California, Yosemite National Park. On 14 October Jim Madsen (20) and four others went to the top of El Capitan to go to the aid of two climbers who had been on the Dihedral Wall since 9 October. The weather had been rainy and cold and Madsen and other climbers were concerned that they might be in trouble, although they had made some slow progress. The climbers were at the 6,500 foot level and soaked. Temperature was falling.

Madsen and Price planned to rappel down from the summit to Thanksgiving Ledge and try to communicate with the climbers, and see if they needed any help. Madsen had climbed the wall and knew the route. This would require a rappel of some 600 feet. Belay was, therefore, impractical. At 7:00 a.m. on the 15th, they started to look for a rappel point. Madsen found a ledge quite close to where they had camped that niglit on the top. It was down another 30 feet, with a pine tree three feet in diameter about six feet from a steep wall that dropped straight down to Thanksgiving Ledge. This spot saved one rappel as it was 150 feet lower than the end of the route. It had been decided that Madsen would take five ropes, two pairs of Jumars, carabiners and pitons for the anchors, a radio for communication, and two thermoses of hot soup. Price would follow with extra equipment, clothing, etc., if the climbers needed it. Madsen had a heavy load—estimated at about 45 pounds. Madsen tied a knot in the end of the rope but it was not noticed what it was at the time. After tying the knot, Madsen threw the rope over and lowered it down. He used a 2,2 and 2 carabiner brake system with either ski hut or Chouinard carabiners and was tied into the tree with an 11 mm Mam out rope.

Madsen then loaded himself with the equipment; Price wished him luck and he started his rappel at about 7:50 a.m. As he rappelled down, he somehow lost his rappel and slipped off the rope and fell to his death.

Somewhat later voice contact was made with the climbers, who stated they would finish the climb under their own power and that they were all right.

When the rope that Madsen had used for his rappel was pulled up, it was noted that only a single overhand knot had been tied in its end and that the knot was very tight and had been compressed to a very small size. It was presumed that the small overhand knot had slipped through the carabiner brake system when Madsen reached the end of his rappel. He had a Jumar handle on his sling to use as a safety attachment to the rope at the end of his rappel, but this was later found to be still on his sling when his body was recovered. He may not have had time to put it on if the knot slipped through as soon as he reached it on his rappel.

Source: Robert Pederson and Steve Hickman, Yosemite National Park; Lloyd Price and Tim Kimbrough.

Analysis: Madsen: Jim Madsen should have thought out his rappel procedure more clearly. The basic failure of his rappel was due to only tying an overhand knot in the end of his rope which was far from being sufficient. If he had tied a much larger knot or put a carabiner in the knot, the accident could have been prevented. He also could have placed the Jumar on the rope and secured it to himself before he made his rappel or planned to be on a belay.

Rescue Party: The party in general made several errors. Madsen started the relief effort going because of his concern for the climbers on the route. He was the only one in the party who knew the terraine quite well at the top of the route or had done the route. He was the one who had volunteered to rappel down to Thanksgiving Ledge and he was the best climber in the party. From these factors he gained a psychological advantage and the party put too much dependence upon him. Choosing a party leader was never discussed and one was never picked. Madsen’s feelings and ideas about going up were questioned but once the operation started, Madsen made almost all the decisions. He was the youngest in the party and should have been more cautiously checked on all of his decisions. He did not feel that a belay was necessary but a critical view would have shown that one was, or at least had him apply the Jumar. Although he was one of the best climbers in the world, he should have been checked on every detail of his rappel considering that there was an unusual amount of stress upon him and that he may have been acting more hastily than normal.