Red Rocks Fatality

Has anyone heard anything about this?

Please keep us posted if you can. These are people I know from my gym. 

https://news3lv.com/news/local/las-vegas-police-rescue-four-climbers-stranded-on-pine-creeks-cat-in-the-hat-route?fbclid=IwY2xjawH7dwxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHT7YSzOfqbnJ4Fp85D6UAlcDRSTaUOZKcoG6GXLH5xywaCCHLTaJCXtcGg_aem_vgLe8WW9s6zseagtx4rtSQ

Sounds like two separate incidents at the same time, then?

2nd hand info: the accident occurred on Community Pillar.

Daniel Joder wrote:

Sounds like two separate incidents at the same time, then?

Yes, 2 incidents.

https://www.instagram.com/lvmpdsar/p/DE_3cP6s7z1/

I hesitate to post this here because people are so judgemental. I admit I have been, too, before this weekend. I was part of the party of 4 whose rope got stuck on Cat in the Hat. We were the party that had 2 SAR climbers headed up to help us rap off the route. We then called SAR again when we saw the accident on the rap for Community Pillar to let them know the other party would need a helivac. We would have rapped with the SaR pair, except they needed the Sar climbers on Community Pillar. So, AIR 3 dropped us in the parking lot and went back to assist in the recovery efforts on Community Pillar. I am processing what I saw and heard and I am not prepared to be bombarded with judgement or "you could have." God put us there, at that time and that place for a reason. I will not be checking this post again, as I am going to grieve how I need to. If you are the other person across the wall from us on Community Pillar, please reach out. If you are a family member of the other party, please feel free to reach out.

Carey De Luca wrote:

I hesitate to post this here because people are so judgemental. I admit I have been, too, before this weekend. I was part of the party of 4 on Cat in the Hat. We were the party that had 2 SAR climbers headed up to help us rap off the route. We called SAR when we saw the accident on the rap for Community Pillar. We would have rapped with the SaR pair, except they needed the Sar climbers on Community Pillar. So, AIR 3 dropped us in the parking lot and went back to assist in the recovery efforts on Community Pillar. I am processing what I saw and heard and I am not prepared to be bombarded with judgement or "you could have." God put us there, at that time and that place for a reason. I will not be checking this post again, as I am going to grieve how I need to. If you are the other person across the wall from us on Community Pillar, please reach out. If you are a family member of the other party, please feel free to reach out.

Hope that you and the rest of your party are ok. tfpu.

Terry E wrote:

Yes, 2 incidents.

https://www.instagram.com/lvmpdsar/p/DE_3cP6s7z1/

Would you mind screenshots of the comments so those of us without instagram can see? From the bit I can see, it sounds like the other accident is described?

RIP

There is a post here post in the SoCal Climbers Facebook group with a little more information.

Here is the IG post

In a reply to a comment on the same post as linked above:

Climb On wrote:

Would you mind screenshots of the comments so those of us without instagram can see? From the bit I can see, it sounds like the other accident is described?

Sorry about that. Am adding the photo from the IG post since text has already been posted.

Thank you, Carey De Luca.  Glad your group is good. And thank you for calling in for the other party.

Sadly, the deceased was someone I know from my gym, who I see every week, and who I climbed with last month. She was a big personality, extremely friendly and always encouraging. And one heck of a strong sport climber too. 

From what I've gathered from a few people, it was a carabiner block type rappel accident involving rapping on the pull strand (I've not heard anything about a tagline involved, thus the ease of rapping on the wrong side of the setup). Nothing official yet. Heartbreaking news. 

Carey De Luca wrote:

I hesitate to post this here because people are so judgemental. I admit I have been, too, before this weekend. I was part of the party of 4 whose rope got stuck on Cat in the Hat. We were the party that had 2 SAR climbers headed up to help us rap off the route. We then called SAR again when we saw the accident on the rap for Community Pillar to let them know the other party would need a helivac. We would have rapped with the SaR pair, except they needed the Sar climbers on Community Pillar. So, AIR 3 dropped us in the parking lot and went back to assist in the recovery efforts on Community Pillar. I am processing what I saw and heard and I am not prepared to be bombarded with judgement or "you could have." God put us there, at that time and that place for a reason. I will not be checking this post again, as I am going to grieve how I need to. If you are the other person across the wall from us on Community Pillar, please reach out. If you are a family member of the other party, please feel free to reach out.

I appreciate your post to get more clarity on the incident from your point of view. Tragic for the family and friends that knew the victim. She was a very adventurous free spirited soul who was loved by everyone she met and was gone too soon. 

Cosmic Hotdog wrote:

Sadly, the deceased was someone I know from my gym, who I see every week, and who I climbed with last month. She was a big personality, extremely friendly and always encouraging. And one heck of a strong sport climber too. 

From what I've gathered from a few people, it was a carabiner block type rappel accident involving rapping on the pull strand (I've not heard anything about a tagline involved, thus the ease of rapping on the wrong side of the setup). Nothing official yet. Heartbreaking news. 

Hope to find out more on the incident.  My niece taught my kids how to rock climb and we keep having thoughts on how this unreal tragic situation could have happened to M. Thank you for the info you’ve shared.  Praying for peace and comfort for everyone that knew her. 

She was a ray of sunlight to those who knew her. We are all heartbroken to lose her, for her family, and my heart aches for what her climbing partner, who is also a friend, must be feeling right now.

If you climb long enough, you will suffer loss. Usually it is at one remove, a friend of a friend, someone you saw occasionally or around. But when it’s close, you feel it hard.

Rest easy, beautiful girl.

Cosmic Hotdog wrote:

Sadly, the deceased was someone I know from my gym, who I see every week, and who I climbed with last month. She was a big personality, extremely friendly and always encouraging. And one heck of a strong sport climber too. 

From what I've gathered from a few people, it was a carabiner block type rappel accident involving rapping on the pull strand (I've not heard anything about a tagline involved, thus the ease of rapping on the wrong side of the setup). Nothing official yet. Heartbreaking news. 

I also know both individuals, and this information is correct.  the rap was set up with a carbineer block at the mid-point of the rope so the party could rap with their gri gris and pull the rope.  This was not the first rap of the route.  I have not seen an official accident report, so this is conjecture, but it sounds like the climber clipped into the pull side of the rope and fell as she weighted the rope.

Thanks to the other party in the canyon as it was unusually empty out there, and the surviving climber had no way to communicate with SAR on his own with no cell service and their emergency device damaged in the fall.   

wow. The stuck group of four calling for help may have inadvertently saved the surviving climber on the other wall across from them. Chilling stuff. Condolences to those who knew the deceased. 

Sad, really sad

I offer my sincere condolences to the fallen climbers Family and Friends.

RIP 

Matt Himmelstein wrote:

I also know both individuals, and this information is correct.  the rap was set up with a carbineer block at the mid-point of the rope so the party could rap with their gri gris and pull the rope.  This was not the first rap of the route.  I have not seen an official accident report, so this is conjecture, but it sounds like the climber clipped into the pull side of the rope and fell as she weighted the rope.

Thanks to the other party in the canyon as it was unusually empty out there, and the surviving climber had no way to communicate with SAR on his own with no cell service and their emergency device damaged in the fall.   

Thank you for confirming Matt, I'm sure we've been in touch with the same people in this case. Truly sad news.