CANADA PROVINCE OF ALBERTA T0 WIT: I Inquiry into the deaths of J. Tuwnsend Baylis Richard J. Haylis David Chapin Miles 0. Marble Luther_Seddon William Watts William Wise Corporal Robert Jo Wall Appeared on behalf of the Crown B. La Fenertyo Esqog Appeared on behalf of William Herman Oeser and Oliver Donald Dickerson? Jr: To Malcolmi Esqo Official Court Reporter Uanff2 Albertaq July 15, 19550 m: [25.5135 Fa Ln Ballard Pa Vo Smith Ao W9 Woodfielw Oeser 0. DD Dickerson Ex. by Cplo W811 Mra by Cpl? Cpl: Mr. Fenertyuuna. Cpl. Mr. by Mr. Cplo - Mr. Purl? A A A PROVINCE OF ALBERTA T0 WIT: Depositions taken before John Thomsoni one of Coroners in and f0r the Province of Albertaa at the Masonic Lodge Hallg Banff9 Alberta9 this 15th day of July? AsDog 195512 on an inquiry into the deaths of g. Townsend Baylisg Richard J. Baylis9 DavidChapinQ Miles 00 Marblea Luther Seddon9 William Watts9 and William Wise4t as to when, where and by what means the said Townsend Baylisg Richard J. Baylisa David Chaping Miles 0. Marbles Luther Seddonw William.Wattsg and Willie Wise came to their deaths. JURY: Cyril Paris John Watter Alexander Macdonald Charles Fullbrook George Reid John Dignall Corporal Robert J. Wall Appeared on behalf of the Crown R. Fenertyg Esq.g Q.C. Appeared on behalf of William Herman Deser and Oliver Donald DickersonE Jr. Nblcolm, Esqu Official Court Reporter. Afternoon Seesionu 2:00 POMD Banff? Albertan COURT ORDERLX: Stand up pleaseo I declare this Coroner?s Inquest Open in the name of the Queeno names are called please? THE CORONER: CYRIL PARIS: THE CDRONER: JOHN WAITER: ALEXANDER MACDONAU): THE CORONER: THE CORONER: GEORGE REID: CORONER: THE CORDNER: THE JURY: THE CORONER: FOREMAN JURY ENGRN. Sit down pleases Will you jury stand as your Cyril.Pariso Here. John Waiters Here? sir. Alexander Macdonald. Present. Charles Fullbrooko Here. George Reid. Here. And John Dignall. Here. Stand forward please. Name your foreman: gentlenen. NE. Paris? Cyril Paris. . L. Ball lardg Exp by Cplo Walla THE CORONER: Gentlemen? you are sworn to consider then the question of howa by and what means seven boys came to their deathn I will read the names here? Nowg we will get them. J. TownsendiBaylis9 Richard Jo Baylisg David Chapin9 Miles 09 Marble9 Luther Seddong William Watts and Willie Wises Sit downy please. If any man can give evidence on behalf of our Sovereign Lady the Queen when9 wherea how and by what means Seven boys. CORPORAL.WALL: I better name thenn THE CORONER: Oh, I don?t think it is necessaryo We went over them onceo CORPORAL.WALL: All rights THE CORONER: The names are attached to the Inquisitiona CORPORAL WALL: very goody came to their death let him come forth and he shall be heard. Frederic Lyman Ballardo FREDEEIE LXMAN BALLARD, Holyice Roada Beachhayeng Connecticut, ELSOA. hating been first -duly Sworn? examined by Corporal Wall9 testified.as follows: THE CDRONER: Just tell the jury in your own ?words what happened on the evening of the 11th? Starting when? CORPORAL.WALL: I will lead to it if you wish. At Okay. To shorten? oha pardon mev sirg before we gon on with this witness may I bring the jurymen up?to-date on what has trans? pired? THE COBONER: Yes0 CORPORAL WALL: In the late evening of July the 12th Oliver Donald Dickerson was present with the coroner? Thompson2 at the funeral home in Banfi and identified the seven bodies lying there as J0 Townsend Bayliso Richard J. Baylist DavidChapin? Miles 0; Marble, Luther Seddong William Watts and Willie Wise. The inquest was then adjourned until this date? Today we wish to call the five witnesses from the group of AmeriCans in order that they.may continue on their way back? and the balance of the inquest will be heard at a later date. Shall we go on with the witness Ballardg sir? THE CORONER: Yes9 Go on now0 THE WITNESS: Where do yoquant?me to start? Wello you were accompanying a group of boys under the guidance of the Wilderness Camp from Philadelphia on a tour of Western Canada; is that correct? Yepo And on Monday.m0rningw July 11tha 19559 you were all camped at Lake Moraine? Yep. And it was your intention at that tine to climb Mount Temple near.Moraine Lake? That's true. Now9 what time did you gather to leave for the climb? About nine o?clock I would says Were you inStructed by anyone at What tine what was expected of yen? or did you have a discussion with anyone? Ohg we had a discussion as to how to use the equipment and how to stop a fall in snow and how to tie certain knots to be used in the rapeo Yes, and who instructed you in that? Mr. Dickerson. He is the leader of the tour? Yep? What equipment did you have? We had three rock pitonsn four ice pitonsn three carabineersg about 150 feet of rape in two different sections2 one was about inch;rope and the other was about quarter inch rope, one sectiOn of it was brand new; we had one ice axe and two pairs of cramponso And regarding footgear1P have you anything to say about that? Well9 eaoh boy was supposed to wear for the beginning of the hike a heavy pair of hiking boots and for parts of the climb than.were in snow he was supposed wear a pair of baseball ?spikes or running spikesa something like that to catch a grip in the snow. Those that didn?t?have that were going to be 'allowed to use cramps. And that.was a portion of the equipment list as given prior to your leavingPhiladelphia9 is that correct? Yesn they were both an the equipment list. Yes. Now thenf how many of you left for the.c1imb? 17. That includes the leader? That includes urn Oeserg NED Desers and who is Oeser? He was assistant to Mrn,Dickerson9 he was in charge of this hikea Yeso 16 boys and Mr9 Oeser? That?s righto And you took off on the walk to the base of the mountain? is that correct? That?s rights And how far did the 17 of you climb of the.mountain? Well9 we climbed about four or five miles to the base of the mountain and then we went up themountaina up one snow slope which we went up for practice purposesa just to practice on the snow and we went up the mountain then on rock until we got to an altitude Iabout equal to Sentinel PaSs where Rho Deser stepped. He didn?t go any furthera Yes. You had no difficulty up until this point? No9 We had no difficulty whatsoever. You_were all climbing free at that time? Yep. Then Mr. Oeser left the party. WES there any conversation be? tween your party and Mr. 0eser at this time? ,Just some warning by him to be carefulo That?s about all. Yesg and how far were you up in the snow at that time? we weren?t too far in the snow. We hadn?t come to any solid snowfields yet. Yes. Do you_know where Mr. 0eser was going? He wanted to stay there for awhilei take some pictures and then back down to the campsite and then he was going to wait for us there and later in the day wanted to climb Sentinel Pass and take some pictures from thereo But it was his intention to meet up with you at that point? not that he was going to return to the Lodge himself? 