Ruttledge was at Desert Hospital within 29 minutes of the accident.
Tom Rutledge spent the next two weeks in a coma with several broken bones, including
cracked ribs, a ruptured spleen, and severe head and neck injuries. We are very glad to be
able to report that Tom came out of his coma on New Year's Day 1998.
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For their bravery in rescuing Rutledge, RMRU members Bob Baker and Lee Arnson were
awarded the Medal of Valor for bravery and heroism by the San Bernadino County Sheriff's
Department. RMRU member Henry Negrete and Riverside Aviation Unit pilot Tony Bowen
received letters of commendation for their roles in the rescue.
"Largely due to this accident, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department instituted a
system of training and performance standards (individual and team-based) for all SAR teams in
the county."
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Denali VIP dies in fall
On May 24, 1998, a Canadian climber, Daniel Rowarth, fell towards the Peters Glacier while
descending the popular West Buttress route of Mt. McKinley at roughly 16,900 feet. He and his
partner were attempting to get back to 14,000-foot camp in worsening weather.
Mike Vanderbeek, an experienced climber and course director for the Colorado Outward Bound
School's Alaskan program, was working as a Denali National Park Volunteer Ranger at the time if
the accident. He and his partner Tim Hurtado had been descending the West Buttress route when
Hurtado saw the Canadian climber fall. Hurtado radioed Chief Climbing Ranger Daryl Miller at the
14,200-foot camp for permission to join Vanderbeek and go after the fallen climber. Vanderbeek
crossed 100-feet of the route and located the fallen climber's ice ax.
Hurtado reported that as he and Vanderbeek down-climbed in an attempt to locate Rowarth,
Vanderbeek lost his footing on the steep ice. Denali rescuers searched for four days they found
the Canadian who had died - but never found Vanderbeek. Mike Vanderbeek, who had grown
up in Talkeetna, and served as a VIP once before, was a very experienced climber
The National Park Service convened a "serious accident investigation team" which included Ralph
Tingey, an NPS official and long-time climber, and Renny Jackson, supervisory climbing ranger at
Grand Teton National Park.
The team cited the possibility that "rescue fever" played a role, stating "It is most common among
people who have not had experience in emergency situations. The heightened sense of urgency
produces a desire for speed and a sacrifice of personal safety." They did note Vanderbeek's vast
climbing experience.
Mike Vanderbeek was a very experienced mountaineer with a long resume of difficult
climbs on various high altitude peaks, including Mt. McKinley.
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