Ice Climber dies in Avalanche

I was made aware of this sad news when checking conditions for Cody
Another wake up call, so sad…

A massive avalanche killed a Cheyenne, Wyoming man shortly after noon on Friday January 2nd, 2009 while climbing the 4th pitch of Main Vein WI4. I cant share the details until cleared by the Sheriff Department, but the two climbers where very experienced and have visited the valley many times before.

Aaron Mulkey, Travis Hannon and I recovered the body about noon on Saturday and lowered him of the waterfalls. The local SAR members then carried him out from the bottom of the first pitch. We all are deeply saddened by this tragedy and we cant stress enough how dangerous the avalanche danger is currently. The valley has received an incredible amount of snow, more then 16 inches recently and the winds have been miserable.

PLEASE USE GOOD JUDGMENT WHILE ICE CLIMBING HERE!!!

Climb safe, Don Foote @ southforkice.com

mountainproject.com/v/memor…

In the online Climbing article it says, "Spencer ripped the full length of the icy lead rope through Jenkins’ belay device."

Okay, obviously this happened, but I don't really understand how it could... I am imagining that the trauma from the snow and ice killed him, not the belay failure, but still, I don't see how the above could happen.

Tragic regardless. Condolences to friends and family.

John J. Glime wrote:In the online Climbing article it says, "Spencer ripped the full length of the icy lead rope through Jenkins’ belay device." Okay, obviously this happened, but I don't really understand how it could...

Imagine trying to hold a coal train running at full power with your belay device. You couldn't do it. A quarter-mile-wide, 5- to 10-foot-deep slope of snow had fallen more than 1,500 feet when it hit them. The power...

Dougald MacDonald wrote: Imagine trying to hold a coal train running at full power with your belay device. You couldn't do it. A quarter-mile-wide, 5- to 10-foot-deep slope of snow had fallen more than 1,500 feet when it hit them. The power...

It's more like trying to belay someone that's been hit by a train rather than trying to catch the train itself. In theory it should be possible, but there are all sorts of variables.

I think the key word here is the "icy" lead rope. If the rope was dry I would expect the anchor to fail first, especially given that he was seconding the pitch when hit by the avalanche. Here's some information about belay device holding power on a dry rope:
mra.org/services/grants/doc…

The Climbing article says he was being belayed with a Trango Jaws device directly off of two long (assume 21cm?) screws equalized with a sling. As far as I know, the Jaws device does not have an autolocking mode, does it? If not, then belaying directly off of the anchor means the belayer would have to pull the tail of the rope UP in order to brake - which would be nearly impossible in an avalanche. But the climbing article then says that the belay was completely locked off, so I think that one of these two details must be incorrect.

If you assume that the magazine got the type of belay device right and the setup wrong, then the next most likely belay setup would be jaws on the harness, redirected through the anchor point. This would increase the friction on the rope but not by much if the rope is wet or icy.

In any case, thank god the anchor didn't fail and send both of them to the ground.

Marc -- those are indicated ultimate strengths of the belay device; not how much you can hold.

fyi -- for non-autolocking configs -- using about a mid 10mm rope in a standard device, you can hold about 600 ft lbs before you start slipping. reduce the strand size to the low 9mm using the same device and you go to about 350 ft lbs. (munter is good for about 600 regardless & super munter can go somewhere into about 1-1.2k -- which you can keep increasing the wraps and go higher). What they probably mean by the "belay being completely locked off" is that the belayer had a strong brake hand on the rope and positioned at a good angle as to the device in order to attempt to hold the climber.

Also note the neither gri-gri nor cinch slips. The gri gri fails at a little more than 16kN (more than adequate) -- the problem with the Cinch failing at such a low load was addressed and corrected, I believe. Mal could probably shed more light on it, if he's not bashing ice right this very minute.

In any respect, it's more difficult than commonly perceived to control a load; but this does help protect the anchor. Comparing it all to a large avy is a bit fruitless though.

An important point is that even if the belay had held, he would still be dead. If you are hit by a train (avalanche), being on belay won't save you. Amazing the belay wasn't ripped out.

Sad story indeed. I imagine Mark is the same Jenkins who writes for Outside Magazine ...

This is a very sad day for everyone touched by this story, my deepest sympathies to his family.

