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majid_sabet
Apr 25, 2010, 11:55 PM
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The images I posted here are real and were taking by a mobile camera from an overseas climber who send me his 8 min long movie clip about this accident so I could review and publish it in my upcoming book. I review the accident report and watched the film several times I was horrified that how easily a climber could die from a six meter fall.For 8 min I listen to pain and how a climber took his last breath and I'll tell you, this accident should not happened if both climbers inspected the old rusty 13 mm steel anchor cable that was wrapped around the boulder.
fatality report
The rusty cable snapped when climbers started to rappel. One climber hit his head between several rocks below and died minutes later. his partner landed on soft dirt and end up with minor injuries. Neither one had helmet but did bring one helmet and left it at the base.
Please spend plenty of time and triple check everything before rappelling.
edit to add: this was a double rappelling using the common power point.
Majid
more photos from the accident.the locals are checking the cable size cause i am not sure if it was 13mm.
MS
(This post was edited by majid_sabet on Apr 27, 2010, 9:06 PM)
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blondgecko
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Apr 26, 2010, 12:05 AM
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That's awful - and definitely a useful reminder to check things thoroughly and back-up where necessary.
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climbingtrash
Apr 26, 2010, 12:05 AM
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majid_sabet wrote: The images I posted here are real and were taking by a mobile camera from an overseas climber who send me his 8 min long movie clip about this accident so I could review and publish it in my upcoming book. I review the accident report and watched the film several times I was horrified that how easily a climber could die from a six meter fall.For 8 min I listen to pain and how a climber took his last breath and I'll tell you, this accident should not happened if both climbers inspected the old rusty 13 mm steel anchor cable that was wrapped around the boulder. The rusty cable snapped when climbers started to rappel. One climber hit his head between several rocks below and died minutes later. his partner landed on soft dirt and end up with minor injuries. Neither one had helmet but did bring one helmet and left it at the base. Please spend plenty of time and triple check everything before rappelling. edit to add: this was a double rappelling using the common power point. Majid
Yikes! Couldn't agree more...rappelling is my least favorite thing about doing multi-pitch routes.
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Gmburns2000
Apr 26, 2010, 12:58 AM
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damn that's scary. rapping scares the hell out of me.
edit: RIP.
you're writing a book? nice. good luck with it.
(This post was edited by Gmburns2000 on Apr 26, 2010, 12:58 AM)
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ClimbClimb
Apr 26, 2010, 3:42 AM
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Condolences and best wishes to those involved and directly affected. It is courageous of them to share the footage with you, so that it has a chance to serve as something others can learn from.
As everyone else said, agree with the thread title, it really does seem to be disproportionately dangerous.
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iknowfear
Apr 26, 2010, 8:41 AM
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RIP!
Majid: for your Book: look at As Pit Schubert's "Sicherheit und Risiko in Fels und Eis 1-3". (If you can understand german just a bit. Its sad that there is no translation of these books, since its a great source of security related knowledge)
The argument is that simul-rappels are never worth it. The time gained is a few seconds per rappel, whereas you multiply possible errors, and the load on the anchor.
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yokese
Apr 26, 2010, 9:28 AM
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iknowfear wrote: RIP! Majid: for your Book: look at As Pit Schubert's "Sicherheit und Risiko in Fels und Eis 1-3". (If you can understand german just a bit. Its sad that there is no translation of these books, since its a great source of security related knowledge)
It's been translated to Spanish (Editorial Desnivel), if that makes it easier to read for some of you.
There are two volumes:
http://desnivel.com/...vel/object.php?o=765
http://desnivel.com/...l/object.php?o=15386
I have read just the first one. A fantastic book to learn what NOT to do.
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catbird_seat
Jul 7, 2010, 8:10 PM
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It is possible that had the climbers rappelled one at a time, the anchor might have held. A good anchor should be able to easily hold two people rappelling, but the point I want to make is that most anchors are tested by the weight of a single body. Unless you are willing to backup an anchor, don't do anything unusual to put more stress on an anchor than you must.
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tradmanclimbs
Jul 7, 2010, 8:48 PM
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When rapping from any slung tree/boulder it is critical to look at the whole anchor. many times it looks good in the front but at the back of the tree some rodent or whatever chewed half way through the webbing.
Look at the whole thing!
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patmay81
Jul 7, 2010, 9:04 PM
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tradmanclimbs wrote: When rapping from any slung tree/boulder it is critical to look at the whole anchor. many times it looks good in the front but at the back of the tree some rodent or whatever chewed half way through the webbing. Look at the whole thing!
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tradmanclimbs
Jul 7, 2010, 9:58 PM
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many times the anchor is perfectly fine but take the time to make sure that the knots are good and there are enough good strands the eintire way arround the tree. No need to add material to a perfectly good anchor just take the time to make that an informed decision and not just blind faith in the anchor.
