Accident Reports ANAM
Fall on Rock--Rappel Error Utah, Big Cottonwood Canyon, Challenge Buttress

On September 20, according to Unified Police Capt. Kris Ownby, two men (23 and 31) were rappelling down the Challenge Buttress, just across from Storm Mountain, about 8 p.m. One of them fell off the end of the rope, and both fell as a result be...

| Keywords
| Published 2012


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall on Rock - Rappel Error California, Yosemite Valley, El Capitan, East Ledges Descent

On June 17, a 51-year-old male French climber was rappelling one of the descent lines on the East Ledges of El Capitan. On the final rappel he fell 30 feet to the ground, injuring his ankle. Details are not clear because of the language barrier...

| Keywords
| Published 2012


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall on Rock, Off Route, Placed No or Inadequate Protection Colorado, Eldorado Canyon State Park, Redgarden Wall

On May 24, Adam Kimmerly (32) and William Olszewski (51) set out to climb the Grand Giraffe (six pitches, 5.9+) on Redgarden Wall. William explains: We climbed the west face of Lower Ramp (5.2) to access Grand Giraffe Ledge and the start of our...

| Keywords
| Published 2012 | Author William Olszewski


Accident Reports ANAM
Stranded, Off-Route, Darkness, Inexperience Nevada, Red Rock, Black Velvet Canyon

On July 3 around 8 a.m., two climbers visiting from Ohio made the approach to the base of Epinephrine, a 5.9, 15-pitch route located in Black Velvet Canyon. In addition to their climbing equipment, they had five liters of water. As the day ...

| Keywords
| Published 2012


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall on Rock, Inadequate Protection – Boulder Dislodged Tennessee, Prentice Cooper State Forest, Tennessee Wall

On February 10, a pair of experienced climbers were climbing Prerequisite for Excellence (5.8). The leader took a fall on a cam that was placed behind a block, dislodging the block (estimated to weigh approximately 200 pounds), which fell and h...

| Keywords
| Published 2012


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall on Rock, Off Route California, Yosemite Valley, El Capitan, West Face

On June 6, Rick Barus (26) was leading pitch 16 of the West Face, just above Thanksgiving Ledge, when he took the left of two possible cracks. It turned out to be the wrong crack and it petered out. His partner was out of sight below, and they ...

| Keywords
| Published 2012


Accident Reports ANAM
Cardiac Condition - Failure to Inform Guide Service Alaska, Denali National Park, Mt. McKinley, West Buttress

On May 27, Alpine Ascents International (ALP) lead guide Sarah Carpenter of expedition Alp-3-Carpenter arranged to have a 68-year-old client looked after at the 14,200-foot camp by Alaska Mountaineering School lead guide Dan Corn, while the ALP...

| Keywords
| Published 2012


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall on Rock, Inadequate Protection Nevada, Calico Basin, Big Bad Wolf

On April 7 around 3 p.m., my partner and I had just finished Physical Graffiti and were at the base of the route and packing up to leave. I was watching two guys struggle on Big Bad Wolf (5.9). The climber was just about to clip what I be...

| Keywords
| Published 2012


Accident Reports ANAM
Weather - Thunderstorm Causing Falling Rocks, Inadequate Clothing and Equipment - Left at Base of Climb California, Yosemite Valley, Middle Cathedral Rock Descent Gully

On June 4, Joe Ripperger (50) and Claire Epperson (25) climbed the East Buttress (11 pitches, 5.10c). The forecast for the day called for temperatures in the low 80s with a 15 to 30 percent chance of rain, so they started climbing at 6 a.m. The...

| Keywords
| Published 2012


Accident Reports ANAM
Failure to Follow Route, Stranded, Weather Oregon, Mt. Hood, South Side Route

On November 28, Jeff Kish (30) soloed the South Side Route but was overcome by a storm during his descent. Unable to navigate in whiteout conditions at 10,600 feet, he called 911 on his cell phone and requested assistance. Despite the low visib...

