The Prescription - January 2021

National Park Service rangers rescuing the fallen climber from Mt. Shuksan. NPS Photo

The Prescription - January 2021

ANCHOR FAILURES IN THE MOUNTAINS

North Cascades National Park, Mt. Shuksan, Sulphide Glacier Route

On July 19, 2020, a party of three climbers was descending Mt. Shuksan after summiting via the Sulphide Glacier route. The party was rappelling the standard descent route on Shuksan’s summit pyramid. They reached a flat ledge and found an existing anchor consisting of a single loop of red webbing around a rock horn. After pulling the rope from the previous rappel, one of the climbers, a 28-year-old female, began to rig the second-to-last rappel of their descent. She threaded the rope through the anchor, rigged her rappel device, and began to weight the anchor. At this time, the rock horn failed, and the climber fell about 100 feet. The other climbers were not attached to the anchor when the failure occurred. The climber came to rest in 3rd- and 4th-class terrain, suffering an unspecified lower leg injury.

The party activated an inReach device to request a rescue, and the remaining two climbers were able to downclimb to the fallen climber’s position and provide basic medical care. At 5:30 p.m., National Park Service rangers arrived on scene via helicopter, and a short-haul operation was performed to extract the injured climber. The rest of the party was able to safely exit the mountain on their own.

ANALYSIS

In an interview with the party, the climber stated they were in a hurry due to the lateness of the day and they were tired from attempting a car-to-car climb of this long route (6,400 feet of elevation gain). The climber stated that at this rappel station they did not assess the integrity of the anchor, as they had been doing previously. This decision was influenced by time, fatigue, and the assumption the anchor would be strong, like the other anchors they had just used for rappelling.

When rappelling, it is imperative to assess the integrity of every anchor before weighting it. Inspect the entire anchor material, especially the less visible back side of the anchor, to be sure it is not chewed, weathered, or otherwise damaged. It is not uncommon to encounter structurally unsound rock in the North Cascades; if possible, test all anchors with a belay or backup before rappelling, and back up the anchor until the last person in the party descends.

It is possible the horn that failed was not one of the standard descent anchors on Shuksan’s summit pyramid. During multi-rappel descents, it is not uncommon to rappel past the standard anchor or to spot an anchor from above and head toward it, thereby missing the optimum anchor. When the descent route is the same as your climbing route, try to note and remember the position of the standard rappel anchors as you climb. (Source: North Cascades National Park Mountaineering Rangers.)

A very similar rappelling accident on Mt. Shuksan’s summit period was reported in the 1992 edition of ANAC.

RAPPEL ANCHOR FAILURES: A COMMON THEME IN ANAC 2020

The 2020 edition of Accidents in North American Climbing reported an unusually high number of rappel anchor failures: six in all! Half of these resulted in fatalities.

Just after this climber began a short rappel on Nishelheim’s northwest ridge, the sling came undone and she fell, fortunately without serious injury.

Two of the six rappel anchor failures in ANAC 2020 involved inadequate anchors built by the climbers; the pieces pulled out of the rock when weighted. In a third case, the climbers built their own anchor and then the rock pillar in which their cams were placed shifted, causing the cams to pull out. Three of the incidents were very similar to the one reported above. Climbers found an in situ cord or sling, which broke or came untied when a rappeller weighted it:

• Mendenhall Towers, Alaska: A worn cord connecting two fixed pieces broke under load.

• Evolution Traverse, California: A weathered cordelette snapped, even though one climber in the party had already used it.

• Niselheim, British Columbia: An in situ sling wrapped around a rock horn came loose when a rappeller failed to inspect it before weighting the ropes—the “knot” joining the two ends of the sling was completely inadequate.

Online forums are filled with photos and discussions of the best way to rig rappels from bolted anchors. But failures of such anchors are extremely rare. The types of incidents described here—especially the failure of rappel anchors built with rock horns, boulders, or weathered slings on mountain routes—are far more common. The lesson is crystal clear: No matter how tired you are, how dark it is, or how quickly the weather is deteriorating, every rappel anchor found in place while descending must be carefully inspected and/or tested before it can be trusted.

THE SHARP END: TURNING THE TABLES

After five years of hosting the Sharp End Podcast, it’s Ashley Saupe’s turn to be interviewed. Listen as Steve Smith at Experiential Consulting turns the tables on the podcast creator and interviews her about some incidents she's had in the backcountry, how she's managed them, and why she is inspired to continue producing this podcast for her listeners.

