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Clear Creek Canyon Accident 5-17-2011

Original Post
David Appelhans · · Broomfield, CO · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 410

Apparently there is a rescue operation going on around tunnel 2.

denverpost.com/breakingnews…

Anyone have more info?

Phil Lauffen · · Innsbruck, AT · Joined Jun 2008 · Points: 3,098

Wow. This will do great things for the public's perception of climbers. Best wishes for the climber.

Monty · · Golden, CO · Joined Mar 2006 · Points: 3,520

I was working up on north table in the rain when I saw the flight for life go into the canyon. Sounds like it happend a highwire. I hope everyone involved is ok...

Keith H. North · · Englewood, CO · Joined Mar 2010 · Points: 90

I hate how they write articles with the helmet emphasis, if you fall 40ft I have my doubts as to the effectiveness of a helmet.

Hope the guy is OK.

Greg D · · Here · Joined Apr 2006 · Points: 883
Keith H. North wrote: if you fall 40ft I have my doubts as to the effectiveness of a helmet.
Remove your doubts. I participated in a rescue a few years ago in Eldo. He fell a hundred feet or so. He had serious injuries. His head injury was not life threatening. He was wearing a helmet. Without the helmet, he almost certainly would have perished.
Greg D · · Here · Joined Apr 2006 · Points: 883
Phil Lauffen wrote:Wow. This will do great things for the public's perception of climbers. Best wishes for the climber.
Yes, the most important aspect of someone's misfortune! What a jackass. He has ruined it for the rest of us.

Seriously, who cares about the public perception save the usual access argument.

My climbing has nothing to do with pubic conception.
Phil Lauffen · · Innsbruck, AT · Joined Jun 2008 · Points: 3,098
Greg D wrote: Yes, the most important aspect of someone's misfortune! What a jackass. He has ruined it for the rest of us. Seriously, who cares about the public perception save the usual access argument. My climbing has nothing to do with pubic conception.
My previous post sounds pretty asshole-esque in retrospect. I apologize, it wasn't the right thing to say. I immediately thought of the way pissed off commuters will regard climbing in clear creek after this incident, but it was selfish. Best wishes for the fallen.
Bob Robinson · · Lone Tree, Colorado · Joined Aug 2009 · Points: 245

From what I've pieced together, it sounds like the climber fell on either the approach or the decent from the crag, which would explain why he wasn't wearing his helmet. Per 2 online reports:

"The man, who was not identified, was climbing with friends just east of Tunnel 2 along U.S. Highway 6 when he lost his footing and fell."-KMGH Denver

"Initial reports indicated the victim fell while climbing along a jagged cliff and sustained several broken bones."- Fox 31 Denver

I really hope he is ok. Despite the sometimes tricky and exposed approach to Highwire, I have never considered wearing my helmet on the way up or down.

Best wishes...

Thor.K · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2009 · Points: 0

I'd say 90% of us sport climb without helmets. They are so focused on helmets like wearing one will prevent all injuries. I shattered both my feet in the Black Canyon 13 years ago in a 15 foot leader fall and was wearing a helmet - sooooo what will they write about that? "Climber wearing helmet gets hurt anyway" Just ignorant reporting...really

Wiled Horse · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2002 · Points: 3,669
Climber on the River Wall.

another view of the approx rescue location (bottom right of photo, next to the creek bank), judging from the news pic.

I am sure he was in good hands if Mark was involved. ;)
steph johnson · · Roanoke (DENTON) · Joined Feb 2008 · Points: 0

My buddy and I climbed at HighWire Crag yesterday. We arrived fairly early, about 9am, and had a good day. As the day progressed, more climbers showed up, despite the light rain that began to fall. We left around 2:30,narrowly missing the accident according to our estimates.People were also climbing at the River wall.The story will eventually play out, as the veracity of news reporting, especially about climbing,should be questioned.Prayers go out to the climber,the family,and friends. Also, on a safety note, the rusted cold shuts and anchor bolts need to be replaced on many CCC routes as we all know, especially at Highwire which receives heavy use. I will try to replace some anchors soon.Pull down like you mean it!

