Devil's Lake Accident 4-1-07

Yes, as stated above, the confusion by the masses between climbers and hikers is as age old as it is frustrating. I lived in Estes for the past two years and talked to many passing through that were going to "Climb" Longs Peak. Always annoying to hear, especially after all the time and energy put in to accomplish a lifelong goal-climbing the Diamond. It is extremely disappointing getting to Broadway multiple times to find miserable conditions and bailing. The disappointment amplifies when, while trying to drown your sorrows, you hear a boasting tourist at Ed's Cantina holler out that "We climbed Longs Peak yesterday."

Ian, would you put your name to the letter?

The problem, or at least one of the problems here (besides lazy media), is probably the way in which the park passes on information to the media; i.e. if they say "climbing accident" the media reports climbing accident. Now this is admittedly a 'guess' on my part, and no I do not have any facts to back it up. It would be interesting to see how the park logs these accidents, do they put them down as climbing, scrambling or hiking? Again my guess is that they do not differentiate.

Jay, have you considered addressing the letter to the park, and CCing it to the media? Just another thought on how to address this.
-ron-

Ron, I have thought about it, but James brought up a good point. The park, being a government bureaucracy, is less likely to be receptive to a simple distinction being made between hiker and climber. And I don't have the time of the resources to really outline what absolutely constitutes a climber.

I think that the simplest distinction is best and that the media will be most receptive to that distinction. All the reporter has to do is to ask the park that one question (shoes or not) and the park will or will not have an answer. After being asked that a few times, maybe the park will begin to take notice. I think that that's the best I can do...

I thought I'd do the opposite: address the letter to the media and CC it to the park. What do you think?

I am wondering if the letter should be sent individually to each news organization that reported the accident and if it should take the form of a "letter to the editor."

Or is there a more general way to get the letter out to the media? I'm thinking press release, but I'm not sure that's right.

I have a draft, but it's pretty rough considering I don't really know who the audience is yet.

Plus, I have about 20 names already, though many more would be better.

Get the word out...

Yes I would sign a letter, Jay.

Ian

James brought up a good point? Did you have to put that in print? Its kind of like feeding wild animals, it only encourages them to return....

My thought was it would be easier to attack at the source of the info rather than the various media outlets. If the park can get it right (admittedly a big if) it would make it easier for everyone else. Either way, I applaud what you are trying to do..... And yes you can use my name, but you already knew that.

I think it would be useful to send the letter to both the media and the park. I don't think we should seek for a perfect distinction. The point is that some sort of distinction is made, and I'm okay with it if it's not totally accurate, as long as it's simple.

Mark Nelson wrote:Jay, the Hiker vs Climber media definition is a nationwide thing -- it's something that caused the AAC to do an entire case study to show the actual cost of either user group given a rescue response situation. It isn't gonna matter how much you try to educate the media; the only ones in that industry that care are responsible journalists, not mass-media reporters, due diligence seems to go out the window when there is a live report that needs to go on the air.

I completely agree with this.

In addition to climbing I also enjoy hiking up the 13ers and 14ers from time to time so I also surf sites like summitpost.com and 14ers.com. I constantly read posts from hikers who call themselves climbers when they are summiting the peaks via the walk ups and have no intention of ever actually climbing the stone. It gets under my skin because it is done in a publicly viewed forum that I know the media accesses regularly, especially when there is an incident. So we've got the media calling hikers climbers and the hikers calling themselves climbers. It’s no wonder why there is so much confusion. It frustrates me more when I hear them call climbers hikers. I heard a local station call one of the world’s most adventurous climbers who had passed a hiker. I saw just how quick the media was to get a story out without doing the necessary research. It was very disrespectful in my opinion.

I do like the idea of press releases coming from climbers. I think it would be a catalyst to getting the correct information out to the public and I think that is very important. With access issues constantly popping up, inaccurate and sometimes negative publicity is not something that our lifestyle needs.

There is something else to consider, if you explain that there is a difference between a day hiker & technical climber, then that could define acceptable freedom of expression. The problem is that what is acceptable to one person may not be to another, why should I have to be told by a government agency how I should approach a climb, excepting wildlife habitat & conservation? I shouldn't, it's not the place of a govt agency to do so. Their role is to manage the natural resource (as well, it is our role also).

I do not understand where you are going here Mark? I don't think anyone is expecting the government to regulate anything more than accurate information. Admittedly that in and of itself seems a bit difficult these days...

My thought on my 2nd post goes more toward working with the Park vs dealing with the Media, which is where I felt this topic was moving into.

If you say: Incident A happened because this person didn't have ... then he's really not a climber.

Then the Mgr says: OK, lets ban that activity because it's really not safe nor is it viewed by others as being an activity other people should be partaking. Even though the activity doesn't threaten a habitat, the natural resource, or the unknowing general public; we should not allow it so that it doesn't happen again.

