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Re: [patto] Lowering accident. Serious Injuries:
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funnelator
May 30, 2011, 10:51 PM
Views: 12363
Registered: Nov 30, 2005
Posts: 83
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Mis-communicating about being lowered or rapping is not all that uncommon. In my personal experience, I know of two parties, both with good solid climbers of long experience, who have suffered this mishap. In both instances, when at the anchors, which were out of sight of the belayers, the climbers were taken off belay when they wanted to still be on. When they committed their weight to their harnesses each fell to the ground and sustained very serious but still not life threatening injuries. That they are alive at all is sheer luck. One of the injured climbers doesn't climb any more and the other does but with greatly restricted motion in one ankle.
The point is people make mistakes. No one is fully immune. Not even you and your favorite climbing partner.
One way to minimize the possibility of making this mistake when transitioning from climbing to being lowered is for the climber to keep a grip on the brake side of the rope until they can visually check to see they are still on belay before fully committing their weight to the rope. This is a common practice among guides at some crags as they are being lowered by clients who may have learned to belay five minutes before and/or who climb infrequently at best.
None of my above remarks are directed at Phil or anyone in his climbing party as I have no knowledge of his accident, nor is it my place to judge. I extend best wishes to Phil and his climbing partner(s) and also wish them a speedy recovery.
(This post was edited by funnelator on May 30, 2011, 11:10 PM)
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Edit Log:
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Post edited by funnelator
() on May 30, 2011, 11:06 PM
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Post edited by funnelator
() on May 30, 2011, 11:07 PM
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Post edited by funnelator
() on May 30, 2011, 11:10 PM
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