0h? yeah? he was going to meet us Yes? there later for luncho Then that left 16 of you? .That?s right. And will you tellihe jury and the Coroner what you did then? Welly-we sort of assumed that William'Watts was to be in chargeg under his leadership you might say we climbed up the rocks for a while and then we had to cross a brook and we crossed that a] some snow9 and Watts went ahead with the ice axe and poked around in the Snow for a while until he was sure it was safe and then we all crossed the snow bridge and climbed up the snow for oh perhaps 100 yards maybe9 100 feeto 100 yards? Somewhere around in there and then we came to the tope and we stopped there and had a rest; most of us warmed our feet up a little bit and things like that and then we climbed again on another snow pitchs That is all the 16 of you? All 16 of us. Yes? Ohg wait aminutei I am sorrya Two of the boys never crossed the rook bridge9 two of them stayedg of the snow bridge across the brook,e two of them stayed behind on the rocksa Can you; name those two please? Meglathery and Lamourq What was it? Meglathery and Lamouro That is Blair Meglathery? Yeah M?e-g-l?a?t-h?e?r?y? You can ask him? he is right thereo Fine. And they turned around and went backg did they? Yeah? I assume they went back. I donwt think they went ahead and I don?t think they had any reason for staying there but I didnit actually see them going backs I saw.them much later. They didn?t accompany your group on up the mountain?3 No9 so they must have gone back really; And the remaining 14 of you crossed the snow bridge and con? tinued your climbQ is that correct? That is right. Did you have any difficulty in crossing the snow bridge? No. Then we went up past the first rocks onto the second snow slope which was somewhat steeper than the first one and there Towny Baylis began to have a little trouble because he wasn?t heavy enough to kick some footholdsg the snowa thisa snows patch of snow was a little harder than the rest and he was a little bit too light to kick footholds so we had one of the boys.9 Enter Smith, I believea Climb up to the top and then ,weg wells he belayed a rope around him and then we put the end of it down to the other boys and they just.puIled themselves up on it and then we were at the top of that sort of ice snows snowe fieldi We had another shorter snowfield which we went an in the 38 39 40 41 42 43 oases-o same mannerthis snowfield that we decided? that we decided that we had gone on far enough? that the avalanche danger was becoming too great to continue and some of the boys were becoming a little tiredg'we didh?t want to leave them behind because we might have kicked an avalanche down on thenu Yes? Well? are those the only two that left your party? No? I am sorryg I have forgotten the other three nowo The other three who leftg Pearsonr Jonesand Rodgers left on the snow slope where Towny had troubles they left before he began to have trOuble9 about halfway up that one they left. And that left eleven of you -- That left eleven of to continue on the climb? That's right. And you got up to this rocky ledge and you decided it was about time to turn around? Yeah. The reason we decided was we couldxhear avalanches all around and one of the boys kicked a few rocks into the snow and that started a.small avalanche which grew somewhat until it hit the rocks and then it splattered all over and that scared us a little bitg so we started down. The way we went down was.haue one guy stay there with Excuse me for a moment? will yous Up to this point thereu was no difficulty experiencaiand could youiell us what you were ?wearing on your feet for climbing at this time? We were still wearing the cleats because the snow was still That is 'a11 of the bloyds had cleats? well, the boysuho didn?t happen to have baseball cleats on by 9 pop-c s: a: p> a: now had gotten one of the pairs of crampons on so I think that everybody had something of that nature on his feetu Yesg thank you;? And then you decided to go down? Yeaho Watts was mainly responsible for that decision I think? if he hadn't been sort of urging us to go on down that it wasn?t safe to go on up I think we would probably have gone on up or some of us would have tried tow I imagine. Watts was more experienced than the rest of you9 is that correct? Wellg I wouldn?t say he was more experienced? he just was a little wiser I guess in this caseg Yes. Nowa how did you start to come down? We started by having one man keep the ice axe beside him.and get hinmelf in a good position and wrap the rope around Em and let the rope trail down the snow slepe and everyone else would *come down the slope with his hand on the rope so in case he got into trouble he could just tighten up on the rope and stop. And who was the belay at that time? Peter Swath? I Believes and Peter got down safely with the ice axe. Yes. Nown you have mentioned that you had two ropes with you? We had only used one up to now. Up to news ?Did you use one at this time? No. Well? we used bne now but we hadn?t used both of them until the next snow slope. And what kind of ropes were they? They were manila'ropese Could you advise us hoW.heavy they were? Wells they were about quarter inch I think and they were to? 52 53 54 55 56 57 gether about 150 feet long. Yes? and in good condition? Yes? they were both in excellent condition. Now thenm in belaying down the mountain how were the persons in the centre of the rope? What? In belaying down.the mountain how were the persons in the centre.oi the rope attached to the rope? well, we hadn?t tied yet, each person.just;went down Handwover-hand? more or less'hands-iovernhand9 yes. We hadn?t tied ourselves in yet{ Yes. Will you go on then, please? Well? We down the small dope with only one rope and Peter larger Smith belaying use and then.we went down the slope and I be? layed dawn the larger slope and we tied both ropes together? down that one and they still weren?t long enough so everyone had a short walk in the snow9 that wasn?t very steep at the bottom of it after they got down both ropes and everyone got down that safely except for two boys who got a littlewildi they used the methods Mr. Dickerson had showed us to stop their fall in the snow and they stopped their fall just like that, it wasn?t very difficult. Got alittleTwild9 you mean they got out of control? They got out of control? they got going too fast as they got going down. Yes? And than I came down with the ice axe2 I didn?t have any trouble and there we were on this rock and.at that time we decided to .. 