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Ome Daiber: Legendary Boy Scouts Leader

Ome Daiber joined the Boy Scouts and quickly became the only kid in the unit who had a patrol leader rating. The Scoutmaster's work often took him away, so at the age of sixteeen Ome fell into the role of trying to play Scoutmaster to boys his own age or older. He said, "Leadership starts with knowing how to get along with people and to inspire their actions." In his mountain rescue work, he was quick to heap blame on those whose errors led to death and disaster. "I've told people more than once. They don't like me."

The interview covers the Delmar Fadden search and recovery and the incident on Mt Stuart in which Paul Brickoff and Bob Grant were struck by lightning. On January 31, 1936, Chief Ranger John Davis, Ranger Bill Butler, Paul Gilbreath, Bob Buschmann, Ome Daiber and four others set out on skis up the mountain to bring Fadden's body home. While descending with the body, Davis, who was not a climber, fell but fortunately escaped injury. The next summer Ome recovered Fadden's pack and camera, which proved that Fadden had made the first solo winter ascent of Mt Rainier.

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