RRC Archives

That is unfortunate. I would be interested to know more about how the gri gri failed.

Perhaps there should actually be a serious message, presented in some entertaining yet serious way about the common themes in the red this year:

1. Belaying safety
2. Crag etiquette
3. How to poop (or rather how NOT to poop on a trail or under a climb)
4. Fixed equipment and wear (aluminum biners, rings, webbing, etc)

Video presentation? A skit between high profile things (music, movie) Saturday night at Rocktoberfest? Or more serious: a moment of silence?

I was belaying a climber on Tissue Tiger when this accident happened. I was with my wife, daughter, friend and his daughter. We were not with the with the climber who fell. There were 7-8 other people around the base of the twelve wall not including us. It was my impression that they were all together (so Andrew, I do believe the people playing the music were with the climber that fell). Saxman nailed the jist of the accident. I'll state what I saw. One of the climbers involved in the accident is welcome to confirm or deny my observations. I was getting ready to lower my climber from Tissue and saw the climber on Reliquary falling out of the corner of my eye. I looked over just in time to see him hit the ground. He fell near the last bolt (bolt at the last good kneebar?). He hit feet first collapsed to the ground. I then glanced at the belayer...it appeared she had her right hand over the gri preventing it from locking. I didn't see the gri-gri myself, but heard someone state that it was fed properly. From what I observed, I believe that the reason for the groundfall was belayer negligence. I'm sorry if the belayer reads this and is offended and again, if I am wrong, please speak up. I initially planned to keep my comments to myself, but believe this can be a learning experience for everyone. Pay attention people! Climbing is real! I don't enjoy music at the crag, but it shouldn't matter. Crags are becoming more crowded and distractions occur. Music, dogs, kids, cats, bears, what the fuck ever...pay attention to the cllimber! Their life is in your hands! And don't pick up a belay device if you don't have proper training. Experienced climbers make sure your belayer knows what they are doing. All this stuff has been said many times, but it can't hurt to say it again.

When we left the climber was sitting up, conducting conscious conversation and appeared to be okay. I hope he is. RIP little dog.

Hard to imagine someone climbing 12s wouldn't know how to operate a grigri. Then again, you don't have to climb well (or at all) to belay.

No shortage of people in gyms who boulder exponentially harder than what it takes to climb 5.12 at the Red. It doesn't mean they are aware of the requisite skills to sport climb outside.

First off, the the gri gri is still in one piece, the belay device did not fail. It was improperly used.

The music and number of people in this incident are irrelevant.

If you put your hand over the cam on a gri gri, it will not lock.

If that does not make sense to you please stop belaying with a gri gri until you can figure out how to use it properly.
Here is a video that explains this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSVchbjVKLE

What kind of dog was it that got crushed?

goodguy wrote:What kind of dog was it that got crushed?

I'd like to know to, sounds like he was a good spot till the end.

This is so pathetic, and so tragic... but of course it could have been MUCH worse. Another month, another preventable accident. Why do people trust any buffoon to belay them? Why do people who don't know how to belay insist on belaying in spite of their ignorance? It makes absolutely zero sense to me.... climbing is serious, it's quite literally life and death--people act like they're playing basketball or hackysack in the park... friggin' unbelievable!

That poor dog.... this guy is so lucky to be alive and walking. Knowing the way these things go, though, he'll probably make all the same mistakes again next month... and it won't be long until the next idiotic slip-up results in another death. I seriously feel that a belay certification process is in order for the RRG... more practically, it is up to everyone to watch out for each other: If you see someone doing something stupid or belaying poorly at the crag, SAY SOMETHING!!! If they get offended, who cares? Just be as constructive as possible... please, it's for their own good as well as (obviously) everyone on the ground. Plus, a fatality at a crag like Military and we may lose it for good.

Possibly a cockapoo. Small poodlish dog that weighed maybe 15-20 lbs?