59 60 61 rope up so wea because we were going across that bridge again and the snow had melted a little bit and it might not be safe, one person might just suddenly disappear so we wanted to be roped up in Case that happened. 30 we roped up and then we got going, across the slope we got, the slope was down like this and-we got across it like this with Woodfield in front with the ice axe and Watts belaying us from behind and then Peter Smith got out of the rope9 went down and made a note of the location of Chapin's knapsack which I had left out till nows Chapin? One of the boys, hadtjust carried a knapsack up with some personal things and some other people?s personal things such as warm clothing, things like that in it which he had left on these rocks here and Peter Smith made a note of its loca- tiong I am not sure whether he got it or nota I think he didn?t get it1r but he just left it there and made a note of where it was and we got back in line. Some time about now we had seen an avalanche on Mount? or on Pinnacle MOuntain across the way, that is just something interesting we saw and that is all I re? member before the avalancheo Yes. Now? when you roped up would you describe to the jury how the rapes were tied? When I woke up the ropes weren't I don?t think No, when you roped up? Oh9 when we roped upg I thought you said when I woke ups Oh? no? when you roped up9 that is before you crossed the Ehey were2 each man on the end9 the two men on the end had a bowline tied around themselves9 Don had showed us how to tie that,2 Mro Dickerson ratheri and each man in the middle had an artillerymanqs hitch which is more commonly known as a slipknot 12 tied around him M1. Dickerson had also showed us how to tie that and let me seeg that is about all I can say about how we were tied. Yes? And we only used one rope9 the new one. And there were eleven of you tied in that one rope at five- foot intervals? About, yes. About five?foot intervals. Then when you woke up where were you? I was sitting in the snow talking to William WiSe. You don?t remember anything of the avalanche? I don?t remember anything between then andihe time when we were just sitting9 standing around waiting for Smith and just when Smith was getting back in line; Yes. Was Wise injured at this time? Wise was injured quite badly. Yes? I don't think he could move, he could move but I don?t think he could have walked anywhere or anything like that? I think I was talking to him trying to see if I could move him in thisg cut of the snow Somewhere but I wasn?t able to because my legs wouldn't work quite right. And what happened then? Then Don, or Bill9 Bill Deser and the boys who had gone down? they must have come up while I was unconscious but they moved me out of1r out of the snow into the rock so I would be out of the way if another avalanche came and they left me there with a 13 69 70 couple of shirts they got meg warm lumberjack shirts and they left me there for about an hour or so and after a while I began to get cold so IQ my legs were working a little better by this time so I walked part of the way down. Mmile I was-walking down I saw a black? there is a false summit so to speakg a curve and you can see things that are thousands of feet below you but you can?t see something that is only a coupla of huh; dred feet below you and that was about where I had gotten to and I saw a person or maybe at least a thousand feet below me who was yelling and he Saida the first time he said anything I didn?t understand what he Said.so I saw duwn.and then he said it again9 he told me to go to my right and I met a person who had just come up from under this dip where I couldn?t see and his name was Wesg I don't know what his last name waso he carried me back down to where we had left our lunches. I ate two or three lunches because I was quite hungry; then a person who I am told wase his name was Wilfred, I don?t remember justt I was just told his name was Wilfred and he and Don half carried me and half sort of walked me down to the Lodge_at Meraine Lake. Yes. Now9 prior to leaving on this trip did you have any map& or anything of this mountain? Yeahe we had two maps and a guidebook and most all of the party had looked at them at one time. I can still remember the routee I had looked at them, I mean just as a matter of course we all looked at themo And you selected one of seweral routes up the mountain?r did you? Yes? there were three or four routes to the tape and we selected one that went from_Moraine Lake; there Was a trail from_Muraine ?14- Lake; there was a trail from Moraine Lake up to Sentinel Pass and we had just branched off the trail just before Sentinel Pass and went up the.mountain. One thing more, do you remember the names of the eleven of yen who were climbing together? I think,so. Would you try to recall them and tell the jury who the eleven were please? Wise you want to take this - Wise? Wattgs R. Baylisn T. Baylisg me, David Chapin, Woodfield,,Smitty, Smith rather9 Peter?Smithg Luther Sneddon_-? newt let me see heree I will re? member in a minute That?s fine, just Clattenburg? and9 oh, I am sure I will remember in a minute heren him.in a_minute here. You just take your time and we will just I believe the one you missed is Miles Marble? That?s right, Miles Marble. That is the eleven of you? That is the eleven. After thatJR when you were talking to Wise did you Speak to any of the eleven members? Wella when I climbed down I had heard that42 I knew I was told that Seddon had a broken legtand I think I was told that Wise?s hip wasc?slocatedq I am not sure whether anyone told me that Ct notq Yes? But while I was climbing down Seddon was the only one I knew anything about so I walked over to him, he didn?t look like he was consciousn but In I said? I told him that I was going d0wn but that I would try and hurry therascuers upa because I don?t known he n?ght have been awake and if he was awake he containly 'wouldn?t like being left there with.people walking down on all sides of him so I told him that. So then you saw Wise and Seddon. Are those the only two? Those are the only two that I talked to. I saw Clattenburg and I think Ricky Baylis. ,qEYes? But IQ wellg Clattenburg was obviously unconscious and so was Baylisa if it was Baylis. Yes? Because his back was turned to me -- You don?t know definitely that it was Richard Baylis? Well, I donit know definitely who it was? I think it was, I know I saw Clattenburg. Yes. Has the jury any questions to ask? THE JURY: NO CORPORAL