In a story that defies belief, a climber has survived what should have been certain death after plummeting 400 feet down one of Washington’s most treacherous mountain faces-while his three companions perished in the same fall.
Anton Tselykh, 38, demonstrated superhuman determination after a catastrophic equipment failure sent him and his three climbing partners hurtling down North Early Winters Spire in Washington’s North Cascades. The group was rappelling down when their shared anchor point-a metal spike driven into rock-suddenly tore free, triggering the devastating fall.
The four Seattle-area climbers had been descending after spotting an approaching storm when disaster struck. They plummeted approximately 200 feet down a vertical rock face before tumbling another 200 feet across snow-covered terrain below.
Tragically, Vishnu Irigireddy, 48, Tim Nguyen, 63, and Oleksander Martynenko, 36, did not survive the fall. But somehow, against all odds, Tselykh lived.
What followed was an astonishing feat of human endurance. Despite suffering internal bleeding and traumatic brain injuries, Tselykh managed to free himself from a tangled mess of climbing equipment. Then began his grueling journey to safety-a dozen-hour ordeal navigating treacherous mountain terrain in darkness.
Remarkably, he reached his vehicle and, still severely injured, drove approximately 60 miles to Newhalem where he found a pay phone to call for emergency help.
Climbing experts note that having all four climbers attached to a single anchor point is “not preferred” for safety reasons. The Early Winter Couloir, where the accident occurred, is known for its challenging mixed climbing conditions that can change dramatically throughout the day, requiring specialized equipment and techniques.
Joshua Cole, co-owner of North Cascade Mountain Guides, explained that even experienced climbers can encounter unexpected dangers on this notoriously difficult route, where conditions vary significantly not just month to month, but hour by hour.
The incredible survival story serves as both a sobering reminder of mountain climbing’s inherent dangers and a testament to the extraordinary resilience of the human spirit when faced with seemingly impossible odds.
