Training and Seymour Search

We started off last night with training, equipment maintenance, and reviewing some video of Hannes' accident site. I will leave this for another discussion as there were some interesting points about the type of snowpack that is present this year.

Nearing the end of training we received a call from a missing backcountry snowboarder on Seymour who was lost. Due to the events of last week you could see our motivation was a little lacking, however, rescues don't take a break unfortunately.

We headed up Seymour at about 9pm and started hiking/snowshoeing down Suicide Gully where we believed the subject to be. As we descended the gully we set off parachute flares, and talked to Gord (the subject) on the phone. He informed us he could see the flares so we knew we were closing in.

The gully had large holes and undercut snow increasing the danger of breaking through a snowbridge and falling into the creek - careful travel was required. As well, we had a few parachute flare malfunctions, one of them burning a hole in Greg W.'s glove as it burned without launching and another one melting my glove as it launched - reminding us to always wear gloves when launching flares.


We found his tracks and began following them down the gulley. The tracks kept leading up the side of the gulley and back down, dramatically increasing distance travelled and elevation gain and loss - it was a bit of stairmaster hike.

At one point Gord ascended the snow slope and his tracks dissapeared into some cliff bands. We opted to drop down and around and luckily gained voice contact with him and were able to access him via a steep snow slope.

We found Gord (aka Gord the Mountain Goat) at about 2:30am, he was unijured but cold as he was wearing only shorts and t-shirt and it was close to zero degrees. Greg and Mike G. provided some warmer clothes, food and water and then helped Gord down the steep snow slope and back onto our up track.

We started the hike out, and got back to the parking lot at about 4:30am.

EDIT: Note from Tim Jones

Just as we were debriefing a second time on Johannes's tragic accident our SAR MGRs pagers went off . I took the call from the RCMP and found out we had a potential Suicide Gully task for a lost snowboarder. Everyone in the room looked at each other but we immediately were back in the saddle again. It was a long drawn out affair as you will see reading John's Blog but to me is was sign that our team is coping very well with the loss of our teammate and is doing what we do just as well.

A very proud moment to be a Member and Team Leader of North Shore Rescue

Tim Jones
Team Leader
North Shore Rescue

Tragic Loss of NSR Team Member Johannes "Hannes" Mullegger

Message and Information Brief from NSR Team Leader Tim Jones


In consultation with Johannes' close friend and Team Mate Barry Mason and fellow trip members and fellow ski mountaineers Chris Tarling and Dominik Stoll, I have gathered together an information brief. I would like to thank Doug Pope and John Blown for their technical assistance in helping put this brief together.







Hannes on a search.














Message From Tim Jones NSR Team Leader

Firstly, on behalf of all the members of North Shore Rescue I want to extend our deepest sympathies to Johanne's family back in Austria, his long time companion Anne-Marie Baribeau and all his close friends who recreated and worked with him. We all share your sadness and grief at the loss of "Hannes".

I would like to respectfully take the opportunity to make some very short comments.

This issue of whether Chris, Dominik and Johannes should have been roped up was their decision based on their extensive ski mountaineering background and what they and only they experienced on April 23. This is a democracy and everyone is entitled to their respectful opinions and that is where it should be left.



I am so totally impressed with the character and deportment that Chris and Dominik displayed in dealing with the accident under these conditions. I would take these two fine young men on our Team in a heart beat.



The Canadian Forces (CF) SAR TECHs, pilots and air crew of 442 Squadron based in Comox were absolutely outstanding professionals in their response to not only an area of remote complex mountainous terrain at 8000 feet but in accessing, treating and evacuating Johannes along with Chris and Dominik from the crevasse in darkness.



I also want to thank the CF Air Controllers at the Joint Rescue Coordination Center (JRCC) in Victoria, the BCAS Dispatchers in Vancouver and Victoria and Airevac paramedic and fellow team member Dave Sulina with whom I was liaising with all night and who kept me informed constantly of the situation. I would also like to thank Brad Sills from Whistler SAR and fellow BCAS Paramedic Bruce Brink who went on standby to assist the rescue effort if the Canadian Forces needed any further resources.



To my Team Mates. The deportment and strength of character displayed by all of you when I put the Team on standby was both expected and observed and for that I along with my fellow SAR MGRS want to express our deep appreciation.





Lastly, to Hannes. It was privilege and honour to have been your Team Mate.




Pic: Hannes hauling injured boy scout in Cascade Stretcher to awaiting helicopter.












