nwclimber

Since some of the cams show evidence of abrasion possibly caused at the time they were pulled out it might be possible locate where they were placed on the route. If anyone is headed to Vantage they might take a look and possibly make some observations and measurements.

It is not always obvious whether a rope is static or dynamic just by feel or appearance. The facts should come out during the investigation. Hopefully it will teach other people a lesson that will save their lives. Erden if it is possible for you to obtain counciling, it would be good for you, just as it would for anyone who has gone through such a traumatic event. Unfortunately it is impossible to climb with zero risk. Maybe that is one of the reasons we are attracted to climbing in the first place.

Erdin what type of rope was involved?

Air Guitar is one of the most straightforward crack climbs to protect in the state of Washington. The number of pieces Kropp used is not out of the ordinary for the route. The crack on Air Guitar starts as a finger crack at the bottom and ends in an off-width typical for cracks at Vantage. The succesion of sizes described is consistent with the crack's tendency to widen. However it is hard to believe that all the pro would pull successively if placed properly even if a carabiner on the top piece failed. It sounds to me like Kropp didn’t have much (if any) prior experience leading cracks. Is it possible that Kropp placed his pro with the cams over-extended or positioned incorrectly?