Twenty-two years ago, American climber Bill Stampfl faced the deadly wrath of an avalanche while scaling the mighty Huascaran peak in the Andes. The snow and ice swallowed him whole, entombing him in a frozen grave on the 6,700-meter (22,000-foot) mountain. His family, heartbroken and helpless, knew the odds of ever finding him were slim to none.
Fast forward to June, when an unexpected phone call shattered the years of resigned acceptance. Stampfl’s son, Joseph, picked up the phone to hear a stranger’s voice, a fellow climber who had made a shocking discovery: Bill Stampfl’s body, frozen and remarkably intact, had been found. “It was so out of left field. We talk about my dad, we think about him all the time,” Joseph recalled. “You just never think you are going to get that call.”
The mummified, skeletal corpse of an American climber who went missing in 2002 was recovered in Peru. The body still had well-preserved climbing boots, crampons and clothing, as well as a driver’s license and passport https://t.co/KqHDKJYUie pic.twitter.com/aj4ObViUsT
— Reuters (@Reuters) July 10, 2024
Joseph shared the news with his family, sparking a whirlwind of emotions. “It’s been a shock,” said his sister, Jennifer. “When you get that phone call that he’s been found, your heart just sinks. You don’t know how exactly to feel at first.”
On Tuesday, Peruvian police announced they had successfully retrieved Stampfl’s body from the icy clutches of Huascaran. The recovery was a meticulous effort, involving a team of policemen and mountain guides who embarked on a grueling nine-hour hike from a climbers’ camp to the spot where Stampfl lay at 5,200 meters (17,060 feet). His body, astonishingly preserved by the freezing temperatures, was placed on a stretcher, wrapped in an orange tarp, and carefully transported down the treacherous slopes.
For two decades, Stampfl’s family had come to terms with his fate. “For 22 years, we just kind of put in our mind: ‘This is the way it is. Dad’s part of the mountain, and he’s never coming home,'” Jennifer reflected. Yet now, with his body recovered, they faced the bittersweet task of bringing him home. The family plans to move his body to Lima, Peru’s capital, for cremation, and then repatriate his ashes.
Body of American recovered 22 years after avalanche in Peru https://t.co/bNevTtYfyR
— East Bay Times (@EastBayTimes) July 9, 2024
The discovery of Stampfl’s remains was both a personal miracle and a testament to the mountain’s icy preservation. His body and clothing were found remarkably intact, along with personal items like his driver’s license, sunglasses, a camera, a voice recorder, and even two decomposing $20 bills. A gold wedding ring still adorned his left hand.
The retrieval operation was a collaborative effort involving 13 mountaineers, including five elite police officers and eight mountain guides from Grupo Alpamayo, a local tour operator. Eric Raul Albino, the director of Grupo Alpamayo, was hired by the Stampfl family to lead the mission. Lenin Alvarado, one of the police officers, marveled at the condition of the body and its belongings. “I’ve never seen anything like that,” he remarked.
Huascaran, Peru’s highest peak, attracts hundreds of climbers each year despite its dangers. Climate change has significantly altered the region, with the Cordillera Blanca losing 27% of its ice sheet over the past fifty years, complicating the climb further.
Back in 2002, Stampfl had been climbing with friends Matthew Richardson and Steve Erskine. They were seasoned adventurers who had previously summited Kilimanjaro, Rainier, Shasta, and Denali. While Erskine’s body was recovered shortly after the avalanche, Richardson remains missing.
A plaque commemorates the trio at the summit of Mount Baldy in Southern California, where they trained for their expeditions. The family may return there with Stampfl’s remains to honor his memory. Janet Stampfl-Raymer, his wife, remembered him as a kind, humble man who loved God and the mountains. “He was one of a kind,” she said. “We’re very grateful we can bring his body home to rest.”
Jennifer added, reflecting on her father’s modesty and love for climbing, “The fact that he is in the news, it is so not my dad.”
Major Points
- Twenty-two years ago, climber Bill Stampfl was buried by an avalanche while ascending Huascaran in the Andes, and his family lost hope of recovering him.
- In June, a climber discovered Stampfl’s remarkably preserved body, leading to a recovery operation by Peruvian police and mountain guides.
- Stampfl’s body was found at 5,200 meters (17,060 feet) and will be cremated in Lima before his ashes are repatriated.
- The recovery involved a coordinated effort of 13 mountaineers, including elite police officers and local guides from Grupo Alpamayo.
- Stampfl’s family, who cherished his memory, plans to commemorate him at Mount Baldy in Southern California, where he trained for his expeditions.
Susan Guglielmo – Reprinted with permission of Whatfinger News
