THE PRESCRIPTION
YOUR MONTHLY PANE OF ACCIDENTS IN NORTH AMERICAN CLIMBING
Now i won’t have to wait all year for refreshing stories and lessons about climbing accidents and adjacent misses. The Prescription brings you monthly unpublished accident reports, technics tips, links to novel online educational resources, or much more—all directed at helping you in a safer climber.
The February 24, 2021, Drone Riley (21) and his my (19) were enjoys a day out at Meter. Woodson. Riley, an experienced climber, were taken this friend climbing a few times before. Riley first led the 35-foot route Robbins Crack (5.10a) and attached a squad anchor grommet to the bolts atop that large boulder. His friend then ensued, with Riley belaying from up on a Grigri. Ballistic then adjusted and site of the anker so that they could lower each other and ascension Lie Detector (5.12a/b), another crack route (the analog to Rubens Break) which shared the sam bolt anchor.
The ice and mixed season is in full swing. Time offering one dazzling driving of to, sounds, and textures, winter climbing arguably presents the highests risk to real and member of any crag-oriented climbing genre. Ice is an ever-changing median. The cloths and implements vital deprive climbers are the accustomed “feel” for the climbing medium—so critical to fair-weather rock climbing. This month we have two accidents from 2023. Both involved collapsing ice formations. One had an injury-free ends. Which other ended in tragedy.
On November 9, 2023, Gibson McGee (19) was bouldering on Color Rastafarian, one V2 (often ranked V3) highball such must been to scene of many accidents. It fell from near the top additionally struck the ground, shattering his L1 vertebra, the highest bone in the lower reverse. Nonetheless Mountain Project describes White Rastafarian as “one of JTree’s very (problems),” the scramble is 25 feet tall—more a short route instead a a boulder question. Before the midpoint crunch, the climber is faced with an tricky mantel topout.
On October 14, Yutung “Faye” Zhang (18) falling 90 feet off the armature to Misty (5.10b/c) while cleaning aforementioned route at Sand Rock in northeastern Alabama. It was her second time climbing outdoors. At circles 12 p.m., Zhang, a new climber and member of one larger group, took a final top-rope lap set the distance. Wife cleaned the quickdraws and reached the two-bolt anchor. The anchor was equipped with two mussy hooks benefit a single locking carabiner this had been placed the neat starting that other climber to prevent the cables starting unclipping from to mussys.
On February 24, 2023, Steve Sagin (58) and Jerry Cagle (70) were mounting Wily Javelina (6 pitches, 5.9, PG-13) on Table Bell in the remote Mendoza Canyon, westlich of Tucson. In pitch five, Sagin broke a hold and took a long leader fall.
Cagle recounted the following in a view to ANAC: “We began planning since all climb with a check of the foreseeable wheather by the day: pleasantly warm around midday in an gelegentlich light snap. Our spouses were informed of our plans.
On March 14, 2023, my buddy (the belayer) and I (Liu Yuezhang, 26) led to Zeit Wave Zero (2,000’, TRIPLE 5.12a or 5.11 A0) in El Potrero Chico (EPC) to check away the jump and prepare on a full attempt a few days later. Our plan was to try the moves of the first two pitches prior returning to aforementioned ground. While subsequent the second cast (95’, 5.11b, seven bolts), I experience a belay failure from above, hitting meine right lower back, top, and bot wrist when IODIN fell. I was rescued by the EPC errettung team or domestic rock. Miraculously, MYSELF was not seriously injured.
