On May 24, Ephraim Cook (25) fell off the last pitch of Outside Corner (3 pitches, 5.7), a traditional route in Big Cottonwood Canyon. Though he had placed five pieces of gear on the pitch, he fell approximately 100 feet and hit a ledge below.

Although the cause of the accident is not known, a police spokesperson said that Cook was properly equipped. The climber’s girlfriend made a frantic call to police, alerting them of the fall. However, when crews arrived, the man was already deceased.

Cook’s friend Zac Pond said in Climbing magazine, “My best guess... is that he made it through the difficult section, placing a reasonable amount of gear, then got up into the easier terrain, where there’s unobvious options for gear, and decided to run it out quite a bit.”

ANALYSIS

A failed piece of gear or a long runout might have led to the unusually long fall. Even on easy ground, holds may break or wet rock may be slippery. It is a good reminder that even “easy” terrain can be deadly. It is also a good reminder to know how to self-rescue or escape a belay while multi-pitch climbing. (Sources: Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue, Climbing magazine, and the Editors.)