MEET THE RESCUERS

Neil Van Dyke, Search and Rescue Coordinator, Vermont Department of Public Safety, and member of Stowe Mountain Rescue

Years volunteering with your team: 40

Home areas: Smugglers Notch and Lower West Bolton. But I spend more time skiing (backcountry, alpine, or Nordic), hiking, and canoeing than I do recreational climbing.

How did you first become interested in search and rescue?

It was an opportunity to combine my interests in first aid and emergency response (I was a volunteer firefighter and EMT) and recreating in the outdoors. It was a natural fit. There were no local SAR teams at that time, so I helped start one!

Personal safety tip?

It’s hard to pick just one, but for me the most important is having really good situational awareness, knowing your limits, and understanding when to turn around and come back another day. Most people get in trouble because they push limits, which can be either a conscious decision or one made unwittingly due to a lack of situational awareness.

How about your scariest “close call”?

September 11, 1993. Our team was responding to Hidden Gulley in Smugglers Notch to assist a father and son who had gotten cliffed out. I climbed up to a ledge about 100 feet below them and was belaying my partner up to my position. The rock was really nasty and rotten, but I put a sling around a large bulge that I thought would be okay as an anchor. Unfortunately, that whole piece separated from the face and took me with it. I fell about 60 feet and was sure it was “all over,” but survived with a bunch of broken bones and a punctured lung. I still receive the occasionally ribbing from colleagues for trying to direct my own rescue.

What are your biggest concerns for this winter season?

Like many areas of the country, we are concerned in Vermont about what looks to be a large influx of new backcountry skiers. While we saw this to some degree with people flocking to the outdoors last summer during COVID, the consequences of something going wrong in the winter are clearly much higher. We shouldn’t be afraid to welcome new users to the sport, but there are definitely concerns that some will not be properly equipped and prepared. We’ve had some good discussions among the local ski community about watching out for each other and doing what we can to gently mentor newcomers to the backcountry when we encounter them.

What would you say to people interested in learning more about search and rescue?

Reach out to your closest SAR team to find out more about how they operate and what they are looking for in members. You can also check with the government agency that has jurisdiction for SAR in your area. For most teams, having really solid all-around outdoor skills is critical—we always tell prospective members that we can teach the technical rescue skills needed, but we can’t teach them how to be comfortable and effective while working long hours outdoors in adverse conditions.

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Share Your Story: The deadline for the 2021 edition of Accidents in North American Climbing is not far off. If you were involved in a climbing accident or rescue in 2020, consider sharing the lessons with other climbers. Let’s work together to reduce the number of accidents. Reach us at [email protected].

The monthly Accidents Bulletin is supported by adidas Outdoor and the members of the American Alpine Club.

Buried Treasure

An all-time base camp in the Khane Valley of Pakistan. Photo courtesy of Konstantin Markevich

A personal guide to less-visible highlights of the 2020 AAJ 

By Dougald MacDonald, Editor

The American Alpine Journal is a 368-page book, and there’s probably only one person who reads it cover to cover: me. As editor in chief, I see and read everything multiple times, and each year a few parts of the book are particularly memorable—because of the quality of the writing or photography, because of the thrill of opening a folder of photos from little-known mountains, or because of the detective work that may go into a single sentence. But even if you did read every page, you wouldn’t see it all, because we can’t fit everything into the book—some of the coolest elements of the AAJ reside exclusively online.

Here, I offer an insider’s look at eight gems buried within the pages of the 2020 edition or hosted only at the AAJ website. In this guide, I’ve purposely skipped over the featured articles in the book. So, this is not a “best of” or an editor’s choice. Consider it a treasure map.

This special feature is made possible by Hilleberg the Tentmaker, lead sponsor of the AAJ’s Cutting Edge Podcast. 

TANGRA TOWER, PAKISTAN

The Krasnoyarsk Route on the southeast face of Tangra Tower (5,820 meters). Photo by Konstantin Markevich

The AAJ’s 6-by-9-inch format does not handle panorama photos well, and the stunning photo at the very top of this page had to be cropped tightly for the book. At full width, it must be one of the most enticing photos for alpine rock climbers that we’ve ever published. The 2019 Russian expedition to the Khane Valley in the Karakoram climbed three peaks, including glorious Tangra Tower and the south summit of The Thumb (mislabeled as Trident in the photo above).

