"Man Falls While Climbing at the Red River Gorge"

Post by **pigsteak** » Mon Apr 09, 2007 4:51 pm

Cliff Heindel is the guy who decked. RRO knows more.

Post by **Crankmas** » Mon Apr 09, 2007 4:53 pm

SCIN, thats what I was referring to but felt weird bringing it up because it "hadn't" and oh course I'm not cool so I didn't directly, was it Eller from R & I? he is a good dude but whomever it was I too hope they are okay. I couldn't resist the girl with a grigri line since thats the way it was worded to me.

Post by **SCIN** » Mon Apr 09, 2007 4:58 pm

Yea, I couldn't help but call attention to the big pink elephant in the room. I have no problem doing that.

Post by **Meadows** » Mon Apr 09, 2007 5:00 pm

rockman, He was creepy ... so much that he got fired for something else.

That sucks about Cliff.

Post by **RRO** » Mon Apr 09, 2007 6:23 pm

it was cliff from the board. our crew here at rro and true norths crew were part of the rescue team. its still unknown what caused the accident. cliff was cleaning the route on tr and had a non-experienced belay. he made it to the last bolt of JP and thats when all hell broke lose. looking at the accident and trying to recreate, we can only come up with a few scenarios. 1 the gri-gri was loaded wrong. 2. the lever was held down by a death grip. 3. slack was brought down but never taken in the gri-gri. all this is speculation. there are 3 craters where he hit. cliff is lucky to be alive. please keep him in your thoughts, prayers, whatever and send him a card or drop by UK to see him.

stay safe out there people. double, triple check yourself and your partner. it just takes a split second to really fuck up your day. i will keep posted as i find out more on cliff and the accident.

Post by **Crankmas** » Mon Apr 09, 2007 6:31 pm

Thanks for the update and hope for the best for all concerned.

Post by **Don McGlone** » Mon Apr 09, 2007 6:39 pm

I hope Cliff is OK.

I see a gri-gri is mentioned in all 3 senarios.

Post by **charlie** » Mon Apr 09, 2007 6:43 pm

Man, I hope he manages to walk this one off soon.

Check yourself and your partner people!

Post by **Mrs.climbeRPh** » Mon Apr 09, 2007 6:58 pm

I hope that the hiker/climber is okay, since we all make mistakes on what is supposed to be a fun day.........but.........I also hope rescuer Bowen can refrain from comments, like the following:

Rescuer J.L. Bowen says the climber could not have prevented the fall, that his repelling equipment simply failed him, and this is not the typical rescues they're used to dealing with.

From the possible scenarios presented above, these were INDEED preventable!
This was not a manufacturer's problem, it was inexperience.
Sad, that I am now annoyed, when it is really quite tragic

Post by **redpointron** » Mon Apr 09, 2007 7:10 pm

thanks matt for the update, but, more importantly, for you and the others who helped on the rescue....

get well soon cliff.

regards.

r.r.