Ouray: a first, and a sad reminder

[mike_m]

Watched the Ouray comp on Saturday; again this year, Ines Papert dominated all the women competitors, the only one to complete the route. The difference this year was that she beat all the men too. Only Harry Berger and Will Gadd completed the route for the men, they announced at the "fashion" show (visualize Jim Donini in a black and red, backless, low-cut lace dress) that she beat them for time. What a performance.

 

On a more somber note from the same day, there was an accident where a climber's rappel failed when she backed over the edge. We'll probably never know what exactly went wrong, but she, along with the entire rope, with its locked locking-carabiner attachement, fell the full distance into the Gorge (80-100 ft), while the intact, properly focused and tied cordelette remained (empty, no attachement carabiner) on the bolts above. If she had checked the system from the anchor points through her harness and device, she would have saved herself from serious injury. She survived, albeit with life-threatening injuries.

 

It seems elementary, but it reminded all of us there: Always check yourselves and your partners. The life that you save would be your own.

[Figger_Eight]

wow...how sad

[Alpinfox]

We'll probably never know what exactly went wrong, but she, along with the entire rope, with its locked locking-carabiner attachement, fell the full distance into the Gorge (80-100 ft), while the intact, properly focused and tied cordelette remained (empty, no attachement carabiner) on the bolts above.

 

Focused?

[Ade]

Sadly this isn't the first accident of this type at Ouray.

[terrible_ted]

Alright, I'm going to fiddle around here a bit, and try to get some images from the comp uploaded. The first is Ines Papert hitting the stick that gets her out from the roof portion of the competition route. Basically , this stick is the one that wins it. Once she got the stick, she swung out on it to get the second stick. She isn't flailing here: this is a deliberate move!

 

Ouray 2005 comp 1

 

This next picture is her completing the moves to get her up and over. Sick. Totally sick.

 

Ouray Comp 2005 2

 

I hope this works...

 

Unfortunately, the one image I don't have, and the one I'm afraid I'll never be able to burn from my mind, is the one of Jim Donini leaning over me with his low cut black Tango dress pulled down while telling me to "slip it in here" (the $20 bill that had fallen on the floor)...

 

-t

[Dru]

so were people going spurless in the mixed comp or not?

[terrible_ted]

so were people going spurless in the mixed comp or not?

 

I only saw IP and Sean Isaak compete, and they both had spurs. I recall overhearing someone saying "...and he wasn't even wearing fruit boots" as I walked up to the bridge, but I never got the rest of the story. I can't imagine anyone completing the route spurless (entering/exiting the roof is gonad-busting enough), but then again, I have trouble imagining anyone completing the route, period!

 

-t

[mike_m]

Gadd went spurless and sent the route, everyone else I watched had spurs.

[jaee]

Once they're in the photos, use the Image tag:

 

 

 

Sweet shots. 12 days until I head for Ouray.

[terrible_ted]

Thanks. Here's a closer look at Ines:

 

 

By the way, her feet are not on the ice. The depth of field has been flattened. That roof is protruding ca. 2M out from the face of the cliff. How many one-armed pullups can YOU do?

Edited January 18, 2005 by terrible_ted

[sobo]

We'll probably never know what exactly went wrong, but she, along with the entire rope, with its locked locking-carabiner attachement, fell the full distance into the Gorge (80-100 ft), while the intact, properly focused and tied cordelette remained (empty, no attachement carabiner) on the bolts above.

 

Focused?

 

Pax,

 

"Focused" refers to setting up your anchor/belay in such a way that the forces that will be applied to the anchor will be split equally (as much as possible) between the various anchor points involved (bolts, gear, tree, etc.).

 

You probably already do this without thinking when you loop your cordelette through the anchor point biners, gather the cordelette end loops and slide them relative to each other to achieve equal length, then "aim" the gathered end loops over the edge and put the figure-8 knot in the cordelette. If you have not used a self-equalizing set-up for this (where the cordelette or sling is free to slide in the biner at the attachment point to the rock), then you have just created what is referred to as a "fixed and focused" anchor. By implication, a self-equalizing set-up is not fixed. But it can be slid to a focused position, but there is no guarantee that it will stay there.

 

Both systems have their uses, although "fixed and focused" (equalized) is probably used more often that self-equalizing.

[glassgowkiss]

so Dale, how did the comp treat you?

[Kevin_Matlock]

If she had checked the system from the anchor points through her harness and device, she would have saved herself from serious injury.

 

Don't mean invite thread creep, but it sounds like she had everything setup correctly. What could she have done any better? I didn't hear anyone say "if she had checked (blah) then she would have found it to be faulty". Sounds like she decked and after looking over everything it all looked fixed, intact, and properly slung. In other words, nobody knows why she fell????