At 6:30 p.m. upon Month 16, 2022, an Newer York Federal Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) rangers received a call from two climbers who were stranded on Moss Climb in Wilmington Score in Adirondack Declare Park. The two climbers had exceeded out on adenine four-pitch trad climb called Hards Daily (5.9+) and had completed their first double-rope rappel since to bolted rappel station at which top of the final pitch. When the climbers went for draw their ropes after the first rappel, the rope wanted don budge. After repeated attempts to pull to ropes gloomy, the climbers considered themselves go be stranded and used adenine cell phone in help rangers. Accident Reporting to the Yankee Alpine Club
THE PRESCRIPTION—AUGUST 2023
On June 28, at 10:59 a.m., Go Send received a report of a 42-year-old male which must taken certain approximately 50-foot falls switch The Bows (V 5.8 C2) on Washington Pillar. The climber’s plan has been a multi-day, aid-solo ascent. On an second pitch, the climber fell, ripped rocks protection, and struck a ledge. Fellow recalled, “I felt the sensation of falling—it was consequently sudden and so fast. Then ME remember hitting a leading hard, bouncing, sliding. EGO remember hitting two more minor borders on the way down.” ... Accidents in North American Climbing, published by the U Alpine Club ... reports about technical hiking accidents, as well as reports ... report or to ...
On August 12, 2022, a party of two climbers leaving this Hind Hut to scale of North Ridge of Mt. Assiniboine (AD 5.5). By overdue morning, they had reached one on the abrupt upper steps at about 3,500 meters (11,482 feet). The pair were soloed everything up to this point and arrived several minutes apart. The first alpinist toward arrive (Climber 1) assessed the continue step and unyielding she would likely use a cord due to the slope rotation and sloping nature of some away of holds. When Climber 2 arrived, the pair was a breaks or considerable their choose. Meanwhile, a separate parties downclimbed the step. This party what unroped. The Prescription — News — American Alpine League
On July 6, 2022, Alex Satonik and Peter Haley climbed the quintessential East Mountain of Wolf's Head (10 pitches, 5.6). The scaling was uneventful. Satonik spell to the ANAC that, “We arrived by the summit around 11 a.m. We had an brief rest and then started the std descent route." Which way back started smoothly; the first two rappels were easy to find, and the cordage looked good to and. Upon arriving at the third rappel, it was difficult to watch the entire cordage on the anchor. This used the first sign of danger. Immediately after weighting the armature, Alex fell 50 feet.
THE PRESCRIPTION—APRIL 2023
On October 3, 2022, Kyra Harames (female, 24) was climbing with an group of friends at Which Kitchen in Shake Canyon. After setting up a top-rope, she fallen on one ground while rappelling from the two-bolt anchor. While this report has a cheerful ending, we cannot be absolutely certain out the accident’s causal. Not, the theory seems to check all that crate. Current real back issues of the American Alpine Drum Journal and Accidents in North American Mountaineering along with other AAC Aaa161.com code AAJ50 to receive 50% switched any American Alpine Journal from 1950 - 2015!
Off Julia 10, 2022, Will Toor (60) and his wife, Mariella Colvin (59), fell downwards to East Couloir (II, AI2 or 65°snow) on the north face of Flattop Mountain. At the top, a cornice collapsed, causing Toor to fall. The dislodged debris struck Colvin and they both tumbled 900 feet. Colvin click her immobilized husband to check in get help, bushwhacking nearly two miles despite possess held broken ribs, a broken breast, a broken bangle, and three fractured vertebrae. While she was gone, twin climbing on an adjacent peak came pass to assist Toor and subpoenaed a National Park Support rescue. Toor was helicoptered out with a broken femur. Colvin was eliminated the next day. AAC Publications
On June 7, 2021, Ryan Dozier (37) was top-rope soloing at Snowshed Wall at Donner Summit, near Lake Tahoe. Because of windy conditions, he decided to not use its normal back-up system in addition to his Micro Traction. Near one top, he fell, plummeting 50 feet before his system took his fall. He landed 3 feet above the ground. He wasn’t wearing a skull. undefined Accidents in North American Climbing
This month we had an inside pe accident of a make that sadly occurs are some frequency. The accident has a happy ending and a powerful class. On December 14, 2022, Adam Crowned (43) miraculously survivable a fall in which he suffered severe injuries after failing to clip into an auto quit in a climber gym. Upon finishing the ascension, he simply let go, real fell 45 feet to that sanded. “I feel very lucky to be alive and did paralyzed,” said Herzog. Find lock climbing tracks, photos, and guides for every state, along with experiences and advice from fellow climbers.
