Incident at mazama, goat wall

I'm looking for info about what happened to my buddy last Sunday (17th).

All I've heard is that it was a rappelling accident. 

https://methowvalleynews.com/2023/09/21/climbing-accident-claims-life-of-alabama-man/

Hi Jeremy, please shoot me an email at zachary.winters@usda.gov

I need to first get clarification on what I'm allowed to share, but I do have information and would like to help you understand what happened.

I am so, so incredibly sorry for your loss.

Rapped down from the top of the third pitch of the inspiration route. Went down with a 60 and 70 tied together.

Knots were tied on both strands. The two others he was with (2 and 3) were at the anchor waiting to rap next. The rope started flying through the chains. 2 grabbed the rope before it slid all the way through the chains. They pulled up on the rope to try and re-thread it to where it was. It was met with resistance from below. They fixed the line and went to the ground with a knot pass. Spencer was lying face down. He was unresponsive and breathing. They didn't move him and help came. At some point, he stopped breathing and CPR started. He passed away ~30 mins after the fall.

I'm pretty confident the knot came undone from the 60m rope and he rapped off of it. This would explain the events that occurred. He would NOT have intentionally untied it. Additional photos from before he rapped down show two tied knots.

This accident is all to common. Most of these accidents could be prevented by implementing pre-rig rappelling techniques, lets not turn this into a pre-rig forum, if you have questions DM me.

Spencer was a good friend, condolences to his other friends and his family. Sending love <3

Brian Johnson wrote:

Rapped down from the top of the third pitch of the inspiration route. Went down with a 60 and 70 tied together.

Knots were tied on both strands. The two others he was with (2 and 3) were at the anchor waiting to rap next. The rope started flying through the chains. 2 grabbed the rope before it slid all the way through the chains. They pulled up on the rope to try and re-thread it to where it was. It was met with resistance from below. They fixed the line and went to the ground with a knot pass. Spencer was lying face down. He was unresponsive and breathing. They didn't move him and help came. At some point, he stopped breathing and CPR started. He passed away ~30 mins after the fall.

I'm pretty confident the knot came undone from the 60m rope and he rapped off of it. This would explain the events that occurred. He would NOT have intentionally untied it. Additional photos from before he rapped down show two tied knots.

This accident is all to common. Most of these accidents could be prevented by implementing pre-rig rappelling techniques, lets not turn this into a pre-rig forum, if you have questions DM me.

Spencer was a good friend, condolences to his other friends and his family. Sending love <3

Thanks for posting. This seems pretty plausible, and, 100% godawful. So sorry, major condolences to you, the rest of his group, rescuers, friends, family, and the community. These accidents feel so senseless, because they are.....yet. This is part of what we do, at least those of us who climb outside.

Just know, we "get it", most of us have gone through losses.

Hugs from afar!

Best, Helen

Rapping has shown time and time again to be the time to be most diligent.
Condolences to all that have been effected by this accident. RIP Spencer.

Thank you Zachary & Brian for offering details into the incident.

We held a memorial tonight for Spencer, it was good to grieve with a group & celebrate his life.

It was good climbing with you buddy. I'll miss you.