Accident Reports ANAM
Free Solo Fall New York, Shawangunks, The Trapps

On September 6, Stephen M. Buda III (56) was killed when he fell from 150 feet up Easy Street, a two-pitch 5.6. He was free soloing when he fell. According to the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office investigation, which included eyewitness accounts, B...

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| Published 2021 | Author Connecticut Post and Mountain Project


Accident Reports ANAM
Loose Rock Crushes Leader's Foot New York, Shawangunks, The Trapps

On March 23, a male climber (43) was climbing pitch two of Middle Earth (3 pitches, 5.6) when he apparently dislodged a large block that narrowly missed his partner, who was belaying atop the first pitch. In the process, the leader’s left foot was...

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| Published 2021 | Author Mountain Project and The Editors


Accident Reports ANAM
Falling Rock — Severed Rope New York, Shawangunks, The Trapps

On April 18, Gabe Schwartz (39) and Kile Simpson (33) were climbing Wrist, a two-pitch 5.6 in the Trapps area. Simpson, a climber with four years of experience, was leading the first pitch. Schwartz, who had been climbing for over ten years, wrote...

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| Published 2021 | Author Gabe Schwartz


Accident Reports ANAM
Ground Fall — Nut Placement in Loose Rock New Mexico, Truth or Consequences Area, Percha Creek

I, Jessica Hans (female, 33), had a significant ground fall on Barber Shop Cafe (5.8+) at Percha Creek in November. I ascended 15 to 20 feet and placed a number 5 Black Diamond Stopper in the roof section as my first piece of pro. I continued up a...

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| Published 2021 | Author Jessica Hans


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall on Rock — Inadequate Protection New Hampshire, North Conway, Whitehorse Ledge, The Slabs

On October 5, two guides, Ryan McGuire (37) and Ryan Tilley (26), started up Sliding Board (5.7), a classic eight-pitch route on the Whitehorse Slabs, as a practice climb. On the fifth pitch (5.6), which follows a faint dike feature, McGuire had l...

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| Published 2021 | Author The Editors


Accident Reports ANAM
Falling Ice — Poor Protection New Hampshire, Rumney

In midafternoon on March 12, a female climber (21) was hit by falling ice at the right end of the Parking Lot Wall at Rumney Rocks. She was standing at the base of the 75-foot-high Meadow Flows ice climb (WI3+) when a piece of ice naturally fell f...

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| Published 2021 | Author Chief David Coursey, Rumney Fire Department and The Editors


Accident Reports ANAM
Sliding Fall on Snow — Inadequate Crampons New Hampshire, White Mountains, Mt. Washington

On March 14, at approximately 5:15 p.m., a winter climber took a long sliding fall while descending a steep section of the Lion Head Winter Route on Mt. Washington. He was part of a group of three who all carried ice axes but were wearing lightwei...

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| Published 2021 | Author Mt. Washington Avalanche Center


Accident Reports ANAM
Bouldering Fall — Poor Pad Placement Nevada, Red Rock, Kraft Boulders

On March 20, Alonso Rodriguez (25) was climbing Monkey Bar (V2) on the very popular Monkey Bar Boulder. He was part of a group of five, and a total of 15 climbers were at the boulder, with over ten crash pads. On his onsight attempt, Rodriguez fel...

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| Published 2021 | Author Alonso Rodriguez


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall on Ice — Exceeding Abilities, Ego Pressure Montana, Hyalite Canyon, Unnamed Wall

On January 17, climbers W (18) and T (19) met at 7:30 a.m. to carpool into Hyalite Canyon. They had not previously climbed together. They planned to climb The Thrill is Gone, a classic M4 chimney on the popular and paradoxically named Unnamed Wall...

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| Published 2021 | Author W. and The Editors


Accident Reports ANAM
Long Fall on Rock — Ledge Collapsed Montana, Gallatin Canyon, The Watchtower

On July 16, Greg Sievers (63) and Rob Meshew (49) climbed a three-pitch route on the lower tier of the Watchtower in order to access Silver Foxes (3 pitches, 5.10a) on the upper tier. Sievers then started up the first pitch of Silver Foxes. The pi...

