The death of a climber soloing Cascade Falls at Christmas, 2018 was a tragedy for himself and his family, but although such fatalities are not very common, they are to be expected from time to time. Soloing seems to be becoming more common over the last few years, likely stimulated by advances in climbing equipment.
The fact is that all climbers fall sooner or later, and since most falls in climbing have the potential to cause injury and death, it only makes sense to be on a rope with protection when it happens to you. It’s a simple matter of statistical probabilities: the more consistently you use a rope and good protection while climbing, the more likely you are to be protected when YOUR accident happens. Most climbers take a dim view of soloing because they know that luck plays a significant role in all climbing, while the possible finality of a misfortune renders soloing a reckless disregard for life and personal safety.
‘Solo’ climbing is generally taken to mean “undertaking a significant climb without protection”, and that is obviously a very bad idea for anyone who values his life. See more considerations and comments about this in the Safety page, accessible under Resources on the Home Page.
Orvel Miskiw
Director of Safety
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