WALL: Sir9 Mr. Coroner9 have you any further questions? THE CORONER: Nothing. MR, FENERTY: Might I ask one or two questions? MR0 CORONER: Yes. CORPORAL WALL: This is Fenertyi Sirq THE CORONER: And yOur position? MR. FENERTY: I am representing Mr. 0eser and Mr. Dickerson. THE CORONER: And you would wish the protection -16.. the Canada Evidence Act? CORPORAL WALL: No. MR. FENERTY: 0h, n09 not at this point, sir? THE CORONER: 0hIf I see. You will want that after. EXAMINATION BY M?o FENERTY: Mr. Ballard9 you are more used.to being called Fred No1r anyway it doesn?t.matter. Which is it? CORPORAL WALL: It is is it not? Ricky is the way I am called personally. MR. FENERTY: . Okay. I just want to ask and get a couple of things Straightened out here. When this group of 16 went oner. Osser was resting9 was heat at the point where you had left him? Resting and taking pictures, yes? Taking pictures? He didn?t believe in climbing mountains for the sake of climb- ing?mountains9 he liked to take pictures and see the View more than he liked to climb.mountains. When you last saw him.at that point he was, as far as you know where you had branched offn the 16 of you had gone up ahead and he was waiting below. is that right? Yes. New? - He went down later to where we left the lunch. So you understand. Yes. Wellv I saw9 I saw five or six dots and he was one of them. Nowa you said you assumed that watts was in charge of the group 17 that went up? That?s right. Did you hear what instructions, what if any instructions were given to Watts by Mr. Oeser? Well? I don?t think any wereg I think Watts wasa just9 we all just assumed he was in charge. Was he more or less the leader of you hOyS? Yes. In your group? Yes. And he was expected to take chargen was he? Yes. I take it from what you said later he was a pretty leuelheaded boy9 was he? Yes. Now, you told me that after you had crossed this brook on this snow bridge that apart from the two who stayed behind.that the 14 of you climbed the slope? I think you said perhaps 100 yards, 100 feet or something like that Yeah. some rock? Yes. And then you went up a more steep slopei that was a 10ng slope now? That was a long one9 yesa And you werendt roped on thatg were you? We weren?t ropeda no9 Was Baylis the only one that needed the help of the rope to get 13 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 that? Well9 Clattenburg needed some help but he wouldn?t have needed it1T I mean.he would have made it anyway. He didn't need it but he used the rope as He used the rope9 well, we all used the rope? But merely because Baylis was having trouble getting a.gripg is that right? That is righto Now then there was a third slope? YeSa well, did yOu use the rope on that at all going up? We used the rope the same way we had on the lower or on the middle slopeg we justD we just sent one man ahead and the rope dangled down and everyOne else more or less pulled himself up on it. Was the top slape as difficult as the long One or not? Well, it wasn?t as difficult because it wasn?t as long. Was it as steep? I think it was as steep.: about. About the same, eh. Nowq I want to get to thiso you said about when you got upg well9 when you got up to a certain pointu to the.highest point that this.group of eleven of you left at this time were there not the highest point that eleven of you reached you said you could hear avalanches all around? Well? not all aroundo I mean you could hear Wellg here and_there? Hear two or three of them every half hour When had you first noticed the sound of these avalanches? 19 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 opob-OP That is the first time we noticed thenn 0he you just noticed that when you got up to that point? Yes? Yon didn?t have any warning before that? No, we had had no warning whatsoevero Then somebody kicked some snow down? did they9 to see what would happen? N09 that was accidental. Someone just kicked a few rocks off and we noticed then that - It did make a fair slide, did it? Yes. So watts persuaded the group that that was far enough, is that right? Yes. News all right theng coming down to that first slope you just used one rape and the group sort of used the rope asa hand? rail to help themselves down? That is right, that is exactly it9 as a handrail. Coming down the long slopeo the next onea with the two ropes fastened together it was again used as a rail bat didn?t reach all the way, when you reached the end No. you had to You had a_small walk in the snowa Now? when the two boys that got a little out of control going down this slope did theya was that when they were using the rqnes or after they reached the end of the rope? That was when they Were using the rope9 they? both of them I think let go of the rope as they got out of control to keep their balance better and then 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 <3 x: c: r? bop-o :0 >0 :9 :0 Did Yes? ?_-when they saw they weren9t going to get their balanCe back they both stopped using the methods Mr. Dickerson showed us, And what is that, just a matter of -- Well, lying, lie on your back and dig your heels in 0h, yeso straightening up, or lie on your Stomach and dig your e1boWs in. When you say they got out of control you don?t necessarily mean that they were acting up but they got going a little too fast? whey just got going too fast, that's all. And when they got going too fast they apparently thought the best thing to do was to let the rope go, go flat on their backs and dig their heels in? Yes, They did that, did they? Yes. Now, the only reason you roped up rEally you tell me when you got, just a moment, after you got down that long slope did you go down approximately the same way as you Came up? Yes, almost exactly. And came to that outcropping again? Yeahs Had the short slope to go down again after that? The slope to the snow bridge? Yes? Yes, we had that, Did you use the rope down there or just walk down there? I don?t known 1 21.. 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 3910:9033-0 You donit know. But then you roped up just because you were kind of scary about whether the bridge would hold out, were you? I don?t think We ever got to the bridge. Oh? No, but I say you roped up because you were? Yeah9 I think that is the reason we? they roped up? I am not sure but I think that is the reason they didi I think it was justa just for everything. Ricky, did you get any warning yourselfit do you recall any warning that this avalanche was coming? I wasn?t wella I can't remember anything close to the avalanche9 I can?t remember anything - That is just a blank? - within an hour or so of it. 0hr that's just a blank? is it? Yeah. 0h, did your group have a map and a guidebook along with them? Yes9 and we had? I just_might as well put this in9 we had registered or not registered but some people at the Meraine Lake Lodge knew that we were going ups We did haye a map? we did have two maps and a guidebooko Do you know What guidebook that was? Wells it's a small red guidebookg it is about this high and this wide9 no} about this wide and this thicks Yeso It is quite bulkyg a fair guidebook. Do you happen to know whether or not you were following a route set but in this guidebook? 