Wed. Mt Lassen, Accident

- well, I was still doin' my thing - gettin turns on my Salomon blades and I was resting to do another lap. I then heard above me about 700 vert. ft, "Help us". I looked and saw what I thought was one of the rock-walls located at short switchbacks about half way up the trail. It was a strange sight seeing a 12 ft by 3 ft wall fall horizontally down the slope breaking apart on the lower section.
the rescue was done well as I've only seen one other accident. unfortunately, the 2 kids involved were injured, and the younger boy did not survive. they lived in one of the nearby cities. just a thought for the family folks, keep them at eye's distance for their safety.
I found out later the Park Service is to begin repairs on the trail.

Wow, that's a really sad story, and shocking for it to happen on such a popular, well-maintained trail. This article provides more details: www.redding.com/news/2009/jul/30/9-year-...n-rock-slide-13-old/

9-year-old boy killed in Lassen rock slide; 13-year-old girl injured
By Record Searchlight staff
Posted July 30, 2009 at midnight , updated July 30, 2009 at 12:15 p.m.

LASSEN VOLCANIC NATIONAL PARK - A 9-year-old Red Bluff boy was killed by a rock slide Wednesday while hiking the Lassen Peak trail with his family, the park’s superintendent said this morning. The boy’s 13-year-old sister also was injured and flown to Mercy Medical Center in Redding, where she was treated for extensive facial injuries, the California Highway Patrol reported Wednesday. She was listed this afternoon as being in serious condition.

Park superintendent Darlene Koontz said the Red Bluff family of five was about a mile up the 2.5-mile Lassen Peak trail and were sitting by the side of it when the slide occurred and the two children were hit by falling rocks. It’s not known was triggered the slide, she said. “We don’t know what happened,” she said, adding that there is no indication that the children might have been off the trail when the slide happened. The parents of the two children, as well as a 6-year-old daughter, were not hurt, Koontz said. “All of our thoughts are with the family,” she said. “This is a very sad day for the family and I would like to extend my condolences to the family and friends for their loss.”

A CHP helicopter flew, as well as helicopters from the California Department of Fire and Forestry Protection and Mercy Medical Center, to the rock slide at 1:30 p.m., where ground rescuers aided the two children. The boy, however, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Koontz said that the family has requested her not to divulge their names out of respect for their privacy. Koontz, who said the accident is being investigated by the National Park Service and the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office, noted that hikers and park employees provided first aid to the family and to prepare for the helicopter operations. The parents and their youngest daughter were able to hike down from the trail with rescue personnel while one of the helicopters used a sling to hoist their other injured daughter onboard for her flight to Mercy Medical Center. The body of the boy was also hoisted by a sling onto another helicopter, which then transported the boy to a park parking lot where emergency vehicles were waiting.

The Lassen Peak trail, which is closed today as rangers try to determine what happened, will be reopened once it’s determined to be safe, said Koontz. Still, she said, the steep trail, which has numerous switchbacks, is not generally susceptible to rock slides and that it does not appear that anyone was on the trail above the family when the slide happened. “That’s what a lot of is thought (might have happened) yesterday,” she said. About 25,000 to 30,000 people hike the popular trail each year and an exhibit at its trail head cautions hikers about its dangers, including loose rocks and cinders. “It’s a tough trail,” Koontz said.

There have been two other fatalities at the park this summer, Koontz said, but adding that those deaths were heart-related.

Koontz said although rock slides at the park are not unheard of, they are not a common occurrence there. “It’s not a frequent thing,” she said.

Hey Skimter

What's the snow cinditions llike?.
Have you skied the west side?

Wow, how horrible.

Every other year my family has a reunion at Lake Almanor and a bunch of us climb Mt. Lassen. I'm not going, but the reunion is this weekend and I know a bunch of them will be headed up there if the trail is open. I can think of a few spots where this could have happened on the trail as it switchbacks up the ridge. I don't believe in fate deciding that it's your time, but being in the wrong place at the wrong time is just as deadly. Thanks to all the folks who helped the survivors.

I just cant believe this, this family I knew and associated with for years before we moved from CA to TN. I knew them well and their kids, not the youngest, but the two older ones Tommy and Katrina. I couldnt sleep last night.

My wife worked with the Father at Office Depot in Chico and at Staples in Oroville. We hung out together for dinner and parties on many an occasion.

Tommy will be missed and Katrina is in Serious Condition. I pray for her recovery

My prayers and thoughts go out to this Fine family. In time I'll contact them, but I dont think it is appropriate at this time.

RAM22

- well, I was still doin' my thing - gettin turns on my Salomon blades and I was resting to do another lap. I then heard above me about 700 vert. ft, "Help us". I looked and saw what I thought was one of the rock-walls located at short switchbacks about half way up the trail. It was a strange sight seeing a 12 ft by 3 ft wall fall horizontally down the slope breaking apart on the lower section.
     the rescue was done well as I've only seen one other accident. unfortunately, the 2 kids involved were injured, and the younger boy did not survive. they lived in one of the nearby cities. just a thought for the family folks, keep them at eye's distance for their safety.
     I found out later the Park Service is to begin repairs on the trail. 
[/quote
I am assuming that you are the nice gentleman that was skiing the mountain that I have a picture of. If you think that we were not keeping our kids at "eyes distance" you are surely mistaken. My kids are my life and I always...always...have them in eyes distance. My children were waving at me and I was thinking that it was a "kodak moment" until the wall rolled over them. My kodak moment became my worse nightmare. But, yes, folks, do keep your kids at eye distance and also love them with everything and I mean everything you have, because you have been given this day with them and you are not promised a tomorrow with them....love them with all you've got. That has been my motto for years and i loved my baby boy with all I had...my memories are many and my good times with him will live with me forever.

Jbotell, I am really, really confident that skimtner meant no disrespect in his reminder to all of us about our kids and the mountains. I feel for your loss, and I sure do my best every day to have a great day with my daughter because there really is no tomorrow, there is only today.

- To Mr and Mrs Botell, and Travertine. I saw that there were a couple more entries, and I was fortunate enough to retrieve the Botell's phone # from Yellow pages. I will try and reach them. Its hard to talk - as this is something that one cannot forget. Thanks for your concern, Travertine. I appreciate it. Rob