Every Climber Should Read This

Guy Keesee wrote:Good to see that nobody died. That being said... he broke my RULE #1 #1... don't hang on gear if its failure will deck you. Learn to down climb and /or place extra pieces when near the ground. I can't count the number of deaths and serious injuries that happen this way.

Actually, I think very few people get hurt this way, usually people get hurt from extremely preventable mistakes like rapping off the end of their ropes. Most people are very conscious of gear quality prior to weighting it, probably more conscious than they are of gear that they might fall on unexpectedly.

Morgan H wrote: Actually, I think very few people get hurt this way, usually people get hurt from extremely preventable mistakes like rapping off the end of their ropes. Most people are very conscious of gear quality prior to weighting it, probably more conscious than they are of gear that they might fall on unexpectedly.

Morgan I think you can add this to the extremely preventable mistake list. I agree that MOST climbers are conscious of the danger involved with only one piece of pro.

Not all are.

I can recall, of the top of me head, 3 recent accidents at Josh.

A death on Spider Line about 3 years ago, first piece dogged on over and over till failure.

A bad injury at Big Horn Mating Grotto...

And I know of a SAR call out on a climb named "the pit" .... climber took on one piece... went to the deck.

And add up all the folks who die on Doubble Cross every year, the numbers add up.