By the way, the first expedition to publish extensive photos of the Tagas Group, as this area is known, was a Bulgarian team in 2010. Their report and more photos were in AAJ 2011.

MT. BREITENBACH, IDAHO

One of the simple pleasures of my job is learning about unfamiliar mountains and ranges—even those within a few hundred miles of my home in Colorado. Marc Hanselman’s report about a new route up the north face of Mt. Breitenbach in Idaho’s Lost River Range, was one of these. I’d never even heard of Breitenbach, but for climbers who can nail the timing for good alpine conditions (this ascent was right after the summer solstice), the north face is an impressive target. Marc’s new route, climbed with Paddy McIlvoy, was possibly only the second line up this rugged face. All other known parties have climbed the original route, the Grand Chockstone Couloir, first done back in 1983. Talk about hidden gems!

Paddy McIlvoy on Cowboy Poetry (2,800’, IV 5.7 R AI2 50˚ snow) on the north face of Mt. Breitenbach (12,140’) in Idaho. Photo by Marc Hanselman

THE EIGER OF THE INYO, CALIFORNIA

Natalie Brechtel wondering what she got herself into as she completes the fifth pitch of the Northeast Buttress (1,300’, IV 5.9 R/X) of Pleasant Point. Photo by Richard Shore

AAJ colleagues know that I have an inordinate fondness for offbeat adventures (girdle traverses, kayak-and-climb extravaganzas, remote and arduous exploration, etc.). Climbing super-hard routes is impressive, but I also like to make space in the AAJ for creative climbing—even when the routes are highly unlikely to become classics. In AAJ 2020, a good example was Richard Shore’s exploration of “The Eiger of the Inyo,” the east face of Pleasant Point in the Inyo Mountains. Shore and Natalie Brechtel completed the first full route up the 1,000-foot wall of shattered limestone and dolomite. “[We] climbed what we deemed to be the ‘safest’ route on the far right side of the peak,” Shore wrote in his AAJ report. “Safe is a relative term on this cliff—torrents of climber-induced rockfall are inevitable, and the dolomite is so sharp that a fall by leader or follower seems likely to cut the rope. Steeper technical sections were interspersed with narrow alpine ridges, and most pitches took an hour or more to lead, due to navigational and protection difficulties in the choss. Soft-iron World War II Army surplus pitons proved to be most valuable—bolts were often worthless in the shattered mess, and hard steel pins would explode the rock into bits.” I can’t get enough of this stuff, and neither, apparently, can Richard Shore. He returned later the same year with Myles Moser for a harder, more direct line up the Inyo Mordwand.

JEBEL KHAZALI, JORDAN

Christian Ravier is a French guide who frequently works and climbs in Jordan (he also wrote the climbing guide to the Taghia Gorge in Morocco), and his report in AAJ 2020 brought us up to speed on some recent routes up the sandstone walls of Jebel Khazali in Wadi Rum. But it was his beautiful hand-crafted topos, complete with watercolor paintings (like this one of local guide and camp host Atayek Hamad), that really caught my eye. Christian’s unique topos weren’t suitable for our print edition, but three of these beautiful references can be seen with his report at the AAJ website. The rock looks pretty amazing, too!

LA GLORIA, MEXICO

We opened the Mexico section of AAJ 2020 with a scenic shot of La Gloria, a stunning mountaintop pyramid of limestone in the mountains west of El Salto in Nuevo León. As beautiful as Zach Clanton’s photo was, however, it didn’t convey the full allure of the climb: a 13-pitch 5.12 up the pillar splitting the south face. It’s an interesting lesson in the power of a route line drawn onto a photo—in this case, a photo that’s only available online. However you look at it, this is a fantastic piece of rock, which seems destined for popularity. Zach’s report at the AAJ website tells the full story of Rezando, the route he developed with Dave Henkel: “To me, the southern pillar of this peak was the Mexican Beckey-Chouinard, a line of perfect blue-orange limestone just begging to be the range’s first alpine sport climb.”

