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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

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Tetons climbing guide unclips from anchor, falls to death

Erupting clouds: An unusual cloud formation across the summit of the Grand Tetons is seen from the park’s headquarters campus at Moose, Wyo., in this Thursday photo provided by the Grand Tetons National Park. (Associated Press)
Erupting clouds: An unusual cloud formation across the summit of the Grand Tetons is seen from the park’s headquarters campus at Moose, Wyo., in this Thursday photo provided by the Grand Tetons National Park. (Associated Press)

CLIMBING – A mountain guide who died in a fall on Grand Teton National Park’s highest peak unclipped himself from an anchor while reaching for a rappel device on Saturday, officials say.

Exum Mountain guide Gary Falk, 42, had just guided four climbers up the Grand Teton, which is more than 13,700 feet (4,175 meters) in elevation. They were coming back down the Wyoming peak when he fell about 2,400 feet (731 meters).

Park spokeswoman Denise Germann tells the Jackson Hole News & Guide that a rappelling device became stuck and Falk unclipped his tether from the anchor to reposition himself to free the device.

Another Exum guide safely led the group down the mountain.

It was Falk’s 12th summer guiding with Exum.



Rich Landers
Rich Landers joined The Spokesman-Review in 1977. He is the Outdoors editor for the Sports Department writing and photographing stories about hiking, hunting, fishing, boating, conservation, nature and wildlife and related topics.

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