American Alpine Club David A. Sowles Memorial Medal, obv. a depiction of an injured climber being lowered down a mountainside by rope in a rescue cradle, with a rescuer nearby, ‘In Memoriam David A, Sowles’; inscribed in raised letters, ‘Unselfish Devotion to Imperilled Climbers’, and engraved, ‘Steve Ruos, M.D., Everest, 1988’, 38mm., silver, ring suspension, with ribbon for neck wear, extremely fine £80-100

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Jack Boddington Collection of Life Saving Medals.

View
Collection

David Sowles was killed at the age of 29 in a tragic accident during a thunderstorm in the Alps on 4 August 1963. A much admired mountaineer, he was noted for his utmost consideration for the welfare of his fellow climbers. As a result, a ‘David A. Sowles Memorial Award’ was established in 1981 by the American Alpine Club, for award to mountaineers who have distinguished themselves with unselfish devotion at personal risk, or sacrifice of a major objective, in going to the assistance of fellow climbers imperilled in the mountains.

In late 1988 several international climbing expeditions prepared for assaults on Mount Everest. An American expedition determined to reach the summit, climbing the South Col route through the Khumbu Icefall. The team with James Frush as the leader, included Steve Ruos, M.D., John Petroske and Stacy Allison. Expedition member Allison, who made a successful ascent, wrote in “Thoughts About Everest”, published in the February 1989 issue of Climbing and reprinted in the American Alpine Journal 1989, ‘It should be emphasized that our members, Steve Ruos and John Petroske, gave up a summit attempt to aid in the rescue of the Spanish team.

On October 14th, Sergi Martinez fell altitude-sick on the South Summit. His Spanish companions gave him all their remaining oxygen and with their Sherpa companions went to the summit. On their return they found him in a very critical condition, blind and in and out of conciousness. They rigged a kind of rope basket and dragged him to the South Col, where they ask for, and got, permission to use oxygen we had stored there. The next morning they began to drag him lower. Meanwhile Ruos and Petroske were climbing toward the South Col on a summit attempt. ... Ruos, a physician, examined Martinez and felt he had little chance of survival. Nevertheless, the pair immediately helped in the rescue, as did the members of all teams. Martinez was brought down to Camp II. An experimental pressure bag was used with considerable success. Ruos and Petroske nursed him for 48 sleepless hours. Finally, 20 climbers from all teams carried him down to Base Camp for a helicopter rescue. ...’

Both Dr Steve Ruos and John Petroske were awarded the David A. Sowles Memorial Medal in 1988. Sold with copied research.