22 275 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 m: a: pa a: ,3 But none of you were worried before you.reached approximately that point, is thatr right? No. THE.CORONER: Any other questions from the Jury; THE JURY: No? THE CORONER: Thank yOu. CORPORAL WALL: Anthony Woodfield? ANTHONY Guion Road9 Eye, New York, having first been duly sworn? examined by Corporal Wall9 testifed as follows: They call you Tony? don9t they? That?s rights Tony9_would you go back to lastMondaya July the 11th, 1955. I think you were touring with the WildernessCamp? having set out from,Philadelphia and last Monday you were then enCamped at the camp grounds at moraine Lake? Yes, Sir; In Banff National Park? Yes, sir. I understnad that 16 of you with one of the camp leaders left the Camp that morning1r is.that correct? Yes, sire Who was the Camp leader, please? Bill Oeser? Bill 0eser? Yes2 sir. NowT prior to leaving camp was there any discussion between the 37 283 284 285 286 288 289 290 292 293 ?0 A leaders and your group? Yes, sir. Regarding the preposed trip? About climbing. About climbing? A About how we should climb. Yes? Yes? sir. Will you tell the Caroner and the Jury what was Said to you? Well, they told us how.to use ropes and pitons and how to step in Case you fell and how to attahh ropes and use cnampons and ice picks I understand that you haVe done some climbing yourself in the Alps and several of the mOuntains in the is that correct? Yes9 sir. What time did you leave the camp setting out for Temple Mountain? About nine to nine?thirty. Between nine and nine?thirty? Yes, sir. In the morning? Yes, sir. And how did the whole party go? About 1000 feet above where we left our lunches. About 1000 feet above where you.had left your lunches? A. 0 Yes, sir. Now then At 8500 feet. That is where you left your lunches? 295 297 298 299 300 301 302 303 304 305 306 307 Pop-c50:90:90 No, thatts where wef everybody went. Up to 8500 feet? Yesg sir. So you are able to give the height you climbed? Yes,sir. And what transpired at that point? What what? What happened then? Bill Oeser decided to take pictures and invited any others to stay with him. Yes? And the rest of us continued since no one wanted to drop out. And then he went off by himself to take pictures, is that ~correct? Yes? sir. And the 16 boys continued on? Yes9 sir. Was there any leader amengst the 16 of you? Well, Watts and I were junior leaders or crew chiefs and we were mainly responsible. I see. Was anyone appointed by Mr. Oeser to be the leader? Yes, William wattso William Watts. 50 now that is the 16 of you going up? Yesi siro We have already heard some of the evidence and I don't want too much repitition, somewhere along the line five of the boys dropped out and turned back9 is that correct? Yes? siro And then the party consisted of eleven of you climbing the 39 308 309 310 311 312 313 314 315 mountain? Yes, sire NOW'then, where did the eleven hf you go? Well, after dropping, leaving the five boys we left the shale slope, went across the snow and follwed an avalanche route.2 a small snowslide route of a day or two old and followed that for a while9 about 300 feet.and then tried to head off into the less open place among rocks. Had you heard anything up to:this point? Concerning avalanches? Yes? we hadn?t heard any avalanches until about 700, five to 700 feet above where we had left lY?s? five boys. And you heard one there? We heard several away off, maybe across the valley; We couldn?t locate them. It was very faint. Yes. Then you continued to climb? Yes. Will you go on then Tonys please? Well, we tried to stay out of the way of what looked like avalanche slopes and whenever practicable rock slopes were offered we would use them and otherwise we aimed from.more or less one rock slope toaanotherg using the snow between. What was the condition of the snow atihat time? Wellg about halfway between the point we had left the five boys and our highest height the sun was out and the snow was rapidly becoming worse9 and in fact it was becoming very wet and unstable 40 - 316 317 318 319 320 321 322 323 quickly. Pardon? Quicklyo What were you wearing on your feet at this time, Tony? I wore track shoes most of theuay and I believe at the top of 10g000 bet I took them off and put back onrgr long boots which I had carried with me. Yes. Well9 was that the highest point you climbed tog 10,000 feet? Yes, sirg 3020 meters9 about 109000 feet. And then what did you decide to do? Well; we had a conference or debate for about fifteen minutes and we decided it best to go down as quiekly and safely as possible down the same route we had come up and get off:he mountain. Had you used the ropes previously to this? mes, sir. Towny Baylislnd slipped a couple of feet into Dare Chapin and had becmme scared so for mainly moral support we belayed the boys. Watts went ahead9 sat down, put the rope around his sidei it stead9 and the boys just pulled them? selves up on it one by one? Yes? We used the method for about 300 feet. Yes9 and then we come to the point where you got to 109000 feet? Yes? sira And you were going down. No then9 how did you use the ropes to go down? The same way we had going upo We belayed the boys down? two 41 - 324 325 326 327 328 329 330 331 332 ?3 y: a: p: c: different pitchese tying the ropes together in the second Pitch. Yes. And at this time were the ropes tied.around the or ?were they using them as a hand line? They were using them as a hand line. Yes, and what was your objectiue in going down? Where were you going to? we tried to follow the route we had come up. Yes? And sinceg and the snow was becoming worse and the boys were still soared and tired so we just used it for the same reason as coming up for meral support. Yes? Moral support mainly. Some of them Were scaredi you say? Some were scared, yesg sirg and tired. Wella did you have any particular object in view when you left, that is to go down to some particular point? Wellg we wanted to pick up Chapin?s rucksack. Yes? And we planned to follow the same route down seeing that it was? it looked.9 it seemedtto be the safest. And who was in