Ice Climber Injury on Cathedral Ledge

[Waumbek]

He remains in critical condition at Maine Medical in Portland after a 50-foot fall. Hope this turns out OK.

 

[Lawn Sale]

Apparently a couple of people, a guide and his guidee skidded about 300' down Willy's slide 3 weeks ago. They were hooked together but when the guidee met up with the guide, he had all the screws with him, and the guide didn't anchor himself. Sounds a little fishy to me, but the people I met today on Frankenstein said they watched them go (one, then the other when he ran out of rope). But, both people got up and walked away from it, which is amazing if you've ever been to Willy's.

It is becoming more of a sport, this ice climbing, so it's not a wonder more people will get hurt. But, there are also more people attempting to climb way over their abilities as well.

 

[giggy]

wow - I was on willey's yesterday and we discussed this very same thing about on willeys and pretty easy low angled ice, but if you fell, what ride :

and we were talking about soloing the last pitch (it was windy, cold, frozen rope, getting late etc..) but we very quickly decided that was a dumb idea and didn't . We talked about this same incident that helped us come to the conclusion - to do it protected.



2 of my buddies were on cathedral friday and must have totally missed this - cus the didn't mention it yesterday.

 

[sierra]

It only takes one minute of miscaculation to get hurt or die on technical terrain, even people with years of experience have learned this lesson the hard way.
One day years back a friend and me where way up on Willeys slide and conditions where horrendous, Im talking 30 below or colder and the ice was so hard and brittle it dinnerplated with such regularity we decided to bail to the woods. My partner had gone half a rope length without placing any gear oviously in a hurry to get to the woods. Both his and my safety at this point where in jeapordy, so I yelled "you get no more rope, until you put in a ice screw period" he complied and then went 20 ft more when his crampon fell off, he slid 40 ft or so but I had him and reeled in rope like nobodys bussiness, he later thanked me for my input, and I responded thats what partners are for, you lucky bastard.

 

[LenDawg]

I heard about this on the radio. I hope everything ends up all right.

 

[Whiteman]

What were the conditions?

I am an absolute novice in the ice climbing department, but from what I could see this has got to be just about the worst ice conditions, ever.

Ahh, but the siren song of winter, and the mountains . . . it's so easy to understand the lure.

 

[Lawn Sale]

I agree, the ice this year is terrible. It was dinner plating everywhere and we were constantly dodging the ice showers from the guys above us (above and to the right, on the "4" material). I had a crampon and ice axe let loose on the Cateracts (local ice for me, in Camden), but my brother caught me in about 5 feet. Still it was unnerving (I've never fallen before) to think if I hadn't been roped in I would have gone a full pitch +50' to the bottom trees. There is no substitute for safety.

It's funny, my brother and I wondered the same thing when we climbed Willey's Slide last year. I'm amazed they walked away, that had to hurt.

 

[giggy]

found out some more info on the willeys accident (or lack of) - I guess - one person was short-roping another and they fell and took a ride and got up - this makes sense as they were probably on the snow - not ice. If they were high on willeys and fell - can't imagine anyone walking away from that.

 

[DougPaul]

If they were high on willeys and fell - can't imagine anyone walking away from that.

People have been known to shoot off the bottom of the slide and into the woods. A rough landing either way.

Doug

 

[markandkelly]

This is a friend of mine and he remains in critical condition in Portland. I have not been in contact directly with his friends and family at the hospital and would prefer not to burden them with one more phone call. I have sent a message to let them know I am praying for Scott.

I was wondering if anyone has any technical info on what what might have happened? Apparently he was at a ledge break while belaying down the Thresher Route.

http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060220/REPOSITORY/602200312/0/NEWS01

Any thoughts?

Anyway, I went to school with Scott and even hiked a few times with him. Overall, he is a very well prepared and thoughtful climber; everything he does in life he does well. I'm shocked to hear of the accident.

Thanks for any help!

Mark

 

[Waumbek]

This is a friend of mine ....Any thoughts?

Mark--it's always harder when it's one's friend who's been injured, and I hope things are improving for him. The only info source that I can suggest beyond the news reports is this site. Go to "forum" and then to "ice and winter climbing" and you'll find a thread on Cathedral Ledge. You don't have to register to read it. Good luck to your buddy.