Climber Fatality Needles SD

Paul Duval was killed yesterday in a rapping accident. Condolences to his friends and family. See the following for more info.

rapidcityjournal.com/articl…

My condolences as well to Paul's friends and family.

I'm probably just stupid, but... how did he fall while rappelling if he "had more rope than he thought?" Did he lose control of the rappel device and take a groundfall?

71, geeze

hats off - i hope i'm still spry enough to be out climbing and such when I'm 71!

Nate, I think it was a typo if you look at the title and reports from yesterday said the rope was short of the ground. Not positive though.

I think I read on supertaco that he thought he had doubled the rope based on a mark that he thought was the center mark. Apparently there was more than one mark on the rope.

Scott M. Mossman wrote:I think I read on supertaco that he thought he had doubled the rope based on a mark that he thought was the center mark. Apparently there was more than one mark on the rope.

This is terrible news indeed. Paul was a dear friend of ours and will be sorely missed. Our condolences to Karen and the rest of his family and friends. And yes, even at 71 he could outclimb me any day.

Terrible news.

I never knew Paul, but he is an inspiration to me. I always worried that age would detract from climbing. I didn't know people like Paul existed. Now I have hope. Thanks, Paul.