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List of fatal mountain climbing accidents

By WTOP Staff

The Associated Press

Six people are believed dead in a fall while attempting to scale Mount Rainier in Washington state last week, one of the deadliest accidents ever on the iconic peak in the Cascade Mountain Range.

A list of other fatal climbing accidents around the world:

April 2014: At least 13 Sherpa guides lost their lives in Mount Everest’s deadliest avalanche.

July 2012: A massive avalanche on France’s Mont Maudit, one of Mont Blanc’s most popular routes, killed nine climbers and injured 14 others.

Aug. 2008: Eight climbers were killed by an avalanche caused after a massive block of ice cracked off a side of the Mont Blanc du Tacul in the Mont Blanc range in western Europe.

Aug. 2008: Eleven climbers from South Korea, Nepal, Pakistan, France, Ireland, Serbia and Norway died after an avalanche of falling ice blocked their party’s descent from K2 in the Karakoram range between Pakistan and China. It was the deadliest mountaineering disaster to hit the world’s second highest peak.

July 2003: Eight people were killed in an avalanche near the summit of glacier-capped Alpamayo in the Peruvian Andes. The climbers — from Germany, Israel, the Netherlands and Argentina — were about 490 feet from the mountain’s 19,510-foot summit when they were swept away.

May 1996: Seven men and a woman, including veteran climbers Scott Fischer and Rob Hall, died when they were trapped by an unexpected blizzard as they descended Mount Everest’s 29,028-foot summit. It was one of the worst tragedies on Everest since its conquest in 1953.

Nov. 1995: Twenty-six people — 13 Japanese climbers and 13 Nepalese guides — were killed by an avalanche in the Gokyo valley of Nepal. At least 46 climbers were killed in avalanches and landslides that weekend in one of Nepal’s worst disasters.

Nov. 1994: Nine Germans, one Swiss and one Nepalese Sherpa guide died while climbing down Mount Pisang in northwest Nepal, in one of the worst mountain climbing accidents in the Himalayas. All eleven climbers were attached to one rope.

Nov. 1993: Ten climbers died on Mt. Chimborazao, the highest peak in Ecuador.

July 1990: At least 40 climbers from a Soviet-Swiss expedition were buried in avalanche touched off by an earthquake in the Pamir mountains in Central Asia. The avalanche struck their base camp at 16,000 feet, more than two-thirds of the way up Lenin Peak, 1,800 miles southeast of Moscow.

May 1986: Seven teenagers and two teachers from Oregon Episcopal School in Portland, Oregon, froze to death during a blizzard on Mount Hood, the worst mountaineering disaster on Mount Hood since records began in 1896. Two other students were rescued from the snow cave the hikers had carved out.

June 1981: Eleven climbers were killed on Mount Rainier by a massive ice fall on the Ingraham Glacier between Disappointment Cleaver and Gibraltar Rock.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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