Accident at DL yesterday?

Hi everyone, I am close to the party of climbers in this accident. I have also interviewed the climber responsible for the anchor. Please remember he is human too and just came a hair too close to losing one of his best friends. I am working on the accident report and should be able to divulge specific information on the anchor by tomorrow. Would it be best to post in this thread or create a separate accident thread?

Best,
Mel

I would like to echo Mel's thoughts.

While I think its really important to analyze the accident and learn its key takeaways. It's also important to remember that this is fresh and there is a trauma for everyone involved, including those that didn't sustain physical injuries. Those involved in the anchor are already putting enough weight on the mistakes made and they need our help too. I would love to see a continuation of the amazing outpour of support for our dear friend chip and extend that support to the others who were involved. Let's help our community get through the raw emotions of one of our own taking a crazy fall before we turn our attention to what we can learn from this. 

I would also like to know the details of what actually happened, but really want anything online to remain respectful - lost cause, I know.  You might wait a few days after you write things up, then if you post something, post a second draft.  We don't need names or anything.

Mel, do you know if the DNR is investigating?

In the meantime, is there anything else we can do for Chip & friends?

chris tregge wrote: Posting to this thread seems the easiest to find and have the broadest audience at this point. Tying it to chips fundme link is ideal IMO.

Thank you for doing that. A lot of people are wondering.

My only concern is tone.  Thankfully, it sounds like he will be ok and there are no fatalities, but discussing accidents can be sensitive.  Nevertheless, this is an incredibly rare event (how many TR anchors have failed despite there being a whole thread about bad ones?) that is worthy of analysis so that we can avoid it in the future.  Such analysis can be hard to read if you’re close to the people involved so it might be worth having a separate thread that they can know to stay away from if they’re not ready.  It definitely helped when someone I knew was in an accident that was heavily discussed here.

Up to those involved, but worth a thought.

If you don't post online anywhere, consider sending something to Accidents in North American Mountaineering

Mel Champerwrote:...I am working on the accident report and should be able to divulge specific information on the anchor by tomorrow. Would it be best to post in this thread or create a separate accident thread?

I would suggest starting a new thread (and maybe even leave out names?). Yes, most readers will know what specific incident you are talking about and will have read this thread, but the internet has this uncanny way of bringing out the worst in random passersby, so I think keeping any potential nastiness to a different thread would be preferable.

Mel Champerwrote: Hi everyone, I am close to the party of climbers in this accident. I have also interviewed the climber responsible for the anchor. Please remember he is human too and just came a hair too close to losing one of his best friends. I am working on the accident report and should be able to divulge specific information on the anchor by tomorrow. Would it be best to post in this thread or create a separate accident thread?

Best,
Mel

Any updates?  Really just curious how a TR anchor at DL fails, and what we can all learn from it.  

Thanks. 

Double Jwrote:

Any updates?  Really just curious how a TR anchor at DL fails, and what we can all learn from it.  

Thanks. 

Hey everyone,

I am in contact with a couple of experts, as well as a writer for a climbing publication. We are in the process of getting information from the rangers. The climbers involved (and me, eventually..) decided to get every detail/possibility ironed out before we release the analysis. It hasn't been ruled out to receive manufacturer input as well.

While I work on this, please keep your anchors SERENE and check/guard for sharp edges as per our industry standards.
Best,
Mel

Mel Champerwrote:

Hey everyone,

I am in contact with a couple of experts, as well as a writer for a climbing publication.

When time, Will you be letting us all know who the experts are as well as why does this forum have to come second to a for profit magazine?

Also, I do truly appreciate a recap. Not just trying to poke the stick over and over again. 

Jon and Nick. You both have some inside scoop. The wounds, physical and emotional, are still pretty raw. Let them take their time. There’s no hurry. 

Meanwhile. Chip’s still in the hospital, racking up his out-of-pocket catastrophic policy fees (this last part about the insurance is an assumption on my part) and we can all “chip” (haha get it?) in.

Fundraiser link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-cover-chip039s-hospital-expenses

 I would like to echo what Chris Tregge and Mel Champer have said.
Please relax your comments and your pushing for information.
I was there at the accident and helped with the rescue.  I partially regret providing any info early on in this forum after seeing now that I have fed the morbid interest of a few people.

I am in my forties and have been part of the climbing community for almost 30 years.  The climbing community has alway been about support, friendship and encouraging eachother.  Its sad to see a few people here just trying fulfill a curiosity about a horrible accident.
Please respect eachother here.

I dont know Chip and he doesn't know me.  I helped carry him to the rescue truck and that's about it.   Yet I am going to call him my friend. Please keep your intentions kind and thoughtful to my friend.
- Steve

The particulars of the “what” happened here are likely less important than the “why” , and that is much more sensitive and may take more time to be revealed (if at all).
 Unless it’s a critical equipment failure, or a failure of accepted std practice —which should be alerted in as much detail as soon as possible — individual “oopsies” , while interesting, are much less important to the community as a whole and can afford to take a more leisurely route to revelation.

I'm much more interested in what, honestly.

While human factors are important, discussing them on the Internet just becomes a blame game where people leap to conclusions, as already demonstrated here.

Mel Champerwrote:

The climbers involved (and me, eventually..) decided to get every detail/possibility ironed out before we release the analysis.

Good call, Mel (and others).  Any learning points will be lost if there are later corrections and retractions.

And wait until Chip is out of the hospital.  Then give him and his friend a chance to review it and give their ok before making it public ... common decency.

P.S. Our local SAR checks with those close to the victim and the victim’s climb partner to ask if a public accident report is ok.

Well, right then.  Some of us weren’t quite done virtue signaling when ye went and jumped the gun distributing so much blather and baseless absolution.   But now that the cat’s out of the bag, I’m certainly grateful for the analysis!  ‘‘Twas an improper anchor what did it.  Now we’re all safe in the knowledge that it wasn’t, in fact, treacherous chipmunks after all.   The truth had been buried long enough.  Lol

You accidentally raise a good point though, and we are in agreement about some of the complacency.  From what I can tell, not enough red tags have been handed out.  Asleep at the wheel are many.   I may have to schedule some onsite training (reference thread in beginners section).   If you see something, say something.
DL is gonna see a lot more of these I can tell you this summer
                       

As I said ... common decency.

Common decency would be helping the community understand WTF happened ASAP.
Could this have been an anchor spot/configuration that was commonly used?

Ted Pinsonwrote: How on Earth did he survive a 50’ groundfall?  Also webbing broke...was he on a single leg anchor or something?  That’s incredibly bizarre.

Have you seen the video of the skydiver in a gorilla suit that survives ground impact?  Some folks are just bouncy I guess.  Glad they are ok!

Nick Rhoads wrote:

If the information can deter one accident, a bruised ego or hurt feelings is worth it and they will have to endure for common good.

”If it can ....”

If you’re not scouting and spouting about every other climbing accident, blowing off this victim and partner for the reason you gave is a little hypocritical.