Death in RRG

Post by **caribe** » Thu Feb 18, 2010 3:06 pm

{I moved my post to forum on free soloing}

Post by **pkananen** » Thu Feb 18, 2010 3:13 pm

caribe wrote:
rjackson wrote:Anyone know the ratio of recreational hikers/backpackers/regular people falling fatalities as compared to climbers/rapellers/guided people?
Its massive.

AFAIK, there are 2-3 people a year who die (mostly hikers at night/drunk), and there have been 2 technical climbing-related deaths in 20 or 30 years in RRG.

Post by **ahab** » Thu Feb 18, 2010 3:44 pm

caribe wrote:
rjackson wrote:Anyone know the ratio of recreational hikers/backpackers/regular people falling fatalities as compared to climbers/rapellers/guided people?
Its massive.

reported or actual?
if one were to go by the news reports on these accidents, one would think climbers were falling off the rock left and right.

Post by **powen01** » Thu Feb 18, 2010 4:08 pm

Clevis Hitch wrote:
weber wrote:
ynp1 wrote:I don't think there is anything wrong with free soloing... If a climber wants to do it, then they should.

It's a free country - can't argue. But there are serious consequences some of these "climbers" don't seem to consider before assuming the risk. First, to the friends and family (including in this case a 5-year old) the victim leaves behind. And, second to the level of risk that rock climbing carries as perceived by private landowners, park managers, and the legal "profession". Nelson rocks was permanently closed because of one climber death - and she wasn't soloing. There are a few folks in the Forest Service who would just as soon see climbing closed on USFS land, and they use climbing accidents like Fletcher/Strohmeyer, Wilhoite, and others to back their cause.

ynp1 wrote:I dont think as a community we should try to force free soloing onto somebody, but you should also not look down on a person that decides that they want to.
I hope you never have to "look down" on the remains of someone who has fallen a high cliff as we have had to. Five falling deaths in the RRG area in a little over a year. Not including numerous horrific injuries.

ynp1 wrote:It is the purest form of rock climbing.

Said the person who probably has never had to package fallen victims into body bags.

Just some thoughts from a landowner, geezer climber, and tech rescuer.

Maybe its just me but that sounds so condescending.

Not really; just sounds like a landowner, geezer climber and rescuer who is thinking about free-soloing from the angle of the other people who it can possibly impact; namely, witnesses, land users, climbers and rescuers.

I generally can't pick up tone and inflection online, and even if there is some, it shouldn't detract from what he is trying to say.

Post by **Meadows** » Thu Feb 18, 2010 4:24 pm

It's definitely not condescending. People use that term too loosely by reading statements with biased opinions.

Post by **powen01** » Thu Feb 18, 2010 4:36 pm

You know, weber's post would be a great one to throw into the free-soloing thread too...

Post by **Clevis Hitch** » Thu Feb 18, 2010 7:09 pm

No, Sycophants! I wasn't saying anything about rick.

I was saying that about ynp and his arrogant statement about "purity". As far as understanding about what the word condesending means. Your saying I don't know what the word means is very condesending. I'll put my reading comprehension and word skills up against any one of you...

Post by **toad857** » Thu Feb 18, 2010 7:38 pm

Clevis Hitch wrote:As far as understanding about what the word condesending means. Your saying I don't know what the word means is very condesending. I'll put my reading comprehension and word skills up against any one of you...

condescending

i win.

Post by **powen01** » Thu Feb 18, 2010 7:43 pm

Clevis Hitch wrote:No, Sycophants! I wasn't saying anything about rick.

I was saying that about ynp and his arrogant statement about "purity". As far as understanding about what the word condesending means. Your saying I don't know what the word means is very condesending. I'll put my reading comprehension and word skills up against any one of you...

Sorry for the misunderstanding... your comment came after quoting all of weber and ynp's statements and immediately followed after weber's last words. I'm sure you could understand why it was confusing.

I am guessing your last comment and "sycophant" comment was tongue in cheek?

Post by **captain static** » Thu Feb 18, 2010 8:39 pm

Found some RRG statistics while searching for something else: 1960 to 2004 - 1,575 SAR missions, 55 deaths, many of the deaths attributed to falls from cliffs.