Accident Reports ANAM
Leader Fall – Inexperience, Inadequate Protection New Mexico, Sandia Mountains, Muralla Grande

On August 14, a leader (male, 40s) was attempting the third pitch of La Selva (5.8), which begins in low fifth-class terrain and steepens into a dihedral with a wide crack before an exit left on vertical terrain. The leader placed a number 4 Cama...

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| Published 2016 | Author James Marc Beverly and Erin Renee Beverly


Accident Reports ANAM
Long Leader Fall New Hampshire, North Conway, Cathedral Ledge

On July 31, Stephanie Angione was leading the second pitch of Still in Saigon, a popular 5.8 at Cathedral Ledge, when she fell at the crux, sailed past her gear, and broke her foot upon impacting the rock. The crux is protected by a good horizonta...

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| Published 2016 | Author Michael Wejchert, Mountain Rescue Service


Accident Reports ANAM
Broken Hold – Inadequate Protection New Hampshire, North Conway, Humphrey's Ledge

On May 28, a party was climbing at Humphrey’s Ledge, just outside of North Conway. The leader was attempting a climb called Sting Like a Butterfly, an obscure 5.10. A handhold broke as the climber was pulling through the crux of the route and the ...

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| Published 2016 | Author Michael Wejchert, Mountain Rescue Service


Accident Reports ANAM
Benighted and Stranded New Hampshire, White Mountain National Forest, Cannon Cliff

On November 19, two men in their 20s started up a long climb in the Vertigo area. The pair had a single rope and adequate clothing for a full day out. After the first four or five pitches of most routes in this area of Cannon, the climbing tends t...

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| Published 2016 | Author Michael Wejchert, Mountain Rescue Service


Accident Reports ANAM
Sliding Fall Before Roping Up New Hampshire, Mt. Washington, Huntington's Ravine

At approximately 12:10 p.m. on Sunday, February 7, one member of a climbing party of three slipped while approaching a technical snow and ice climb in Huntington Ravine. The climber rapidly gained speed on the 35–40° snow slope beneath Central Gul...

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| Published 2016 | Author Mount Washington Avalanche Center


Accident Reports ANAM
Avalanche New Hampshire, Mt. Washington, Tuckerman Ravine

Two climbers and three skiers were involved in an avalanche in Tuckerman Ravine on Sunday, January 17. The two climbers, both from Canada, were ascending a gully called the Chute on the left side of the ravine. Four skiers and an avalanche class w...

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| Published 2016 | Author Mount Washington Avalanche Center


Accident Reports ANAM
Leader Fall on Ice – Hit by Unknown Falling Object Colorado, Ouray, Camp Bird Road

On January 5, Dale Remsberg (44), an IFMGA guide and very experienced ice climber, was teaching an AMGA I2 Ice Instructor Course to students Aili Farquhar, the belayer at time of accident, and Kerr Adams. While leading pitch two of the Skylight (W...

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| Published 2016 | Author Dale Remsberg


Accident Reports ANAM
Rappel Error – Inadequate Anchor Knot Colorado, Raggeds Wilderness, Dark Canyon

In early January, two Colorado ice climbers began their third first ascent of the day in the Dark Canyon, 25 miles south of Redstone in the Raggeds Wilderness. Duane Raleigh (age 56, with 43 years of experience) was leading the first pitch of the ...

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| Published 2016 | Author Rock and Ice Magazine


Accident Reports ANAM
Glissading Without Ice Axes Colorado, San de Cristo Mountains, Humboldt Peak

On May 26, two climbers took long falls and sustained injuries while descending from 14,064-foot Humboldt Peak. Starting in midmorning from a campsite at the trailhead, they had snowshoed to the upper mountain and then climbed the easy west ridge,...

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| Published 2016


Accident Reports ANAM
Leader Fall – Rope Behind Leg Colorado, Garden of the Gods, Red Twin Spire

My climbing partner, Warren (23), and I (28) had come to Garden of the Gods during a climbing and hiking trip to Colorado from our home in Kentucky. It was almost 8:30 p.m. on July 23 by the time we finished hiking around the park, but we felt the...

