I am a safety professional (at OSHA) who started climbing in 1974. Last year I wrote a book focused on climbing safety entitled "Ultrasafe." The impetus was to help stem the tide of climbing injuries/deaths. Like many other climbers, I am greatly saddened by Göran Kropp's death. I saw him a few years ago, and like everyone, I was taken by his ambition, humor, and vitality.
I would like to add my thoughts to the discussion:
(1) It is reasonable to expect a lot of discussion over someone's tragic death. Discussion is part of grieving, and everytime someone we know dies, people grieve. I have known about 30 or so adventure sportsmen who have died, and to one extent or another, I mull over each death---the fairness/unfairness of it--the circumstances--the merit of the person's life. I applaud the use of the internet boards as part of the grieving process. Every posting I have seen, so far, on this death, has shown a level of sympathy and care. The few stray marks presumably were made in haste.
(2) Carabiners have always broken---I recall in the 1980s Salewa introduced--then recalled---"hollow" biners. They broke. The prototype aluminum biner itself, the "Eiger," was a recall. My suggestion is that everyone should double biner (with opposed and reversed gates) or use lockers at critical points in the lead chain. Same for gear---double-up placements near cruxes and before run-outs. It may turn out to be true that the wire-gate phenomenom is best suited to sport climbs.
(3) Cams are great--but they are not a substitute for passive gear like stoppers and hexes. Cams walk, and they are much more dependent on rock quality than nuts. Everyone should climb with and use hexes and stoppers interspersed with their cams.
(4) We don't talk enough. Don't assume belayers are always 100% at attention. A gentle "watch me" at a crux, or in a long run-out, is always appropriate. (This comment in no way is intended to infer something about Göran Kropp's accident. I have no direct knowledge of, and I do not assume anything about it.)
George Allen
author of "Ultrasafe-A Guide to Safer Rock Climbing"
