™TRADITIONAL MOUNTAINEERING
™
www.TraditionalMountaineering.org
™ and also
www.AlpineMountaineering.org
™
™
FREE BASIC TO ADVANCED
ALPINE MOUNTAIN CLIMBING INSTRUCTION™
Home
| Information
| Photos
| Calendar
| News
| Seminars
| Experiences
| Questions
| Updates
| Books
| Conditions
| Links
The primary purpose of these experience reports and the Annual Report of Accidents in North American Mountaineering is to aid in the prevention of accidents.
On June 23, 2001, Grant Pease was leading Zebra, a 5.10a trad route rated three stars and requiring gear to 3 inches, according to Alan Watts’ “Climbers Guide to Smith Rock”. Grant was high on the wall on a horizontal traverse of a thin crack leading to the Zion route finish.
He found that he was not able to protect the crack with his gear. He was about 15 feet out when, uncomfortable, he started to make his way back toward his last secure protection. He slipped off the traverse and made a 23 foot pendulum fall into the rock dihedral with great force. With a serious compression fracture of his ankle, Grant was lowered by his climbing partner to their third belay anchor and then self rappelled to the ground. He reached the hospital about three hours after the fall.
Analysis of Accident: What knowledge and techniques will help prevent future accidents?
Grant suggests that climbers need to be aware of the dynamics of a possible fall. While he was not too uncomfortable with a total 15 foot vertical fall from his good protection, he essentially decked at the end of his 23 foot pendulum into the rock dihedral.
Additional Comments:
Grant Pease has been gym climbing weekly and sport climbing on summer weekends once or twice a month with friends for about ten years, leading to 5.9 and 5.10. He considers his experience level to be Moderate.
Report filed by Robert Speik and printed in the
55th edition of ANAM, year 2002
Copyright© 2003 by Robert Speik. All Rights Reserved.
Read more:
American Alpine Club
Oregon Section of the AAC
Accidents in North American Mountaineering