Gunks Accident 11/1/16

Anybody have any more details on the accident ? Route ? Nature of the injuries ? Helmet ?

UAlbany Professor Dies Climbing 'Gunks'

Heart failure while climbing?

[RIP Joe Szot]

Terrible news, sorry to hear of it.

Kevin Heckeler wrote:Heart failure while climbing? [RIP Joe Szot]

You may be right, I may be jumping to conclusions assuming the fall was related strictly to climbing/helmets.

In any case, let's see if anything turns up...

From the article...I loved these lines from his wife...

"He had three loves in his life," said his wife, Harriet Thomas. "He loved his family, he loved his teaching and he loved his rock climbing, and he had all three of them wrapped up."

...

Thomas specialized in topology, which Harriet Thomas said she still doesn't comprehend even though he tried to explain it. Harriet Thomas, who played viola for the Albany Symphony orchestra for 40 years, said she tried to teach her husband viola but it didn't take.

They decided their marriage was more important, so they left their specialities to each other and focused on their family.

The couple had two daughters, Elizabeth of Berne, who owns 333 Cafe in Delmar, and Rebecca, who lives in Austin, Texas

My grandma died from a fall in the tub... terrible things happen to people every day.. I hope I can grow old and keep climbing and all the joys it's brought me in my life going on a weekly basis..

I heard that the accident occurred at Peterskill, and that he fell and a piece pulled, resulting in groundfall. But I am not 100% sure of the accuracy and have no other information.

Hey crak

What kind of comment is that?!?! I'm sure I'm misinterpreting it, but kinda sarcastic and empty considering people are talking about someone dying.

keithconn wrote:Hey crak What kind of comment is that?!?! I'm sure I'm misinterpreting it, but kinda sarcastic and empty considering people are talking about someone dying.

NO sarcasm.. more of me saying I'm impressed he was able to climb and enjoy what I would hope was a fulfilling life where he had three passions that he kept with him for so very long.. I aspire to live my life in the same way.

I just was saying people pass away from accidents doing literally everything and I'd much rather go with a full life under my belt than trying to avoid accidents..

The guy got out every week still.. freaking amazing... cheers to his many adventures.

My apologies. Like I said, lost in interpretation.

Link says he fell and sustained injury. And was THEN lowered off the route...

So I don't see how it was a ground fall. Sounds like he either had a heart attack or a stroke or something like that, which caused his fall. Or, he took a leader fall and hit his head or something?

"[He] was climbing the face of a cliff when he took a bad fall. He was roped in and his partner lowered him to the ground."

I was up there on 11-8 and we did Shockley's. right at the roof there was a #2BD cam with a quickdraw and locking biner hanging off of it which I found very strange. there was also a pancake sized chalk impact mark on the GT ledge below the ceiling. not sure if that might have been it.

Did I miss something? Why are we talking about Shockley's? So far the only info I've seen is that this accident was at Peterskill.

A cam and a draw on Shockley's on 11/8 is not evidence of an accident on 11/1. There is no way in the world that gear would sit around on Shockley's unretrieved for a week.

Again, my apologies if I'm missing something.

SethG wrote:Did I miss something? Why are we talking about Shockley's? So far the only info I've seen is that this accident was at Peterskill. A cam and a draw on Shockley's on 11/8 is not evidence of an accident on 11/1. There is no way in the world that gear would sit around on Shockley's unretrieved for a week. Again, my apologies if I'm missing something.

the article seemed to contradict the information given about peterskill so I wasn't sure. youre right, it doesn't seem likely gear would be left around that long but the gear still doesn't make sense.
irregardless this is a tragedy, RIP.

Sounds like evidence someone got benighted or scared or otherwise over their heads on Shockley's and decided to bail on 11/7!

Hope no one was hurt in the process.