|
killclimbz
Nov 10, 2004, 6:00 PM
Post #76 of 87
(23683 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 6, 2000
Posts: 1964
|
KMGH has posted some info on what happened. Go ahead and look at it for those who are interested. I don't think this is something that should printed on this thread.
|
|
|
|
|
bustinmins
Nov 10, 2004, 9:12 PM
Post #77 of 87
(23683 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jul 16, 2003
Posts: 507
|
Thanks for the update. Hope your backcountry adventures are going well.
Talk to you soon,
JD
|
|
|
|
|
robdotcalm
Nov 10, 2004, 9:47 PM
Post #78 of 87
(23681 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 31, 2002
Posts: 1027
|
Thanks for the reference, which reports death caused by strangulation from a gear sling. The question to which we will probably never know the answer: Was the sling set properly so that it went from the neck and then over one arm with part of the sling under the arm? I remember when I first started climbing being instructed that all slings should be worn in this fashion to avoid the possibility of strangulation. It's possible that the sling was properly set and in the fall moved into the more dangerous position of hanging directly from the neck and not going under either arm. I have seen 2 falls in which the climber has upended and had the gear sling fall off (one was on the 2nd pitch of Werk Supp) so this is more than just a theoretic possibility.
I hope none are offended by mentioning this, but it does seem appropriate to discuss this safety issue brought to the fore in the referenced accident report.
robDotCalm
|
|
|
|
|
mbg
Nov 10, 2004, 9:55 PM
Post #79 of 87
(23681 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 17, 2003
Posts: 372
|
FWIW, the Denver NPR station gave a brief mention to Angus's accident this morning in their local news segment. Not sure why the story was brought up now since I didn't catch the beginning of the report, but it was probably due to the findings of the county officials. Thankfully the radio story only had good things to say about him and his partner, they didn't serve up the typical "foolish climber" tone that we usually see in these situations.
BG
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
cordata
Nov 13, 2004, 4:21 PM
Post #81 of 87
(23681 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 14, 2003
Posts: 45
|
Here in Texas I'm joining the discussion a little late.
A week or so ago a non-climbing friend in Denver mentioned there was an accident in Eldo. I searched around a little for details, didn't find any, forgot about it. Then yesterday during a slow afternoon I was poking around RC.com and saw the words "Angus" and "accident" together and had a sinking feeling.
I climbed with Angus this past July - I arrived in CO somewhat earlier than my friends from Dallas and had been sending PMs to several folks on this thread hoping to get a partner for my slack day. I can't remember exactly how it worked out but Angus turned out to be my partner for that day.
When I first met him I think I was a little leery -- he looked a little rough around the edges. But talk to him for 30 seconds and you could see he had a heart of gold. Angus talked very frankly about a lot of the things in his life - he'd had some ups and downs but didn't appear to have any regrets and was definitely looking ahead, not behind.
We had a great day of climbing. We took it easy and climbed at the Dome in Boulder Canyon. Angus gave me the impression of being a very safe and conservative climber. We did Cozyhang and East Slab. Angus was a great partner - he emphasized more than once that safety was more important than style (as I blew the onsight of the roof on Cozyhang)
I've only been climbing for a couple of years and this is the first time that someone I've known has been killed. It shows how small the climbing community (and maybe the world in general) really is. I don't know exactly how to react - it's very disturbing. I am glad, however, that I had a chance to meet and climb with Angus.
Here's a photo of Angus that I think captures a little bit of his spirit for those who never met him.
My heart goes out to his loved ones.
Dave
http://us.f1.yahoofs.com/...jpg?pht0plBBr.HYc8Y6
|
|
|
|
|
f_thomas
Nov 13, 2004, 6:27 PM
Post #82 of 87
(23681 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jun 4, 2003
Posts: 139
|
Cindy:
Hope you are still following the posts and messages. As I sat here reading your description of Angus my eyes filled with tears and my heart aches with the void left by such a loss.
The world could use a lot more people like Angus! A lot more like yourself and family, as well. When all is said and done the most important aspect of our existence is the beauty of the relationships we are blessed with in our short life. You were truly blessed and I'll bet Angus would say he was as well. So often, we too quickly turn away from those who don't fit our "picture" of normal - too easily swayed by first appearances - it's really a shame, God has many beautiful souls in the rough.
May God Bless You, your family and Angus' friends and help you all to keep the spirit of adventure, the love of life and love and respect for each other that Angus exhibited to all.