The south pillar of La Gloria (9,688 feet), showing the 1,500-foot route Rezando (13 pitches, 5.12). Photo by Zach Clanton

SIULÁ GRANDE, PERU

Luis Crispin leading out on the upper shoulder of the southeast ridge of rarely climbed Siulá Grande in Peru. Photo by Nate Heald

Nate Heald, a guide based in Cusco, Peru, has been a frequent contributor in recent years, climbing numerous new routes, mostly in the country’s southern ranges. In AAJ 2020, he reported on an ascent that was personally meaningful, in part because of the presence of his frequent partner Luis Crispin, who roped up with the teenage Thomas Schilter to become the first Peruvians to climb Siulá Grande in the Cordillera Huayhuash—and by a new route: Peruana Supreme (1,000m, TD AI4). In recent years, the AAJ has reported many new routes and first ascents of peaks by “local” climbers, throughout Latin America as well as in Pakistan, India, Nepal, and other mountainous countries. Many of these climbers work as guides but increasingly pursue their own ambitions in their local mountains.

Heald wrote in the Siulá Grande report: “I met Luis in 2011 on my way back to Cusco after a climb; he lives in a village at 4,300m below Ausangate and began assisting his uncle with tourist treks when he was 12 years old. He worked with me as I established my guiding agency, and since then we have done many climbs together. From my observations, Luis did not start climbing for any other reason than curiosity and camaraderie. He loves the natural world and has vast knowledge of it, and, at first, I think he just wanted to know what it would be like up there in the snow and ice. Luis and Thomas roped up together on Siulá Grande so no one could suggest they hadn’t made a purely Peruvian ascent of the peak.”

RAGGED RANGE, NORTHWEST TERRITORIES, CANADA

Amy Pagacz on top of a small peak in the Ragged Range after climbing Twisting Couloir (350m, AD). The high peak behind Pagacz is one of several mountains labeled Mt. Sidney Dobson on maps. This one is likely unclimbed. Photo by Wojtek Pagacz

Occasionally, AAJ editors get sucked down the rabbit hole of climbing archives. In AAJ 2020, we printed a short report about an interesting expedition to the Ragged Range in northwest Canada’s Logan Mountains—very few climbers have visited these mountains, which lie south of the popular Cirque of the Unclimbables, at the headwaters of the Fool’s River. The 2019 team climbed a few summits but couldn’t find a good approach to one of their biggest targets, which is labeled “Mt. Sidney Dobson” on many maps of the area. During the editing process, we realized that this Sidney Dobson had in fact been climbed way back in 1952 by an extraordinary expedition of Yale University students. The Yalies spent two and a half months in the area, built a log raft to cross a lake and access the mountains, and subsisted in part on game they shot and smoked, en route to summiting nine peaks, mostly first ascents. A great account of their trip is in the 1953 Canadian Alpine Journal.

Digging deeper, we realized that at least four different peaks in this cluster of mountains, all around 2,600m in elevation, have been called Sidney Dobson by various maps and publications. I spent hours attempting to determine which of the “Sidney Dobson” peaks might be the highest and whether it had been climbed, but the surveys are inadequate and the 2019 team couldn’t tell which was highest from their vantage points. Amy Pagacz’s expedition report and my attempt to unravel the Sidney Dobson mystery are both at the AAJ website. Unfortunately, the 2019 team found mostly poor rock on these impressive mountains and walls. But the first ascent of at least one Mt. Sidney Dobson may still be waiting.

MT. RORAIMA, GUYANA

Edward James lowers out on the Great Northern Prow of Mt. Roraima, watched by Troy Henry. The two men are from a nearby Akawaio community and had never worn a harness before the expedition. Photo by Matt “Pikey” Pycroft

Leo Houlding is a polished storyteller as well as a great climber, and his three-page story in AAJ 2020 about a new route on the northern prow of Mt. Roraima in Guyana is an excellent read. One of the highlights of this expedition was the role of Troy Edwards and Edward James, who live in the Akawaio village of Phillipai, the nearest settlement to the mountain. After guiding the British team to Roraima, the two accepted the Brits’ invitation to carry on up the wall, despite the fact that neither had ever climbed, jumared, or even worn a harness. In the end, they became the first people of Guyana to summit their country’s most famous mountain.

Sadly, we had to cut a full page and a photo from Leo’s story at the last minute, and three pages in the book didn’t come close to being enough for this tale. In fact, no article is as good as hearing Leo tell a story in person, so I highly recommend Chris Kalman’s interview with Leo for episode 27 of the AAJ’s Cutting Edge podcast. It’s great stuff.