| Keywords
| Published 2012


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall on Rock, Belay Device Compromised Colorado, Eldorado Canyon State Park, Redgarden Wall

On March 31 a male climber had led the fourth pitch of Rewritten (5.7) and was belaying his male partner up the pitch. The second was only about 10 feet from the top of the pitch when he slipped and fell. The lead climber lost control of his be...

| Keywords
| Published 2012


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall on Snow, Inadequate Equipment, Exceeding Abilities Oregon, Mt. Hood, West Crater Rim

Gary Morgan (52) had flown in from Michigan and was attempting a summit climb on June 21 by a South Side variation, the West Crater Rim. After losing his footing, he was unable to self-arrest with his hiking stick. The 300-foot slide resulted i...

| Keywords
| Published 2012


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall on Rock, Protection Pulled Out - Inadequate Protection California, Yosemite Valley, El Capitan, Nose

On May 30, Mike Drake (22) was leading when his top aid piece failed on the upper half of the “Pancake Flake” (pitch 23, 5.10a C1), above the Great Roof. He fell about 25 feet, striking a couple of ledges; he attributes the long fall to having ...

| Keywords
| Published 2012


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall on Rock, Inexperience, Weather Nevada, Red Rock, Pine Creek Canyon, Cat in the Hat

On April 5, a young woman (early 20s, I think) fell about 20 feet (though no one knows for sure because there were no witnesses) while being lowered by her husband off the first pitch of Cat in the Hat (6 pitches, 5.6). She sustained a head...

| Keywords
| Published 2012


Accident Reports ANAM
Falling Rock - Pulled Rock Off, Failed to Inspect Top of Boulder Problem Colorado, Boulder, Flagstaff Mountain

During the early afternoon on May 3, calls for help were reported near Realization Point on Flagstaff Mountain. Rocky Mountain Rescue Group (RMRG), AMR Ambulance, City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks, Boulder City Fire Department, and ...

| Keywords
| Published 2012


Climbs And Expeditions ANAM
Fall on Snow – Ski Mountaineering Descent, Exceeding Abilities Alaska, Denali National Park, Mt. McKinley, West Rib, Orient Express Couloir

Ilkka Uusitalo (36) and the three other members of expedition “L10 at Denali 2012” left the 14,200-foot camp on the West Buttress route to ascend and then ski down the couloir by the upper West Rib on May 22. Due to deteriorating weather, the grou...

| Keywords
| Published 2012 | Author Coley Gentzel


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall on Rock - Rappel Error California, Yosemite Valley, Royal Arches

On May 23 an experienced climber (male, 23) fell while rappelling. He self- rescued and reported the accident when he came to the medical clinic. This is what he wrote on our form: “Rapped off ends of rope on RA descent attempting to clip last ...

| Keywords
| Published 2012


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall on Snow, Inadequate Equipment, Exceeding Abilities Oregon, Mt. Hood, South Side Route

On June 12, Mark Cartier (56), a highly experienced climber, succumbed after falling approximately 1,000 feet while soloing a South Side route variation. Climbing conditions were considered excellent. Cartier suffered massive head trauma an...

| Keywords
| Published 2012


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall on Rock, Rappel Error - Failed to Clip to Anchor California, Yosemite Valley, Super Slide

On March 24 a man (27) and a woman (26) were rappelling to the base of Super Slide (5.9) at the Royal Arches area. Apparently they wound up between two of the regular rappel anchors. The man built a temporary anchor for the woman to clip into w...

| Keywords
| Published 2012


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall on Rock Colorado, Boulder, First Flatiron

On July 10 an inexperienced climber seconding the First Flatiron injured his ankle while being belayed and could not move. The leader did not have sufficient equipment to effect self-rescue. Rescuers climbed to both the injured climber and bela...

| Keywords
| Published 2012