RAPPEL FAILURE

Wyoming, Tetons

On the morning of July 17, 1981, Marvin McDonald (25) and Eric Breitenberger, both experienced climbers, signed out for a climb of the North Ridge of the Grand Teton. They planned to bivouac on the Grandstand that night, then complete the climb the following day.

They hiked up Valhalla Canyon and then climbed the Gunsight Couloir and Notch to the north shoulder of the Grand Teton. About 6:00 p.m., a storm developed. The pair decided to abandon their climbing plans and descend. About 7:00 p.m. they set up a rappel into the Gunsight Notch. McDonald started down first while Breitenberger watched.

As McDonald descended, the rappel rope above him went over a diagonally-sloping ledge. McDonald pendulummed to one side and out of sight as the rope shifted sideways at the point where it went over the ledge. Breitenberger saw the rope suddenly begin to slide through the anchor. It pulled completely through and dropped out of sight before he had a chance to grab it.

McDonald fell approximately 1,000 feet down the west Gunsight Couloir to his death. In the coroner’s report, it was determined that he died instantly in the fall. Breitenberger began downclimbing toward McDonald and reached him at 8:30 p.m. He was not sure whether or not McDonald was still alive, so he covered him with some tarps and a foam pad, and ran out for help; he reached Jenny Lake at 11:00 p.m.

Four climbing rangers with EMT gear left Lupine Meadows shortly after midnight and reached McDonald at 5:15 a.m. During the rest of the morning, the rescue team lowered McDonald’s body to a level area and evacuated him by helicopter. (Source: Craig Patterson, Ranger, Grand Teton National Park)

Analysis

An 11-mm Kernmantle rope was still attached to a carabiner brake system that was attached to McDonald’s climbing harness. A ?-inch Goldline rope was tied to the 11-mm rope with a grapevine knot, but the ?-inch rope did not go through the brake system. The victim was wrapped up in.the Kernmantle rope and both ropes were strung out on the snow above him. There were no knots in the bottom ends of the ropes, nor was there a safety prusik hooked to the rappel ropes.

Apparently McDonald somehow rappelled or slipped far enough down his ropes for the Goldline to go completely through the carabiner brake system; his weight then pulled the rope through the anchor as he fell.

Knots in the ends of the ropes might have kept McDonald from going off the end of his rope, but even knots can slip through carabiner brakes. The climbing community still needs to develop an effective way to secure rappels. (Source: Craig Patterson and Robert Irvine, Rangers, Grand Teton National Park)