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NEWSFLASH UPDATE
10/1/2002: Göran Kropp has died climbing. Various
sources are reporting to EverestNews.com that Göran
died climbing yesterday.
Renata Chlumska,
Göran's girlfriend, and the first Swedish woman to
summit Everest, was not with him when the accident
occurred. |
Update: Göran Kropp,
35, died from a fall around 2:30 p.m. while climbing a
popular route called Air Guitar near Frenchmen Coulee
in Vantage, Washington. This is over by the Columbia
River in Eastern Washington in Grant Co about six
miles north of Vantage Washington. The Grant County
Coroner's Office in Yakima, stated that head injuries
were the cause of death. Kropp, reached the exit point
of the climb when his gear ripped out from the crack
and he fell several feet. Kropp died on impact. Kropp
and another climber were airlifted by a M.A.S.T.
helicopter to Valley Memorial Hospital in Yakima. The
Grant County Coroner's Office took jurisdiction of the
body from the Yakima County Coroner's Office and he
was brought back to the Grant County Forensic
Institute where an external examination was performed.
Kropp relocated
earlier this year from Sweden to Seattle with his
fiancée, Renata Chlumska. Chlumska was guiding a group
of clients to Mt. Everest base camp at the time and
was contacted via satellite phone.
Göran Kropp is
recognized around the world for his epic 1996
adventure when he rode his bike 7,000 miles from
Sweden to Nepal, climbed Everest and biked home with
his gear. He was a popular motivational speaker and
was frequently covered by the international press.
Kropp co-authored a book about his adventures with
writer David Lagercrantz titled Ultimate High: My
Everest Odyssey, and his documentary film I Made It:
Göran Kropp's Incredible Journey to the Top of the
World won the distinguished Best of Banff Award at the
Banff Mountain Film Festival, the grandfather of all
outdoor film competitions, in 1998.
Kropp and Chlumska
were planning a 10,000-mile kayaking and hiking
circumnavigation of the United States starting next
July from their home in Issaquah, Washington. Within
the next four years he was planning his ultimate
adventure to sail solo from Seattle to Antarctica, ski
unsupported to the South Pole and back, and sail home.
Göran Kropp is survived by Gerard, his father, Sweden;
Sigrun, his mother, Sweden, and Chlumska, Issaquah,
Wash.
According to Richard
Murphy who was climbing with Göran at the time of the
accident, there
were 4 climbers including Göran climbing together.
They had been climbing most of the day. Göran was
almost at the top of a single pitch climb when he took a
fall. No one actually saw him fall, but they saw him
falling. He was killed on impact, hitting first on a
rock ledge and then continued down to the ground.
According to Richard Murphy, who contacted
EverestNews.com, Göran met the climbing friends on
the internet. Again according to his new friend
Richard Murphy, Göran did not space his anchors close
enough together, so when Göran fell, the rope did not
hold. One of the climbers was also on the same rope as
Göran, but the other climber was only a few feet up
near the only real anchor that held. One of the
climbers went for help only 15 or so minutes away to a
cell phone after the accident. Help arrived quickly,
and one of the other climbers was treated for shock
when help arrived. But Göran was gone... Göran was
pronounced dead at the scene.
Another climber
contacted us and seems to dispute some of the details
of Richard's
version. Göran is dead. May he rest in
peace.....
Update
Feb 2002: Göran and Renata are moving to America!
Seattle is now home to the part of Everest Summiters!
Göran was recently at the Ouray Ice festival in
Colorado.
Update
Sept/2001: What
is Göran up to? It appears he and Renata Chlumska has
entered the Expedition business with Everest base camp
treks and climbs of Kilimanjaro
along other activities.
His
girl friend and fellow Everest Summitter, Renata won
the People and Mountain award for her Shishapangma
movie. Renata is the first woman from Sweden to Summit
Everest. Renata Chlumska Summitted Everest in style with
Göran in the first group up on 5/5/99.
Renata
and Fredrik won in the category "People and
Mountain" with the Shishapangma movie from 1997,
picture
His
Q&A is here...
The
Obituary of Goran Kropp
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