Death inthe Gunks

better link... alpinist.com/doc/web12s/new…

and a long discussion...
rockclimbing.com/cgi-bin/fo…;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;

Very sad indeed. has any new info. come out on cause of the anchor failure?

There's an extra sense of tragedy here because it was the first time this girl had ever been climbing. That means the only mistake she could have made here was deciding to go that day. The rest of the accident lies on someone else's shoulders.

Man! My heart goes out to her and her family.

Rob Selter wrote:Man! My heart goes out to her and her family.

Very, very sad. My heart goes out to her family, and friends.

Good argument for adding bolted anchors.

Ike Rushmoore wrote:Good argument for adding bolted anchors.

Heartbreaking, I found this while looking for more info, please watch before debating anchors or anything else in here.

youtu.be/XkfmDM5WV-w

There are threads on this on many climbing sites, but no conclusive information about how the anchor failed, and a lot of ultimately worthless speculation. Stephanie was, from the climbing perspective, a complete innocent, and that makes this the worst tragedy I've heard of in my 55 years of climbing. As someone with a daughter Stephanie's age, my heart aches for her family and friends. If there was ever an incident that made climbing seem not worth it, this would be it.

This accident in particular, and some recent other ones, motivated Joe Vitti of Alpine Endeavors to organize the Saturday Night Live Free Clinics at the Gunks,

mountainproject.com/v/satur…

in which Joe and other local guides donate their time and expertise for anyone who wants to show up and perhaps learn something that maybe, just maybe, could prevent a future tragedy.

Edward Whymper's words, reflecting on the tragedy that befell his party after the first ascent of the Matterhorn in 1865, have not lost an iota of relevance for the modern climber.

Climb if you will, but remember that courage and strength are nought without prudence, and that a momentary negligence may destroy the happiness of a lifetime. Do nothing in haste; look well to each step; and from the beginning think what may be the end.

― Edward Whymper, Scrambles Amongst the Alps

The totality of gear for Whymper's party was ice axes, nailed boots, and manila ropes, and they were not enough. The modern climber is equipped with things Whymper could not have imagined, and yet it too is not always enough. Whymper's remarks, now almost 150 years old, cut through the myth that gear can solve climbing tragedies and put the onus back where it always was―on us.

Stephanie, we may not have known you, but we mourn your loss.

This finally hit home after watching the tribute video her roommate put together. My condolonces to family and friends.

We are all part of the family of human beings and it hurts to lose another young person with so much life left to live. Both this and the tragedy of the young climber in N.C. have made this a sad day for me. Hope both thier families feel our love.

rock_fencer wrote: no its not! This is such a trite response. Its a good argument for learning how to do things correctly and safely. Tragedy indeed for all those involved.