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T H E C R E V A S S E

They were friends and climbing partners, and on the longest, sunniest day of the year they stood atop Mount Rainier, arm-in-arm, weary smiles of accomplishment on their faces. The two Colorado men had made it up the difficult and dangerous Liberty Ridge, completing the biggest climb of their lives.

A few hours later, as they plodded across a glacier on the way down, the snow opened and they plunged 80 feet, crashing into a giant, unseen crevasse.

One man died. The other faced a fight to save himself almost beyond imagination.

In a five-part series, the Rocky examines that tragic day on one of America's most picturesque mountains — and the many ways it ripples still.

VIDEO: The Crevasse: life and death on Mount Rainer
VIDEO: The Crevasse: Last Word

1 : FRIENDSHIP | 2 : ASCENT | 3 : FALL | 4 : ESCAPE | 5 : LIFE

D A Y   1

Lee Jamieson, left, Mike Price and Bob Jamieson pause as a storm moves in on Mount Kennedy, thwarting their summit attempt in 1981.

Friendship

In the summer of 1981, on opposite sides of North America, two young men learned things about themselves that would help shape their destinies.

D A Y   2

A group of roped-up climbers rounds a crevasse (lower left) on Emmons Glacier as they arrive at Camp Schurman (tents at lower right) at about 9500 feet on the northeastern face of Mt. Rainier on Thursday, July 10, 2003. The summit route from the camp is visible, up the right side of the frame. This shot is taken from a crag (partially visible in the foreground) looming over the camp.

Ascent

As the two Colorado men plodded across a glacier on the way down Mount Rainier, the snow opened and they plunged 80 feet, crashing into a giant, unseen crevasse.

D A Y 3

Jim Davidson, left, and Mike Price, right, stand at the summit of Alaska's Mount Rainier.

Fall

The morning sun cast sparkles and shadows across Emmons Glacier as Jim Davidson and Mike Price started the tedious trek down from Mount Rainier's summit.

D A Y   4

Jim Davidson climbs a snowfield on Mt. Rainier on June 20, 1992.

Escape

Standing on the icy ledge in the gloom, 80 feet from the glacier's surface, Jim Davidson gathered gear, thinking about his options, spitting blood. His friend, Mike Price, was gone. Jim had to find a way out of the giant crack in the ice.

D A Y 5

Jim Davidson ice climbs on a flow near Alma, Colo., on Wednesday, February 20, 2008.

Life

Jim Davidson carefully unfolds a table-size map of Alaskan and Canadian wilderness, the creases worn soft by the years.

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Climbing terms:

Graphics:

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Visit Jim Davidson's business Web site:
Speaking of Adventure
Contact Jim:
jim@speakingofadventure.com

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Kevin Vaughan, who reported and wrote The Crevasse series, and Jim Davidson, the climber who survived the accident on Mount Rainier, chatted online Monday, Oct. 27. Click here to read a transcript of the chat.

On October 20, writer Kevin Vaughan chatted online with Rocky Talk host Mark Wolf about the series. Click here to read a transcript of that chat.

To comment and share your thoughts about this series, visit Rocky Talk Live by clicking this link.

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The reconstruction of the June 21, 1992, accident on Mount Rainier and the examination of its long-term implications is the result of dozens of interviews and an extensive review of official documents, photographs, news reports and other writings.

Click here to read about the sourcing for this special report.

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Writer: Kevin Vaughan
Photographer: Chris Schneider
Videographer: Wes Pope
Print designer: Brian Clark
Graphics artist: John Sopinski
Web producer: Duncan Taylor
Copy editor: Mark Christopher
Photo editor: Dean Krakel
Project editor: Jim Trotter

Home › Special Reports › The Crevasse RSS | My Yahoo

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