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| Published 2016 | Author Philip Rodriguez


Accident Reports ANAM
Ground Fall Before Reaching First Piece Colorado, Eldorado Canyon, Roof Routes

Kurt Ross was belaying me (an experienced climber) on Guenese, a 5.11a trad route with a few fixed pieces. I considered placing a 0.5 Camalot in an overlap before clipping a piton, the first fixed pro on the route, but I didn’t. I’m only 5 feet ta...

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| Published 2016 | Author Kathy Karlo


Accident Reports ANAM
'Take' Leads to Two Cams Pulling Out Colorado, Eldorado Canyon, West Ridge

On April 3, a 23-year-old female climber was climbing Sooberb (5.10c). Nearing the crux, a significant overhang split by a hand crack, the climber placed two pieces, one of which was a cam with only two lobes engaged. Fearing she might pump out on...

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| Published 2016 | Author Eldorado Canyon State Park and Drew Hildner of Rocky Mountain Rescue Group


Accident Reports ANAM
Fatal Ground Fall – Climbing Alone Colorado, Front Range, The Ironclads

On October 25, the body of 60-year-old Dr. James Lee “Jim” Detterline was found at the base of a small cliff in the Ironclads, a group of rock fins south of Rocky Mountain National Park. Detterline was a prominent figure in the national park, wher...

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| Published 2016 | Author The Editors


Accident Reports ANAM
Stranded – Suspected Altitude Illness Colorado, Rocky Mountain National Park, Longs Peak

On Thursday, June 2, 10 soldiers from Fort Carson in Colorado Springs attempted to climb Kiener’s Route on the northeast face of 14,259-foot Longs Peak. The soldiers, part of the 10th Special Forces Group, were engaged in a mountaineering exercise...

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| Published 2016 | Author Rocky Mountain National Park Rangers


Accident Reports ANAM
Fatal Falls on Unusually Icy Peak California,Angeles National Forest, Mt. San Antonio (a.k.a. Mt. Baldy)

In February, three people plunged to their deaths down icy chutes on Mt. San Antonio (a.k.a. Mt. Baldy) or nearby; two of these were attempting to hike to the top of the 10,069-foot mountain on the Devil’s Backbone Trail; a third person slipped an...

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| Published 2016 | Author Clay Jackson


Accident Reports ANAM
Long Leader Fall – Loose Hold, Inadequate Protection California, Sierra Nevada, Palisades, Temple Crag

At approximately 6:30 p.m. on July 3, a two-person team began climbing the 15th pitch (5.4) of the 18- to 22-pitch route Sun Ribbon Arête (5.10a) on Temple Crag (12,999 feet). Just prior to arriving at the notch belay at the top of the pitch, the...

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| Published 2016 | Author The Editors


Accident Reports ANAM
Leader Fall – Inadequate Protection California, Yosemite National Park, Tuolumne Meadows, Daff Dome

Around midday on August 12, a climbing party on Crescent Arch (5.10a) on Daff Dome reported that the 48-year-old, male leader had taken a 25-foot fall and sustained a dislocated shoulder and what appeared to be a broken ankle. It was reported that...

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| Published 2016 | Author Yosemite National Park Climbing Rangers


Accident Reports ANAM
Leader Fall – Protection Pulled Out California, Yosemite Valley, Washington Column

The names of the climbers in this report have been changed. On October 7, Mike and Dylan started up the South Face (5.8 C1) of Washington Column. The two had done a little climbing together, but never in Yosemite Valley and mostly on single-pitch ...

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| Published 2016 | Author Yosemite National Park Climbing Rangers


Accident Reports ANAM
Rappel Error – Attempted to Rappel Unanchored Rope California, Yosemite Valley, El Capitan, East Ledges Descent

Christopher Vale and his partner Luke started climbing the west face of El Capitan around 7:30 a.m. on September 5. (The name of Vale’s climbing partner has been changed.) The two had met a few days earlier and climbed the Steck-Salathé on Sentin...

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| Published 2016 | Author Yosemite National Park Climbing Rangers


Accident Reports ANAM
Simul-Rappel Failure – No Backups California, Yosemite Valley, Reed's Pinnacle

The names of the climbers in this report have been changed. On July 10, at 2:50 p.m., Yosemite Dispatch received a call regarding a climber fall with injuries at Reed’s Pinnacle. The initial reports came in as a male climber with a broken leg. Upo...

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| Published 2016 | Author Yosemite National Park Climbing Rangers