Here's a strange one. A well known NH climber fell tell to his death in a rock gym. Vertical Dreams in Manchester was the scene of the accident and fall was 50-60 feet.
Local Climber Dies in Gym Fall
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sierra
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It's not that strange, climbing is dangerous. I like hiking because it's relaxing. I was a technical climber on rock and ice for ten years, it's a dangerous sport with consequences up to death. I quit the sport after a near miss, I paced on a 12 inch wide ledge for 10 minutes waiting for my second to get ready before realizing, I never clipped to my anchor, retired after that day.
No doubt strange. Hard to get safer in climbing when it come to gyms. Hopefully more details will come out in order to understand this. Most climbing in gyms is on top rope which is usually very safe due to extremely safe anchors. Even if he was leading the usual fixed bolted gear placements on a gym wall are bomber and evenly spaced much less than 50-60 feet. I would be surprised if this was not a result of gear failure somewhere in the system or user error. Many accidents occur where the climber has unsuccessfully worn their harness properly . Also his belayer may have failed to hold his fall. But that also seems highly unlikely as most belay stations now have or require self activating belay devices.Hard to say as information is limited in this article due to the ongoing investigation. My condolences to his friends and loved ones.
Al Hospers' newsletter says the climber was setting routes in the gym. He might have been an employee, thus the OSHA presence post fall.
The highest walls at Vert Dreams are 50-70 feet and do not provide auto-belay systems. So possible a belayer mistake, anchor failure or pilot error on his part.
The highest walls at Vert Dreams are 50-70 feet and do not provide auto-belay systems. So possible a belayer mistake, anchor failure or pilot error on his part.
It is bizarre beyond belief. Climbing in a gym is not dangerous, because one has to be roped at all times.
If this person was route-setting, there is an elaborate system of self-belaying one is supposed to follow, and it should be fail proof. Something went catastrophically wrong.
Yes it is bizarre but to say climbing in a gym is not dangerous is not entirely true IMO. It may be less dangerous than say free soloing El Cap but it is not in absence of inherent dangers. If something went catastrophically wrong then some sort of danger lies within the activity. Otherwise this incident would have not occurred. Climbing and hiking for that matter involves some sort of risk management of those inherent dangers.
DayTrip
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Not too long ago there was a similar high fall in an indoor climbing gym. I forget if I saw the video on Outside or a local news website. Was pretty graphic. People are talking and then just <SLAP> the guy hits the floor. The guy survived his fall but messed himself up pretty good. That was my first reaction - how does that happen in a gym with all the rules and regulations? Apparently it is not as rare as you'd think it would be.
DayTrip
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One has to be roped correctly. We've all seen stories about very experienced climbers forgetting to tie a rappel not or clip in. All the fail safe systems in the world don't work if you skip them or fatigue leads to a simple but critical mistake. Hopefully the details get released on this one.
Gym accidents are so rare they are virtually non-existent. Climbing in a gym is not dangerous.
I disagree. Rare or not why are there accidents and people die in climbing gyms. Please share your definition and or opinion of what is dangerous. Maybe what is not perceived dangerous to you may be by another individual.
peakbagger
In Rembrance , July 2024
Long ago I went to a climbing gym in Plymouth NH with a youth group. The training was pretty minimal for those belaying. One of the kids was belaying his dad and managed to not pull the belay handle when his dad fell until the last minute. It wasnt a major drop and there was a padded floor but the dad still had a hard hit. Had he been higher up the wall there could have been more issues. The potential is there. I have seen folks paralyzed from jumping in pools, a lot more potential for injury falling off a wall unbelayed.
In WIFA training they tell you if a person falls the equivalent of their body height (5-6 feet) check for serious back and neck injuries in addition to head injuries.
Earth's Gravity is a cruel mistress.
Earth's Gravity is a cruel mistress.
Several years ago, I passed out while seated on a toilet, and fell onto the floor. What's that, a 2-3 foot fall? Blowout orbital fracture, and a pinched nerve resulting in tingling in three fingers that persists to this day.
Hit something hard or in an unlucky way, and damage can certainly occur, even in a *very* short fall.
TomK
Hit something hard or in an unlucky way, and damage can certainly occur, even in a *very* short fall.
TomK
sierra
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Well, apparently you are not correct, are you? Any type of technical climbing is dangerous, to say otherwise is simply wrong.
DayTrip
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Just because people die doing this does not automatically make it dangerous....
That sounds a bit callous IMO. Have you done any technical climbing to perhaps base your opinion from? I have lost friends climbing and skiing so I fail to see your humor. I’d be willing to trade stories if you have any.Just because people die doing this does not automatically make it dangerous....
DayTrip
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That was heavy handed sarcasm. I totally disagree with Brian's assertion that gym climbing is not dangerous. Of course it is dangerous. I know of two news stories in just the past 3 months of a serious accident in a climbing gym - a fatality (this story) and paralysis in another.
Gym climbing may have a very, very low probability of an accident but that is not the same as dangerous versus not dangerous.
IMO still not a place for sarcasm. Although I do agree with the rest of this comment. Doing a simple Google Search for the definition of “Dangerous” results in a common theme of results. The underlying answers all share common results that include the following: “If something is dangerous, it is able or likely to hurt or harm you”. Which therefore IMO applies and is relevant in this event that is being discussed.
Based on what I've seen both as a ski instructor (previous life) and member of a couple of rifle teams, there are at least different mental errors that can bite us.
The first is ignorance. People who don't have a clue in dangerous situations are really really dangerous.
The second is well informed fear. I see this repeatedly both on the slopes and on the firing line. Somebody has enough experience and education (if not training) to understand the dangers but doesn't have enough experience to be in full command of both the safety protocols and the execution of the task. Essentially, the brain is in overload and sadness often ensues.
The third is mindless familiarity. This was called to my attention to a guy I knew who as a Navy helicopter pilot and instructor. He said he got to the point where he went through the manual safety checks by memory - so much so that he wasn't really paying to attention to them as he was doing them. Call it, familiarity breeds contemptuous carelessness.
Risk management is more of an oxymoron and less a science.
The first is ignorance. People who don't have a clue in dangerous situations are really really dangerous.
The second is well informed fear. I see this repeatedly both on the slopes and on the firing line. Somebody has enough experience and education (if not training) to understand the dangers but doesn't have enough experience to be in full command of both the safety protocols and the execution of the task. Essentially, the brain is in overload and sadness often ensues.
The third is mindless familiarity. This was called to my attention to a guy I knew who as a Navy helicopter pilot and instructor. He said he got to the point where he went through the manual safety checks by memory - so much so that he wasn't really paying to attention to them as he was doing them. Call it, familiarity breeds contemptuous carelessness.
Risk management is more of an oxymoron and less a science.
This seems germane to the discussion of dangerous activities....
Jaffrey, NH – On June 10, 2024, at approximately 11:50 a.m., New Hampshire Fish and Game was notified by South Western New Hampshire District Fire Mutual Aid about a hiker that had fallen on the White Cross Trail near tree line and was suffering from severe and potentially life threatening injuries.
So is hiking Monadnock "dangerous" since it can result in potentially life threatening injuries? Hummmm...
Jaffrey, NH – On June 10, 2024, at approximately 11:50 a.m., New Hampshire Fish and Game was notified by South Western New Hampshire District Fire Mutual Aid about a hiker that had fallen on the White Cross Trail near tree line and was suffering from severe and potentially life threatening injuries.
So is hiking Monadnock "dangerous" since it can result in potentially life threatening injuries? Hummmm...
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