the lead at this time? Well9 till we got to the rock about 500 feet beneath we had used belaying so no one was in the lead at that time. One boy would stay back and let the other boys down and they would follow him downo I seen Well? did you continue on in this manner or did you 42 333 334 335 336 337 338 339 340 A change the roping? Well9 when we got to this rock we had to cross the snow a little ways before heading down the couloir to get Dave?s rucksack so we all tied up on both ropes and I led with an ice axeo Yes. All tied up on both ropeso was that in two parties or in one? One party. That is eleven of you were tied in line on the one rope, the two ropes being tied tcgetherg is that correct? Yes.o sir. And how far would you be apart on this rope? About seven to ten foet. Tesg and you led on the way down to9 to find the rucksack? I led,a what? You led all the way down to find the rucksack? I led but overshot the descending point so we turned the line around with the rear man as leader who was crew chief watts and I as rearo Yes? And then proceeded down. And then we have a picture of eleven of you going down the rocks withTWatts leading and you at the tops and with the ice axeg that Correct? Yes9 siro And then did you hear anything or see anything? I caught a glance9 a sight of snow coming and heard it and I yelled2 ?Avalanche"u and "Head for covers? I rant to the side ?43? 341 342 343 344 345 346 347 348 349 350 351 the snow hit me I dug in my axe and held on? How far above you did you see the snow falling at that time? About a thousandg no& no? it was about 700 feet. And that is Where the avalanche originated from? Yesq sir. About 700 feet above you? A_bit to the right of your highest destination or our highest point. And you tried to get into cover and droppedq digging yourice axe in the snow? Yes? sir, And then the snow hit you? YesQ sir. And what happened then9 Tony? I held On for awhile and then the rope broke and I held on for about two minutes more and then stood up and saw the snow cone; tinue sliding down the couloir. I didn?t see anything. I waited about two more minutes before the snow stopped and then headed dewn. And how far dOWn from you did the avalanche stop? Stop? Stop? yes? About 1000? about 1300 feet. About 1300 feet? Not quite9 almost. And started about 700 feet above you? Yesu Which would mean it would travel roughly about 2000 feet? .. 44.. 352 353 354 355 356 357 358 359 360 361 362 IDIOIPIO Abouta How wide was the avalanche17 Tony? It was about9 where it hit us and most of the way down I would say it was about 30 feet wide. About 30 feet wide? About 30 feetuide, maybe 35. Who was the first of your party that yousawg Tony9 afterwards? Ricky Ballard? That is the boy who gave evidence here earlier? Yes9 sir. This afternoon? Yes? sir? where was Ricky at thisttime? He was sitting on a rock and looked all right except suffering a state of shock. Yes5 and did you do anything for him there? I asked him if heuere hurt, and he saidg I asked him if anything was.broken and he said no so I gave him a shirt. Yes? And left himo Youn had an extra shirt on? did you? Yes9 sir? And you_gave it to him? Yesg siro And did you go on down the slide? I continued down to Wise with Ballard following me and asked him.if he were hurt and he said his hip was broken so I took a_shirt out of my rucksack which I had carried down and put it on him as best I eouldq -45.. 363 364 365 366 367 368 369 370 371 A Was he in the Snow at that time? Noe he was on a rock promontory too. Did you hear anything at this pointa Tony? Yesi siro I heard shouts muffled? shouts muffled from the snow above me and I went and the shouts directed me over Watt?s head which was aboutg around0 almost a foot under the Snow. I spent about an hour and a half digging him out as best as I could with shoes and hands and pieces of rock be? fore help cameg before Bill Deser and TOm.JOnes cameo And where di you see them.9 Tony? You.mean Bill Oeser? And Jones9 yes? Welle they werea Smitty, Smith had gone down to fetch thema down near where we planned to eat our lunch and they had climbed up as quickly as possible. Did you see any of the other original members of your crew there? Now sir. That is the eleven of you? You mean.where Watts Yes? and the remaining? no9 sir. Nowa did you go on down from there? I stayed for about a quarter of an hourg no I stayed about 20 minutes with Jones and about 10 minutes with Bill Oeser after he had left Seddon's sideo That is Luther Seddon? one Ihat"s righto 372 373 374 375 376 377 378 379 380 381 the deceased.boys? That?s right. And at this point you were talking with Bill Oeser? Yesn sir, Did he tell you to do anything then? Yes, sir. I became hysterical and he told me to have helicop, go down and have a helicopter sent and stretchers sent up. And id yen go down? Yes? sir. I basSed Seddon on the way, but could not help him fOr fear of hurting him.as his leg was already damaged and he was sitting On an open rock. Yes, and you returned to the Lodge at Moraine Lake? Yes, sir. Some hours later? Yes, sir. Could you tell us'the approximate time this Show came downa TOny? Well, we left the highest point at quarter to threet according to Clattenhurg so that the snow must have hit us about a quarter past three to half past three. Between three?fifteen - Aboutialf past three9 about half past threeo That is in the afternoon of July llth? Yes? sir. Any questionsg sir? IHE CORONER: Jurymen? Nm THE CORONER: Thank you. BY um remix; -47- 382 383 384 385 386 387 388 389 390 391 There were a couple of questions9 Tony. How high did you eventuallyg the group eventually get above the point where you first said you heard avalanches? We got about 500 feet above it. How about another 500. How?bng would it take you to climb I mean we were 9500 feet when the avalanche struck us. No9 but you mentioned I think that on the way up, I think you said that you had heard some avalanches9 is that right? on. Welli we were about9 welle the first avalanche we heard we were abouta we were about five to 700 feet from.where we reached, about 500 feet. 0he about five to 700 feet from where you eventually reached9 is that right? Yes, sirv 109000 feet. How long did it take you to go up that other five to 700 feet? About a half an haur. Why did yOu keep on going up afteryou heard the avalanche? Wellw it sounded away off and it didn?t sound bad. You didn?t think it was on your mountain? No, nQQTit was across the valley. th it wasn?t on your mountain? It wasn't on ourmountainq and we had no other indications of avalanches except the day before. But Except the one we had crossed the day before. But at that time you had reached