Ice climber dies in fall in Clear Creek Canyon on Wednesday

https://www.denverpost.com/2022/01/19/u-s-highway-6-clear-creek-canyon-emergency/

Emergency responders recovered the body of an ice climber who fell in Clear Creek Canyon on Wednesday, forcing them to shut down U.S. 6 for about four hours.

All lanes of the highway were closed at Tunnel One as members of the Golden Fire Department, Arvada Fire Protection District and Alpine Rescue worked on the recovery, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office said.

Authorities were notified at about 11 a.m. of a person in the area who was alone and in need of help. The rescue area was near Secret Falls, a popular ice-climbing spot, according to the sheriff’s office. The highway reopened at about 3 p.m.

Shit.  Saw this news earlier today.  Sad to hear it, my heart goes out to this family and community.
Sounds like someone soloing based on this info?

Condolences to the deceased climber and their family, Such a sad thing to see. Can anyone shed more light on the accident/what route they were on?

People offer condolences but want to know all the juicy details. That's like asking if a car accident victim was ejected out of the front or rear window. Just stick to condolences please.

When there is an accident of death in the mountains, threads almost immediately diverge into expressions of shock and condolence, requests to know more, and lots of pointless arguments about what's the best way to proceed.  I think we need both--people need to express their emotions, and people want to know--that's natural and important.  

If need be, start a "memorial thread" and another "analysis thread."  Or just accept the messy human response to trauma and death. 

I feel deeply for all involved and touched, and offer them my thoughts and sympathy at a great distance.  I also have a desire to know what happened, to think about it, to process, and to learn.  

If there is any more information, please keep it flowing.  

Be safe out there,

Bill Wwrote:

People offer condolences but want to know all the juicy details. That's like asking if a car accident victim was ejected out of the front or rear window. Just stick to condolences please.

Yeah, how dare people want to know how a fatal accident occurred so that they might learn from it, avoid a previously unknown objective hazard, find out what conditions caused a piece of gear to fail, etc?! Accidents in North American Climbing is basically just porn.

Condolences to family and friends.

For those seeking more information, he was solo ice climbing.  How much more do you need to know. 

I think the desire for details can help people inform their risk tolerance. I think it rarely comes from a scummy place. If all we were able to know is that x number of climbers died a year somehow, it may be difficult to find your place on the spectrum. But there are clear delineations from bouldering > gym climbing > sport > single pitch trad > big wall > alpine > high altitude mountaineering (in no specific order). The more data people have, the more informed of a decision they can make for themselves. 

If i die in the mountains, I wont feel disrespected if people want to understand what went wrong.

absolutely awful accident. my deepest condolences to all those who knew him.

Bill Wwrote:

People offer condolences but want to know all the juicy details. That's like asking if a car accident victim was ejected out of the front or rear window. Just stick to condolences please.

I understand where you're coming from, and won't argue here, but hard disagree.  I climb in that canyon all the time, and am always concerned about safety and the other climbers around me.  I 100% asked because I want to continue keeping me and my partners safe in the canyon.  This is the same reason I read the AAC accident report - not because I enjoy it, but because I need to keep learning.

I hope a friend or loved one does read all the heartfelt condolences here.  I also hope we can all learn something from this, and avoid situations in which we might risk a similar fate.

Greg Dwrote:

Condolences to family and friends.

For those seeking more information, he was solo ice climbing.  How much more do you need to know. 

Hey Greg, 

I understand your response, but I do think information is helpful.

I believe there was a rock climber recently killed whom was crushed by a falling rock at the base of the route?  Did the same thing happen here?  Was he killed by falling ice at the bottom of the route?  Was he caught in an avalanche?  Did he have a medical emergency?  Or did he simply fall?  I so, was he soling, top rope soling, or lead rope soling?  This is the kind of important information that can help people process and learn.  

All the best.

My deepest sympathies for this family as they navigate this tragedy and unexpected loss. What we do is dangerous with very high consequences. When someone dies, I think it could have just as easily been me. Knowing details is a learning opportunity that helps me add to my toolbox and knowledge base. We’re all trying to come home safely from each trip and it’s a wake-up call when someone doesn’t. 

Yeah. Learning the details helps me so that makes it OK to pry into his most personal moment. His death.

David Pneumanwrote:

Yeah. Learning the details helps me so that makes it OK to pry into his most personal moment. His death.

Bill W go back to your Buying a guidebook from someone whose ethics are widely in question forum. Seriously. You've only started triggering the easily triggered so good job. I've been climbing ice for 5 years and am still a noob so if you think that's wrong to ask questions when there's a serious ice climbing accident, you are wrong.