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socalclimber
Jul 7, 2010, 10:25 PM
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Wow...
Good luck with the book!
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patmay81
Jul 7, 2010, 11:52 PM
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I don't disagree with you. I am just saying every time I've rapped off a boulder or tree (with pre-existing webbing), I've hacked the old stuff off and replaced it. It always looks weathered, and I always have had some newer stuff on me.
If I were to come across an old rusty cable I would most likely sling the boulder with a hunk of webbing rather than trust the cable.
As for others comments on simul-raps; if 330 lb makes that much of a difference over 165 lb, I'd suggest re evaluating your standards for a decent rappel anchor.
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billl7
Jul 8, 2010, 12:17 AM
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I do think we can slip into the mind set of a rap anchor being good enough for one person ... except we forget the "one" part. There was a multiple fatality in Washington State in 2005 when a party of 3 or 4 were rapping together (one needed assistance due to an earlier rock-fall injury). The refrigerator sized boulder pulled. As I recall, the organization they belonged to was well known for conservative climbing habits.
Bill L
(This post was edited by billl7 on Jul 8, 2010, 12:18 AM)
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majid_sabet
Jul 8, 2010, 12:24 AM
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socalclimber wrote: Wow... Good luck with the book!
This project has turned in to a nightmare.now people are approaching and telling me their stories that they had never told anyone. This video clip was one them.
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tradmanclimbs
Jul 8, 2010, 12:25 AM
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don't disagree with you. I am just saying every time I've rapped off a boulder or tree (with pre-existing webbing), I've hacked the old stuff off and replaced it.
You must not get out much if you have replaced every fixed sling anchor you encounter??
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gunkiemike
Jul 8, 2010, 2:49 AM
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How about telling us when and where this happened.
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dugl33
Jul 8, 2010, 5:05 AM
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patmay81 wrote: I don't disagree with you. I am just saying every time I've rapped off a boulder or tree (with pre-existing webbing), I've hacked the old stuff off and replaced it. It always looks weathered, and I always have had some newer stuff on me. If I were to come across an old rusty cable I would most likely sling the boulder with a hunk of webbing rather than trust the cable. As for others comments on simul-raps; if 330 lb makes that much of a difference over 165 lb, I'd suggest re evaluating your standards for a decent rappel anchor.
Personally I think its nice to leave the "best of" what is there and add to it. I'd much rather have two or three independent loops of webbing to rap from than a single strand -- if one looks relatively new that's just a bonus.
Sometimes you don't have a choice but to wrap off something sketchy, unless you travel around with a bolt kit. That 330 lbs you mention can quickly be more if either rapper is anything but ultra-smooth on the rap.
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dugl33
Jul 8, 2010, 5:10 AM
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Not much sense of scale from that picture but I bet the cable is smaller than 13 mm.
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majid_sabet
Jul 8, 2010, 6:04 AM
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dugl33 wrote: Not much sense of scale from that picture but I bet the cable is smaller than 13 mm.
yes, we figured it was under 10 mm and not 13 mm.
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rangerrob
Jul 8, 2010, 12:02 PM
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I have to agree with tradman here. If you are replacing every fixed anchor you come across you are either independently wealthy, or don't do a lot of trad climbing. Fixed anchors, by and large, are fine. It's critical to peform the evaluation yourself though, and not trust it just because it is there, or just because the last party to rap off of it that day survived.
That being said, I have replaced my fair share of cordage and webbing when I run into tat, or when I run into badly constructed fixed anchors. I think the key here is to make it clean and easy to inspect. Just adding your cord to an already existing shitpile of webbing, cord, and old rope does not help the next group who comes along and has to inspect it. Actually, it facilitates the "there's a lot of stuff around that tree....I can't be bothered trying to figure it all out...something will hold" attitude. If you're going to upgrade, the cut ALL of the old stuff off and leave one or two neatly tied and clean looking pieces.
RR
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socalclimber
Jul 8, 2010, 12:51 PM
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majid_sabet wrote: socalclimber wrote: Wow... Good luck with the book! This project has turned in to a nightmare.now people are approaching and telling me their stories that they had never told anyone. This video clip was one them.
I can only imagine! My guess is with your experience in rescue work, the book will be a good read!
Just make sure the editor is better with English than you
Aren't I gem?
(This post was edited by socalclimber on Jul 8, 2010, 12:52 PM)
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livinonasandbar
Jul 8, 2010, 1:59 PM
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Majid, will your book add anything to the information already published each year in "Accidents in North American Mountaineering"?
(Am I the only one who thinks it was unnecessary to post the photo of the blood-stained rocks?)
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Tipton
Jul 8, 2010, 2:47 PM
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oldsalt wrote: livinonasandbar wrote: (Am I the only one who thinks it was unnecessary to post the photo of the blood-stained rocks?) No. It does not add any useful information. My prayers for all involved.
It got my attention for sure. A helmet might have saved his life.
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