Saturday's Accident at PMRP

[caribe]

see Day's comments above. When Day is not talking politics, Day is right.

[jrathfon]

I have no desire to beat up on the injured climber or his belayer. But it is very important that everyone understand exactly what went wrong here. The climber FAILED TO TIE A KNOT IN THE END OF HIS DAMNED RAP LINES. It is never acceptable to rap without a bulky knot in the end of your rap line or lines. If you take shortcuts and skip the knots you will ( almost guaranteed) rap off the end of your rope some day. I've known several people who've made this mistake and only one who slipped over a too-small knot. This accident was 100% preventable with proper (and simple) technique. Repeat after me - TIE A BIG KNOT IN THE END OF YOUR RAP LINES - ALWAYS- NO EXCEPTION.

I'm sorry, but I feel I must comment on 2 things:

But first, I hope for a speedy recovery and I'd like to state my sympathy for friends and family.

1) There is a time and a place for knots at the end of your rope. The RED is DEFINITELY a place to TIE KNOTS IN THE ENDS. However, tying knots rapping down a face covered in petina at red rocks on a windy day is screaming EPIC. Even without knots, ropes will snag on petina 100ft horizontally away from the rap line, you need to take caution when rapping, use saddle bag coils, and have the first rappeler hold the ends for the 2nd rappeler. Stating blanket rules is DANGEROUS, it comes down to double/triple checking and being conscious of all factors in a system: having safety checks such as verbal confirmation of ends being down (yes that is the responsibility of the climber, but I sure would feel guilty if I my friend rapped off the ends of a rope I was standing below).

2) Rapping isn't the issue. If anchors are "so easy to replace" how come so many worn anchors exist at the red and appear on the forum weekly? COMPLACENCY is the issue. Accidents happen (and have happened) while lowering as well. [I personally believe that if you don't contribute to the anchor system (money to teamsuck/muir/rrgcc, leaving/installing rings, cordage) and you lower on climbs that are easily cleanable on rap, you are a jerk. Just like if you climb at the PMRP and don't donate money and volunteer hours. That's a side issue though.] COMPLACENCY at the crag leads to accidents. Not checking tat, not checking biners, not checking friends, not asking others to quiet down so you can maintain climber/belayer communication, not checking your ends, not checking your harness/knots, not checking your partners harness/knots, not clarifying commands or the plans (climb/belay order, rope management) beforehand.

Finally complacency includes not saying anything when witnessing a dangerous situation and not instructing others properly around you. Pick up the slack where the gym instruction left off (how to apply this instruction to the real world) and instruct people how to poo properly.

End rant.

[caribe]

However, tying knots rapping down a face covered in petina at red rocks on a windy day is screaming EPIC.

Yes, obviously. Another option is to tie the cords to a Prussik on your lower leg and drop two loops instead of the two ends straight away. This will prevent rapping past the ends and will mitigate the effect of the wind. This protocol could still get you in trouble in violent wind (as could any protocol, as you stated). Making a blanket statement is not nearly as bad as translating all statements as truisms.

[jrathfon]

Also der uber brought up a good point.

This route is 80 ft tall? (or standard sport climb height) How does one fall 50 ft from rapping off the ends? Was the rope just passed through the anchor (only 30 ft) and no attempt was made to feed rope through (forgot to do this step)? That's pretty unbelievable, is it possible a different error was made? Only passing one rope through the device, or only getting one rope clipped with your locker? The one side slipping argument doesn't make too much sense as 50 ft would have needed to slide through one side, had the ends been on the ground.

I am not trying to criticize the injured climber, I'm just wondering about the mechanisms of the accident so something can be learned. Hopefully more details will arise as things stabilize, it would be great to hear an analysis from the climber if they felt up to it, once everybody is healed.

[caribe]

How does one fall 50 ft from rapping off the ends?

Did anyone see the fall. A 50 ft. fall from that route ─►death not a few fractured vertebrae. Perhaps it was a 25 ft fall. 50 ft does seem hard to believe, given the math. A 50-footer also seems silly, almost seems like attempted suicide.

[Andrew]

How does someone rap off the end of their rope and fall 50 feet on a 70 foot route. Doesn't add up to me.

Did they thread both ropes through the belay device and carabiner? That seems more plausible to me in the scenario.

[bcombs]

Maybe it is the same way that people say "I took a monster 40 foot whipper" when in actuality they fell 10 feet.

[bentley]

Does everyone understand that raping off of a single pitch sport route at the Red is completely unnecessary?
Yes there are exceptions, but not many.

[Andrew]

no they don't understand that.

[jrathfon]

Does everyone understand that raping off of a single pitch sport route at the Red is completely unnecessary?
Yes there are exceptions, but not many.

Do you understand lowering causes wear? Do you help in the maintenance of those anchors either directly or indirectly (donating and volunteering)? Do you understand that rapping is safe if you are competent and aware?

And I typically choose not to rape sport climbs, I heard they don't like it. Besides it makes it messy for the next climber.