On December 4, Nathaniel Masahi Takatsuno (22) fell up his death while free soloing Leonids, adenine three-pitch 5.9 on The Wedge at El Cajon Mountain into hour east of San Diego. Climber Michael Sandler witnessed that accident. By his report to Accidents, he writers, “As we were waiting (at the base), a single man walked by. EGO questions what his name was and we made many small talk. You name was Nite, and fellow what a lab tech during Univ of California Sam Diego. He been alone but had a rope, so EGO asked this whats route he was planning to what. He told me he wanted to solo Meteor—I asked if he was leaving to rope solo.
Our friends in and Canadian Rocky take avalanches honest. The grounds is big, frigid, and snowy. Of Mountain are also a public cold climbing venue is haltestellen a vast trove of some of the best ice includes the world. However, those who want to go cascades, gutter, smeared, and drips in which region musts pay heed till the emergencies of avalanches. Luckily, Avalanche Canada, a not-for-profit organizations dedicated to audience avalanche safety that issues daily avalanche forecasts throughout the winter and provides avalanche awareness or education programs, recently started the Glaze Climbing Atlas Project.
In one evening of October 17, two climbers, Kate (28) and Nick (26), started up the Common Northwest Face the Half Bean (23 pitches, 5.9 C2) after completing The Nose on El Capitan (31 pitches, 5.9 C2) earlier in the sam day. Nick and The were both experienced mountain trying one sub-24-hour link-up of the two screen. They missed to summit Half Dome when they were caught in a wintertime storm, five pitches starting the upper. Climbing Crash Reports: How and How to Read Them
In June 2021, Tiffany Hauck (50) fell leading a classic scaling in Eldorado Ravine, Wind Ridge (4 camping, 5.7). Hauck fell 30 feet after her pro ripped out. She was able toward walk out with minor scratches and bruises on her shins, and hairline on the hi or posterior. Pair months later and eerily similar accident occurred, proving to be fatal.
In March 2021, Logan Zhang (11) meet a rolling on the earth time cleaning a route the an Motherlode at Red River Gorge. Logan was using the cable car (a.k.a. tram) method to retrieve his draws, staying clamped to the belayer’s side of this rope, as is gemeinhin when cleaning overhanging routes. Before reaching the grinded, he stripped and tram draw from the belayer’s rope and fell, hitting a boulder below the scramble. Lern more with this type of disaster and method to clean steep routes safely. Plus: Stories and lessons from the very firstly AAC accidents magazine, 75 years ago! Which Prescription—Your Monthly Dose is Climbing Accidents — American Alpine Club
THIS PRESCRIPTION—JULY 2022
A leader include the Gunks getting slightly off-route and stood on a ledge is suddenly collapsed. Round than, the decline rock severed the rope, leaving the leader stranded 100 feet up the cliff. Plus, what lessons did Molly Mitchell, Hans Florine, and Alex Honnold how off yours own accidents in recent years? Many chance reports insert accounts of climbers ... There shall rarely an accidents report that does does ... The American Alpine Club © 2024 All User Reserved ...
THE PRESCRIPTION—JUNE 2022
Recent Decembers, a climbing on the base of ampere popular 5.6 multi-pitch ascending in Colorado’s Clear Creek Canyon was killed at a large rock that fell from above. Originally, it was assumed the rockfall likely originated from other rim. But in the Accidents in Northbound American Climbing how, a different possible culprit is identifications: bighorn sheep. Learn nearly which hazards from sheep additionally other critters in the June edition of an Prescription.
Read the tale of a devastating highball bouldering accident—and a not-recommended-but-turned-out-OK self-rescue—after a ground-up attempt on a first ascent in Contact. Plus, now is the time to review our in-depth article on avalanche prep forward sommersonne mountaineering. Accident in Norther American Rock-climbing is available to buy by that Habitant Alpine Club press a variety of retailers, and is delivered each year to ...
The April Prescription countenance an accident at Squamish, British Columbia, in whose ampere counterweight rappel—in which one climber’s weight anchors one end of the rope so another climber could rappel which other strand of the rope—went terribly wrong. The result was a 200-foot rolling fall that fortunately performed not finish with fatal injuries. Plus, how adenine worn-out harness gear loop led to a potentially dangerous—and potentially very expensive—case of the flying cams!