How has this been handled on MP every other time something this tragic has happened? People inform others what the root cause of the accident was and people learn from it. Never before have I seen until now people getting buttburt because we are genuinely curious what happened in an accident. We get out and put ourselves in similar situations (I assume) where any type of info to help keep ourselves safe is cherished. We're not trying to PRY into the deceased's most personal moment. If you think that, take a step back and literally.… your own face.

Mulchwrote:

Bill W go back to your Buying a guidebook from someone whose ethics are widely in question forum. Seriously. You've only started triggering the easily triggered so good job. I've been climbing ice for 5 years and am still a noob so if you think that's wrong to ask questions when there's a serious ice climbing accident, you are wrong.

How has this been handled on MP every other time something this tragic has happened? People inform others what the root cause of the accident was and people learn from it. Never before have I seen until now people getting buttburt because we are genuinely curious what happened in an accident. We get out and put ourselves in similar situations (I assume) where any type of info to help keep ourselves safe is cherished. We're not trying to PRY into the deceased's most personal moment. If you think that, take a step back and literally.… your own face.

Excuse me but I was acquainted with the deceased, this is devastating news to everyone close to the victim. If there is some sort of objective hazard the public will be informed about it I am sure, but all the little details of these accidents are rarely very mind-blowing and I think out of respect everyone should stick to condolences only. Thanks.

@Hobo

He was your dad, not someone else's.

Sorry for your loss Bill, and for everyone close to this person. It’s really sad. 

Bill W, I get it, you are grieving.  I've been there.  Once, when I was 20, the bicycle road racing team I was training with was intentionally struck by a hit and run driver, killing one of my friends, and badly injuring another
(head injury, coma for 3 months, leg amputated). | was an EMT at the time, and did what I could, which wasn't very much. I called his mother and told her the news, because I felt like, yoiu know, as the sage and wise medical professional (I'm being ironic) I should be one the onbe to make the call. A terrible experience that I will never forget, that in fact derailed the course of my life. Anyway, when all the TV crews and police showed up, I had a great, tragic, self-righteous, pitying moment of playing the wounded hero figure, shouting at the newspaper man, something like, "How dare you film our dead and injured friend, and make a spectable of it." The camera man looked shocked and afraid. Now, I feel embarrassed thinking about it--he was just doing his job. But, you know, I was 20 years old, and processing trauma. Later, I had two very close friend die (drug overdoses). They were a big part of my life. But I didn't go to either funeral. My feeling is that funerals, and mourning, and respect, and homage, and all that very important stuff (not trying to be dismissive) are personal, and just for the living, and nobody has a right to demand anything of others regarding these things.

I guess I'm trying to say everybody mourns in their own way, and it's all acceptable and understandable.  

This information is on a public forum.  People can ask any questions they like, and they're not being disrespectful and unethical.  

If you want to preach to people about how they should process death, and you want people to share only condolences, start a memorial page, or a private face book thread. 

Here are some good questions: was the climber killed by falling ice at the bottom of a route, like that rock climber recently?  Were they hit by ice on a climb?  Were they soling?  TRS?  LRS?  Pure soling?  Did they fall roped while climbing?  Feet blow?  Tools blow?  Medial emergency? 

These are important and valid questions.  

I wish you peace with your own mourning process, and that's a sincere statement. 

Bruno

Bruno Schullwrote:

Bill W, I get it, you are grieving.  I've been there.  Once, when I was 20, the bicycle road racing team I was training with was intentionally struck by a hit and run driver, killing one of my friends, and badly injuring another
(head injury, coma for 3 months, leg amputated). | was an EMT at the time, and did what I could, which wasn't very much. I called his mother and told her the news, because I felt like, yoiu know, as the sage and wise medical professional (I'm being ironic) I should be one the onbe to make the call. A terrible experience that I will never forget, that in fact derailed the course of my life. Anyway, when all the TV crews and police showed up, I had a great, tragic, self-righteous, pitying moment of playing the wounded hero figure, shouting at the newspaper man, something like, "How dare you film our dead and injured friend, and make a spectable of it." The camera man looked shocked and afraid. Now, I feel embarrassed thinking about it--he was just doing his job. But, you know, I was 20 years old, and processing trauma. Later, I had two very close friend die (drug overdoses). They were a big part of my life. But I didn't go to either funeral. My feeling is that funerals, and mourning, and respect, and homage, and all that very important stuff (not trying to be dismissive) are personal, and just for the living, and nobody has a right to demand anything of others regarding these things.