Thanks for the clarification and info Mark.

I'm used to belaying my second using a reverso in auto-lock mode, so I'm forced to wonder what would have happened if I had been in this position. I would have to assume that the ice screws would blow out, thereby putting both of us on the ground.

MarcDurant wrote: The Climbing article says he was being belayed with a Trango Jaws device directly off of two long (assume 21cm?) screws equalized with a sling. As far as I know, the Jaws device does not have an autolocking mode, does it? If not, then belaying directly off of the anchor means the belayer would have to pull the tail of the rope UP in order to brake - which would be nearly impossible in an avalanche. But the climbing article then says that the belay was completely locked off, so I think that one of these two details must be incorrect.

The article is correct. Mark J. said he often used this set-up when he expected his partner might hang while following. Yes, he had to pull the rope upward to lock off the device, but the Jaws was only slightly above his waist (screws at chest height, with quickdraws and a locking carabiner extending the system). He only had to move his arm up slightly to lock off the rope, and when the slide started he pulled the rope up and over the top of the device, applying as much braking pressure as possible. (This is what I meant by the belay being "completely locked off.") The icy ropes were a major factor in the slippage, but the primary factor was the extreme force of many tons of snow pushing his partner downward.

As someone else pointed out, if Mark had been beleaying with an autolocking device like a Reverso, he'd be dead, as the screws would have failed. Mark also believes that if he'd been belaying off his harness he'd be dead, because his falling partner would have pulled him into the main flow of the avalanche. As it was, he was only inches from being killed by falling debris. He was extraordinarily lucky to have survived.

Jim Amidon wrote:Analyzing it afterwards especially when one person is alive on the forum is pretty poor taste... 2cents

I have never heard of analyzing an accident as being poor taste. It is called accident analysis. I think it is a common human condition and has been practiced for as long as man has been on the Earth. To not do so would seem in poor taste. I can't think of a known accident that has not been analyzed. Did I miss something?

So think about it this way, your out doing your thing at your place, maybe Cody, maybe Colorado, and then all of a sudden, (sudden being things went from ho-hum to holy shit)
and your friend is dead at the end of the ropes....

Really unless your one of the two in the situation shouldn't we all back off until the survivor has the time and want to post what happened ???

Your hard core buddy you've spent multiple amazing experiences with is gone...

too bad and soo sad.....

Of course it's sad, I'm pretty sure there are multiple condolences in this post alone and I can't imagine how terrible it must be for those directly involve. I've been in similar but unrelated to climbing situations and they suck big time. But if I were the belayer and there was anything that might have been done different OR just right to the best of the situation I sure as heck would want that info out there to help others. We analyze accidents to help prevent future accidents as much as possible, not to blame those involved.

Dougland - I really appreciate your reply giving more information about the belay setup.

I have never been in an avalanche of any real size, but it's always a possibility - and once you're in one it's a bit late to start learning. That's why I value any information I can get about the situation.

My interest in this accident is that if I had been the belayer, using my regular belay setup and practices, there would be two dead people now. That's a sobering thought.

My heart goes out to anyone who has lost a climbing partner.

Mark Nelson wrote: Also note the neither gri-gri nor cinch slips.

Is this true?

According to this Petzl document:

en.petzl.com/ProduitsServic…

the grigri starts slipping with a static pull of 3.8 kN on a 10 mm rope. Or am I reading the bottom of page 6 incorrectly?

Jim Amidon wrote: Really unless your one of the two in the situation shouldn't we all back off until the survivor has the time and want to post what happened ??? Your hard core buddy you've spent multiple amazing experiences with is gone... too bad and soo sad.....

I hear ya Jim; he's already submitted a write-up elsewhere. This site also has a memorial category to pay respects. belay devices were brought up about in a research paper that needed a little more info as well as rig positioning; that's all.

Sad to hear this, big wake up call for all of us. Please be careful in avy prone areas. I myself will find a different route if there is a lot of snow above a climb I want to do.

TIM DANLEY wrote:Sad to hear this, big wake up call for all of us. Please be careful in avy prone areas. I myself will find a different route if there is a lot of snow above a climb I want to do.

Maybe it was the guy taking your biners. In that case you got what you wanted. Bad karma.