Or further, this might cost the Mgr money to emergency response because it's not viewed as an acceptable activity and we can't really define one user group to another in a general use park, we better cut our potential liability and regulate any recreational activity that might result in a fall hazard within our park.

Yes, Ron, it's a stretch, but it's just something to consider when working with a land mgr & should be addressed by climbers that, yes, there is risk involved when climbing and/or scrambling and to try and outlaw all activity is really just a pipe dream; however, this is what we do to give back to the Park if you allow us to freely use these areas: conservation of the approach, trail work & sanitation, climber education, participation on technical rescue teams, conservation of the cliffs, safety of the general public, & basically getting others outside and enjoying our parks (which should be what we all want)

Conversely, if you try and explain all this to the media, it goes in one ear & out the other because it's just not reportable, just doesn't have that shock value of "Climber Falls! Rescuers in Peril to Save Whoever!!" - when most the time it's really a lost day-hiker totally unprepared or inexperienced for terrain & outdoor elements.

Here are some of my thoughts as disjointed as they may be:

Yesterday I went for a hike/scramble/(climbing?) at some of the secluded crags at Devils Lake. I'm on spring break and had no partner to climb with. I was not going to waste a gorgeous day so with digital camera and light pack I did some cruidin. My quest was to take some shots and post them on this site. I was not aware of the accident that had occurred two days ago.

During the outing I engaged in what some (not "climbers") would call "risky" actions such as crossing boulder fields, scrambling up nasty gullies and 4th Class rock, maybe even "soloing" some easy 5th Class Rock. I was all alone. No one knew exactly that I was in a secluded region of the Park. Coming off the winter I'm not in great climbing shape so even the "easy stuff" I was engaging in had a certain level of relative "risk" to it. I almost "BIFFED" it on one boulder field and pulled off a loose rock when I was off the deck. My point is that given my current fitness level yesterday had a bit of an edge to it.

Where am I going with this? My question is this. Had I befallen in some sort of accident how would it have been reported. How would it be "perceived" by the climbing community (such as it is)and the non climbing community (such as they are)? By the way I had climbing shoes and a chalk bag in my pack but never took them out.

I then made my way back to the East Rampart and observed others engaged in "outdoor risky behavior involving rock and steep terrain".
Some were toproping (low risk?). Some were lead climbing (more risk?). One was free soloing (even more risk?).

I chatted with the young "extremist" and he seemed like a very nice young man. A well tuned climber. Listening to his IPod he appeared skilled, confidant, happy, and just lovin life. Had he befallen a tragic event how would that be perceived by all the above mentioned "communities" and the authorities (such as they are)? By the way he had a chalk bag and was wearing climbing shoes.

I don't know it this ramble makes any sense. I guess I'm just trying to point out that "risk" is everywhere and relative. Whether it be hiking, scrambling, bouldering, rope climbing or soloing. One hopes that the person involved knows the risks and deals with them.

Unfortunately the tragic end of "risky" actions in the outdoors may impact others wanting to engage in the SAME RISKY activities.

Damn Pete, wish I had know you were on break. I was there all weekend getting rained on, I would have loved to go out and get 'risky' with you on Monday.

Mark, your point is well taken, but I am not sure how it applies in "our" situation. At Devil's Lake, climbing is considered a 'non-designated use' activity. Basically the park takes the role of a 4 yr old with his fingers in his ears saying la-la-la I am not listening, out of site out of mind. The trails underneath the bluff (climber access) are not maintained, nor can they be maintained. This all has something to do with Wisc. state law.

Hiking however is very much a designated use activity, there are trails levered in to place through the talus fields where day hikers often wander off into the boulders, both intentionally and accidentally.

As far as your earlier mention of helping with rescues, again we (climbers)are often forbidden once an official agency is on site. I have watched the local county S&R work out there, it is painful!

Well, that is all from me, I am off to get risky down at The Red. It will be interesting to see where this has gone, if any where, when I get home.

Apparantly he was with his son who drove to Baraboo to call 911.
From JS online:

MONDAY, April 2, 2007, 12:58 p.m.
By Jesse Garza
Local rock climber dies at Devil's Lake

A West Allis man died from a fall while climbing rocks at Devils Lake State Park, a park official said today.

James Kotlewski was behind is 17-year-old son and two other 17-year-old boys while the three were "scrambling" on a bluff at the park about 7 p.m., Sunday, assistant park superintendent Steve Schmelzer said.

The boys lost sight of Kotlewski shortly before they heard rocks falling behind them, Schmelzer said.
After the boys went back down and found Kotlewski his son continued down the bluff and drove to Baraboo, where he called 911, Schmelzer said.

Rescue workers located Kotlewski about midnight near the Devil's Doorway trail, authorities said.