The Cutting Edge and this AAJ year in review are both presented by Hilleberg the Tentmaker. Visit their website to learn more about their famous tents and order “The Tent Handbook,” Hilleberg’s uniquely informative catalog.

New in the Library! Must-Adds to Your Reading List

Looking for a good book to read this season? Settling in for another round of Quarantine?

We have you covered. Here are some new titles that just arrived in the Library!

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“A family of climbers…”

“The Bark of the Cony is the story of one man's journey to overcome physical hardship and its resulting challenges. Before the age of four, George Nash Smith had a freak accident which impaired use of his right arm and hand. With the support of his parents and siblings he adapted to his circumstances and learned to approach life in a positive way.”

This is a delightful story of the life of a climbing father and his sons. Known as the “Climbing Smiths,” George & his four sons climbed 68 peaks over 14,000-ft in the United States in 48 days. They completed this feat in 1974.

The Bark of the Cony is an enjoyable read for all outdoor enthusiasts and has local history nuggets for Colorado history buffs like myself. You can checkout our circulating copy or grab your own by clicking this link here (all proceeds go to charity).

““The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”
― St. Augustine”

“…a true foray into the unknown”

An avid reader, writer, and dedicated AAC Library advocate, here is what Pete Takeda has to say about Labyrinth of Ice:

“Labyrinth of Ice is a tale that rivals Endurance as a classic of polar exploration.

Adventures like this are hard to come by these days. The expedition, led by a man of unimpeachable character named Lieutenant Adolphus W. Greely, was purely scientific and exploratory. It was not adventure for its own sake. Second, it was a true foray into the unknown.

What started as a research expedition ended in a classic struggle for survival. In a traditionally male drama of Arctic exploration, a lady plays the key role in the ultimate outcome. Levy leaves no doubt that without the stalwart persistence and in-depth knowledge of Henrietta Greely (Adolphus’ wife), the expedition was doomed to perish.

Labyrinth is also a case study in leadership. This book would be a fine candidate for a film and a wonderful addition to high school curriculums.”

Click here to see a list of NEW books in the Library!

And if you are looking to own some climbing classics, take a gander at our selection in our online store linked here.

The Prescription—December 2020

Medical helicopter departing from the ridge below Sister Superior, above Castle Valley, Utah. Behind are the Priest, the Rectory, and Castleton Tower. Photo courtesy of Grand County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue

GROUND FALL ON SISTER SUPERIOR

An accident last November on the first pitch of Jah Man (5 pitches, 5.10+), a desert tower route near Moab, Utah, was documented in the new Accidents in North American Climbing. One day later, a second helicopter rescue occurred, after a fall on the same pitch. These climbers’ online-only report is reproduced here.

On November 15, 2019, Paige (female, 20) and I (male, 24) set out to climb the ultra-classic Jah Man on Sister Superior. We made it to the base of the tower about 11 a.m. and found another party making their way to the top of the first pitch. We figured we’d eat a small lunch to allow for ample space between us.

We agreed that Paige would lead first and combine the first two guidebook pitches, concluding with a long, moderate squeeze chimney. Paige started up the opening moves, making it about 15 feet off the ground before stopping on a little ledge, preparing to make a rightward traverse to the base of the chimney. She placed a number 0.75 Camalot horizontally in some questionable rock, intending to back-clean it after making the next moves, in order to minimize rope drag. This was the only piece of gear between her and the ground.

Paige moved to the right, then returned to the ledge to re-evaluate. After repeating this a couple of times, I suggested she downclimb and have me take this pitch, as I had climbed the route a few years prior. She wanted to give it one more try before backing off. Having weighted the piece, she felt confident enough to go for it. She made some moves and then fell and swung back to the left. The cam ripped out of the wall, sending her about 20 feet to the ground.

The Sister Superior formation showing the approximate area that collapsed in January 2020. The Jah Man route began near the left edge of the yellow box. Photo courtesy of Greg Child

She was unconscious and not breathing at first. After what seemed to be forever but in reality was probably only 20 seconds, she started taking short breaths. A few minutes later, she regained consciousness. Another party at the base had cell phone service and called for a rescue. Paige was concussed and complaining of pain in her neck but was moving her hands and feet.

