Early Winters Spires Climbing Incident - Retrospective and Lessons

It has been almost 100 days since the tragic accident in North Cascades mountains. We lost three remarkable and highly admired friends- Tim, Vishnu, and Alex. As we move on and live with the loss and void left, we will honor their legacy and the lasting impact they left on our community.

While the event was not an SOA planned event, our friends were an integral part of our community, and the core of our leadership team. We owe it to our members to review the circumstances prior to and leading up to the incident.

Seattle Outdoor Adventurers Meetup organizer leadership is hosting this meeting for the public to review official reports of the incident while our community continues to mourn their loss and support their families and the surviving member during his healing process.

Background:
In May 2025, four of our members were on a privately planned trip, which involved a climbing accident in the North Cascades. Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office personnel and Okanogan County Search and Rescue volunteers responded to a climbing accident in the area of North Early Winters Spire off of State Route 20, approximately 16 miles west of Mazama, WA, at approximately 11:30 on May 11, 2025.
"A party of four climbers were involved in a fall while descending a steep gully. Three individuals were confirmed deceased at the accident site. The fourth member of the party self-extricated and contacted law enforcement. Snohomish County Helicopter Rescue Team assisted in extricating the deceased members of the party from the technical, mountainous terrain. The presumed cause of the accident is an anchor failure while rappelling, with more investigation still ongoing."

Guest Keynote Speaker: James Pierson, American Alpine Institute Director for Operations
AMGA Certified Single Pitch Instructor and AIARE Avalanche Instructor
Rope Rescue Technician and Certified Personal Protective Equipment Competent Person.
More about James Pierson

Link to the event at The Mountaineers

Official Incident Report