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divad
Trad climber
wmass
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Sorry to hear this. Best of thoughts to family, friends, and those who witnessed it.
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slobmonster
Trad climber
OAK (nee NH)
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From the Petzl catalog.
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
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thanks Slob, I was curious about how the backup worked.
Thanks.
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Paulina
Trad climber
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Condolences to family and friends. Really sorry for your loss.
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Chaz
Trad climber
greater Boss Angeles area
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Thanks, Slobmaster.
That looks sketchy not because it might fail, but it looks like it might get stuck on retrieval.
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JesseM
Social climber
Yosemite
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This is truly tragic news. My condolences to the partner, friends, and family. From what I hear about Brian, he will be sorely missed.
I was off the day of the accident, and was not a part of the body recovery or investigation. However, I talked at length yesterday to the investigating ranger, and have a good understanding of what happened.
At today's climber coffee at Camp 4 we had a long discussion about the accident. With an accident like this we must take the time to learn what we can from the incident even though it is hard to talk about the loss of someone from our community. Everyone I talked to today at Camp 4 really feels for the friends and family of Brian.
As has been mentioned in this thread, Brian was using the "biner block" or, as Peter Haan called it, the "Reepschnur" method of single line rappelling. The link that Scared Silly provided has a good image of the basic idea of the system accept for the knot used to connect the lead line and tag line.
Here it is again:
http://www.canyonwiki.com/wiki/index.php/'biner_block
Edit: Slobmaster posted the petzl image, which is even better. Do they have a name for it?
Since the partner seems willing to give his on account of the accident, I won't go into the details. You guys already understand the basic nature of the accident. Like Brat said, Brian apparently always tied the backup 8 on a bite and clipped it to the single rappel line with a locking-biner, and this time he did not. Then, while Brian was rappelling, the knot pulled through the anchors. They were rappelling from the anchors on the ledge after the 3rd pitch of Serenity Crack.
FYI: The webbing and rap-rings were shock-loaded during the fall. They have been replaced.
I am also available for further questions. Call or email if you like.
Jesse McGahey
Climbing Ranger
Yosemite NP
jesse_mcgahey@nps.gov
209.372.0360
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brat
climber
El Portal
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Jesse and whoever else was involved, thank you for replacing that anchor.
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JesseM
Social climber
Yosemite
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Brat,
It wasn't me, but I'll pass it on. Thank you Brat for being there for the partner. Send him my best wishes, and let him know that we are here to help in any way we can. If he wants me to post a report here for him, I can do that as well.
The rap rings were the larger-opening-diameter aluminum ones, this explains how the knot was able to pull through the rings. It is now a solid welded steel ring with an extra biner as a backup.
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Edge
Trad climber
New Durham, NH
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So sad to log on today and found that the climbing community has lost another brother. Condolences to his family, loved ones, and all those he touched.
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Tattooed 1
Trad climber
Sebastopol, Ca
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I am so very sorry for Brian's family and friends. It is really tragic and although I never rap on a single line I will be that much more careful from now on. Thanks again Werner for the work that you guys do. Rest in peace Brian.
Tim
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rlf
Trad climber
Josh, CA
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Thanks much Jesse for the explanation. I now understand what happened.
Also, sorry to the partners who were there.
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Patrick Sawyer
climber
Originally California now Ireland
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Condolences to family and friends.
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WBraun
climber
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weschrist --- "You pass the end of the 7mm before you reach the end of the 11mm............."
I rapped with 7mm for 20 years with the 7mm thru the anchor and always pulled the lead line. There's no slippage if you use a figure 8 correctly with an added friction biner. Those new fangled rappel gadgets might be a problem though and that's why I still use a figure 8 today.
Always be alert to potential problems and have for-thought before you do anything is the motto.
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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Running a 10.6 and 8.6 with trango jaws = significant slippage. same thing with BD XTP.
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Ksolem
Trad climber
Monrovia, California
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There's no slippage if you use a figure 8 correctly with an added friction biner
Hi Werner. Can you explain this for someone who does not use a figure 8? I thought when rapping with this device the rope gets stuffed through the big end and wrapped around the post, the carabiner in the small end to the harness has no effect on the friction. Where do you add the biner?
Just curious, sorry if it's a dumb question, I use an atc myself and I'm good and safe with it but I don't love it.
Regarding the rapping on a lead line and thin pull line, depending on the ropes the unequal rate at which they go through some devices can cause all kinds of twisting. I've never worried much about the slippage which can occur because I am not rapping to the very end of the ropes where a foot or two would matter and if I am they are knotted.
And thank you for all you do and have done over many years for The Park and the climbing community.
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reddirt
climber
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Someone on Summitpost posted a pix that made it even more clear to me than the Petzl pix...
Deepest sympathies to family & friends of Brian Ellis.
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JOEY.F
Social climber
sebastopol
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Wishing the family and friends of the fallen one peace.
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tokyo bill
Social climber
tokyo
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So sorry to read this. Condolences to all involved.
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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May 10, 2010 - 12:15am PT
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Condolences
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