After an hour, a helicopter arrived, dropping off a couple EMTs. (They informed us that they had worked on an accident at the very same spot the day before—see report here.) They evaluated Paige, and she ended up feeling well enough to walk about 60 yards to the helicopter. She was flown to the hospital in Moab, where she was diagnosed with three fractures in her upper back and lower neck.

Analysis

We were planning to link the first two pitches and were more conscious of rope drag than fully protecting the first part of the pitch. We have both spent plenty of time cragging in the desert (Indian Creek, Zion, etc.), but tower climbing is different, often with more loose rock. The traverse to the squeeze chimney was known to have subpar rock and tricky protection. We should have focused more on protecting the climb properly than linking pitches. (Source: Greyson Gyllenskog.)

And as if two accidents in two days wasn’t enough….

In early January 2020, less than two months after these incidents, the start of this famous climb and the huge flake forming the squeeze chimney collapsed. The original route is no longer climbable.

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The Sharp End · Ep 59 - A 200-Foot Tumble on Longs Peak - Annie Weinmann

THE SHARP END: A 200-FOOT TUMBLE DOWN THE NORTH CHIMNEY OF LONGS PEAK

On the morning of September 5, Annie Weinmann and her climbing partner started up the North Chimney, a broad 500-foot slot that leads climbers to the Diamond, Colorado's premier alpine wall. Annie had done the North Chimney before and was comfortable climbing the easy terrain unroped and in approach shoes. But when she got slightly off-route, a foot slip led to a terrible tumble.

In Episode 39 of The Sharp End podcast, Annie tells Ashley Saupe what caused her to slip and how she survived her 200-foot fall, plus some fascinating insights into the circumstances that brought her to this point. Listen here!

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AIRBAG SAFETY CHECK

Mammut is asking owners of the Generation 3.0 avalanche airbag with Removable Airbag System (RAS) to inspect the inflation cartridge and ensure it can be screwed into place completely. This notice affects only airbags purchased during the 20/21 season. For complete information and instructions, click here.

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MEET THE VOLUNTEERS

Gary O’Brien, Regional Editor for Idaho

Years volunteering with ANAC: 2

Home crags: Logan and Blacksmith Fork canyons in northern Utah; City of Rocks and Castle Rocks in Idaho.

Favorite type of climbing

I am most drawn to the alpine environment and love to climb alpine rock and snow. We also spend plenty of time trad and sport climbing. I enjoy belaying my climbing-addicted 14-year-old, who is on the verge of sending his first 5.13.

How did you first become interested in Accidents?

I have been reading them for years—as a kid, I used to pore over my father’s stash of ANAC from the 1940s, 50s, and 60s. For a decade or so, I worked as a professional ski patroller, and that experience brought into sharp relief the fine line between safe practice and serious accidents. For me, the margin between accident and prevention has always seemed a compelling part of this amazing sport.

Why do you think accident reporting is important?

Statistics don’t lie—trends are incredibly revealing of human behavior, and are underpinned by real lives lost, real lives affected. I think about this with every accident I analyze. The main thing I think we can learn and reinforce is how common and preventable so many of them are, if we take a moment to review precautions and strategy of what we’re about to do.

Personal scariest “close call”?

I’m happy to report that I’ve had very few close calls over the years, but one stands out. Years ago, I was climbing Mont Blanc by the standard route. The route crosses the Couloir du Goûter, a steep, wide gully notorious for rockfall. After reaching easier terrain on the other side, my partner and I unroped. Without warning, a barrage of huge boulders swept down and struck my partner, who disappeared over the edge and fell some 500 meters down the couloir to the Glacier de Bionnassay.

The rescue is a long story, but, in short, I was able to locate and stabilize him. A nearby guided party notified the PGHM (High Mountain Military Police). We carried my partner down the glacier in a litter, which took most of the night. He was hospitalized for weeks with multiple injuries, but eventually enjoyed a complete recovery.

Gary O’Brien’s scary experience in the Couloir du Goûter is far from an isolated incident. This broad gully, which must be crossed to reach the high hut on Mont Blanc’s most popular summit route, is one of the most dangerous passages in the Alps, with numerous injuries and a few fatalities every season. (The alternative “normal route” up Mont Blanc, starting at the Refuge des Cosmiques, also has serious objective hazards.) The Petzl Foundation sponsored research on the causes and timing of rockfall in the Couloir du Goûter during the summers of 2018 and 2019, and their informative study, published this past summer, can be downloaded here.