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| Published 2021 | Author Greg Sievers and Mountain Project


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall on Rock — Inadequate Protection Montana, Blodgett Canyon, Shoshone Spire

On June 21, Carson Broaddus (24) was climbing with Alexandra Stapleton (24) on the classic Shoshone South Face (5 pitches, 5.8+). The pair had linked pitches one and two. Broaddus was midway up pitch three, leading moderate 5th class on ledgy terr...

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| Published 2021 | Author Carson Broaddus, and Mountain Project


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Spearhead, The Kingfisher United States, Colorado, Rocky Mountain National Park

I originally spotted the line on Spearhead that would become The Kingfisher over 20 years ago—my eye was drawn to a beautiful arête formed by the left edge of the eponymous flake on The Barb (9 pitches, III 5.10). I tried to suss out a possible fr...

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| Published 2022 | Author Jeff Giddings


Accident Reports ANAM
Rappel Anchor Failure Minnesota, Taylors Falls

On March 25, Climber 1 (31) and Climber 2 (23) were involved in a rock climbing accident at Interstate State Park in Taylors Falls, Minnesota. The accident occurred while rappelling, with both falling from near the top of the cliff. Climber 2 was ...

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| Published 2021 | Author Climber 1 and The Editors


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall on Rock Kentucky, Red River Gorge, Bald Rock Recreational Preserve

On December 4, a climber (male, 26) fell above the last piece of gear he had placed on Charlie (5.13b, single-pitch trad) at Chocolate Factory. The route follows a crack in a dihedral. The climber fell while making a dynamic move on the face of th...

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| Published 2021 | Author The climber and The Editors


Accident Reports ANAM
Lowering Error — Unclipped from Directional Rope Kentucky, Red River Gorge, Bald Rock Recreational Preserve

In March, Logan Zhang (11) hit a boulder on the ground while cleaning a route in the Motherlode. Logan was using the cable car (a.k.a. tram) method to retrieve his draws, staying clipped to the belayer’s side of the rope, as is common when cleanin...

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| Published 2021 | Author Ocean Zhang, father of Logan


Accident Reports ANAM
Ground Fall — Off Route, No Protection Kentucky, Red River Gorge, Long Wall

On March 12, after onsighting Mailbox (5.8, trad) and Rock Wars (5.10a, trad)—both fantastic routes—my friends and I wanted to continue climbing on something easier. We found a climb called Long Wall Chimney (5.7, trad). I (male, 22) racked up and...

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| Published 2021 | Author Adam Gallimore


Accident Reports ANAM
Lowering Error — Failure to Retie Correctly Idaho, City of Rocks, Decadent Wall

On June 20, Peter (65), Vivien (52), and Amy (50) intended to climb Another Greg Lowe Route (5.8, trad) and then top-rope a neighboring 5.10a climb. All three were veteran climbers, with collective experience exceeding 100 years, and all had been ...

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| Published 2021 | Author Peter Lenz


Accident Reports ANAM
Rock Collapse Before First Bolt Colorado, Shelf Road, Cactus Cliff

On August 8, an unidentified climber fell approximately 40 feet to the ground when the rock beneath his feet collapsed. The climber was scrambling up the 4th-class ramp leading to the first bolt of The Joy of Cholla (5.11d), a one-pitch sport rout...

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| Published 2021 | Author Mountain Project


Accident Reports ANAM
Rockfall, Avalanche Colorado, Front Range, Torreys Peak

On June 6, a group (undisclosed number) of climbers preparing for a trip to the Pacific Northwest camped near the Stevens Gulch trailhead for Grays and Torreys peaks. They planned to start early the next morning in order to practice rope and snow-...

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| Published 2021 | Author Colorado Avalanche Information Center, CBS4


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall on Rock — Off Route, Exceeding Abilities Colorado, Clear Creek Canyon, Anarchy Wall

In mid-November, “Bill,” a climber in his mid-30s, took a serious leader fall after going off route while attempting a sport route called Power Trip (5.12a). According to a witness, Bill had mentioned climbing 5.12 in the gym but was shaky upon s...

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| Published 2021 | Author Anonymous report