Two Brothers on Pamola

Pamola, part giant bird, part moose, and part human, is the Abenaki Indian’s vengeful god of the elements. He uses his power to keep man off the summit of Mt. Katahdin. Pamola Peak is part of the Katahdin Massif in Baxter state park in ME.

Setting: just after dawn on an ice gully on Pamola. A team of climbers had been stranded near the top of the gully when a brutal cold front and blizzard had hit them just at sunset. They barely survived the night. At dawn one climber had made the short climb to the top, a safe place that would allow an easy walk down to base camp. Three are still on a small ledge.

Loosely based on a tragedy in February 1974.

Jake: Mark! Elliot! Wake Up.

Mark: Whu?

Jake: Wake up. John has made it to the top and fixed the rope. We gotta climb outa here.

Mark: It’s colder than shit! Where’s John?

Jake: He’s made it to the top and is going down. Maybe he can get help, but we gotta get outta here. Now! What’s happening with Elliot/

Mark: Don’t know. It must have dropped 40degrees in ten minutes last night.

Jake: Yeah I know this ice is like rock. Can’t get anything into it. But John fixed a rope. We’re almost at the top and it an easy pitch. Lets get going. Wake up Elliot!

Mark: I can’t feel my legs. My fuckin legs are frozen. My legs are frozen. I can’t climb.

Jake: You gotta climb or you’re finished! Wake up Elliot and get him going! We can’t wait.

Mark: Jake get yourself outa here. I’m not going to climb. There everything below my knees is frozen like a rock! Go! Go! Get real. I’m finished! Get out of here!

Jake: You know Martha loves you. Think about Martha and get moving. Wake up Elliot.

Mark: I can’t get him awake. Save your self. I can’t leave Elliot!

Jake: You have to. You have to. Think about Martha! She loves you.

Mark: Stop pissin with me. Get out of here. Go! I can’t fuckin climb, and I’m not leaving Elliot!

Jake: I’ll see if there are some climbers down at Chimney Pond. We’ll try to get you out of here. Martha is there. This is very hard.

Mark: Go! Go!

(Jake climbs up)

Mark: Elliot! Elliot!

Elliot: Yeah, Mark.

Mark: Wake up Elliot! Can you wake up?

Elliot: I’m awake. I feel pretty good.

Mark: No Elliot. You gotta wake up and get moving. You can climb out of here. There’s a rope and just a short pitch. You can do it.

Elliot: Forget it Mark. I feel good. I’m warm. Remember fishing last summer? That was a great road trip we took. Hey, Mom’s cooking pancakes for us when we get home tonight. Tonight. I’m warm. I need to sleep. Say hi to Martha. She’s great with you. She’s your gal. Gotta sleep….

(Mark awkwardly starts to kick the front points of his crampons into the ice and climbs away)


Foot note: the climber with the frozen legs did survive but 3rd degree frostbite necessitated amputation below the knees.