I guess I'm trying to say everybody mourns in their own way, and it's all acceptable and understandable.  

This information is on a public forum.  People can ask any questions they like, and they're not being disrespectful and unethical.  

If you want to preach to people about how they should process death, and you want people to share only condolences, start a memorial page, or a private face book thread. 

Here are some good questions: was the climber killed by falling ice at the bottom of a route, like that rock climber recently?  Were they hit by ice on a climb?  Were they soling?  TRS?  LRS?  Pure soling?  Did they fall roped while climbing?  Feet blow?  Tools blow?  Medial emergency? 

These are important and valid questions.  

I wish you peace with your own mourning process, and that's a sincere statement. 

Bruno

Respectfully, drop these questions. Everyone already knows the risk assessment for all the scenarios you have proposed. Climbing is dangerous. Full stop.

Bill, I'm so sorry for the loss of your friend. Anyone else who knows the deceased, my heart is with you.

Bruno Schullwrote:

Bill W, I get it, you are grieving.  I've been there.  Once, when I was 20, the bicycle road racing team I was training with was intentionally struck by a hit and run driver, killing one of my friends, and badly injuring another
(head injury, coma for 3 months, leg amputated). | was an EMT at the time, and did what I could, which wasn't very much. I called his mother and told her the news, because I felt like, yoiu know, as the sage and wise medical professional (I'm being ironic) I should be one the onbe to make the call. A terrible experience that I will never forget, that in fact derailed the course of my life. Anyway, when all the TV crews and police showed up, I had a great, tragic, self-righteous, pitying moment of playing the wounded hero figure, shouting at the newspaper man, something like, "How dare you film our dead and injured friend, and make a spectable of it." The camera man looked shocked and afraid. Now, I feel embarrassed thinking about it--he was just doing his job. But, you know, I was 20 years old, and processing trauma. Later, I had two very close friend die (drug overdoses). They were a big part of my life. But I didn't go to either funeral. My feeling is that funerals, and mourning, and respect, and homage, and all that very important stuff (not trying to be dismissive) are personal, and just for the living, and nobody has a right to demand anything of others regarding these things.

I guess I'm trying to say everybody mourns in their own way, and it's all acceptable and understandable.  

This information is on a public forum.  People can ask any questions they like, and they're not being disrespectful and unethical.  

If you want to preach to people about how they should process death, and you want people to share only condolences, start a memorial page, or a private face book thread. 

Here are some good questions: was the climber killed by falling ice at the bottom of a route, like that rock climber recently?  Were they hit by ice on a climb?  Were they soling?  TRS?  LRS?  Pure soling?  Did they fall roped while climbing?  Feet blow?  Tools blow?  Medial emergency? 

These are important and valid questions.  

I wish you peace with your own mourning process, and that's a sincere statement. 

Bruno

No, you don't get it. People with no relationship to a victim aren't grieving and have no right to have their questions answered. No matter how many words you write it doesn't change the fact that these people asking questions are just looky loos. Any information that will help keep others safe will be released when necessary.

Kip, have you read through the thread?  As you are one of those making requests for people to change their behavior, it is beholden on you (and others) to explain exactly why you think people should hew to your view of life and death, or even just your view of what respect means.  

Asking questions is not a sign of lack of respect or cold-heartedness--in many ways, it could even be viewed as a way to honor the deceased.  

Read the first note I posted here--these arguments are eternal and circular.  Every time a tragedy happens in the mountains, folks on MP and face book and so forth should immediately start a condolences/memorial thread, and an analysis/questions thread. 

Then we could avoid going in circles.  

As I said before, keep the information flowing, respect and sympathy to all.

@ Bill, of course, nobody has a right to any answers.  And nobody here has asserted any rights or expressed any entitlement to more information.  But people definitely have a right to ask, question, analyze, and so forth.  And you, as well as others, such as Kip above, do not have a right to dictate to other people how they should live and act in the world.  If you don't want to deal with the other people, you should not be on a public forum.  

You obviously beleive you know what is right and wrong here.  I don't know what is right or wrong, but I do know that it's not my place to tell people what to do.  I also suggest that what you're doing now--expressing your feelings and ordering people to acknowledge your grief on your terms--is something which, in the future, you will reconsider, or regret, as I did, when I acted in the same way, the same, thirty years ago, when I was a young man.  

The climber you knew passed away.  For his family and close friend, their lives will never be the same.  He is gone, but he will live in their minds and memories forever, which is a kind of immortality.  We may learn from his death or not.  I hope we do.  We're all part of this crazy tribe of climbers, and the activities we do are risky.   Working through all this is part of the process.