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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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> they BOTH fell because Al was LOWERING Woody and NEITHER was ATTACHED to the ANCHOR...
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> Woodys weight took Al over...
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> Get it???...
Yes. This is the last of the missing pieces of the puzzle - thank you for telling us.
Thank you, locker. - For answering the questions that are painful for Wendell to answer.
And thank you Wendell, too - for sharing what you are able to.
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darod
Big Wall climber
South Side Billburg
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thanks locker.
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Mimi
climber
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No point taking that on, Locker. That's being pretty hard and unfair to yourself.
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Russ Walling
Social climber
Upper Fupa, North Dakota
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Thanks Locker.... Completely plausible and understandable.
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rich sims
Trad climber
co
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Thanks Locker
I fell of a barn roof when I was thirteen, Landed on my head and was in a coma.(explains a lot I know)
The only thing I remember for sure is getting a math book in school that day.
Over the years I have put things together that fit or I finally remembered.
Truth is I will never know for sure and the accident was not witnessed.
The point is Al will probably never know if he remembers or if he put things together as he believes they fit.
For Woody, my wife and children I will never again be annoyed at someone checking my tie in.
Peace to Woody’s children, Al and all Woody’s friends
Rich
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darod
Big Wall climber
South Side Billburg
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Locker, don't burden yourself with the thought of your bailing on Woody as having ANYTHING to do with what happened. The opposite could also be true, you could be dead now.
It was Woody's time, and that's all there is to it.
I bailed on a friend a few days before we were heading to Alpamayo, from Huaraz. Him and all the people that were on that couloir that fateful day were killed by the serac fall. I could have been there. Instead I'm here typing this message to you.
Cheers,
darod.
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dmalloy
Trad climber
eastside
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EDIT - post removed at what seem to be the wishes of the bereaved
I welcome all thoughtful responses. I have tried to be as respectful and concise as I can in this post, and I would consider removing it if those who are still dealing with the searing pain of losing a beloved brother, father and friend find it to be insensitive in any way.
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Crimpergirl
Sport climber
Boulder, Colorado!
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Thanks for this - it's clear it was difficult to discuss.
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monolith
Trad climber
Berkeley
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Jstan, I think Al was lowering Woody from his harness. I believe Al thought he was anchored closely by the trail rope to the back of his harness.
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TGT
Social climber
So Cal
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 5, 2009 - 07:43pm PT
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As a side note to Dmaloy's post. There is an adjacent recently installed rap anchor. However it's set up for a 70m rope. That's probably why they were lowering instead of raping.
70m ropes are NOT standard kit at Jtree!
Ihe only way we knew that was from doing a route earlier that ended near those anchors and from where the middle mark was before I started up deduced that it would require two ropes.
I was joking with Woody at the rap anchors that it needed a brass tag with a skull and crossbones and 70M! stamped on it.
If you place a rappel anchor that reqires a non standard rope length for an area, you should feel honor bound to perminently mark it as such! If you've placed such an anchor you should get back to it and mark it!
That rap station is an other accident waiting to happen!
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dmalloy
Trad climber
eastside
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EDIT - post removed at what seem to be the wishes of the bereaved
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S.Powers
Social climber
Jtree, now in Alaska
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there are no mussy hooks on the formation in question, were never any.
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
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Thanks Wendell and Locker.
Rest in peace, Woody! God bless ya.
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dmalloy
Trad climber
eastside
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aww, thanks locker....I always try to take things in a healthy direction, which is why you are invited for unlimited beer and h.lettuce on your next trip to Bishop. Wait, are those things healthy?
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Russ Walling
Social climber
Upper Fupa, North Dakota
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In that same vein, I would further say that I believe that lowering or belaying a climber directly from one's harness is to be avoided unless there is a compelling reason to do so.
I usually only do it when I know the anchor won't hold.
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TGT
Social climber
So Cal
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 5, 2009 - 08:03pm PT
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Jstan, I was tied in ready to climb. We would have had both ropes up there after I had finished.
This disscussion though is geting off the point and this is one of the reasons I did not get into the mechanics.
This accident was initiated by a communication breakdown and finalized by not following good proceedure
The exact same kind of accident has and will continue to happen with differing mechanical starting points. Focusing on those issues misses the point and won't prevent another one.
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dmalloy
Trad climber
eastside
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EDIT - post removed at what seem to be the wishes of the bereaved
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
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Hey Wendell, now I understand why this must have been a bitch for you. Sorry you lost a buddy, and sorry you had to be there to see it.
I can't imagine the pain. Same for Al. F*#k, that must have sucked.
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WBraun
climber
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TGT -- "Focusing on those issues misses the point and won't prevent another one."
Maybe, maybe not, you don't know. But to me it provides an urgency of awareness to double check for these types of error scenarios in the future. Hearing about this will stay in my consciousness next time I'm in a similar setup to hopefully not become complacent.
We had a big rescue on El Cap many years ago and after the victim and rescuers were raised to the top, they started to tear down the anchors. Communications somehow stopped and there was one edge person still hundred feet below demobbing edge protection. A directional anchor was removed while the edge guy was jumaring back towards the top unknown to the guys tearing down the anchors.
Whamo, the rope went sideways and a stream of profanities came from below. Hahaha The rope suffered some damage as I seem to recall.
The guy could have died.
Anyways the point is someone some where will remember these things and be glad they came up, for knowledge can save.
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dmalloy
Trad climber
eastside
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EDIT - post removed at what seem to be the wishes of the bereaved
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