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Three climbers lost in avalanche near Squamish

The families and friends of three men who died in an avalanche after summiting Atwell Peak in B.C.’s Garibaldi Provincial Park in May are raising money for a celebration of life event for Chris Gulka and Jon Büchner, in addition to Squamish Search and Rescue. Gulka, Büchner and a third mountaineer, who has not been named publicly, summited Atwell Peak on the morning of May 31 before they were caught in a “catastrophic avalanche".

At 2,655-metres, Atwell Peak is known as a summit with no easy way up and is usually climbed in winter when snow covers the loose volcanic rock on its steep faces. Data posted on a website that tracks successful summits show Gulka successfully reach the top of Atwell Peak on May 31. More than a month after they went missing, the bodies of the three mountaineers were recovered on July 8. Both Gulka and Büchner were experienced mountaineers and well known in B.C.’s close-knit climbing community, with several difficult ascents to their names.

[This will be added to the Avalanche Center archives and database soon.]
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New executive director appointed - Utah Avalanche Center

The Utah Avalanche Center recently appointed Caroline Miller as its new executive director. Miller will work alongside UAC Forest Service Director Paige Pagnucco to lead the organization into the future. Paige Pagnucco was also recently appointed and replaces Mark Staples who will return to the Gallatin center in a Forest Service shuffle. Ms Pagnucco was previously in the non-profit side which Ms Miller will now direct. The nonprofit side significantly financially supplements the Forest Service appropriated funding.
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Hungarian Duo Survives Huge Avalanche in Hindu Kush

Last week, a big avalanche hit Hungary’s David Klein and Marton Nagy during their summit push on the rarely climbed 7,403m Istor-O-Nal in the Hindu Kush. Both climbers survived. This was Klein’s second attempt on the rarely climbed peak in two years. The mountain had a lot of snow this summer, much more than last year, and they progressed more slowly than planned. After acclimatizing at the beginning of July, the pair started for the summit. On July 2, they reached Camp 1. Two days later, just below Camp 3, a huge avalanche funneled down a couloir and spread out across almost the entire width of the open slope. The 400m-long slide almost swept them away, but the rope that they had earlier clipped into saved their lives.
More ... (Explorers Web)