A climber was killed in late July when he fell near the top of Chockstone Corner at Yamnuska: his protection pulled out and then his rope snagged on rocks above his belayer and came apart, resulting in his fatal fall down the face. Climbers are astounded and dismayed at this rare report of a rope failure but the vulnerability of ropes to cutting, especially under tension, is well known: in this case the specific convergence of a number of bad factors caused a disaster.
Based on a description of the incident by the victim’s climbing partner, we try to make sense of what happened and recommendations that may give other climbers some reassurance when they return to the crags. That can be found on the Safety page of the Calgary Section website, reached through Resources on the Home Page.
Orvel Miskiw
Director of Safety, Calgary Section
0 Comments
Leave a reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.