Climber Dies on Colden

Climber dies in Trap Dike

Posted on October 2nd, 2011

A student at Binghamton University died Friday morning in a fall in the Trap Dike, a classic mountaineering route on Mount Colden.

Potel’s was the third climbing death in the Adirondacks in four years. Last year, Dennis Murphy died in a fall at Upper Washbowl Cliff. In 2007, Dennis Luther died in a rappeling accident at Poke-o-Moonshine Mountain.

The Trap Dike, a long gash in the northwest flank of Mount Colden, was first climbed in 1850.  It is ranked as a fourth-class climb in the Yosemite Decimal System. Although falls on fourth-class terrain can be fatal, the climbs are easy enough that ropes are regarded as optional.

Potel was not using a rope or wearing a helmet, according to Ansari.

Story from Adirondack Explorer.

EDIT: And this today from Adk Explorer - is the trap dike a hike or climb:

http://www.adirondackalmanack.com/2011/10/phil-brown-is-trap-dike-hike-or-climb.html

Tragic. Only 22 years old.

Awful news. Hard to believe that he would be the first victim. Really sad stuff right there... With the length of the fall would a helmet have saved him? I don't want to get into monday morning quarterbacking, just sounds like the wrong place to fall and just one of those things that happens. Condolences to his family and friends.

Adirondack Explorer - Remember Matthew Potel:

http://adirondackexplorer.org/out-takes/2011/10/05/remembering-matthew-potel/