Mike Morin · · Glen, NH · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 1,355
Darren Mabe wrote:I am sure he was in good hands if Mark was involved. ;)
From what I can tell it doesn't look like Alpine was toned out for this.

steph johnson wrote:The story will eventually play out, as the veracity of news reporting, especially about climbing,should be questioned.
A very good point that should be taken to heart. Yesterday was my day off, so I wasn't involved in the rescue operation, but from what I've heard these news reports may be painting an inaccurate picture.
Rick Blair · · Denver · Joined Oct 2007 · Points: 266
Thor.K wrote:I'd say 90% of us sport climb without helmets. They are so focused on helmets like wearing one will prevent all injuries. I shattered both my feet in the Black Canyon 13 years ago in a 15 foot leader fall and was wearing a helmet - sooooo what will they write about that? "Climber wearing helmet gets hurt anyway" Just ignorant reporting...really
There is a definite agenda in the media with this one, they feel like safety crusaders. Skiing is even better, usually goes like this "skier died after falling off 50 foot cliff on to a cat walk, he was then run over by a snow cat, reports say he was wearing a helmet." I have seen the helmet/no helmet reported in every ski accident story for the last 4 years, no matter how absurd. There is obviously an editorial push to do this.

End of rant, I hope the fallen here makes a full recovery.
Tom Caldwell · · Clemson, S.C. · Joined Jun 2009 · Points: 3,623
Keith H. North wrote:I hate how they write articles with the helmet emphasis, if you fall 40ft I have my doubts as to the effectiveness of a helmet. Hope the guy is OK.
There was a guy last month that fell at Looking Glass from the second pitch of Invisible Airwaves (A2). He fell from about 50' up just before the bolt on that pitch and landed on his head upper neck. Split his Petzl Meteor helmet it half and went to the hospital with minor injuries only.
Brian in SLC · · Sandy, Utah · Joined Oct 2003 · Points: 21,711

Fairly well known climber and friend to many of us.

Well wishes and heal quickly! Hope to see you soon!

(I don't have any specific details of the accident)

Brady Robinson · · Boulder, CO · Joined Sep 2008 · Points: 61

Best wishes to our dear friend and AAC Executive Director Phil Powers.

climbing.com/news/hotflashe…

BameR Bame · · golden, co · Joined Apr 2011 · Points: 90
Greg D wrote: Remove your doubts. I participated in a rescue a few years ago in Eldo. He fell a hundred feet or so. He had serious injuries. His head injury was not life threatening. He was wearing a helmet. Without the helmet, he almost certainly would have perished.
My thoughts and prayers go out to the injured...Back to the helmet thing...YOU THE CLIMBER ACCEPT RESPONSIBiLITY FOR YOUR ACTIONS, if you don't want to wear a helmet its your deal...They have been proven to save lives... I can testify to effectiveness of helmets-I fell 800 feet at lookout mountain on my paraglider in 7/06 and broke my lower half of my body. Humpty Dumpty lived to tell about it, and even rock climb years later. But I don't climb in a helmet- Weird huh? Not really...I think the medias agenda to push safety isn't a bad thing, but we have to look at the effectiveness of the measures they push. Like I said before helmets are great, but if you fall 40ft onto jagged rocks are you really going to survive landing on your head (probably not)... nothing short of a foam pit under the crag is going to save you( and I've even seen injuries from falling into foam pits). The point is CLIMBING IS DANGEROUS, ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY, and take Appropriate safety measures. Best Wishes our thoughts are with you.
George Bell · · Boulder, CO · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 5,050

Best wishes to Phil! Accidents can happen to anybody.

Jason Antin · · Golden, CO · Joined May 2009 · Points: 1,375

Best wishes Phil! Hoping for a speedy recovery!

steph johnson · · Roanoke (DENTON) · Joined Feb 2008 · Points: 0

Freaking unbelievable! This guy passed buy me as my buddy was lowering off a climb in the rain; we briefly talked and I thought to myself" I think I've met this guy before; I wonder if it is Phil Powers." As he walked away and suited up around the corner,I remembered meeting Phil in 1991 at Devil's Tower when he was climbing with Lynn Wolfe and I hadn't seen him since, until today. As of details, who knows, but wet rock may have been a factor as the climb he was on started out with a steep section with the majority of the climb being lower angled. It was just disheartening and surreal to know that I had a brief conversation with such a good person and accomplished climber at one moment in time, and shortly after, gravity proved to be traumatic; damn it! Strength, peace and healing to Phil and his family.

Tim Stich · · Colorado Springs, Colorado · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 1,520

So we still don't have any details about the accident from what I can tell other than the general area of where it happened.

Best of wishes to Phil in any case. Hopefully he can drop by later and fill us in.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Colorado
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