Death in Red River Gorge

https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/local/2019/09/18/kentucky-rock-climber-marty-vogel-dies-muir-valley-red-river-gorge-fall/2361273001/?utm_source=share

Sounds like an amazing man was lost. I wish I could have met him. The rest of us should be inspired by his work to continue his local efforts.

I'm sorry to anyone that is going through it right now, and I hope the family is staying strong.

I don't know any accident details, but I knew Marty; super great guy who gave a lot back to the local RRG climbing community. Tragic.

Sincere condolences to the family and friends of Marty Vogel, May they find peace.
Here’s to a life well lived.

That seems to be the current info. Whether he didn’t finish the knot, didn’t back it up, or otherwise mistied it, we probably would never know.

The climb Marty was on starts on a ledge, people would often climb up to the ledge and then put on shoes/tie in, so the belayer standing on the ground wouldn’t have a close look of the knot, but supposedly belayer verbally asked if the knot was ok. 

I’m sure this will now turn into a bowline debate... and I wish it wouldn’t. If there is any lesson to take from this, it is simply this: everyone makes mistakes. Even attentive, detail-oriented, precise, careful, experienced people like Marty make mistakes. You think you wouldn’t... and I hope you are right, whoever “you” are, reading this... take care, and check everything!

I have first met Marty about 10 years ago, and we have climbed together on and off many times, as our schedules lined up.

He was perpetually psyched about climbing, and over the years had made a gradual transition, first from the weekend warrior driving down to the Red every weekend in season, to buying a house at the Red and working semi-remotely, to full-time climbing. As he became more closely associated with the Red, he started bolting routes, and got involved in local climbing projects,  but even before that, he always made a point to volunteer for trail days, and Rocktoberfest, etc. 

He rented rooms at his Camp Send to visiting climbers, and loved that people came from all over the world to stay with him. My husband and I spent our honeymoon there... 

It is always a punch in the gut when someone you know is taken too soon. Marty was known to so many people at the Red, and a lot of people are grieving now. RIP, Marty!

Rest in Peace.

Ive climbed with Marty off and on for nearly 20 years, east and west.  The last time I saw him was August 2016.  I had travelled from UT to visit him in likely the worst month to climb in the red- August.  We hopped on his four wheeler and he showed me all the new happenings down there- I climbed frequently down there in the late 90s / early 2000s and had not been back since 2004?  

We did this 5.10 crack route and various others in the area then went back to his cabin and dropped a way-too-big of a ski boat on his little pond and spent the rest of the day kneeboarding in tight circles...

I never met Marty but this is very sad. Rest in peace.

Marty was remarkably welcoming and generous to so many climbers, including relatively new ones like me. I was on his crew during last month's Rebolt the Red event, photo included here.

This is a huge loss to our community. Although I never got to climb with Marty, we did work on several rebolting projects and a lot of trail days together. He was at every trail day and every rebolting day. Anytime there was hard sweaty work to be done in the Red, rest assured Marty was prolly there. He was always there to help.
         It’s not very often you meet someone of Marty’s character. Always happy, always there to help. He seamed to inspire people to do more. A super nice guy with no big ego. 
     Marty genuinely loved and cared about the red river gorge, which inspired me as well as many others to do more than just climb. He is the example of what it means to truly care about the places we play in.    I’m a better man to have met and work with Marty in a place we share and love so much.   Marty’s shoes could never be filled, but his spirit will live on forever. 
  Peace my friend till we meet again. 

Repost from ​RRG Fixed Gear Initiative​​​

Marty Vogel's Memorial Services will be as follows:
Visitation: Tuesday September 24th, 4-7 pm
Beacon Cremation & Funeral Service. 413 S Mears Ave, Whitehall, MI 49461
Funeral Service: Wednesdsay, September 25th, 11 am
St. James Catholic Church
5149 Dowling St, Montague, MI 49437
Memorial Service: Saturday, September 28, 5:30PM
290 Jones Rd. Beattyville KY 41311.
Please attend as you are available.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Red River Gorge Climber's Coalition (rrgcc.com), the Lee County Recreation Center Climbing Wall (leecountyreccenter.com), the RRG Fixed Gear Initiative (rrgfgi.com), Wolfe County Seach & Rescue (wcsart.com), or your local climbing organization to honor Marty.

Rock & Ice: Marty Vogel, 59, Red River Gorge Fixture, Killed in Climbing Accident

Sad deal

I offer my sincere condolences to Marty’s Family and Friends.

I was lookin' forward to catching-up with Marty at the upcoming RRGCC Rocktoberfest…  Rest easy, brother.  Our condolences, from Marty's friends in Utah!

I don't want to speculate as to what happened, but the Rock & Ice article mentions he tied in via a single bowline w/ yosemite finish.  This youtube video shows how if you dress that knot incorrectly, it basically falls apart https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jj42B8eCOzc.

Would be a very easy mistake to make...

Sounds like he was a great person.  R.I.P.

I stayed with Marty at his airbnb earlier this year when I climbed at the red. He was a very kind host and went out of this way to make us feel comfortable. We talked about routes, training (he gave me some good training tips), he taught us how to properly peel a hard boiled egg... and he offered me to sleep in one of the empty bedrooms (which I didn't book) because my friend I was sharing a room with was snoring... He was quite reserved but very psyched about climbing. After we left the red, he sent me a note letting me know he sent Twinkie 5.12a (my friend and I also tried Twinkie on the trip but struggled a lot...) I was looking forward to staying with him again when I return to the red.   RIP Marty

That youtube demo is scary.   I wouldn't want my knot to be based on how I dressed it.   Kind of a delicate way to decide your fate.

Super bummed on this news.