A 33-year-old-woman fell to her death while climbing Mt. Shasta on Friday, Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman Susan Gravenkamp said Sunday.

The woman and two men were making their first attempt to climb Mt. Shasta. All three were from out of the area, Gravenkamp said

Just to be proactive here and clarify how I see new forum modding policies applying...
Technically, we have one quasi-condolence post and one quasi-analysis post. I have no problem with the two intermingling as long as tones remain respectful to the family and friends she left behind. So far, so good. Thank you. When/if we learn her identity, we can begin a parallel thread in In Memory Of.

The article says she had an ice axe and crampons, so I'm guessing that she probably didn't know how to use it, or hit her head before she could use it.

On something like the Red Banks slope with bullet hard ice under some new snow? You have essentially one chance, a split second really, to self arrest.

For those who haven't seen it or experienced it first hand? The acceleration is STUNNING. After all too brief an instant self arrest is no longer possible, save by Accident of the Fates.

A lot of folks picture self arrest in nice sun-warmed soft snow, where things happen more slowly. They aren't always prepared for the reality of alpine ice.

On really hyard snow or ice? A self arrest by a competent climber would still take in a good deal of raw luck - fall this way and self arrest. Fall that way and go for the big ride. It was once suggested to me that modern synthetic fibers have compounded this issue - they don't 'stick' to ice as wool used to, further reducing the window of opp to self arrest.

Best not to fall, at all. And don't rely on self arrest - it is NOT the cure-all its made out to be.

I fell skiing, in the Dana couloir, and despite specific training and a decent amount of practice? I could not slow my fall sufficiently to avoid a 300 foot ass over teakettle tumble down the gully. I had the time. I had the tools. I could NOT self arrest.

I finally did stop before hitting the rocks on the side of the gully. Its a very helpless feeling, to try to self arrest and fail and then, in that terrible instant, to look into the face of your partner, both of you knowing what is about to happen. Its so fast you don't even have time to formulate the thought coherenly. Luckily in my case, I had ample time to ponder that look on Burl's face after the fact.

DMT

It was once suggested to me that modern synthetic fibers have compounded this issue - they don't 'stick' to ice as wool used to, further reducing the window of opp to self arrest.

DMT

On something like the Red Banks slope with bullet hard ice under some new snow? You have essentially one chance, a split second really, to self arrest.

And I tried to fit with the new regime - it was meant to be as much analysis as I could but there is not much detail yet. I added the condolences out of respect, but didnt mean to head in that direction, assuming there would be such a thread in the MemoryOf forum. shimanilami is going where I thought I was heading, discussing the route and subsequent updates. Or should I submit this as a news item, as I have in the past? Maybe start a thread in both this and the MemoryOf forum?

@climbingaggie03: I too was surprised by the lack of helmets, but agree there is too little info to go on, and it probably wouldn't matter in this case anyways.

... even less time to arrest when wearing a heavy pack. And, either way, training/experience along with upper body strength can play a role.