{"id":12561,"date":"2012-08-14T16:39:46","date_gmt":"2012-08-14T23:39:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/idyllwildtowncrier.com\/?p=12561"},"modified":"2013-04-18T11:41:09","modified_gmt":"2013-04-18T18:41:09","slug":"fatality-calls-attention-to-risks-of-rock-climbing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/idyllwildtowncrier.com\/2012\/08\/14\/fatality-calls-attention-to-risks-of-rock-climbing\/","title":{"rendered":"Fatality calls attention to risks of rock climbing"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Photo by Marshall Smith<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ask any inveterate rock climber and they will tell you the sport is thrilling and exhilarating, but it also demands respect. Much can go wrong; therefore serious preparation and constant attention to detail are necessary to prevent careless errors, which can be deadly.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The sport also involves training, a conscientious effort best undertaken with certified guides and instructors. \u201cMost accidents are not the result of recklessness,\u201d said Erik Kramer-Webb, \u201cit\u2019s pilot error.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kramer-Webb leads climbing courses at both Joshua Tree and in Idyllwild on Suicide Rock. He is a certified American Mountain Guide Association rock instructor for Vertical Adventures. The recent death of a Girl Scout counselor on Suicide Rock revives the danger of rock climbing and brings attention to the steps necessary to avoid serious accidents or fatalities.<\/p>\n

Tahquitz and Suicide Rocks are international climbing destinations, are challenging climbs and have been the site of numerous fatalities. Walt Walker, one of the founding members of the Riverside Mountain Rescue Unit stated in 2000 that RMRU had recorded 18 deaths on Tahquitz alone since the 1980s. Since 2000, there have been at least five more. Kramer-Webb estimates that Suicide Rock has claimed additional lives but neither the Forest Service nor Riverside County Sheriff\u2019s Department keeps those specific statistics.<\/p>\n

\u201cI get nervous when I see youth groups at Suicide Rock,\u201d said Kramer-Webb. \u201cI see a lot of substandard climbing practices on Suicide and Tahquitz. Climbing programs for children should only be run by professional guides, not by volunteers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kramer-Webb said there are three basic practices that help to prevent serious injury or death: have solid climbing ability; understand the climbing routes to be used and read the rock as you go; and have good protection equipment. Kramer-Webb also advised knowing your climbing partners and avoiding, as much as possible, climbing where it appears inexperienced climbers are present.<\/p>\n

RMRU volunteer and experienced climber Les Walker said he recommends climbing only with one\u2019s own equipment and keeping it current and updated. He advises against using rented or borrowed equipment. \u201cYou don\u2019t know how it\u2019s been used,\u201d he observed.<\/p>\n

Walker said that no matter how experienced, climbers should follow established practices using standard verbal commands such as, \u201cclimbing,\u201d \u201ctake rope,\u201d and \u201coff-belay.\u201d He noted that getting comfortable and taking shortcuts in practice can lead to accidents. \u201cYou don\u2019t have to fall more than 10 feet to kill yourself,\u201d he said. Walker also advised that climbers should pick climbing partners carefully based on knowing their skill levels and climbing habits. Walker also noted that altitude can affect climbers differently, depending on existing medical conditions.<\/p>\n

Local guide Ernesto Ale also agreed that most accidents are the result of human error and can be prevented with proper training, focus and attention. \u201cThe age of equipment can also be a factor,\u201d said Ale. \u201cThere have been advances in climbing gear [that add to climbing safety].\u201d He also noted that being on a rock face demands awareness of all that is around you. \u201cI refuse to guide under other people,\u201d he said, noting the danger climbers above you can pose.<\/p>\n

There are many things that can go wrong that climbers can and should prepare for. Sometimes, even the best preparation cannot prevent a serious accident or fatality. A September 2008 incident on Suicide Rock illustrates the point. Two climbers began their climb on a clear and beautiful day. A storm blew in quickly and pounded the pair with marble-sized hail, One climber slipped while trying to set a wedging device. Both fell. One suffered severe head trauma and the other sustained facial injuries requiring reconstructive surgery. Because of the speedy and heroic assistance of nearby climbers, the pair survived.<\/p>\n

All in all, rock climbing is not to be taken lightly or carelessly. The Climb Smart national campaign motto states it well: \u201cClimbing is dangerous; stack the odds in your favor.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ask any inveterate rock climber and they will tell you the sport is thrilling and exhilarating, but it also demands respect …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":12135,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"amp_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[20],"yoast_head":"\nFatality calls attention to risks of rock climbing • Idyllwild Town Crier<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/idyllwildtowncrier.com\/2012\/08\/14\/fatality-calls-attention-to-risks-of-rock-climbing\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\">\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"3 minutes\">\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/idyllwildtowncrier.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/idyllwildtowncrier.com\/\",\"name\":\"Idyllwild Town Crier\",\"description\":\"Almost All the News \\u2014\\u00a0Part of the Time\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":\"https:\/\/idyllwildtowncrier.com\/?s={search_term_string}\",\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/idyllwildtowncrier.com\/2012\/08\/14\/fatality-calls-attention-to-risks-of-rock-climbing\/#primaryimage\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/idyllwildtowncrier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/rescue3.jpg\",\"width\":\"500\",\"height\":\"372\",\"caption\":\"Photo by Marshall Smith\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/idyllwildtowncrier.com\/2012\/08\/14\/fatality-calls-attention-to-risks-of-rock-climbing\/#webpage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/idyllwildtowncrier.com\/2012\/08\/14\/fatality-calls-attention-to-risks-of-rock-climbing\/\",\"name\":\"Fatality calls attention to risks of rock climbing • Idyllwild Town Crier\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/idyllwildtowncrier.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/idyllwildtowncrier.com\/2012\/08\/14\/fatality-calls-attention-to-risks-of-rock-climbing\/#primaryimage\"},\"datePublished\":\"2012-08-14T23:39:46+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2013-04-18T18:41:09+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/idyllwildtowncrier.com\/#\/schema\/person\/800eebb80d1e5e36859dc6c5cb500784\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/idyllwildtowncrier.com\/2012\/08\/14\/fatality-calls-attention-to-risks-of-rock-climbing\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/idyllwildtowncrier.com\/#\/schema\/person\/800eebb80d1e5e36859dc6c5cb500784\",\"name\":\"Marshall Smith\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/idyllwildtowncrier.com\/#personlogo\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6f832ebbb90c77ae40e932b1b868a8db?s=96&d=retro&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Marshall Smith\"},\"description\":\"Marshall Smith has been writing for the Town Crier since 2005. His favorite quote is: '\\\"Some men see things as they are, and ask why. I dream of things that never were, and ask why not.\\\" Robert Kennedy quoting George Bernard Shaw\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/idyllwildtowncrier.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12561"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/idyllwildtowncrier.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/idyllwildtowncrier.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/idyllwildtowncrier.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/idyllwildtowncrier.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12561"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/idyllwildtowncrier.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12561\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19508,"href":"https:\/\/idyllwildtowncrier.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12561\/revisions\/19508"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/idyllwildtowncrier.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12135"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/idyllwildtowncrier.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12561"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/idyllwildtowncrier.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12561"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/idyllwildtowncrier.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12561"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}