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FatalityOutcome: FatalFall

Fatality — Cannon Mountain, Apr 28, 1968

·Mount Cannon

20-year-old rock climber · party of 2

David Koop, 20, was killed on Cannon Cliff on April 28, 1968 when a loose block dislodged while he was placing a piton near the top of the route 'Sam's Swan Song.' He fell roughly 60 feet, dying rapidly from a severed leg artery and head injuries. His belayer Charles Ericsson held the fall. The American Alpine Club notes that of the first seven recorded deaths on Cannon Cliff, five involved loose rock.

What we can learn

Cannon Cliff's signature hazard is loose rock — five of the cliff's first seven recorded climbing deaths involved rockfall or loose-block failures, including pitons placed in fragile features.

Before you head out: check the forecast, carry the Ten Essentials, leave your plans with someone, and be willing to turn back. See current conditions →

Other recorded incidents on Mount Cannon

Part of the WMNF Hiker Incident Database. Every entry cites a primary or near-primary source; details are refined as the record is reviewed.