|
|
|
|
majid_sabet
Dec 6, 2006, 7:56 PM
Post #1 of 6
(1272 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 13, 2002
Posts: 8390
|
25-year-old Danish woman has died after a mountain guide's brave dash down a snowy slope to catch her after she slipped on ice near the Mueller Hut in Mount Cook National Park yesterday failed to prevent her falling .
The weather was perfect, but Axel Naglich and Peter Ressmann abandoned their attempt to ski the 2400m Caroline Face because conditions were too icy.
Alpine Guides managing director Bryan Carter said the Danish woman was with her partner and two other clients on a basic mountaineering course based out of the Mueller Hut in the Sealy Range, directly above the village.
"The group has previously practised ice axe and crampon technique in good conditions near the hut. The snow was firm, but crusty in places. As the group set off for more training on the Annette Plateau, the woman tripped and was unable to self-arrest. (Ogden) was slightly in front, heard something, and turned around and ran down the slope to try to catch the woman, but unfortunately just missed.
"It appears that the woman may have hit a rock during the fall.
--------------------------------
Read more
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3890959a11,00.html
(This post was edited by majid_sabet on Dec 6, 2006, 7:58 PM)
|
|
|
|
|
hugepedro
Dec 7, 2006, 8:15 PM
Post #2 of 6
(1148 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 28, 2002
Posts: 2875
|
The guide placed a novice snow climber in a position where the only thing seperating her from a 300m fall was her ability to self arrest???
Unacceptable. They should have been roped up.
|
|
|
|
|
alexmac
Dec 8, 2006, 3:53 PM
Post #3 of 6
(1069 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 23, 2005
Posts: 550
|
hugepedro wrote: The guide placed a novice snow climber in a position where the only thing seperating her from a 300m fall was her ability to self arrest??? Unacceptable. They should have been roped up.
Agreed, don't care what kind of waiver she signed there is a duty on the part of the guide to see to her safety.
|
|
|
|
|
percious
Dec 8, 2006, 4:21 PM
Post #4 of 6
(1045 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 19, 2005
Posts: 140
|
I sort of agree.
Sometimes roping up can be more of a liability than a safety measure. What are the chances that you as a guide have of arresting yourself and your client should he/she slip? That being said, I have roped up beginners on a technical climb, but we had two experienced people and two beginners on the line, so at least there was a backup. I was also intending on pounding in pickets, but the grade of the slope never warranted such action.
The real question is: What is a guide doing taking a beginner up a 300m slope without making sure she can self arrest under duress?
-percious
|
|
|
|
|
hugepedro
Dec 8, 2006, 5:35 PM
Post #5 of 6
(1003 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 28, 2002
Posts: 2875
|
percious wrote: The real question is: What is a guide doing taking a beginner up a 300m slope without making sure she can self arrest under duress?
Well you're right on the mark there, no doubt. But once they made the decision to go they should have roped up. The guide was able to run after her and tried to catch her fall, and he didn't fall. From that I gather that snow conditions were such that self arrest for a reasonably competent climber should have been easy, and team arrest likewise should have been easy.
I'd be willing to bet that had they been roped up the rest of the team would have been able to stop her fall by merely sitting down.
But if the guide wasn't confident they could team arrest he should have belayed the team members across any terrain where an uncontrolled fall could lead to injury or death.
|
|
|
|
|
percious
Dec 8, 2006, 5:39 PM
Post #6 of 6
(993 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 19, 2005
Posts: 140
|
hugepedro wrote: But if the guide wasn't confident they could team arrest he should have belayed the team members across any terrain where an uncontrolled fall could lead to injury or death.
I agree hole-heartedly.
-percious
|
|
|
|
|
|
