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Messages 1 - 20 of total 58 in this topic << First  |  < Previous  |  Show All  |  Next >  |  Last >>
kennyt

climber
Woodfords,California
Apr 6, 2013 - 08:10pm PT
That sucks.
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
Apr 6, 2013 - 08:44pm PT
Clear Creek is almost entirely a sport climbing venue. Sounds like a lowering mishap.
WBraun

climber
Apr 6, 2013 - 08:50pm PT
"They reached the climber and got him off the mountain within an hour,"


Mountain ..... ?
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
Apr 6, 2013 - 08:52pm PT
Yeah Werner, everything in Clear Creek is minutes from the road.
rlf

Trad climber
Josh, CA
Apr 6, 2013 - 08:52pm PT
I'll be curious to hear what the cause was. Lowering accidents seem to have become common place these days.
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
Apr 6, 2013 - 08:55pm PT
A woman i knew was killed in a lowering accident in Clear Creek and Phil Powers, a very experienced climber and ED of the AAC, was badly injured in Clear Creek, again, from a lowering mishap.
Big Mike

Trad climber
BC
Apr 6, 2013 - 08:57pm PT
My condolences to family and friends. His kids were with him. How tragic!
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
Apr 6, 2013 - 08:59pm PT
KennyT....the two accidents i reported were from miscommunication; they thought they were going to be lowered and leaned back with no one on the other end of the rope. If he fell 60 feet it is unlikely that the rope was not long enough.
Most of the routes there are less than half a rope length.
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
Apr 6, 2013 - 09:18pm PT
That's what i thought....so sad and so avoidable.
WBraun

climber
Apr 6, 2013 - 09:21pm PT
The same accident happened here in Yosemite 2 different times that I know of.

It happened to Chappy on this forum years ago.

I happened to some euro guy on Lazy Bum a few years ago.

Both survived, although the euro was pretty fuked up because he hit the ground.

Chappy was super lucky because his beleyer Bruce Hawkins (RIP) miraculously was able to stop Chappy with his bare hands after falling the full pitch .....
Big Mike

Trad climber
BC
Apr 6, 2013 - 09:28pm PT
So horrible. I never ever say safe or secure unless i'm going to rap. I allways make my belayer keep me on belay unless i say those things. This is exactly what happened to wendy too!! So sad. Be vigilant friends!
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
Apr 6, 2013 - 09:34pm PT
Nobody wants to lose Chappy, one of the best dudes out there.
GDavis

Social climber
SOL CAL
Apr 6, 2013 - 09:34pm PT
Was sport climbing in Owens on friday, whenever I am in a controlled comfortable environment with friendly bolts I try to keep in mind what can happen to even very skilled/safe climbers. Condolences to friends and family, risk is ever-present so give it as much respect as possible.
rlf

Trad climber
Josh, CA
Apr 6, 2013 - 10:16pm PT
Very sad to hear.
Dropline

Mountain climber
Somewhere Up There
Apr 6, 2013 - 10:25pm PT
My practice is to keep a hand, or both, on the brake side of the rope until I can see the belayer's hands and see that I am on belay. There have been too many accidents like this over the years, including two personal friends. Both survived although with grave injuries.

Condolences to the family.
BASE104

Social climber
An Oil Field
Apr 6, 2013 - 10:34pm PT
In sailing, the end of the anchor line is called, "The Bitter End."

That is where the phrase came from.

You always tie off the bitter end or you will lose your anchor sooner or later. Why don't people tie a figure eight on the end of the rope every single time?

That is another sailing rule. Tie a figure eight in the end of every line. As far as I can tell, it is the only common use for a figure eight in sailing..to keep a line from sneaking through a cleat and going flying in the wind out of reach.
harryhotdog

Social climber
north vancouver, B.C.
Apr 6, 2013 - 10:47pm PT
I know of two top level super safe climbers with 20 years experience at the time. Climber gets to top of one pitch sport route and says "OK" expecting to be lowered. Belayer takes him off thinking he meant off belay because he's not a sport climber.. Climber weights the rope and starts the free fall. Belayer quickly grabs the rope before climber picks up speed.Got to HAND it to the belayer,he made a mistake but was on the ball,watching and pulled off a miraculous save.

When not tied in I always put a knot at the end of my rope and other peoples also. I personally know of countless mishaps regarding rope going through belayers device on one pitch routes that were longer than expected when lowering. Hopfully the 70m rope will help on that one.

Totally attentive mono-focused belaying seems to have gone the way of the Dodo bird especially at sport crags. When was the last time you saw belayer checking knots and harness of climber and climber checking belay device and harness of belayer? I'm already teaching this and all the proper commands and responses to my 4 and 6 year old so it is ingrained.

Don't pretend to yourself it can't happen to you or for that matter you have never made a serious stupid error. Perhaps you were lucky and it didn't bite you that time.

Despite trying to play it safe all the time I fall into this catagory.

I feel so sorry for him and his kids to have this terrible accident. Must be very hard for the son.
kennyt

climber
Woodfords,California
Apr 6, 2013 - 10:50pm PT
from 60' you can see what each other is doing. without saying a word if need be
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
Apr 6, 2013 - 10:52pm PT
Sport climbing becomes too casual. Ordinarily there is little danger, hence the guard goes down.
johntp

Trad climber
socal
Apr 6, 2013 - 10:55pm PT
FK!

Why do people have these communication errors? Shouldn't it be discussed before the leader leaves the ground / belay?
Messages 1 - 20 of total 58 in this topic << First  |  < Previous  |  Show All  |  Next >  |  Last >>
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