the top of that slope9 that?s five or 700 feet up9 you say the snow was becoming wet and un? stable? Yes} sir9 dangerously unstabieu - 48 392 393 394 395 396 397 0:90:90 A felt then there was some risky did you? I knew there was. You have done some blimbing in Switzerlandg have you? A little. A little bit9 and dejou think that you turned back at the9 as soon as the danger became apparent or not? As soon as the danger was obviously apprent. Yes. I think that is all9 thankso CORPORAL WALL: I declare this Inquest ad? journ for ten minutes. (Inquest adjourned at 3:30 POM.) (Inquest reconvened at 3:45 P.M.) CORPORAL I declare this Inquest reopened? WOODFIELD recalled to the stand, examined further by Mr. Fenertyi testified as follows: You are still under oath? Xeso sir. MR. FENERTY: Tony, there are just a couple more questions. I am going to explain to you when you answer this question don?t tell us what other peopleg what you may have heard fromrther people but tell us what you know of your own knowledge or what you overheard actually take place? what I want to know is if you have any personal knowledge what inquiries were made on behalf of this group about9 before climbing Temple Mountain? Yes, sir. Can you tell us what you know about that? Well the main source was Chapin and I before the oart was . 49 398 399 400 401 402 403 x: :a r: AD ready to leave for the climb had gene to the Lodge at Moraine Lake. We had spoken to the proprietresso I guess it is? and we had asked her questions concerning the mountain. She told as that the trail left right behind the Lodge to go up to the Pass and she said she had been up to the Pass but she knew nothing of the mountainE she had not heard anything about itit she warned us but she told us nothing concerning avalanches or like? she mentioned we were the first party though to go up that year? She didn?t know anything else about the mountain itself. You referred to anybne else1t was there any other source of in- formation? W'ell2 this isn?t too much but we picked Up a hitchhiker who was a climber near Lake Louise. We asked him concerning the moun? tains themselves and he did not tell us anything concerning avalanches or dangers involved with them. Did he appear to be familiar with the locality? Yesa sir. Do you know who he was? Nog sir? At the Lodgee did you say at the Lodge9 were you_referred to any other source of information? Apart? besides the womana younlean? Yes9 I mean did she tell you anyone you could ask about the place? No? sire Had you gone in for the purpose of asking about it? Our main purpose was to ask about where the trail went and to find in general what the climb was likeo 404 405 406 407 408 n: n: a: ?3 Do you know of any inquiries made on belaf of your grOup any? where other than at the Lodge1t where any inquiries.made at Banffn to your knowledge? I believe there were at the Information. Do you know that yourslef? I did it myself. You were not there? I was not there. That is all. CORPORAL WALL: William Oeser. 111141.er 7427, North 2lst Streetn Philadelphia 38, UOS.A.9 having first been duly sworn? examined by Corporal Wall52 testified as follows: THE CORONER: Your occupation, please? Public school teacher. Public school teachers MR. FENERTY: Siri Mr. Oeser and I be? lieve the next witness will be Mr? Dickerson, is that correct, Cerporal? CORPORAL WALL: Rights MR. FENERTY: I think in fairness to them they should be given the protection of the Canada and Alberta Evidence Acts. Now9 in order to avoid all this jumping up and down and taking formal objectionsg perhaps we could agree that they will be deemed to object to answer and that will give them the protection of the Act. Will that be satisfactory? THE CORDNER: Granted? MR0 FENERTY: Will that be satisfactory to you? 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 (were following a route. You could identify it all right frOm being on the mountain and the?maps? Well, the map, the route was rather general9 it was just up be- tween south and southwest up there9 up that sort of valleyw I mean you1 I mean it was scree and things like that9 just rock and snow and you could more or less pick your own way up thereQ there was nothing to worry about. Did you have any doubt as to whether you were on the route described in the back? No, we never had any doubt as to that? Were those lost in the avalanche as far as What? Were these maps and books lost in the avalanche? I think they were? Who was in charge of them? I think Chapin was keeping them. He was on the:?nal group? with the final group of eleven? Yes, I think he was keeping the maps and stuff. Yes. And did you receive? do you know of any warning cenveyed to the party of any risk on this climb? Don?t think any was9 I think we knew we were the first people that year but a don?t think anybody inferred anything from that. Yesq Did you1T just one more question m- ohg yes? did any of the party express any concern? any fear of dangers on this route before you got up to the point at the top where you heard this avalanche? Before that point I den?t think anyone had expressed any fear9 23 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 Those who went backg do you know whether they went back be? cause they were tired or I think they went back beCause they were tired. I think that is all. I think the ones that didn?t even startg some of them didn?t start because they didn?t think it was worth ito some of them didn?t start because they had blisters on their feet and things like thato BY CORPORAL WALL: a: c: You have mentioned that the people at Moraine Lake Lodge knew that you were going up? Yes. That is the caretaker therec Mr. and Mrs. Shaw? Wello Is that cOrrect? Wella I am not sure who knew that we were going up because I didn?t go in and speak to them myself but I think if you will ask Woodfield that he can tell you that? Yes? He knew that. Yes? But as you have stated on the record that you were re? ported that they were going upa but there were no warnings at Moraine Lake Lodge when you left? I don?t think so? There may have been but I don?t think there were9 And as a result of this accident you were brought into the Banff Mineral Springs Hospital? 