FALL ON ICE, INEXPERIENCE

Alberta, Kananaskis

On February 17, 1980, Peter Haase (18) and Marvin Dean (17) were climbing the waterfalls at Heart Creek in the Kananaskis. Both of us had some experience at ice climbing, and I had taken several courses in the sport. This was my second time climbing this season and Dean’s first. I had recently purchased a new set of roosterhead ice tools and this was my first time using them.

I led up a short vertical section to a ledge and placed a screw. The ice was very brittle and tended to shatter with every blow. The next five meters were near vertical, bulging somewhat, just below another ledge. I was having trouble placing my tools because of my inexperience with them. I went to place my hammer into the ice on the ledge, but on my first attempt it did not place well, so I removed it to try once again. In doing this, I pulled myself off balance, fell backwards, landed on a sloping section of ice about three meters below and then slid off head first. When the rope brought me to a stop, my legs hit Dean which knockedhim off his feet. I discovered that in the fall I had somehow managed to stick the scorpion tail pick of the hammer into my chest. After putting together the gear, we walked the kilometer to the car and drove to Rockview Hospital.

The pick had penetrated through five layers of clothing and had cut through the skin and the pectoralis major muscle. It cut, but did not penetrate, the chest wall. Treatment was seven stitches—five external and two internal. (Source: Peter Haase)

Analysis

Ice climbing is generally dangerous because of the sharp tools on one’s hands and feet. It is generally unavoidable to land on one of these instruments. The probable cause of this accident was that I hadn’t gained the proper feel of the tools, and it would have been advisable to have spent some time top roping. It is important to place one’s tools with the first blow; however this is not always possible. (Source: Peter Haase)