May 31, 2000 - Mountaineering Fatality at Mount Bona
David Duane Paisley, 39, a guide from Colorado was descending with two clients after a successful summit of Mt. Bona. They were about 20 minutes from base camp when the accident occurred. David had just called for slack while probing a crevasse they had marked and crossed on the ascent when it broke open under him. He fell about 75 feet and was covered with snow and ice that collapsed in on top of him. David's clients were unable to extricate him, so they anchored the rope, left a note for the climbing party that was behind them, and returned to camp. Guide B.L. found the note and anchors. He crossed the crevasse safely at a point about 15 yards from where David went in. As he was belaying the next climber (a client) across, the climber broke through and fell in but was extricated uninjured. This climber said that he could see D.P.'s rope for about 30 feet before it entered snow and ice but was unable to see David. B.L. contacted a pilot from another outfitter and advised him that David's body was unrecoverable. On June 3rd, rangers Tom Betts and Hunter Sharp, state troopers and members of Alaska Mountain Rescue flew to the site. They determined that no efforts would be made to extricate D.P.'s body due to the hazards to rescuers and the large amount of ice and snow that would have to be removed. D.P.'s wife, also a mountaineer, supported the decision.
AAC Article