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stan
Mar 22, 2010, 1:02 PM
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See link:
http://www.herald-mail.com/?cmd=displaystory&story_id=241969&format=html
I don't know much yet. I was there earlier in the day.
Climber fell from near midpoint of Calvin's corner while "rappeling" on a strange looking rope, with a chest harness.
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labuke
Mar 23, 2010, 2:20 AM
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Wondering if theres any updated information about what happened?
Best wishes to the climber.
Stan, nice talking to you in the parking lot at shaffers rocks on sunday. (Joe and Tom)
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stan
Mar 24, 2010, 2:56 PM
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Updated information from Climbers witnessing the accident is:
1. Rope was "strange"; about 8mm; "looked like a walmart rope".
2. Rope broke and the "climber" fell about 50 feet, hit a ledge, then fell another 20 feet.
3. "Climber" was unconcious and in bad shape.
4. State Police confiscated rope.
5. "Climber" is at Hershey Medical Center. No info is
being released.
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Jlam77
Mar 25, 2010, 12:12 AM
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I was up there today and the home-made grappling hook and nylon cord was still there. It does appear that this cord was purchased at a Wal-Mart or Dick's. It appears that this man had no technical climbing or repelling knowledge. There was also clothesline type rope at the top of the rock near the grappling hook.
My partner and I found the fallen man's backpack at the top of the rock, in it contained drugs and drug paraphernalia. Additional equipment was found near the grappling hook, which appeared to be hardware store type carabiners.
I wish the man the best and a speedy recovery!
(This post was edited by Jlam77 on Mar 25, 2010, 1:17 AM)
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giants2107
Mar 25, 2010, 7:44 AM
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The man who fell at White Rock is a member of my family, I was informed of the accident on Monday afternoon, I live on the eastern shore and drove to PA that evening. I went to visit him at Hershey Medical Center. He is in critical condition, the injuries he sustained are surver. We are trying to be optimistic, but it's not looking good. We have not heard any reports from the police we have been in contact with of him possessing any drugs or paraphenalia as alleged. But if anyone reading this was there when the accident happened, I would greatly appreciate any additional information. To the people who called 911 and stayed with him until help arrived, I thank you. Your fast acting has allowed our family to at least be by his side. My family member who fell had a learning disorder hence the hardware store equipment being used on the rockface, he had no business being there. I've spent $3 to enter similar park area's that had rangers. Perhaps if White Rock had a similar set up with rangers checking gear and such, maybe it would help to save some lives. Since this is the second fall in less than a year.
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Dip
Mar 25, 2010, 11:56 AM
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condolences to you and your family, hopefully your loved one will pull through. that being said, to suggest rangers and use fees be in place at every little rock face and outcropping where someone could fall and get hurt is ridiculous. If the man really has a learning disorder then it is you and your family's charge to keep him out of danger. White rocks is not a national nor state park. It's a small cliffline with easy trad climbs on a back road in rural pennsylvania. To suggest that this was somehow everyone elses fault because there were no "regulations" in place is selfish. Don't put the rest of us in a situation where we have to pay to enjoy the outdoors and nature simply because one of your loved ones was in a situaton they should have never been in the first place.
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dingus
Mar 25, 2010, 11:58 AM
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Sorry for your family member's terrible accident. But sadly we cannot police people from themselves.
It it not our place.
DMT
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Jules13
Mar 25, 2010, 4:38 PM
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Hi. My name is Julie. I was one of the four climbers present when your family member fell. My boyfriend ran to his immediate assistance and we called 911. My heart has been breaking since I witnessed this tragic accident. He and your family are in many people's thoughts and prayers. I hope that he can recover.
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giants2107
Mar 25, 2010, 6:38 PM
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I understand that nobody wants any restrictions on anything. and i know it would be impossible to moniter every rocky surface. Hopefully, nobody else will be airlifted from that spot. If a couple dollars is too much to spend for park rangers at frequent fall sites, your really gonna be upset when the state raises taxes for having to airlift people over and over again, at the same sites. I really do wish I lived closer and could have kept him from thinking he could do something like that. He's always liked to walk around the mountains there, i never thought he would attempt to climb them. I thank again, but also appolagize to everyone that was involved.
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Dip
Mar 25, 2010, 6:52 PM
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yeah sorry if i came across snippy, i saw this post first thing this morning and it just struck a nerve. Airlifts generally aren't a state funded operation, they're paid for by medical insurance. so my taxes don't reflect the cost, my high insurance premiums do. however in a time when the state of pa is considering closing state parks to save money, i doubt it's in the budget to hire new rangers. and i still stand by my earlier assertion that that's a bad idea. we need to be able to police ourselves, not count on "the man" to check our gear and tell us who can and can't be where and when. There's enough of that crap going on in every other aspect of society.
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dingus
Mar 25, 2010, 7:44 PM
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Dunno about PA but in CA we are laying off park rangers and closing parks. There is no money to pay some bloke to watch a rock 18 hours a day.
DMT
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stan
Mar 25, 2010, 8:08 PM
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Just a few facts: White Rocks, Pond Bank is in the Michaux State Forest. Not a state perk. I have climbed there since 1969, and know a lot of people who climb there. In 1989 a Climber broke his ankle there. My wife and I helped him out. Last year a young man took a fall, and was fortunate that he was not injured severly, but was carried out to a LifeLine chopper. This past Sunday's accident counts for three since 1989. We all pray and hope for his recovery.
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currupt4130
Mar 25, 2010, 9:03 PM
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I mean absolutely no offense to you and hope that your relative pulls through.
That being said, the emotional outcry for patrol that you are suggesting is what is slowly sucking this country dry of our freedom. Don't place the blame somewhere else or expect someone else to take care of your problem. More so than a lot of sports we find ourselves responsible for our own safety. There are quite a few people here who travel to remote regions seeking new climbs or push the limits of climbing, but we all do so knowing full well that we're ultimately responsible for our safety.
We willfully help out when something bad does happen as you saw with the people that helped your relative out. But charging access to every cliff band so that a ranger can be there to make sure everyone has the proper gear and training is insane and asinine, especially when it's on state forest land.
Again, I am very sorry for the tragedy that your family is going through and I wish your relative the best. Please don't try to restrict our freedoms and actions because of something that was caused from blatant neglect.
(This post was edited by currupt4130 on Mar 25, 2010, 9:22 PM)
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giants2107
Mar 26, 2010, 12:04 AM
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well dip, insurance only pays for air lifts if you have insurace.and i also remember a spot thats just off a country road, not a state park called high rock. If you are from the area you will remember that the rock was used for hang gliding. now there have been so many accidents, the state closed it down for that, and you can only hang glide there once a year. so my point is that if people get hurt too many times at one spot, the state will close it down. I'm not trying to blame anyone for his accident, it was just that I dont like the man anymore than anyone else i'm just saying that if you ever see someone that you know has no right climbing then maybe you'll think about what happened a say something to the next person that has no clue......
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