FAILURE OF RAPPEL, INEXPERIENCE

Alberta, Rocky Mountains, Lake Louise Cliffs

This accident occurred when the victim (40) suffered a fall while rappelling down the cliffs at the west end of Lake Louise on May 15, 1983. He and a companion had been practicing rappels on a single, fixed rope. On his last rappel, he doubled the rope around a tree in order to retrieve it. Unfortunately, the doubled rope was approximately five meters short of reaching the ground. The rope was adjusted so that one end reached the ground, which put the other end about ten meters off the ground. A knot was not tied into the end of the rappel line. When he reached one end of the doubled rope, he fell the remaining ten meters to the ground. He severely bruised his legs and back in the fall. The Lake Louise Warden Service evacuated him by helicopter. (Source: Clair Israelson, Banff National Park)

Analysis

The victim had little experience in rappelling. He attempted a rappel on a rope he knew was too short. He had done the same rappel the day before and found he had to tie a short sling rope onto the end of his rappel rope in order to reach the ground. On the day of the accident he mistakenly thought if he went quickly, the friction of the single rope would be sufficient to slow his descent. (Source: Clair Israelson, Banff National Park)