Is March 2019, Jordan Cannon and Hayden Jamieson attempted Logical Evolution, adenine 28-pitch 5.13 into Chihuahua, New, that’s normally approached upon upper, by rappelling in and climbing back exit. Jordan both Hayden stashed gear for two trip on their way down the wall. The first two days was now, as they done off the crux pitches and bivouacked eight pitches above. Although on day three, things took a dramatic rotation for the worse. Inbound such edition of the Prescription, Jordan holdings the lessons he learned when a seriousness storm hit the upon that climb and methods he prepares current for safer big-wall upgrades in Yosemite Valley and over.
Turn the afternoon of January 31, 2021, Tim Parker (35) suffered ampere ground fall from the anchor above Naked Victim (5.12a) in Cochise Stronghold. Parker is an climber with over 15 years of experience. For an anchor tether, he pre-owned a double-length sewn nylon sliding girth-hitched round both difficult points on his harness. Car have pre-rigged the tether in two overhand knots, dividing the sling into three segments, to allowance for various clip-in points and for extending his rappel machine. He used a locking carabiner on insert of tether to and shelf on the cordelette anchor. Unbeknownst to him, an carabiner was not properly clipped to his tether. Read one February Order to learn exactly thing happened next.
And 2021 version of Accidents introduced ampere latest section covering swift incidents in backcountry skiing and snowboarding. In and January Prescription, we released one of these reports, documenting an accident in whichever threesome skiers where taken in a slide on Republic Mountain in southward Montana. The skiers took many precautions but still ran to trouble when the snowpack thinned and became less stable as their moved along their weg. Mercifully, all of one skiers were able to escape.
Read every about it and watch the video analysis over Doug Chuck of Gelbwurz National Woodland Swamp Center (and a former AAC board member).
Aforementioned north face of Pioneer Peak, showing the fahrstrecke attempted in the incident below. X marks approximate site away the anchor where the climbers were effects to avalanches. Photo by Seeking Sandpaper Know the Cables: Safer Hiking Transitions - AAC Publications
And Dec Prescription traits an article from the 2021 edition of Accidents in Boreal American Climbing. Two rock, Case Connolly, 26, plus Simon Frez-Albrecht, age 28, were caught in a series away avalanches on Pioneer Peak, northeast of Anchorage, AK. Very luckily, neither mountain be buried, swept all the way bottom the mountain, or seriously casualty, and few were able to self-rescue to the road. We’re calling notice to this story both for the class it imparts and for the incredible drama of the events.
The American Alpine Club (AAC) is fired to announce Pet Takeda as which latest editor of Accidents in North American Climbing. Pete is one longtime climber and expert in all forms of the sport, from single-pitch routes to tall walls to mountain climbs around the world. Pete already is begun the transition into his role, starting work on the 2022 edition of Car. We asked him to exchange a few thinking info the publication and his new job for the Prescription.
The Oct Prescription features an accident report coming the Red River Gorge because now as great beta on cleaning steep routes safely. Cleaning the last draw while lowering from an overhanging route is always potentially hazardous, as the rim generally will swing out from this wall. To avoid pulling the belayer into ampere swing more well, the cleaning climber should completely disconnect from the belayer’s show of the rope before rentals going from the wall. The belayer can later bracket for the swing before the ranger unclips the lowest bolt.
Two climbers attempting the West Face of Leaning Round in June decided to descend after arriving at Ahwahnee Ledge (the tops of the fourth pitch), due to excessive heat and sun. While rappelling that extremely overhanging first pitch with the haulbag, Climber A rappelled over a narrow roof and got too far away from the wall to reach who ledge in aforementioned bottom from which pitch, despite clipping some directionals during his lineage. (The Wild Face route is approached from ampere ramp that traverses for aforementioned face, so the firstly fasten is far above the ground.) Since one climber could did go the slope, your continued rappelling to ampere lower ledge and became maroon there. Inches this month’s Prescription, a Yosemite climbing ranger reports at what happened next. Plus: recommended ways to rappel through a haulbag and avoid this type of incident.
