An ice climber from Powell, Wyoming is lucky to be alive after spending the night in the rugged South Fork Drainage several miles east of Cody. The Drainage is world renowned for its climbing opportunities and that is what drew second year climber, 54-year old Kenneth Richmond to the area Wednesday.
After Richmond failed to return as scheduled his wife called Jackson Hole Mountain guide and rescuer, Kenny Gash. Gash taught Richmond how to climb ice last year and became friends with him over the course of time. Gash remembered that Richmond talked frequently this winter about climbing an area known as High On Boulder, so that is where he went looking. And that is where Richmond was found.
“He was stable, two broken ankles, complaints of pain on palpation on the left rib. He’s a very lucky guy. He fell about fifty feet he could have been killed very easily, he could have died of exposure, he was there all night obviously,” said Gash.
Richmond was airlifted by Park County Search and Rescue and flown to the hospital for treatment.