Looking for info on Tahquitz accident in the 1990's when 3 climbers died.

I have been searching but can't find anything. I think it was in the 90's, but maybe early 2000's.

As I recall, the leader was belaying both followers up simultaneously on the last pitch. One of them fell, pulled the other off, and then total anchor failure. 

Wondering if any"old-timers" here remember it, and have any more details. A little surprised I can't find anything online and now I'm wondering if I'm remembering correctly.

Thanks for your help.

David Burridgewrote:

I have been searching but can't find anything. I think it was in the 90's, but maybe early 2000's.

As I recall, the leader was belaying both followers up simultaneously on the last pitch. One of them fell, pulled the other off, and then total anchor failure. 

Wondering if any"old-timers" here remember it, and have any more details. A little surprised I can't find anything online and now I'm wondering if I'm remembering correctly.

Thanks for your help.

This is about the death of two climbers with a total anchor failure in 2003. Actually references the death of three climbers from an anchor failure in the Sandias.

https://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/topic/17763-double-fatality-in-ca-anchor-failed/

there have been a handful of bad accidents at tahquitz over the years. my guess is that you are looking for the accident involving dave kellog and kelly tufo.

Thanks for the replies Ben & Slim. This has me seriously perplexed now. I had what I thought was an accurate memory of this accident and the details are significantly different from any accident I can find online. I was sure it was 3 climbers, young men in their 20's who had fallen from the top of Tahquitz. The leader had topped out, set an anchor, and was belaying both followers on a single rope. There were some slabby moves and the last climber supposedly slipped. Possibly a lot of slack in the rope, which caused a great deal of force on the anchor.

I remember reading accounts of witnesses and those involved in the recovery as well as discussion about the anchor failure. I was sure it was Tahquitz as well.

I'm on a mission now...

I believe you’re thinking of the accident in 10/2003 where two climbers died after a total anchor failure. Lots of theories what might haven happened, you can read through the very long thread on rockclimbing.com with lots of analysis and speculation about the tragic incident. Just google it, easy to find.

the accident involving three people and an anchor blowing out is probably the accident at tres piedras in new mexico. (?)

David Burridgewrote:

I have been searching but can't find anything. I think it was in the 90's, but maybe early 2000's.

As I recall, the leader was belaying both followers up simultaneously on the last pitch. One of them fell, pulled the other off, and then total anchor failure. 

Wondering if any"old-timers" here remember it, and have any more details. A little surprised I can't find anything online and now I'm wondering if I'm remembering correctly.

Thanks for your help.

What do you want to know about the accident?

slimwrote:

the accident involving three people and an anchor blowing out is probably the accident at tres piedras in new mexico. (?)

Was that on Warpy Moople in the Sandias?

Tradibanwrote:

What do you want to know about the accident?

At this point, "did it actually happen?" would be a good start. I'm starting to wonder if it was something I dreamed.

Seriously though, I was originally just trying to remember what route it was.

Mark E Dixonwrote:

Was that on Warpy Moople in the Sandias?

yes, i believe that is the one.  for some reason i thought i remembered it being at tres piedras.

Thanks again for the replies. 

My memory was definitely 3 young guys from Los Angeles area, that it was Tahquitz, and they fell something like 700 feet. So the details are significantly different from the other accidents mentioned.

The fact nobody seems to have any knowledge of what would have probably been the worst accident at Tahquitz and that I can't find anything online has be seriously questioning my memory though.

David Burridge wrote:

Thanks again for the replies. 

My memory was definitely 3 young guys from Los Angeles area, that it was Tahquitz, and they fell something like 700 feet. So the details are significantly different from the other accidents mentioned.

The fact nobody seems to have any knowledge of what would have probably been the worst accident at Tahquitz and that I can't find anything online has be seriously questioning my memory though.

Hmmm, sounds like you are having the same problem I had before I got my T levels checked. Mis-remembering things at your relatively young age is a sign of low T levels. Have them checked out, helped me tremendously. 

About 5 years ago, hiking towards Tahquitz from the Humber parking lot, I remember seeing signs that sated 'No Hanging Belays'. I'm not sure if the signs are still there. I had heard about something like the anchor accident you are asking about, and thought that maybe the signage was put up as a response to the accident.

As a new climber at the time, and still several years later, the injunction against hanging belays makes me wonder. I've never seen this kind of sign or rule anywhere else. A hanging belay is probably not anyone's first choice if there are better options at hand. Hanging belays may add some challenge to setup, comfort, and breakdown. But, if hanging belays are built on good rock with good gear placements they should be about as safe as any other belay anchor ...right?

You're thinking of White Maiden @ Tahquitz - and it happened basically as you say.  Not sure about the Sandias thing.  Another well known similar accident was on the DNB - double ropes into 2 small cams, both pulled.

Tim Hawkinswrote:

About 5 years ago, hiking towards Tahquitz from the Humber parking lot, I remember seeing signs that sated 'No Hanging Belays'. I'm not sure if the signs are still there. I had heard about something like the anchor accident you are asking about, and thought that maybe the signage was put up as a response to the accident.

As a new climber at the time, and still several years later, the injunction against hanging belays makes me wonder. I've never seen this kind of sign or rule anywhere else. A hanging belay is probably not anyone's first choice if there are better options at hand. Hanging belays may add some challenge to setup, comfort, and breakdown. But, if hanging belays are built on good rock with good gear placements they should be about as safe as any other belay anchor ...right?

Lol, No hanging belays?! I never heard that one.

Bill Schickwrote:

You're thinking of White Maiden @ Tahquitz - and it happened basically as you say.  Not sure about the Sandias thing.  Another well known similar accident was on the DNB - double ropes into 2 small cams, both pulled.

yeah, the dmb accident is another one i think about quite a bit.

Mark E Dixonwrote:

Was that on Warpy Moople in the Sandias?

Yes, Warpy Moople. Leader was belaying unanchored from top of last pitch. There were several pieces between the leader and the second. These pulled. The third was at the last belay, and i remember that it was debated whether she was anchored or not. Likely and unconfirmed scenario is that the second fell, pulled off the leader and ripped pro, and then they pulled off the third. 

My wife Penelope was on RMRU rescue that turned into recovery sometime in the late 90s or early 2000. Two guys were on the Long Climb. Fell a long way and both died. Pen was part of the recovery team. She does not recall any three people Tahquitz incident in the early 2000s.

Based on the information provided I have to conclude that, as many of your suggested, I must be thinking of the accident from 2003...not sure why I remembered it as 3 people. Perhaps my brain merged 2 separate incidents.

Thanks again to all who responded!

The American alpine club accident journals are archived / searchable for members on their website. If you use the search term Tahquitz you can spend hours reading some truly sobering accounts / reports. I imagine the same is true of most crags that have been climbed on that long by that many people.

Definitely makes me very uninterested in climbing under other parties or climbing anything in the North Face ish area.

Cole Darbywrote:

The American alpine club accident journals are archived / searchable for members on their website. If you use the search term Tahquitz you can spend hours reading some truly sobering accounts / reports. I imagine the same is true of most crags that have been climbed on that long by that many people.

Definitely makes me very uninterested in climbing under other parties or climbing anything in the North Face ish area.

Thank you for that. I was actually able to search without logging in as a member.

I used to read the journals years ago when I first started climbing and felt that it was an important part of my climbing education. But I got to a point where I had to stop reading them because I would keep getting visions of these things happening to me while I was trying to lead a pitch.