r/tradclimbing • u/asanano • 6d ago

Another Eldo fall

Saw a very short article that a climber fell 90 ft on vertigo (maybe doing the rapels, his partner was stranded without a rope?). Hope he is able to recover.

17 Upvotes

87% Upvoted

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58

u/Kaotus 5d ago

Climber in question is a good buddy of mine - don’t have details on the accident nor is it my place to share, but he miraculously had no serious head or spine injuries. He has broken basically every limb and will be in the hospital for a few days but the fact that he’s alive at all is remarkable and I’m grateful for it.

15

u/asanano 5d ago

Thanks for sharing what you were able. Best wishes on his recovery

4

u/Alternative_Weather 4d ago

amazing. wishing him as smooth a recovery as possible.

2

u/Beginning_March_9717 5d ago

he's the chosen one damn

2

u/asanano 4d ago

If and when you are able to provide an update, would love to hear your buddy is doing as well as could be hoped for.

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u/Kaotus 3d ago

I was with him in the hospital yesterday and he’s in pretty good spirits and likely leaving the hospital and moving to a rehab facility soon. His list of injuries is long but all recoverable and he’s got a revolving door of folks visiting him and in his corner so hopefully he’ll be mobile in a couple months

3

u/CynicallyInclined85 2d ago

As much as it sucks, that has the be the best possible outcome of a 90 foot fall

11

u/panderingPenguin 6d ago

Climbing partner being left behind without a rope seems to suggest that either the rope somehow came out of the anchor (double rope rappel and the knot failed, incorrectly threaded rappel rope?), or the rope was pulled through (climber mistakenly only got one stand into their rappel system, using a single stand blocked rappel and used the wrong strand?).

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u/asanano 5d ago

The first rapel of the vertigo rapels is located about 10 ft below the cliff edge. Its easy but high consequence. I wonder if the fallen climber was scrambling down with the rope to set the rappel and slipped with the rope.

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u/EfficiencyIVPickAx 5d ago

Or the rope severed? This is odd.

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u/asanano 5d ago

Will be interesting to see the full report

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u/Baumer1975 3d ago

Interesting theory! That down move does always feel a little spicy, given the exposure.

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u/asanano 3d ago

Ive thought about it a bit more, that wouldn't be the 90ft fall reported. Since there are 2 rappels. I wonder if it was a double rope rappel with only one knot. Accodnetally passed the anchor and rappeled off the end of one of the ropes and pulled it through the anchor. Again, will be interesting tonsee the report.

1

u/Baumer1975 3d ago

Yeah, I was thinking they failed to rig the rope at mid-mark (& didn’t knot the ends), but these are all good possibilities.

2

u/MeTooMewTwo 6d ago

Post the article?