Expert mountaineers presumed dead after avalanches in Banff
Efforts to recover trio on hold due to ongoing risk, Parks Canada says
CALGARY— Jess Roskelley, who once held the record as the youngest American climber to tackle Mount Everest, is presumed dead along with renowned Austrian climbers David Lama and Hansjorg Auer after attempting to scale the east face of Howse Peak in Banff National Park.
The trio began their ascent on Tuesday but were overdue returning from their climb, according to Parks Canada. Rescue crews were called in and began an extensive search for the men by air Wednesday morning. They eventually found debris with climbing equipment and noticed signs of multiple avalanches in the area.
No bodies have been found, but Parks Canada said all three are presumed dead based on what was seen at the incident site. Officials wouldn’t give further details Thursday afternoon. Attempts to recover the climbers are on hold due to a continued risk of avalanches.
“We do not have an exact timeline on when we think we’re going to be able to do this at this time,” said Parks Canada visitor safety specialist Stephen Holeczi.
Parks Canada couldn’t comment on the exact weather conditions on Howse Peak’s east face at the time of the climbers’ ascent. Nor is it clear when the avalanches occurred. But Holeczi said they appeared to be a Size 3. Such avalanches are capable of burying a car or destroying a small wood-framed house, according to a chart from Avalanche Canada.
The North Face, a Californiabased outdoor equipment company that sponsored all three incredibily accomplished climbers, confirmed their identities to the Star Thursday.
“They are missing, and local search and rescue has assumed the worst. We are waiting to learn additional information as the search mission continues. They are valued and loved members of the North Face family,” read the statement.
Roskelley’s ascents include Mount Everest in 2003 alongside his father, renowned climber John Roskelley, India’s Stok Kangri in 1997, Argentina’s Mount Aconcagua in 2004, and Mount Snowdome in the Rockies in 2009.
Lama made the first free ascent of Cerro Torre in the Southern Patagonian Ice Field in South America, a feat captured in the documentary Cerro Torre: A Snowball’s Chance in Hell. He also made headlines in the mountaineering world in November 2018 for the first solo ascent of Nepal’s Lunag Ri.
Austrian mountain climber Peter Habeler said in an email that Lama was “like a son.” Lama’s website says Habeler recognized his climbing talent when he was just 5.
Auer started his professional climbing career in 2009 after quitting his job as a secondary school teacher, according to his personal websites. Highlights include a solo ascent of Lupghar Sar West and the first ascent of Kunyang Chhish East, two mountains in Asia.
Barry Blanchard, a mountaineer and associate director of Yamnuska Mountain Adventures in Canmore, has climbed the north and east faces of Howse Peak three times. He described it as a highly technical climb across a mix of steep rock and ice with overhangs along the route.
“Of all the people who mountain climb in the world, you’re talking about the top 1 per cent to attempt a route of that nature,” he said.
The climbing community, especially those with the expertise to tackle such a difficult face, is a small one. Blanchard said the news has been heartbreaking — and personal. He knows Roskelley and described him as a fun-loving, great guy.
“If you’re around Jess, you were probably laughing,” Blanchard said. “He made sure you were laughing.”