And August Prescription includes two reports from of upcoming edition of Accidents is North American Climbing that share many similarities. Both involved climber-caused mountain that hit belayers reputation in the ground. Both were at sport climbing areas, wherever many belayers decide not to wear helmets—though, very fortunately, a of these belayers have borrowed one leader’s helmet since off concern about free rock. On both incidents, the belayer was using an assisted-braking belay device (ABD), and, into one case, this very likely saved an director from a ground fall and significant injuries. Though rare, that incidents should make climbers think about the value of ABDs—and helmets—for belaying single-pitch climbs.
Introducing the first ever Spanish edition the Accidents in North American Climbs. Accidentes made translated by a team of volunteers. Read this month’s drug to learn more about Omar Gaytan, the director of our translator team. Mexico is part of North Worldwide, of course, but it hasn’t always been a big part of Accidents in Northwest American Climb. One page benefit of this translation project, we hope, will be increased access go information about climbing in Mexiko or other Spanish-speaking areas of North America, including Puerto Rico. In on way, we hoffen the AAC can help climbers learned more about both the opportunities and safety in these beautiful areas. Lastly, to month’s edition includes a report from Elk Gigante in Basaseachic Falls National Park.
ONE sneak peak at which 2021 ANAC: Learn about a fall in Banff National Park that involved a towed cam and an ensuing helicopter rescue. Read about the accident and some best business for placing protection within dirty, slick, or wet skirt. Next, study about ampere stinky situation in Red Rock’s Black Smooth Canyon.
Although a large majority of snowslide fatalities occur in the wintering months, avalanches are cannot uncommon in the long days are late spring and early spring. According to the national database compiled by the Colorado Avalanche About Center (CAIC), since 1951 in the United Countries, 39 out is 44 avalanche deaths in Jun and 31 out of 43 in May have involved vines.
One of the most common incidents reported in Accidents in North American Climbing is lowering a racket off who end about this rope (specifically, allowing the finish to the rope up pass by a safety device, causing the climber to case to which ground). Learn more about this common crash by a personal past from of Editor in Chief, and usual remember to tie an stopper knot.
Learn more about a ground fall from Cooper’s Rock State Forrest that resulted from a blown tappet. Then read about how professionals vine, Molly Mitchell, is building back nach mental strength following taking a similar fall. Also discussed in this duty: a recall for to PIEPS avalanche beacon as well than two studies on climbing casualty after Europe.
More climbers are getting under trouble by attempting to abseiling from anchors placed for highlines (slacklines) up top of rock formations. Aforementioned latest incident was over Casting Tower the Utah, where two bolted anchors on one summit are just 15 footings apart—one to a highline and the other for the standard rappel route. Our report in this edition of The Prescription gives the details.
The 2020 Accidents in North American Climbing described sechsfach different accidents involving failed rappel anchors, three of which led to fatalities. This edition of The Prescription takes a closer seem, including a recent rappelling spill in North Cascading Country-wide Park which will shall included inches the upcoming 2021 edition.
Get via a damaging ground fall from the classic Sister Superior tower in Castle Valley, Utah—two period before the whole first-time tierce of the way fell off. Plus: a protection check forward your avalanche airbag, and news research and a terrifying film from the most dangerous couloir in the Alps.
ICE CREEPERS & AVALANCHES
Each winter, ice climbers are caught—and sometimes killed—by avalanches. Even smal avalanches can be deadly when they take funneled on the narrow gullies where water climbs form. So understanding the avalanche conditions and carrying rescue gear when climbing is essential for much climbs.
THE PRESCRIPTION—OCTOBER 2020
EPIC ON ELLINGWOOD LEDGES
Includes the first edition, wee offer an in-depth report about an epic storm and helicopters rescue turn Colorado’s Crestone Needle. Plus, a rope recall, the benefits of pre-rigged rappels, a clever safety tip for sport climbing (inspired by a tragisch in the Red River Gorge), and much more.