155 156 157 Ob?bc 153 159 160 >0 161 102 Yes. And you were released from there about noon today? Yes? I spent the night at Moraine1r at the Lodge at Moraine Lake on thesnfa and then I was taken into this hospital in the nmrninga 0n the 13th? Yeah, I think that would be the right date. And you Suffered a bad gash in your head? I had six stitches in my head but no fracture. That is all, sir. Is that all17 sir? THE CORONER: Anything else frOm the jury? EXAMINATION BY THE JURY: You.don*t happen to know what time you turned around to go back? 0h Just approximate? One to two o?clock9 13think. CORPORAL WALL: THank you. THE WITNESS: Thank you. CORPORAL.WALL Peter Smitho PETER VOOREEYS SMITH9 537 County Line Roada Radnerw 9a.? UOSQA. having been first duly sworni examined by Corporal Wall? testified 3 follows: Peter9 will you go back to last Monday morning? July 11thc and to shorten the record I will just recite it shortly9 there were I believe 16 boys and Mr. Oeser who left.Moraine Lake Lodge at your camp9 the Wilderness Camp at Moraine Lake [edge for a hike and a mountain climb up Temple Mountain? hes. Prior to leaving on this trip was there any discussion between your group or the leaders? 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 ?3 a: I believe so, Dave Chapin did some takking with the men at the Lodge. The men at the Lodge? Well9 I Were you there? No?1 I wasn?t. Was there any discussion between your leaders and your group regarding the proposed climb? Yesg I think sow Could you tell the Coroner and the jury about it please? we11, Mr. Dickerson I think went into Banff First of all may I say that yOu shouldn?t repeat anythigg that you have been told or anything you have heard? only what you know yourself to be true? Well9 that?s what I have been toldo Oh? I, I You don?t know? I wasn?t with him or didn?t see Shall I put it this way then9 was there any discussion between you and Mr? Dickerson or Mr. Deser regarding the precautions to be taken while on this proposed climb? Yes. In the morning he told us that certain precautions using a rope or things like that. And equipment? Yes. How were you equipped? What were you wearing for the climbt Peter? Oht I had a jacket2 a sweat shirtg a Inshirtg and a shirt like - 26 173 174 175thisa a flannel shirt and these khaki pants and boots and track shoes. Boots and track shoes? Yes. At the beginning of the climb I suppose you were wearing your bootsn is that right? Yes. When did you change into your track shoes? When we started up the Snow. Those track shoese could you describe then? Well, they were very thin leather, they had six cleats on the front part and no cleats in the heel. That is about it. And were they high shoes or low shoes? No1 they were lOWo Like oxfords? Oxfords? Do you know what oxfords are? No. They come up to the ankle? Yes. But they'didn?t extend above the ankle? No. I think.R Peterg we will go up to the point where I understand six9 eleven of the boys left the mainiparty12 including Mr. Oeser and continued to climbo Yes. Do you know where I am in my story? Yeso Do you remember what time it would be? 27 185 186 187 188?.910 New Io we didn?t look at the watch. a watch at all. Would it he in the morning or the afternoon? The morning. I. I think but I will not say fer sure; Yes. and Can you tell the Coroner and the Jury what was said and what was done when the elevenoiou left the other party ?and started to climb; why you left etcetera. Well..Mr. Oeser left first because he had blisters on his feet and his feet were very sore because of previous climbs9 and he wanted to take pictures of the Pass. Two other boys who keep up left on the rock shale and then later three other boys left because one boy had athlete?s foot and it hurt him and the other boys just didn't want to climb. Yes. So eleven of you started up? Yes. Do you remember the names of those eleven? Yes, I guess so. Could you repeat them Please? Billy Watts, David Chapin. Miles Marbleu Ricky and Towny Baylis. Jerry Clattenburg r- how many is that? Six. Woodfield, Ballard. Ricky Ballard. Wise and yourself? Yes. Is that correct? Yes. MR. FENERTY: Is that ten or eleven? That is all. that is eleven. The two Baylis Oh. Seddon. 28 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 Yes. Luther Seddona thatgs the other one; and yen started to blimb up. Had you changed your shoes at this time? A Yeso they were changed before9 Yes. Would you go on frOm therea Peter? Welly we climbed fromg up to about 101000 feet9 and we had seen small snowslides and.heard avalanches and we had dis? cussed and decided to turn back because it looked quite dan? gerous? Yes? A And we belayed back down by having somebody take a rope around their body and holding it and the person would hold the rope and slide down the snowo Do you remember what height this would be at? Yes? we started_at feet and started to belay downa 10,000 feet? p- a: ?9 And at that point where the avalanche is we had tied up to a rope andg all of us, and we had started to, we were going down this rock face to get a pack we had left there. Yes? Just before going up. :0 New, could you describe to the Coroner and the Jury the manner in which you were tied to this rope? WellQ it was called a9 I forget the name of the knowa but it An was more or less a slip knot. An artilleryman?s knot? K: r- c: :3 Yes9 an artilleryman?s knot.i and we were about five feet apart on the repea 203 204 205 206 207 208 210 211 212 213 214 ?And how were the two and men tied? The two end men were tied.with bowline knots. Yes. Just the one rope? No, we had two ropes tied together. But the eleven of you were all tied together? 0h, yeSa Where were you in this linea Peter? I was second man on the line. I see? From the lead. Who Was leading the Billy Watts was leading? And then yourself? Yes. Yes; Will you go aheadg please? And9 about the alfalanche1i you mean? Yes? 0r who was Yes. That's fine. Wellg we were going down the rock face and Woodfield yelledI "Avalanche"? and I looked up and saw snow coming over a rock face and ducked, I tried to find fingerholds to hold onto How far was this rock face above you at this time? well, I was on the rock face9 we were all on the rock face except for maybe two or three at the end. Yes? And the avalanche started about 9 I saw the avalanche about 30 feet above meg 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 pa a: 4: e: :0 P10 PIC) Yes? ducked and tried to -- Find fingerholds? Grab onto some cracks in the rock? Yes, and Iheld for about three seconds but then the avalanche took me down with the rest. And how.far did.you go downg PEter, can you guess? Over a thousandfeetv I think. Now, just to interject here for amomentn how wide was this avalanche at this'timeg have you any idea? I have no idea. No idea at all. Then where did youf do you next remember being? Well, when the avalanche stopped I got up and I.guess the tail end of it knocked me down and took me for another hundred feet or so. Further down the mountain? Yesa and then I got up and ran for the side to the shale gravel where I would be safe out of the path of the avalanche. Did anything happen on the way down