Yeah, it is bigger than just back east. Utah gets hit with it regularly, with 2-3 climbers dying a year, and many more climbers getting stuck and rescued. Oh, did I say climbers, meant hikers. In the past 10 years, I'm only familiar with 2 climbing fatalities in Utah (not to say there weren't more), but regularly hear about "climbers" (read hikers) getting hurt all the time.

I agree that there isn't really an easy way to approach this. Yes, the park should know the difference, which is why park climbing rangers are such a great commodity. And yes, educating the media could help, but I feel that it would have to be more of a community issue (working with your local news media to show what climbing is about and distinguishing the difference between it and hiking and mountaineering. And lastly, educating Jon Doe.

Good luck with it, and let us know what we can help with.

Here is the press release I sent to The Baraboo News Republic, The Wisconsin State Journal, The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, WKOW, WISCTV, and WBAY. Thanks to everyone who added their support and/or comments.

Contact: Jay Knower FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Email: jayknower@adelphia.net

MEDIA USES INCORRECT TERMS REGARDING ACCIDENTS AT DEVIL'S LAKE
Hikers are often misreported as rock climbers.

The major news organizations reported that on Sunday, April 1st, a man fell and died while scaling a rock wall at Devil's Lake State Park. One report led with the headline, "Climber killed at Devil's Lake." Another headline stated, "Climber dies at Devil's Lake."

In recent years, there has been a tendency for the news media to confuse the terms "hiker" and "climber." The park users who go to Devil's Lake to rock climb use specialized gear for that purpose. Hikers who decide to climb on the rocks without such gear should not be considered rock climbers.

It seems as soon as a park user steps off the trail and onto the rock, he becomes a "climber," and any negative fate that might befall him is reported as happening to a rock climber.

There is a vibrant and safety-conscious group of rock climbers who climb at Devil's Lake. To suggest that wayward hikers fall into that category is to discount the rigorous safety procedures that most climbers employ.

Here is a simple way to distinguish between a hiker and a climber: if the person has specialized rock climbing shoes, he is a climber. If he lacks these, he is not. These climbing shoes are often tight-fitting and painful, making them useless for hiking and excellent for climbing. It is extremely unlikely that a hiker would be wearing these shoes.

Please, on behalf of all safety conscious rock climbers at Devil's Lake, honor the distinction between "hikers" and "climbers." This is not to discount the tragedy of this incident; however, those of us who climb do not appreciate the negative publicity generated in the community when hikers are mislabeled as climbers.

Thank You,

Jay Knower,
On behalf of the following members of the Wisconsin climbing community:

James Schroeder
Peter Arndt
Chris O'Connell
Ron Long
Nick Rhodes
Chris Shanks
Todd Stowell
Chris Hoppe
Sara Albert
Noah Wallenberg
Patrick Gleissner
Jason Huston
Jason Skinner
Andy Bissell
Ian Schmitt
Kayte Decker
Jane Backes
John Fields
Kendra Frank
Bob Heil
Nate Emerson
Dennis Roscetti
Katie Cadwell
Jeff Giese
Cheryl Seger
Neil O Cary
Kris Muller

####

Good work Jay!!

Thanks for all the time and effort you put into this. Now we wait and see the results.

The "problem" is not the media, its the person the media got its information from.

Maybe a group of us should ask Supt. Evans and someone from Baraboo Ambulance to sit down with us. We would ask for their help. They've stopped reporting accidents to ANAM since Tim Miller left, and it would be useful to the national climbing community if they helped keep better track of climbing accidents and sent in annual summary reports (it only needs to be a few paragraphs long, and we could help them write it if necessary).

We could check in on what shape the rescue caches are in, and help get them new litters if they are called for.

We could update the climbing information brochure.

We need them to revisit the New Sandstone closure. The closure has no compelling rational basis, which encourages scofflaws. If they had a *good* reason for the closure, they'd find that climbers would actually help them enforce it!

And we need to let Evans know that we would like to see Gibraltar opened to climbing. People do not respect Columbia County's closure now, and you see lots of fresh chalk.

Doug Hemken wrote:The "problem" is not the media, its the person the media got its information from. Maybe a group of us should ask Supt. Evans and someone from Baraboo Ambulance to sit down with us. We would ask for their help. They've stopped reporting accidents to ANAM since Tim Miller left, and it would be useful to the national climbing community if they helped keep better track of climbing accidents and sent in annual summary reports (it only needs to be a few paragraphs long, and we could help them write it if necessary). We could check in on what shape the rescue caches are in, and help get them new litters if they are called for. We could update the climbing information brochure. We need them to revisit the New Sandstone closure. The closure has no compelling rational basis, which encourages scofflaws. If they had a *good* reason for the closure, they'd find that climbers would actually help them enforce it! And we need to let Evans know that we would like to see Gibraltar opened to climbing. People do not respect Columbia County's closure now, and you see lots of fresh chalk.

I totally agree, let's all get together and do these things...