Accident Reports ANAM
Fall on Rock – Ledge Fall, Inexperience West Virginia, New River Gorge, Bubba City, Beer Wall

In the morning of September 22, my partner (male, 34) and I (female, 38) were climbing at the Beer Wall. We had hoped to warm up on a 5.4, but the route was taken, so we chose Daisy Cutter, a nearby 5.7 sport route. My partner led. The route begin...

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| Published 2019 | Author Matt Smith and The Editors


Accident Reports ANAM
Off Route – Protection Pulled Out West Virginia, Seneca Rocks, South Peak, West Face

On July 6, a climber was attempting to lead the rst pitch of a popular 5.8 trad route called the Burn. According to witnesses, the leader climbed toward the roof but veered significantly right and off route, intersecting the first pitch of Ecstasy...

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| Published 2019 | Author Nick Ingalls and The Editors


Accident Reports ANAM
Rappel Errors – Simul-rappel, Inexperience West Virginia, Seneca Rocks, South Peak, West Face

At approximately 2 p.m. on July 6, two climbers (males, age 13 and unknown) were attempting to descend from the South Peak via the Pleasant Overhang rappel station on the west face. They had chosen to simul-rappel but did not know they needed two ...

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| Published 2019 | Author Ni The Editors


Accident Reports ANAM
Ground Fall – Slip on Wet Rock, No Protection West Virginia, Seneca Rocks, South Peak, West Face

On June 11, Doug (52) and his partner were planning to lead Ecstasy Junior, a popular two-pitch 5.4 on the lower west face of the south peak of Seneca. They opted to begin the climb from above the traditional ramp, eliminating a half pitch of vege...

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| Published 2019 | Author Nick Ingalls


Accident Reports ANAM
Loose Rock, Ledge Fall – Failure to Test Holds West Virginia, Seneca Rocks, South Peak, East Face, Lower Skyline Area

Two climbers arrived at the bolted anchors atop the rst pitch of Sky Line Traverse on June 2, planning to climb Rear Entry (5.8) to the Lower Broadway ledge. The leader, Mike (50), traversed up and right to a large block that marks the beginning o...

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| Published 2019 | Author Nick Ingalls and The Editors


Accident Reports ANAM
Stranded – Weather, Exhaustion Washington, Mt. Rainier, Liberty Ridge

On May 31, a team of four climbers set out from White River Campground to climb Liberty Ridge. Three days later, Yevgeniy Krasnitskiy (39), Ruslan Khasbulatov (33), Vasily Aushev (35), and Constantine Toporov (37 ) called 911 to report they were s...

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| Published 2019 | Author Mt. Rainier National Park and News Reports


Accident Reports ANAM
Deadly Rockfall At Thumb Rock Washington, Mt. Rainier, Liberty Ridge

At about 8:30 p.m. on May 29, a climber called 911 to report a large rockfall around 10,800 feet at Thumb Rock, high camp for the Liberty Ridge route. The climber relayed to dispatchers that Arleigh William “Bill” Dean (46) had been killed and two...

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| Published 2019 | Author Mt. Rainier National Park Incident Report


Accident Reports ANAM
Lowering Error – No Stopper Knot Washington, Index, Lookout Point, Rattletale Wall

Cherry Mayangitan (38) and I (39) were climbing Chasin’ the Lizard (5.10a trad) at the Rattletale Wall. I had just finished leading the route and was being lowered by my partner, who was planning to follow and clean. Approximately 20 feet from the...

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| Published 2019 | Author Patrick Beeson and The Editors


Accident Reports ANAM
Rappel Anchor Failure – Loose Rock, Overconfidence, Washington, North Cascades, Eldorado Peak, West Ridge

Sam (30), Matt (26), and I (24) were planning to climb the West Ridge of Eldorado Peak (alpine terrain plus 10 pitches up to 5.8) and the Southwest Buttress on Dorado Needle (13 pitches, 5.7 ) over five days in August to help Matt prepare for his ...

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| Published 2019 | Author Spencer Dillon


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall on Ice – Crevasse Fall – Roped with no Protection Washington, Mt. Baker, Squak Glacier

About 6:30 a.m. on August 31, a male climber (54) was injured while trying to ascend Mt. Baker via the Squak Glacier. His party of three roped climbers was moving up the dry, bare-ice glacier using a 60-meter rope, with approximately 10 meters bet...