Sincerely:
Fred E Thomas
Solid Rock Climbers for Christ
|
|
|
|
|
phile
Nov 14, 2004, 1:39 AM
Post #83 of 87
(23681 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 5, 2004
Posts: 114
|
I was wandering around the fish products website and came across an (apparently old??) piece of fiction that contained a character named "Angus Alexander MacInnes." Is this just a strange climbing-world coincidence, or did they cross paths in the valley at some point?
http://www.fishproducts.com/mbs/LNLM2.html
I originally read the tributes to Angus by his friends and family with tears streaming down my face--it was very strange to come across such a similar name a few weeks later. Heartfelt condolences to those who knew him--he sounds like a wonderful person and a real character.
phile
|
|
|
|
|
angus21
Nov 14, 2004, 6:01 PM
Post #84 of 87
(23681 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 21, 2004
Posts: 7
|
Hi all:
It has been brought to my attention that the paypay email address is incorrect on my signature line. The correct email is creativeink1@msn.com. Also, any contributions can be made at any Wells Fargo Bank. Tell the teller you wish to deposit in the Angus McInnes Memorial Fund. Thanks for your generousity.
p.s. I have been trying to correct my signature line but haven't had any luck, yet.
Cindy
|
|
|
|
|
angus21
Nov 26, 2004, 6:28 PM
Post #85 of 87
(23681 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 21, 2004
Posts: 7
|
I want to thank all of you at rc.com for you compassion and support. It felt so good to have representatives of the climbing community attend Angus’ memorial service. I printed out the posts from rc.com and left them for all to read. It gave people a sense of what sort of person Angus was as a climber and I hope all of you climbers now have a sense of Angus as a fiancée, father, stepfather, son, brother, friend and all around maniac for life.
I know some of you have questions about Angus’ accident from a safety point of view. I’ll share with you what I found out from meeting with the Boulder Sheriff’s Office. I picked up Alexey and Kirill and we met Dave from the Sheriff’s office in Eldo. Angus had a map and route directions for Ant Hill in his pocket when he died. Evidently, they started climbing and got to the fourth pitch, about 450 feet up. At this point, instead of going to the right, he went to the left across a face that’s probably rated 5.8 (the rating is not documented in his climbing book so I’m going off what Dave said), but well within his climbing ability. My only thought here is he either thought he was on the fourth pitch (which shows to go to the left) but was actually on the fifth (which shows to go to the right) or he was trying to get to the big crack for some reason. Either way, he climbed across the right side face of a dihedral and was about 10’ to 15’ from the center when he slipped or a hold crumbled in his hand or something. He had 25’ of rope out because there wasn’t anywhere to place a piece of pro and was up and to the left of his last piece of pro. When he fell, he became a pendulum and slammed into the right side of the dihedral and then back to the left. A hex nut from his rack became lodged in the rock on the left side of the dihedral and his arm was pulled up to about shoulder height. Because of the distance between the hex and his rack, the rack was pulled up and tight against the right side of his neck. He was wearing some webbing slings across his chest as well and his right arm was pinned between his body and the rocks. This caused his slings to be pulled down and tight against the left side of his neck. Both his carotid arteries were shut off and the flow of blood to his brain stopped. He was probably unconscious after the first hit (he had a severe cut to the left side of his head) so he died quickly and painlessly. The hex was fairly big and the left side was flush against the mountain but the right side was caught on a very thin flake. There was a pine needle next to his hex and the flake was the same width as the pine needle. Basically, less than an eighth of an inch wide. I don’t know how the hex held, it seemed so precarious, but it did. An eighth of an inch in any direction and he would have swung back to the middle directly beneath his last piece of pro and would still be alive. He would have been banged up, but his other injuries were not fatal. His back and neck were not broken. In fact, he had no broken bones at all.
According to Dave, in 50 years of search and rescue in Eldo, a similar event has never occurred. There were some reports of gear catching and saving a climber, but never of killing one. His rack and slings were worn properly, he had on a helmet, his pro was placed correctly and held as intended. It seems this truly was a freak accident without an explanation. I cannot believe that a flake so thin could catch and hold a hex like it did. It absolutely boggles the mind.
As for those of us left behind, we are struggling through a world lessened by his loss. But I still feel his spirit is with us. The other night we went to the Melting Pot for dinner and my youngest (she’s 13) told me someone had carved A + C on the side of the table. Sure enough, upon investigation, there it was. Jut like on the tree where we had carved
A + C during our first camping trip. For those of you not familiar with the Melting Pot, it’s not the type of restaurant where you would expect to find graffiti on the tables. This is the restaurant where we celebrated Angus’ birthday shortly after we met and was one of his favorite places. I know it may seem superstitious but the statistical chances of sitting at this table, in his favorite restaurant, with a carving exactly like the one he and I made, in front of probably the only person that would notice such a thing just seem astronomical.
So, thank you for your messages of comfort. They are appreciated more than you will ever realize.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
cragmom
Sep 29, 2014, 9:35 PM
Post #87 of 87
(6704 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 19, 2006
Posts: 1
|
This is Cindy. As the 10 year anniversary approaches, I just want to say a heartfelt "thank you" to the many climbers who took me under their wing and taught me how to climb after Angus died. Your kindness will always warm my heart.
|
|
|
|
|
|
