They say that things last forever on the Internet, but not always. ‘The Crevasse’, a superb report of a tragic climbing accident was published in 2008 as a 5-part series on the Rocky Mountain News Website. Sadly, The Rocky closed in 2009 and who knows how long the Web site will be active, even now pages sometimes fail to load so we encourage you to read the story while it’s still available.

“They were friends and climbing partners, and on the longest, sunniest day of the year they stood atop Mount Rainier, arm-in-arm, weary smiles of accomplishment on their faces. The two Colorado men had made it up the difficult and dangerous Liberty Ridge, completing the biggest climb of their lives. A few hours later, as they plodded across a glacier on the way down, the snow opened and they plunged 80 feet, crashing into a giant, unseen crevasse. One man died. The other faced a fight to save himself almost beyond imagination. In a five-part series, the Rocky Mountain News examines that tragic day on one of America’s most picturesque mountains and the many ways it ripples still.” Read the full series. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5.