A lone climber survived a catastrophic 400-foot fall in Washington’s North Cascades that claimed the lives of his three companions when a weathered piton failed during their descent.
At a Glance
- Anton Tselykh survived a deadly climbing accident in the North Cascades that killed his three companions when an old piton anchor pulled free from the rock
- Despite suffering internal bleeding and head trauma, Tselykh hiked to his car and drove to find help
- Vishnu Irigireddy, Tim Nguyen, and Oleksander Martynenko died in the 400-foot fall on May 10
- The group had been descending Early Winters Spires, turning back due to an approaching storm
- Authorities used a helicopter to recover the bodies due to the harsh terrain and conditions
Tragic Failure of Climbing Equipment
Four experienced climbers found themselves in a life-threatening situation on May 10 in Washington’s North Cascades when their rappelling anchor failed during descent. The group was coming down from North Early Winters Spire, a popular climbing destination, when disaster struck at approximately 6:30 p.m. The failure of a single metal spike, known as a piton, sent all four climbers plummeting about 200 feet into a gulch, followed by another 200-foot tumble down the mountain face.
Investigators examining the scene discovered the failed piton appeared significantly older than the climbers’ other equipment. The metal anchor had been placed in the rock by previous climbers and had likely degraded over time due to exposure to the elements. Safety experts note that it is unusual and risky for climbers to rappel using only a single piton as their primary anchor point.
One Survivor’s Remarkable Journey
In an extraordinary display of human resilience, climber Anton Tselykh survived the catastrophic fall that claimed the lives of his three companions – Vishnu Irigireddy, Tim Nguyen, and Oleksander Martynenko. Despite suffering severe injuries including internal bleeding and head trauma, Tselykh managed to navigate the treacherous terrain to reach his vehicle. He then drove to a pay phone where he was able to contact emergency services and alert them to the accident.
“It looked old and weathered, and the rest of their equipment looked newer, so we are making the assumption that it was an old piton,” said Cristina Woodworth, describing the failed equipment that led to the tragedy.
The group had been ascending the spire but made the decision to turn back when they observed an approaching storm. This common safety precaution tragically led to their accident when the weathered piton they relied upon for their descent gave way under their weight. Authorities were able to locate the accident site using coordinates from a device carried by the climbers.
Recovery Efforts in Challenging Conditions
Due to the remote location and difficult terrain, recovery operations required specialized equipment and personnel. The Snohomish County Helicopter Rescue Team was called in to assist with the recovery of the bodies. Weather conditions and the rugged landscape made ground-based recovery virtually impossible, necessitating an aerial approach to reach the fallen climbers.
“Falls like this leading to three deaths are extremely rare, and many details about what led up to it still aren’t known,” noted Woodworth, highlighting the unusual nature of this tragic incident.
The climbing route, while considered of moderate difficulty, required navigation between changing conditions of ice, snow, and rock. Authorities are continuing their investigation into the exact circumstances of the accident and hope to gather additional information from Tselykh once he has sufficiently recovered from his injuries. Officials noted the presence of the failed piton attached to the climbing rope, providing clear evidence of the cause of the deadly fall.
