Name: How a Climber Got Convicted of Manslaughter
Start: 2026-10-21T13:30:00-0700
End: 2026-10-21T14:30:00-0700

Main Conference: Tuesday October 20 - Thursday, October 22, 2026

Preconference: Monday October 19 - Tuesday, October 20, 2026

*Schedule subject to change.

How a Climber Got Convicted of Manslaughter

Wednesday October 21, 2026 1:30pm - 2:30pm PDT

Clark

A climbing date gone bad, a fatal winter ascent, and a criminal conviction: A case study in how bad decision-making led to a manslaughter conviction. In February 2026, a climber was convicted of gross negligence manslaughter for the death of his girlfriend on the Grossglockner in Austria after abandoning his exhausted partner near the summit. The conviction was based on lack of experience, insufficient equipment, communication challenges, not turning back in time, and a cascade of bad decision-making. This session will examine what happened, the climber’s defense and justifications for his decisions, and why the court found him guilty. The judge was a climber and mountain rescuer so offered a uniquely qualified perspective to the case. While Austrian law is very different from the laws in the United States and Canada, this session will explore how the court established that the defendant owed his girlfriend a duty of care and how his actions fell short of reasonable alpine climbing standards.

Speakers

Jon Heshka

Associate Professor, Thompson Rivers University Adventure Studies Dept

Jon is a climber and former guide. He trained and coordinated search and rescue full-time in BC for 7 years, worked with Denali Mountain Rescue, and has been a professor at Thompson Rivers University in Canada since 2002. He teaches in the Adventure Studies Department and also served... Read More →

Wednesday October 21, 2026 1:30pm - 2:30pm PDT
Clark 909 N Hayden Island Dr, Portland, OR 97217

Legal & Insurance, Breakout Session

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2026 Wilderness Risk Management Conference

Jon Heshka

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2026 Wilderness Risk Management Conference

Jon Heshka

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