Just wondering what everyone else does to try to prevent these "magic" failures from happening.

[dberdinka]

Don't mean invite thread creep, but it sounds like she had everything setup correctly.

 

Go read it again. When setting up a top rope it is important to make sure the the locking carabiner(s) the rope is doubled through is actually attached to the anchor.

[Alpinfox]

Sobo,

Thanks for the explanation. While I'm familiar with the concept, I just wasn't familiar with the term "focused".

 

 

Kevin,

My interpretation of the information presented is that the rope was not attached to the anchor, so I wouldn't say she "had everything setup correctly". I can't imagine how one could have a sling on the anchor and a locked biner on the rope but NOT through the anchored sling, but that is apparently what happened. Maybe when/if the climber recovers, she will remember something about the anchor setup.

 

A good pre-rappel ritual that may have prevented this accident is to weight the rappel rope while your daisy (or whatver you use to connect yourself to the anchor) is still attached.

 

When ice climbing, bulky clothing and snow can obscure your view of anchors/rope systems, so be extra careful.

[Kevin_Matlock]

Don't mean invite thread creep, but it sounds like she had everything setup correctly.

 

Go read it again. When setting up a top rope it is important to make sure the the locking carabiner(s) the rope is doubled through is actually attached to the anchor.

 

My interpretation of the data presented is that the rope was not attached to the anchor, so I wouldn't say she "had everything setup correctly". I can't imagine how one could have a sling on the anchor and a locked biner on the rope but NOT through the anchored sling, but that is apparently what happened. Maybe when/if the climber recovers, she will remember something about the anchor setup.

 

OH SHIT! Guess I completely missed that little tidbit.

 

It would almost be funny if it weren't such a suckass thing to have happened. Rapping off a pile of rope laying on the ground... hmmm, yep, that tends not to hold body weight.

[cj001f]

It would almost be funny if it weren't such a suckass thing to have happened. Rapping off a pile of rope laying on the ground... hmmm, yep, that tends not to hold body weight.

Or if this were the first rappelling accident at the Ice Park.

[thelawgoddess]

Gadd went spurless and sent the route, everyone else I watched had spurs.

sweet!

[daler]

Yeah, she fell right over my wife(kristie)and Sean I. while they were warming up for the comp. They were first on the scene. kristie was pretty shook up!!!! Sucks!!!

 

Are thoughts are with the young lady and her family. Hopefully she will be moved to Denver is she gets stable enough.

 

[glassgowkiss]

yeah, there is nothing like smell of fresh blood first thing in the morning.... sounds like bad scene.

[terrible_ted]

Here's the only on-line article on the accident I've been able to find, so far.

[kailas]

Word on the street is that she and her friends snuck into the

woods just before the repel and smoked weed, so she must have lost her focus alright, she's pretty messed up. FYI been

so warm here the park is looking pretty ugly, over a week of 50+ temps. What a crazy 'winter'

[neswstar]

We were an anchor over from the accident on the first climb of the day. There were two routes going off the same set of bolts. And a whole clusterfuck of people hanging around and setting up. The bolts were a distance from the lip ( which may explain why she was not anchored with her safty and test first). Maybe she thought her friends had her covered - maybe she saw the other team's set up and thought it was hers. Weed or no weed, coffee or no coffee - there is a lesson, it's just a very sad way for us all to learn.

 

I understand she has gone from crictal to dangerous - good wishes and thoughts for her recovery.

[goatboy]

We were an anchor over from the accident on the first climb of the day. There were two routes going off the same set of bolts. And a whole clusterfuck of people hanging around and setting up. The bolts were a distance from the lip ( which may explain why she was not anchored with her safty and test first). Maybe she thought her friends had her covered - maybe she saw the other team's set up and thought it was hers. Weed or no weed, coffee or no coffee - there is a lesson, it's just a very sad way for us all to learn.

 

I understand she has gone from crictal to dangerous - good wishes and thoughts for her recovery.

 

I agree. and I was there as well. I'd like to add that there were several factors that in my assessment did potentially contribute to the incident:

1) The crowds and the corresponding lack of focus that such scenes can promote;

2) The number of people around whom I observed either drunk or (as these posts insinuate) stoned;

3) Failing to double check yourself

4) Failing to double check your partner

 

I wonder how many times I've gotten away with failing to double check?

 

I do know that I have NEVER climbed drunk or stoned and will never do so, as the potential results of that selfish choice can effect many people other than myself.

 

Let it be clear that I am the first one to crack a beer AFTER climbing. . .

 

Sorry to hear about the incident and I wonder if there are any current reports of the status of the victim?