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SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
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Jan 28, 2015 - 11:47am PT
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My condolences to Cody's family and friends.
So sad.
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Big Mike
Trad climber
BC
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Jan 28, 2015 - 11:50am PT
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My condolences to family and friends. What a tragic loss.
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micronut
Trad climber
Fresno/Clovis, ca
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Jan 28, 2015 - 12:07pm PT
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Cody was always stoked. He used to come early to the gym as part of the morning crew, so we shared some laughs and some stories, but I never really knew him well. His posse was always game for adventure and his death has shocked the close knit Metalmark Gym family. A really sad day for our local community.
I know others will eventually share details of the accident so we can all learn more for our own knowledge and safety, but my understanding is that he tragically rapped off the ends of his rope(s) on the Royal Arches rappels. A terrible loss.
My deepest condolences to so many who knew him well.
Scott
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CCT
Trad climber
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Jan 28, 2015 - 12:11pm PT
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So sorry to hear about this. He looks like he lived a fun life.
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Radish
Trad climber
SeKi, California
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Jan 28, 2015 - 12:16pm PT
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Sorry to hear this. RIP Cody....Condolences to the Family
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couchmaster
climber
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Jan 28, 2015 - 12:25pm PT
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I keep hearing of folks getting killed on the Royal Arches rappel. It seems like many more than were ever hurt or killed on the nasty North Dome Gully walk off. Could anyone speak about if that is true or not? Is there something which needs to be fixed on the rap? Like maybe remove it and stick in a rap or 2 on the walk off descent instead where it's nasty? I've never done the RA rappel. Last trip down we linked RA and Crest Jewel and I thought maybe I'd finally get too rap it but buddy wanted to hike down.
...anyway, condolences to Cody's family and friends, it sucks and I didn't know Cody but what makes it worse to me is knowing that it seems like it is a reoccuring theme on this rap line.
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Fritz
Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
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Jan 28, 2015 - 12:27pm PT
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Sincere condolences to family & friends. A loss to our climbing community that will be felt.
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Fat Dad
Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
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Jan 28, 2015 - 12:33pm PT
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Very sad indeed. As with everyone, my condolensces to his family and friends. Always sad to see someone with so much ahead of them taken away. It makes an older fart like me feel very lucky to have survived my bad judgment and close calls. I started climbing at 13 and leading stuff at 14, so you know there was a bunch of that.
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SC seagoat
Trad climber
Santa Cruz, or In What Time Zone Am I?
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Jan 28, 2015 - 02:44pm PT
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Deeply sad for Cody's passing. What a smile.
Many thoughts and prayers for his family and friends.
Susan
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Trouble
climber
Fresno, CA
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Jan 28, 2015 - 03:46pm PT
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@Couchmaster. I have only done the rappel route twice. I remember there is a big tree nearer to the bottom with a bunch of slings around it. If you rap strait down from there (instead of traversing the ledge system) you end up at the ends of the ropes on a blank wall. However, there are two crappy anchors on that wall below the tree. If my memory serves me well... One had two 1/4" rivets or bolts with some sketchy hangars. The other had a one 3/8" bolt with a decent hangar and the other a 1/4" rivet or bolt with a sketchy hangar. I opted for the latter. I stopped my rappel, tied some knots in the ends of the ropes and ran/swung/reached with all I had to make that anchor. The second time I did the rap route I didn't make that same mistake. I'm pretty sure the topo clearly tells you to traverse the ledges.
I don't know if Cody's accident happened here, but there was an accident in the exact place I am describing as documented on Friends of YOSAR years ago.
http://friendsofyosar.org/rescues/missions/11-20-07_Arches.html
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Bascuela
Trad climber
Fresno, CA
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Jan 28, 2015 - 05:29pm PT
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Always a smiling face at Metalmark. A sad day
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PAUL SOUZA
Trad climber
Central Valley, CA
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Jan 28, 2015 - 05:36pm PT
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I've done the rapps on the RA a dozen times over the past 5 years, including nearly a week ago or so at night. It is pretty straight forward once you do it with someone who knows it. I don't think anything could be done to improve it other than upgrading a few of the bolts with proper hangers and replace a few bolts for added peace of mind.
I've always done the rapps with a 70m rope, so I don't know how close a person may get to the ends of their ropes if they were using a 60m rope. IIRC, the RA rapp route was established for 50m ropes. Please correct me if I'm wrong on that.
I know for a fact that Cody had done the RA at least once, possibly twice before this including the rapps.
I appreciate Cragman's wisdom of using a walk off if there is one. I came very close to going off the ends once when we stretched a rapp on WA Column. Last year when we did the RA, I had come down on a nice ledge and went off rappel without even clipping in. Yikes! No matter how OCD I am about checking everything 10 times before unclipping, mistakes can still happen.
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phylp
Trad climber
Upland, CA
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Jan 28, 2015 - 08:59pm PT
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What a sad, sad report to hear. My deepest condolences to the friends and family of this young climber.
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WBraun
climber
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Jan 28, 2015 - 09:03pm PT
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Cragman's wisdom of using a walk off if there is one.
His wisdom is useless.
People have died going down that North Dome Gully.
Several had almost died but where injured and luckily survived in that NDG.
Still others got lost, ledged out going the wrong way, along with other shenanigans and had to be rescued .....
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wstmrnclmr
Trad climber
Bolinas, CA
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Jan 28, 2015 - 09:36pm PT
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People have been worked rappeling off the two trees straight down instead of using the ramp marked "3rd" in the Reid guide. If you look close you can see a "165?" Directly below the "3rd" class ramp in the guide. If you rap down directly to the two mid face bolts at the second to last rappel station on anything shorter then two 70's you will be 12' to15' short of the bolts. A women rapped off the end of her rope there and two friends have been beknighted going that way. Jaywood and I rapped there with two 60's and had to rap off two f?@&ked nuts to the bolts. The rap needs to be fixed! Unfortunately it's in the guide. My recommendation is to add two bolts above that can be accessed using 50's. That way reaching the bolts is ensured. Knots should always be tied to rope ends but at least you won't keep going looking for something beyond reach.
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Jules1985
Trad climber
Germany
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Jan 28, 2015 - 10:51pm PT
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We rappelled the route shortly after the tragedy happened and were able to stay with his climbing partner for a short while until the rescue team came in. We are so deeply sorry and are sending our prayers and thoughts to his family, friends and climbing partner!
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CCT
Trad climber
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Jan 28, 2015 - 11:30pm PT
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I like the way you think, wstmrnclmr. A rap station at that location could prevent an easy mistake from turning deadly on a popular route.
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mooser
Trad climber
seattle
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Jan 29, 2015 - 06:53am PT
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Very, very sad news. My condolences to his friends and family.
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martygarrison
Trad climber
Washington DC
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Jan 29, 2015 - 07:03am PT
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I've come down the NDG countless times, a few in the dark. If you stay high all the way over to the gully proper before turning down it is fairly straight forward. I never rapped the Arches, but I only did that route a couple of times and generally was topping out on the east side of the column.
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