Skaha Fatality Aug 31 2014

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Big Mike

Trad climber
BC
Topic Author's Original Post - Sep 2, 2014 - 08:42pm PT
The BC Coroners Service has confirmed the identity of a man who died following a rock-climbing incident near Penticton on Saturday.

He was Stas Eric Gray, 31, from Seattle, Washington.

Gray was with several friends who were rock-climbing at Skaha Bluffs, a world-class rock-climbing site south of Penticton, on the afternoon of Aug. 30.

They had completed two successful climbs and Gray was rappelling down on his third climb of the day when he fell approximately the last eight metres of the climb.

http://www.castanet.net/news/Penticton/122041/Dead-rock-climber-identified

This was posted to Cascade Climbers
Yesterday around 3 pm a guy had a rap accident in Corridor at Skaha. I was there immediately along with 2 local climbers who were nurses. He had one strand of rope through his ATC and the other end was going up to the anchors. It appears he clipped only one strand of his rope into his ATC when rapping instead of 2 and so fell about 70 feet.

When we arrived he was prone and breathing but unresponsive verbally and to ocular stim. We didn't want to move him-- no collars etc-- and we took vitals but he was on his way down. We CPR'd him when his heart stopped and got a pulse back and then the EMTs showed and took over. They had him on O2 etc but they called it after an hour of CPR. From the initial lack of responsiveness to the incredible damage he'd sustained-- doing CPR on him he had basically a destroyed sternum-- it was probably a lost cause from the get-go but we did our best.

Anyway the nurses were solid. My heart goes out to his wife who was there. Check your rap and other setups, ppl, I don't EVER wanna watch another guy die.

http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/1128690/Skaha_fatality#Post1128690


My condolences to family and friends.


This is the second fatality at Skaha. The last one occured 7 years ago for the exact same reason. An improperly rigged rappel. Please check your set up before you unclip from the belay!!!
ß Î Ø T Ç H

Boulder climber
extraordinaire
Sep 2, 2014 - 09:12pm PT
He had one strand of rope through his ATC and the other end was going up to the anchors. It appears he clipped only one strand of his rope into his ATC when rapping instead of 2
I seem to remember a similar scenario where a woman died in Idyllwild.
crankster

Trad climber
Sep 2, 2014 - 09:15pm PT
That's awful. Very sorry.
thebravecowboy

climber
strugglin' to make time to climb
Sep 2, 2014 - 09:16pm PT
sad. sad. sad.


i was cruxing near my limit a couple years ago at Taylor Creek, CO, when a woman nearby augured into bedrock from high up after a rap set-up mixup. she lived but was bankrupted by her lack of insurance. sad.


as has been said: be vigilant!
Delhi Dog

climber
Good Question...
Sep 2, 2014 - 10:53pm PT
A bummer!
So sorry to hear.
Condolences to all friends and family.

And a very heartfelt appreciation to those that were there and helped in trying to save Eric.
Sam Page

Mountain climber
Orange County, CA
Sep 3, 2014 - 04:30pm PT
Ugh. My condolences to family and friends.

I remember topping out on a Skaha climb with a small stance at the anchor. Moments later, it came to my attention that I was off belay and not clipped into the anchor ...
Seamstress

Trad climber
Yacolt, WA
Sep 3, 2014 - 05:08pm PT
I try to remain very vigilant. At times, the eyes roll when I give a loving reminder. Let's take care of each other. RIP, brother.
rwedgee

Ice climber
canyon country,CA
Sep 3, 2014 - 05:28pm PT
Sorry to hear bad news. At 31 he had a lot of years ahead of him. What a tragedy. Are they sure he didn't rap off an end, or was he clipped near the middle ?
Big Mike

Trad climber
BC
Topic Author's Reply - Sep 3, 2014 - 05:37pm PT



ß Î Ø T Ç H

Boulder climber
extraordinaire

Sep 2, 2014 - 09:12pm PT
He had one strand of rope through his ATC and the other end was going up to the anchors. It appears he clipped only one strand of his rope into his ATC when rapping instead of 2
I seem to remember a similar scenario where a woman died in Idyllwild.
neebee

Social climber
calif/texas
Sep 3, 2014 - 06:19pm PT
hey there say, big mike... oh my... very very sad to hear this...
sharing my condolences and prayers for his family and loved one...
:(
phylp

Trad climber
Millbrae, CA
Sep 3, 2014 - 07:56pm PT
OMG, so, so sad. His poor wife. I cannot imagine dealing with that kind of trauma.
Big Mike

Trad climber
BC
Topic Author's Reply - Sep 12, 2014 - 11:15am PT
Bump. Be safe out there!
BigFeet

Trad climber
Texas
Sep 12, 2014 - 12:11pm PT
More here...

http://www.mountainproject.com/v/seattle-climber-falls-to-his-death-at-skaha/109426688
Messages 1 - 13 of total 13 in this topic
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