Information Brief



Official NSR Team Picture and Service Biography of Johannes " Hannes" Mullegger





Johannes " Hannes" Mullegger aged 36 years was just finishing off his two year member in training (MIT) program with North Shore Rescue. Hannes was an intelligent, quiet, superfit and skilled mountaineer. He was involved in recent SAR operations in which his ski mountaineering and "mule" strength became a recognized and relied upon asset.Hannes participated in all training activities of NSR from rope rescue, avalanche response and helicopter rescue. He also took on any of the mundane eye glazing equipment maintenance chores he was given without complaint. Hannes was effectively starting to understand the bigger picture of what a SAR Task entailed and that was a big step we saw in him on his journey to becoming a Rescue Leader.
















Left: Johannes with Team Mates at recent Avalanche Safety Course














General Incident Briefing Conducted with Chris Tarling and Dominik Stoll at the NSR Debrief April 24th



The planned trip was a ski traverse of the Compton Neve through the Manattee Range to Meager Creek. Participants were three experienced ski mountaineers Dominik Stoll, Chris Tarling and Johannes Muellegger who have done many trips together previously. They were well prepared and well equipped for a trip of this nature. They flew in to the top of the Toba glacier on Thursday morning from Pemberton airfield where they cached a further 2 days food at the drop-off point and set off for a 3 day return trip towards Mount Gilbert around 11am.

They skied roped up through the minor icefall on the glacier, contoured around the ridge to join it at a small col near (92K/16 205282) and continued along the ridge to peak 8827 at (92K/16 171279).

They arrived on the summit in perfect weather conditions shortly after 6pm. From this point they took their skins off, unroped and were making a long downhill traverse contouring around a minor peak (8653) to reach a wide col suitable for camping at 92K/16 145303.

At one point during the traverse below peak 8653 they were contouring above visible crevasses when the accident occurred at about 6:30-7pm (92K/16 159288). Hannes, in the lead, fell through a covered crevasse. This crevasse was distant from the one they were avoiding, and completely invisible. No typical tell tale signs such as sagging snow, or discolouration/texture were observed on the agreed upon travel route. They deemed the area to be safe enough to travel unroped.

After failed initial voice contact they then built anchors and Chris rappelled into the crevasse and found Hannes lying face-down with his head and torso covered by snow on a snow bridge at exactly the end of the 30m rope. He repositioned the unconscious victim and performed CPR, but could not detect a pulse or signs of breathing. He ascended the rope with the sat phone recovered from Hannes’ pack and they called for immediate rescue assistance between 8-8:30pm. Dominik then rappelled back into the crevasse to deliver further CPR.

The SAR helicopter arrived on scene shortly after dusk, and put one SAR tech on the ground by a winch, and extracted Dominik and Chris immediately, and Hannes shortly after. They then flew directly to Saint Joseph’s hospital in Comox during which time the extensive efforts of the onboard medics were unable to revive Hannes.



Map Section of the 92K16 Identifying Accident Site












Information regarding Hannes' memorial service can be found here - http://rememberinghannes.blogspot.com/

Johannes Mullegger

I write this post with heavy heart. Johannes (Hannes) Mullegger, a fellow North Shore Rescue Team Member, fell into a crevasse yesterday and passed away.

Hannes was on a ski tour with two friends on the Compton Neve. He fell approximately 100 ft. into a crevasse. The Armed Forces (442 Squadron) were scrambled and extracted Hannes, however, it was too late and he was pronounced dead at St. Josephs Hospital.

During the rescue, Whistler SAR was asked by NSR to be the lead team (if required), with NSR as a back-up. There was constant communication between JRCC (Joint Rescue Coordination Center), BC Ambulance Service and NSR. We spent last night waiting to hear if Hannes was going to be ok, or if we were going to be called in to help one of our own. Unfortunately, just after midnight we received the news that Hannes had passed away.

The last time I saw Hannes was a few weeks ago on the last rescue on Grouse Mountain. Hannes and I were carrying the Rope Rescue gear and ropes and setting up each rope rescue station together. Hannes' job was to drag the 300 foot rope up the slope - a difficult job, but a job he was built for and loved. Hannes was known as an unstoppable force, and was known by all on the team as someone "who would carry two kitchen sinks" if he was asked to.

Strong willed, an excellent mountaineer, extremely fit, and a friend that we at North Shore Rescue will miss greatly.

This is a great shock to North Shore Rescue, and our hearts go out to Hannes' family, his girlfriend and his friends.

We would like to thank the Armed Forces 442, SAR Techs and pilots for doing an amazing job, in a difficult night rescue, and to Hannes' two friends, Chris and Dominic, that were with him on the trip.

Hannes we will miss you. You will always be part of our team.

April 23, 2009

A sad day for NSR.

Succession Plan

NS Outlook article discussing HFRS and NSR's succession plan by Kelly McManus -

http://www.bclocalnews.com/greater_vancouver/northshoreoutlook/news/43111137.html