08:46 am CDT Jun 08, 2009
(MountEverest.net) Colorado climbing community wasted no time when Micah Dash, Jonathan Copp and Wade Johnson were reported missing on Sichuan’s E Gongga end last week.
Two teams of American climbers travelled to China in order to assist local search parties. Unfortunately, Copp’s remains were found this weekend in avalanche debris near BC.
On a brighter note, Simone Moro and Denis Urubko won the Eiger Award, while Kinga Baranowska issued a thank-you statement to her Kangchenjunga climbing mate Alberto Zerain.
Jonny Copp lost in Sichuan’s mountains – serious concerns for mates Dash and Johnson
A search operation was launched in China’s Sichuan mountains after Colorado climbers Micah Dash, Jonathan Copp and Wade Johnson failed to catch their flight back home on June 3rd.
The climbers had been climbing E Gongga (also called Mt. Edgard, 6818 meters/22,368 feet) in Western Sichuan. In their latest report, they were due to leave BC on May 20th. There has been no more word from them since.
On June 4 a small search party organized through the Sichuan Mountaineering Association, arrived in base camp. Meanwhile, Boulder’s climbing community AdventureFilm.org set up a fund to assist in the rescue labors, while a number of experienced American climbers were sent to assist the Chinese search party.
“The first team of American climbers, Eric Decaria and Nick Martino, have landed in China and should arrive in base camp Monday to coordinate search efforts with the Chinese team already in place,” AdventureFilm.org reported. “A second team of American climbers, Peter Takeda and Steven Su, are en route to China.”
Sad news was reported through the weekend though: Jonathan “Jonny” Copp’s remains were found in avalanche debris at 4000 meters on Mount Edgar. No trace has been found yet of his climbing mates.
Copp and Dash were well-known climbers in Colorado. They travelled to China on a Mugs Stump Award; Johnson was team photographer.
Simone and Denis win the Eiger Award
Winter Makalu summiteers Italian Simone Moro and Kazakh Denis Urubko have won the Eiger Award 2009. Founded last year in Grindelwald (Swiss alps), organizers statedly give it to “people who, through their great achievements in mountaineering, succeed in bringing the value and fascination of mountaineering and the mountains closer to the general public.”
Simone received the prize on behalf of himself and Denis – who was unable to arrange his visa in time for the ceremony.
Kinga Baranowska: “Thanks Alberto!”
“In my opinion, it's important to write about climbers who help others without self-interest. I'd really like thank Alberto,” Polish Kinga Baranowska told ExplorersWeb about her climbing mate, Spanish Alberto Zerain. “He was my partner most of the time on Kangchenjunga. We separated only on summit day, as he chose to launch his bid one day after me.”
“Alberto is incredibly strong both physically and mentally. After summiting Kangchenjunga on his own, he wanted to attempt Yalung Kang, but instead went up to Kangch’s high camps to check on his team mates. He suffered slight frostbite in the process which cost him the Yalung Kang attempt.”
“I am truly glad to have met such a valuable person, so I wanted to let the climbing community know,” Kinga closed her note.
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