American Mountaineer Found Mummified 22 Years After Disappearing in an Avalanche
The mummified remains of missing American mountaineer William Stampfl were discovered more than two decades after he vanished in an avalanche on Peru’s Huascaran mountain in 2002. His body was found by a climber making his way up the mountain in June. Peruvian police confirmed the recovery of his body at an altitude of 17,060 feet. The discovery was unexpected for his family, who plan to have him cremated in Peru and his ashes repatriated to the United States. Stampfl’s climbing partner, Matthew Richardson, remains missing.
By Jared Harris July 12, 2024 at 1:27pm
The mummified remains of a missing American mountaineer have been discovered more than two decades after he vanished.
The 59-year-old outdoorsman William Stampfl was first reported missing in June 2002 after encountering an avalanche on Peru’s Huascaran mountain.
Two other climbers, Matthew Richardson and Steve Erskine, were in Stampfl’s party when the wall of snow hit.
According to CBS News, Erskine’s corpse was found quickly, while the other two remained undiscovered.
The tragic story took an unexpected turn this June as Stampfl’s son received a call from a stranger. He was told his father’s body had been found by the caller, who made the discovery while making his own way up the mountain.
On Tuesday, Peruvian police confirmed the recovery of Stampfl’s body.
WARNING: The following video contains imagery that some people may find disturbing.
Officials say the altitude and frigid temperatures helped preserve the body and gear it was found with.
The climber who found Stampfl’s body was able to retrieve his wallet, where an American identification card underscored the gravity of the find. This is the same climber who called the family initially.
A Peruvian mountain rescue organization Stampfl’s family contacted found the body was resting at an altitude of 17,060 feet, some 4,000 feet below where the fatal avalanche is believed to have hit the group.
According to KNBC, Mount Huascaran is one of the highest peaks in the Andes.
A team of policemen and mountain guides consisting of 13 elite specialists transported the body from the frigid slopes of Huascaran to a climbers’ camp, a distance that typically takes a nine-hour hike.
Video obtained by CBS shows the icy slope where the body was discovered.
A team of policemen and mountain guides consisting of 13 elite specialists transported the body from the slopes of Huascaran to a climbers’ camp, a distance that typically takes a nine-hour hike.
For the deceased mountaineer’s relatives, the discovery was an unexpected one.
“For 22 years,” the deceased’s daughter Jennifer Stampfl told CBS News, “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.’”
The family plans to have Stampfl cremated in Peru and his ashes repatriated to the United States.
Stampfl’s climbing partner Richardson remains missing.
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