A Climber Is Suing His Tour Guide After A Near-Fatal Fall At Glacier National Park
Lawyers on behalf of the climber have filed a lawsuit alleging negligence and breach of contract.
A rock climber is attempting to sue his mountaineering guide for negligence and breach of contract following an incident at Glacier National Park in B.C.
Ian Manson, from Whistler, was being belayed up the rock face of Mount Rogers in July when, according to a release by law firm Mackenzie Fujisawa, the guide "tested the stability of a fridge-size rock causing the rock to move and then fall directly towards his client."
When the rock grazed Manson, the guide let go of the rope, causing him to lose his balance and fall backward, the release says. It says that as Manson fell, the rope then also knocked the guide off balance and down the face of the mountain.
Manson found a small ledge to stop his fall and then helped control the guide's fall.
Parks Canada rescued the two climbers and they were taken by helicopter to hospitals in Kelowna and Revelstoke.
A civil claim alleges that "when [the guide] called out "on-belay" and the plaintiff responded by calling back "climbing", there formed an ancillary agreement between [the guide] and the plaintiff whereby [the guide] became immediately responsible for securing the safety of the plaintiff while climbing up the particular pitch on belay. [The guide] broke this agreement when he let go of the rope, letting the plaintiff fall, wantonly and recklessly putting the plaintiff in mortal peril."
The claim also alleges negligence against the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides regarding the duty of care in the training of the guide.
None of the allegations have been proven in court. The accused has not yet filed a response to the claim.