Morning Journal And Courier

Perilous Alpine Climbing

The Gazetto de Inuganne gives a detailed account of a recent accident on the Jungfrau. M. Theodore Gohrs, a gentleman from Grasburg, who proposed to make the ascent of the mountain from Grindelwald, was accompanied by the guides Rudi and Inabnitt. They passed the night in the hut on the Iergli, and set out very early next morning soon after 8 o'clock. At 9:30 they began the ascent of the upper part of the Jungfrau, intending to gain the summit by the Roththal Couloir, which is frequently swept by avalanches. Their way lay up a steep slope of snow, surmounted by a great wall or corner of ice, and traversed at its lower extremity by a wide crevasse. The snow was deep and progress difficult, and when Inabnitt, who was in front-all the three being roped together-reached the ice-cornice, he stuck the point of his axe into it so that he might have a better purchase and the more effectually help the others. Scarcely had he done so when the cornice for a length of 50 metres came down with a run, striking and overturning M. Gobrs and Rudi who were shot downward with tremendous velocity, dragging after them Inabnitt, and all three were hurled pell-mell into the crevasse.

Fortunately for them, it was partially filled with snow, which broke their fall, and M. Gobrs and Rudi escaped with a few not very serious contusions. Inabnitt, however, seemed badly hurt. He could not rise, and when his companions tried to help him up, he begged them to desist, the least movement causing him excruciating agony. Their first thought was that they would all have to perish together, for two sound men could not, in common humanity, leave their wounded companion alone in that frightful solitude; death. At length, resolving to make a last effort for life, they took Inabnitt in their arms, and in spite of his cries succeeded in carrying him out of the crevasse. Then M. Gohrs and Rudi placed the wounded man between them-in the most dangerous place one alone supported him while the other led the way-and in this manner and with painful slowness they walked from 9 in the morning until 7 in the evening, at which hour they reached the hut on the Foulhorn. Many times during this terrible journey Inabnitt, whose spine was seriously injured, begged of the others to leave him to his fate, but they bravely persevered to the end. At 3 o'clock next morning Rudi set out in search of help, and at 4 he returned with four men and a chair. Inabnitt was then placed in the chair and a start made for the Eggischhorn. The journey thither was almost more trying than that of the day before, for the rain fell in torrents and M. Gohrs, whose feet had been badly frozen in the hut, was almost as helpless as the wounded guide. They succeeded, however, in reaching the Eggischhorn and eventually Grindelwald.