 2001 hypothermia. He was The plane carrying the two men crashed into found by other hikers on a tree near the north park boundary. Both N. WONDERLAND TRAIL the Paul Peek Trail. occupants of the Piper Cherokee lost their SOURDOUGH lives from injuries sustained from the crash. MOUNTAINS SUNRISE RIDGE BRUCE WAHLER SKYSCRAPER SEPTEMBER 6, 1970 MOUNTAIN Wahler became separated from his brothers while hiking and died of hypothermia.

CARBON GLACIER SUNRISE VISITOR CENTER

SPRAY FALLS WHITE RIVER BURROUGHS ENTRANCE MOUNTAIN

NILS BROWN 410 LEON H. BRIGHAM, JR. RUSSELL (First name unknown) CRESENT AUGUST 10, 1941 GLACIER (First name unknown) PRESTLINE Brigham fell through JANUARY 1, 1907 a snow bridge on the WINTHROP The three individuals became caught in a snow Russell Glacier and became GLACIER avalanche while working for Starbo Mining Corp. buried under snow. 410 N. MOWICH GLACIER

W. WONDERLAND TRAIL EMMONS GOAT ISLAND GOVERNORS EDMUNDS GLACIER GLACIER MOUNTAIN RIDGE CHINOOK PASS

CAPT. ALVIN PETRY WILLIS WALL S. MOWICH LIBERTY RIDGE WILLIAM F. NEWLAND GLACIER CAMP SCHURMAN JAMES I. MIDDLETON WALTER BRYANT KEN SEIFERT CARL BAKER SEPTEMBER 2, 1991 Seifert was an unauthorized APRIL 2, 1965 LIBERTY CAP solo climber and fell MERLE D. HUIBREGTSE A DC-6 crash military CAYUSE PASS COLUMBIA CREST, 14,410 FT. 800 feet into a crevasse. JULY 19, 1988 cargo plane crashed Huibregtse rolled down into the South FRYINGPAN an embankment and suffered Mowich Glacier GLACIER a fatal head injury. killing all occupants. MOUNT RAINIER 123

E. WONDERLAND TRAIL UNIDENTIFIED MALE PUYALLUP SEPTEMBER 26, 1987 GLACIER WHITMAN The unidentified man was a GLACIER victim of a gunshot wound.

TAHOMA Camp Muir MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK GLACIER WAUHAUKAUPAUKEN FALLS

WILSON COWLITZ GLACIER GLACIER MARGARET FALLS

S. COWLITZ DIVIDE

MUIR SNOWFIELD EMERALD ERIC BRUCE RIDGE AUGUST 27, 1970 C.W. FERGUSON Bruce’s body was recovered SEPTEMBER 2, 1915 under a log after falling While hiking in the CHRIS MCKAY 150 feet at Christine Falls. Paradise Ice Caves, RENDLE L. MOORE he poked the roof WILLIAM BOWEY SEPTEMBER 7, 1973 of the ice cave, JULY 26, 2004 McKay and Moore are HENRY M. JACKSON both presumed to have MEMORIAL VISITOR CENTER causing a collapse. While kayaking below Box Canyon, Bowey fell over died of their injuries PARADISE Sylvia Falls and drowned. from an airplane crash at Backbone Ridge. CHRISTINE FALLS

STEVENS RIDGE ROBERT JACOB JULY 7, 1983 Jacob suffered a fatal heart MOUNT WOW attack while camping in his motor home. KRISTINE L. SITTON AUGUST 19, 1991 While hiking at , Sitton slipped and fell over the falls and drowned. SHEILA A. KEARNS MAY 10, 1997 NISQUALLY Kearns remains were SGT. BRUCE ENTRANCE S. WONDERLAND TRAIL LONGMIRE found near Longmire. JOHN MOSKIN MACDONALD WILDERNESS CENTER Her death was ruled UNICORN PEAK SEPTEMBER 6, 1939 JULY 12, 1968 TUMTUM PEAK a homicide but Moskin died in an His raft capsized in the remains unsolved. explosion caused Ohanapecosh River. by a premature His body was never recovered. dynamite blast. OHANAPECOSH VISITOR CENTER

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NOTE: Points on map are fatalities with known locations. Some locations were unable to be located. UNKNOWN LOCATION: Airplane: 1, Asphyxiation: 1, Asthma: 2, Avalanche: 3, Driving: 27, Heart attack: 11, Homicide: 1, Unknown: 4

U.S. Park Rangers have died in 309 people have died INGRAHAM GLACIER First recorded death in the park: 3 the line of duty at Mt. Rainier. 44 of a heart attack. Location of the most deadly climbing E.H. Hudson was NICK HALL, 2012, climbing ranger accident in Mt. Rainier history. killed on January 1, 1897 by his own gun when MARGARET ANDERSON, 2012, park ranger people have died after 11 CLIMBERS LOST THEIR LIVES ON it fell from his SEAN RYAN, 1995, climbing ranger FATALITIES BY SEX 21 falling in a crevasse. JUNE 21 1981, IN AN ICE AVALANCHE: pocket and misfired. JONATHAN LAITONE | MARK ERNLUND | RONALD A. people have died from FARRELL | CRAIG TIPPIE | IRA LIEDMAN | MICHAEL WATTS | DAVID BOULTON | DAVID KIDD | GORDON HENEAGE | DECEMBER 10, 1946 sledding accidents. 62 2 HENRY MATHEWS | TIM O'BRIEN The most fatal day in the park. 19 people have died from 32 Marines were killed in a Marine Air Approximately 390 people have lost their lives AREA OF DETAIL 0 an animal attack. Transport plane on . MEN WOMEN UNKNOWN in Mt. Rainier National Park.

SOURCE: National Park Service. For the full database, go to http://www.mountrainierclimbing.us/sar/fatalities.php.