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| Published 2019 | Author Kaf Adventures and The Editors


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
"Pik Butterfly," West Ridge Kyrgyzstan, Pamir, Eastern Zaalayskiy Range

In August 2019, we made an exploratory expedition to the Eastern Zaalayskiy, close to the border with China and Tajikistan. Our primary goal was a new route on the highest mountain in the region, Pik Kurumdy (6,613m), which has probably been climb...

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| Published 2019 | Author Małgorzata Ilkiewicz and Maciej Nieścioruk


Accident Reports ANAM
Avalanche Canada, Alberta, Banff National Park, House Peak

The following report is based on the photographic record and equipment found with Hansjörg Auer, David Lama, and Jess Roskelley after an accident on April 16 on the east face of Howse Peak. Jess’ iPhone was found on him at the base of the face. Th...

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| Published 2019 | Author John Roskelley


Accident Reports ANAM
Long Fall on Ice – Unclipped from Anchor Canada, Alberta, Banff National Park, Icefields Parkway

Two climbers (male, 33, and female, 36) left their car at 5 a.m. on March 25, planning to climb Polar Circus, a long ice route above the Icefields Parkway. The risk of an avalanche was rated “moderate,” and during the previous evening the team had...

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| Published 2019 | Author Climber 2


Accident Reports ANAM
Avalanche – Fatigue, Failure to Heed Warning Signs Canada, Alberta, Jasper National Park, Diadem Peak

Late on July 19, a group of three hiked to a bivouac below Diadem Peak. They arrived at 2 a.m. and slept for a few hours. The temperature overnight remained warm at around 4 C. A clearing trend was under way after a week of precipitation. The clim...

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| Published 2019 | Author Rupert Wedgewood, Jasper National Park Visitor Safety


Accident Reports ANAM
Rappel Error – Clipped Only One Strand into Device Canada, Alberta, Jasper National Park, Lost Boys Area

In midafternoon on May 30, rescue personnel responded to a report that a 63-year-old man had fallen from the top of Lost Boys. He was located at the base of Super Brant Man (5.10b), in between large boulders. The climber’s rope, harness, carabiner...

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| Published 2019 | Author Jesse Milner, Parks Canada Rescue Technician and The Editors


Accident Reports ANAM
Rappel Anchor Failure – Sling Untied, Inexperience Canada, British Columbia, Valhalla Provincial Park, Niselheim

On July 27, my climbing partner (female, 25) and I (male, 31) climbed the east ridge of Niselheim and then began descending the fourth-class northwest ridge. As we were scrambling down the ridge, my partner found a rappel anchor consisting of a si...

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| Published 2019 | Author Anonymous Climber


Accident Reports ANAM
Belayer Pulled Into Rock – Poor Position Canada, British Columbia, Skaha Bluffs, Plum Wall

On March 23, my climbing partner and I were finishing our day of climbing on a 5.9 sport route called Sagging Bumline. It was a sunny day, we felt rested, and the climb was well within our limits. This is a 35-meter sport climb, and we were using ...

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| Published 2019 | Author Allison Beynon


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall on Rock – Inadequate Protection, Handhold Broke Canada, British Columbia, Squamish, Stawamus Chief

On the morning of August 4, a 33-year-old man was leading the fourth pitch of Parallel Passages, a long 5.10 route in the North Walls area of Stawamus Chief. This highly experienced climber, with 5.13 trad routes under his belt, had free-soloed th...

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| Published 2019 | Author Rock and Ice Magazine and other published reports


Accident Reports ANAM
Ground Fall – Inadequate Protection Canada, British Columbia, Squamish, Smoke Bluffs

On July 10, a climber was demonstrating a roped solo system to a friend while leading the route Libya Sucks (5.7). The climber was using a Grigri as his self-belay device. He placed a few pieces of protection low on the route, then stood up at a g...

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| Published 2019 | Author Facebook Posts from the Climber and The Editors


Accident Reports ANAM
Rappel Error – Uneven Ropes, No Stopper Knots México, Nuevo León, El Potrero Chico

Brad Gobright, 31, one of the best-known big-wall climbers and soloists in North America, died in a rappelling accident at El Potrero Chico on November 27. Gobright and his climbing partner for the day (male, 26) had teamed up to attempt El Sender...

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| Published 2019 | Author Media Reports and The Editors