Darwin Rawson, the father of a professional climber who survived a 300-foot fall in Little Cottonwood Canyon Thursday, called his son's relatively good condition following the accident "miraculous" but was disheartened by the circumstances that led to the incident.
"He knows the number one rule is never climb by yourself," Rawson said Saturday. "He's had friends who've died doing the same thing, and he knows better than anyone, you just don't do it."
Rawson, speaking from his home in Butte, Mont., said his son, 37-year-old Gene Rawson, also from Butte, has been climbing most of his adult life and is a professional instructor who specializes in rock and ice climbing techniques.
After a phone conversation with his son Saturday morning, Darwin Rawson said his son sounded cheerful and was expecting a quick recovery. He said Gene Rawson thought he would be "out of the hospital in a couple of days."
Darwin Rawson said his son told him he fell while attempting to make way for a passing climber when an ice chunk to which he was anchored gave way.
The climber's father said he thought his son may be "being a little optimistic" about how soon he'd be back on his feet but was relieved to hear that he was feeling positive. Darwin Rawson said Gene Rawson had talked with his two daughters, also Butte residents, who were relieved to hear that their father was OK.
An Intermountain Medical Center spokeswoman said Gene Rawson was in "fair" condition Saturday following surgery Friday evening, after reportedly suffering a broken pelvis and femur in the fall.
Gene Rawson was on a solo climb Thursday afternoon at the popular Great White Icicle, an ice-climbing location about two miles from the mouth of the canyon, when, according to witnesses, he fell down a section of the 650-foot climb and landed on a small ledge. Climbers and emergency personnel were able to get Rawson to a spot accessible to a rescue helicopter that transported him from the scene.
Rescue scenarios are familiar territory for Rod Alne, a retired Air Force sergeant and owner of The Peak Inc., the Butte-based company that employs Gene Rawson as a climbing instructor.
Alne, who is a para-rescue expert, and his staff train military personnel for operations in extreme and high-altitude areas, like the mountains of Afghanistan. On Saturday, Alne said accidents like the one suffered by Gene Rawson can happen anytime, even to experts.
"Gene is very good at what he does and has been training people for me for four years," Alne said. "There are times when even professionals can be victimized by conditions."
e-mail: araymond@desnews.com