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Blue Lake - That Day the Mountain Fell


Capt_mulch

23-Aug-2008
8:51:33 AM

Well, the story on the front page of the SMH isn't too bad, though the terminology of where they were and the geographical features is all wrong. It's more a tribute to Tom, which is nice. For some reason though I've been promoted to 'experienced alpinist' - I'm sure I said 'experienced p*ss artist'.


Phil Box

23-Aug-2008
9:22:20 AM

On 23/08/2008 Capt_mulch wrote:
>- I'm sure I said 'experienced
>p*ss artist'.

Iz troo. ;))

ohrabanek

23-Aug-2008
5:35:52 PM

hey nick
this article was in the SMH today. it answers a lot of questions:

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/my-battle-to-save-brother-tom/2008/08/22/1219262525163.html

i'll come to the funeral with you. i'll give you a call tomorrow to arrange a time to meet you on monday morning


Climboholic

24-Aug-2008
2:36:59 PM


kuu

24-Aug-2008
4:40:20 PM

On 23/08/2008 Capt_mulch wrote:
. For some reason though I've >been promoted to 'experienced alpinist' -

Nick, I suspect that on the day you WERE the most experienced person there and your recent training would have been invaluable.

Thanks for sharing with us and providing a moving account of the incident.

I hope that eventually you will sleep easy. It would be good to catch up with you at Booroomba some time.

And climboholic thanks for your visual tribute!


BigMike

25-Aug-2008
2:52:57 PM

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/tribute-to-avalanche-victim/2008/08/25/1219516338448.html

Wollemi

25-Aug-2008
5:55:51 PM

Well - isn't that all class; swearing within hallowed walls. Would it be OK for the kids that attend Blue Mountains Grammar to utter such things before their teachers now?

Flame away...


Capt_mulch

25-Aug-2008
6:16:43 PM

Flame? Fizzzz.... Just back from the funeral. It was the most packed funeral I have ever been to. Tom was obviously very well liked and respected. Owen and I were able to talk to the family which was good closure for all of us. There were quite a few people from the Bluies climbing community there too.

The wattle tribute is a great touch.

Please note if anyone goes up there, there is still one of Tom's skis and a ski pole in the debris. If anyone finds it during the spring melt, the family would really like it back. Tom's dad really liked the idea of a cairn building ceremony once the snow clears, so thanks for the suggestion.

Charlie

26-Aug-2008
9:01:43 PM

Thankyou so much Capt Mulch for looking for such a close mate. im a student of blue mountains
grammar and and attended the funeral. we are all very very grateful for your efforts in trying to find tom
as he was very dear to me and everyone in the school. he was such a great guy - its a pity you never
met him. thankyou so much again and we will be forever grateful for your efforts


kerroxapithecus

27-Aug-2008
6:29:18 PM

You couldn't save Tom but you played a very important role that day for Peter. Maybe that's why you were there.
Hope everyone involved finds some peace in the near future.

jules78

16-Sep-2008
3:08:54 PM

Hi Nick & Owen

I've just come across this forum. It saddened me greatly to read your report. I was up snowshoeing/skiing on Twynam/Little Twynam that day probably only minutes before the avalanche happened. We (myself & two guys) had camped on the Eastern side of Little Twynam, not far from the summit, the night before, and headed back down to camp for lunch. We were on the western side of Twynam at about 12.20pm, and back at camp within about half an hour or so. We traversed the southern side of Twynam on the way down and were looking out over Blue Lake for a good bit of the way. We had seen the cornices and commented on how dangerous they looked, and had been extra careful to stay well away from them. So we were right there the whole time...but must have just turned to the east minutes before it all happened.

We didn't see or hear anything, and were oblivious to the fact that anyone was in trouble until we heard the chopper circling overhead while we were eating lunch. If only we had known what had happened, we could have gone down to help. We had a snow shovel and full safety gear as well (had been contemplating some climbing around the lake ourselves).... But we simply didn't know. And for some reason none of us thought to climb back up Little Twynam to try and see what was happening. We had met another skier named Andrew about an hour earlier who had lost his buddy (who coincidentally was also named Tom) - and I guess we just assumed that they were looking for him, or he had been hurt or something, and didn't think there was anything we could do. You never imagine something like this could really happen. After we got back and heard news of the accident, we were all wishing if only we had known, if only we'd thought to go look....we could have helped. Not that it probably would have made a difference in the end....there was such a large area to search....and yet at least we would have felt like we tried. Maybe the demons in my own mind would be a little quieter...

We met a bunch of people up there that morning....I guess I'll never know whether Tom & Peter were amongst those we crossed paths with. I'm sure the others that were up there would be struggling with the same questions and sadness over not being there to help when help was needed. I'm glad at least that you guys were there....I'm sure Peter and the family will always be grateful for your efforts.

ohrabanek

20-Oct-2008
6:47:31 PM

Hi Jules,

Thanks for writing the post and I appreciate you sharing your experiences that day.

Also, thanks to everyone else for sharing their thoughts about the events on this thread. Good on you all.

Cheers,
Owen

There are 52 messages in this topic.