The research team used seismic sensors to determine the timing of rockfall events and correlate them with snow levels, temperature, and rainfall. As might be expected, rockfall was most frequent after precipitation and during the afternoons and evenings. Perhaps more surprising: Snow in the couloir did not reduce the incidence of rockfall early in the season, as melting snow appeared to destabilize the slopes. Later-season rockfall events, though less frequent, often were bigger and longer lasting.

Petzl has produced a short video that vividly highlights the dangers of the Couloir du Goûter and the research work there. Warning: This video contains very disturbing images and audio of rockfall and other incidents.

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Share Your Story: If you’ve been involved in a climbing accident or rescue, consider sharing the lessons with other climbers. Let’s work together to reduce the number of accidents. Contact us at [email protected].

The monthly Accidents Bulletin is supported by adidas Outdoor and the members of the American Alpine Club.

The Prescription - December 2020

Medical helicopter departing from the ridge below Sister Superior, above Castle Valley, Utah. Behind are the Priest, the Rectory, and Castleton Tower. Photo courtesy of Grand County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue

The Prescription - December 2020

GROUND FALL ON SISTER SUPERIOR

An accident last November on the first pitch of Jah Man (5 pitches, 5.10+), a desert tower route near Moab, Utah, was documented in the new Accidents in North American Climbing. One day later, a second helicopter rescue occurred, after a fall on the same pitch. These climbers’ online-only report is reproduced here.

On November 15, 2019, Paige (female, 20) and I (male, 24) set out to climb the ultra-classic Jah Man on Sister Superior. We made it to the base of the tower about 11 a.m. and found another party making their way to the top of the first pitch. We figured we’d eat a small lunch to allow for ample space between us.

We agreed that Paige would lead first and combine the first two guidebook pitches, concluding with a long, moderate squeeze chimney. Paige started up the opening moves, making it about 15 feet off the ground before stopping on a little ledge, preparing to make a rightward traverse to the base of the chimney. She placed a number 0.75 Camalot horizontally in some questionable rock, intending to back-clean it after making the next moves, in order to minimize rope drag. This was the only piece of gear between her and the ground.

Paige moved to the right, then returned to the ledge to re-evaluate. After repeating this a couple of times, I suggested she downclimb and have me take this pitch, as I had climbed the route a few years prior. She wanted to give it one more try before backing off. Having weighted the piece, she felt confident enough to go for it. She made some moves and then fell and swung back to the left. The cam ripped out of the wall, sending her about 20 feet to the ground.

The Sister Superior formation showing the approximate area that collapsed in January 2020. The Jah Man route began near the left edge of the yellow box. Photo courtesy of Greg Child

She was unconscious and not breathing at first. After what seemed to be forever but in reality was probably only 20 seconds, she started taking short breaths. A few minutes later, she regained consciousness. Another party at the base had cell phone service and called for a rescue. Paige was concussed and complaining of pain in her neck but was moving her hands and feet.

After an hour, a helicopter arrived, dropping off a couple EMTs. (They informed us that they had worked on an accident at the very same spot the day before—see report here.) They evaluated Paige, and she ended up feeling well enough to walk about 60 yards to the helicopter. She was flown to the hospital in Moab, where she was diagnosed with three fractures in her upper back and lower neck.

Analysis

We were planning to link the first two pitches and were more conscious of rope drag than fully protecting the first part of the pitch. We have both spent plenty of time cragging in the desert (Indian Creek, Zion, etc.), but tower climbing is different, often with more loose rock. The traverse to the squeeze chimney was known to have subpar rock and tricky protection. We should have focused more on protecting the climb properly than linking pitches. (Source: Greyson Gyllenskog.)

And as if two accidents in two days wasn’t enough….

In early January 2020, less than two months after these incidents, the start of this famous climb and the huge flake forming the squeeze chimney collapsed. The original route is no longer climbable.

THE SHARP END: A 200-FOOT TUMBLE DOWN THE NORTH CHIMNEY OF LONGS PEAK

On the morning of September 5, Annie Weinmann and her climbing partner started up the North Chimney, a broad 500-foot slot that leads climbers to the Diamond, Colorado's premier alpine wall. Annie had done the North Chimney before and was comfortable climbing the easy terrain unroped and in approach shoes. But when she got slightly off-route, a foot slip led to a terrible tumble.

