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Posted by Bill S on August 31, 2007 at 11:51:28 am EDT
In reply to NOLS director killed by rock trundled by hiker posted by Bill S on August 16, 2007 at 11:30:34 am EDT

This past weekend, at the American Alpine Club Sierra Nevada Section climb-in at Donner Pass, this incident was much discussed. One climber who spent a lot of time in Utah told us that the "custom" of "trundling" sizeable rocks off the summit is a very common one in the Utah-Wyoming-Idaho-Montana area.

I will have to disagree with Erica that 23-yr-old Luke was "just a boy." At 23 he is legally an adult, and he had served in the military in Iraq.

I know the lawyers will spend endless hours arguing about "intent", "negligence", and all sorts of legal fine points. But to me, the question is one of moral and ethical responsibility for one's actions and their consequences. As the articles quoted above note, this incident has left a widow with young children. Yes, friends and family may step in to help with the financial hardships and provide some measure of comfort. But the emotional damage is great for Peter's family, friends, and community (NOLS, the general climbing community, ...), and for the "trundler" himself and his companions. I would hope that Luke Rodolph would step up to the plate voluntarily and help at least with the financial side, even though the legal authorities have taken pity on him.

I would also hope that this incident would help educate people to the risks to life and limb, and to the environment, that trundling or indeed any throwing of rocks, tree limbs, or anything else over the edge entails. I strongly disagree that tossing or rolling things over a cliff or down a mountainside is "innocent fun", regardless of any legal fine points of intent, negligence, or "just an accident". However, given the apparent prevalence of this "custom", I expect more "accidents" of this type.

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