In Episode 39 of The Sharp End podcast, Annie tells Ashley Saupe what caused her to slip and how she survived her 200-foot fall, plus some fascinating insights into the circumstances that brought her to this point. Listen here!

AIRBAG SAFETY CHECK

Mammut is asking owners of the Generation 3.0 avalanche airbag with Removable Airbag System (RAS) to inspect the inflation cartridge and ensure it can be screwed into place completely. This notice affects only airbags purchased during the 20/21 season. For complete information and instructions, click here.

MEET THE VOLUNTEERS

Gary O’Brien, Regional Editor for Idaho

Years volunteering with ANAC: 2

Home crags: Logan and Blacksmith Fork canyons in northern Utah; City of Rocks and Castle Rocks in Idaho.

Favorite type of climbing

I am most drawn to the alpine environment and love to climb alpine rock and snow. We also spend plenty of time trad and sport climbing. I enjoy belaying my climbing-addicted 14-year-old, who is on the verge of sending his first 5.13.

How did you first become interested in Accidents?

I have been reading them for years—as a kid, I used to pore over my father’s stash of ANAC from the 1940s, 50s, and 60s. For a decade or so, I worked as a professional ski patroller, and that experience brought into sharp relief the fine line between safe practice and serious accidents. For me, the margin between accident and prevention has always seemed a compelling part of this amazing sport.

Why do you think accident reporting is important?

Statistics don’t lie—trends are incredibly revealing of human behavior, and are underpinned by real lives lost, real lives affected. I think about this with every accident I analyze. The main thing I think we can learn and reinforce is how common and preventable so many of them are, if we take a moment to review precautions and strategy of what we’re about to do.

Personal scariest “close call”?

I’m happy to report that I’ve had very few close calls over the years, but one stands out. Years ago, I was climbing Mont Blanc by the standard route. The route crosses the Couloir du Goûter, a steep, wide gully notorious for rockfall. After reaching easier terrain on the other side, my partner and I unroped. Without warning, a barrage of huge boulders swept down and struck my partner, who disappeared over the edge and fell some 500 meters down the couloir to the Glacier de Bionnassay.

The rescue is a long story, but, in short, I was able to locate and stabilize him. A nearby guided party notified the PGHM (High Mountain Military Police). We carried my partner down the glacier in a litter, which took most of the night. He was hospitalized for weeks with multiple injuries, but eventually enjoyed a complete recovery.

Gary O’Brien’s scary experience in the Couloir du Goûter is far from an isolated incident. This broad gully, which must be crossed to reach the high hut on Mont Blanc’s most popular summit route, is one of the most dangerous passages in the Alps, with numerous injuries and a few fatalities every season. (The alternative “normal route” up Mont Blanc, starting at the Refuge des Cosmiques, also has serious objective hazards.) The Petzl Foundation sponsored research on the causes and timing of rockfall in the Couloir du Goûter during the summers of 2018 and 2019, and their informative study, published this past summer, can be downloaded here.

The research team used seismic sensors to determine the timing of rockfall events and correlate them with snow levels, temperature, and rainfall. As might be expected, rockfall was most frequent after precipitation and during the afternoons and evenings. Perhaps more surprising: Snow in the couloir did not reduce the incidence of rockfall early in the season, as melting snow appeared to destabilize the slopes. Later-season rockfall events, though less frequent, often were bigger and longer lasting.

Petzl has produced a short video that vividly highlights the dangers of the Couloir du Goûter and the research work there. Warning: This video contains very disturbing images and audio of rockfall and other incidents.  

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Share Your Story: If you’ve been involved in a climbing accident or rescue, consider sharing the lessons with other climbers. Let’s work together to reduce the number of accidents. Contact us at [email protected].

The monthly Accidents Bulletin is supported by adidas Outdoor and the members of the American Alpine Club.

The Prescription—November 2020

ICE CLIMBERS & AVALANCHES

It’s Time to Take this risk more seriously

The adjacent article is part of the extensive avalanche coverage featured in the 2020 Accidents in North American Climbing. AAC members will receive the new book this month. The cover photo shows an avalanche on Polar Circus in Canada by Alex Ratson.

By Grant Statham

Every winter, ice climbers are caught—and sometimes killed—by avalanches. Even small avalanches can be deadly when they get funneled into the narrow gullies where ice climbs form. So understanding the avalanche conditions and carrying rescue gear when climbing is essential for many climbs.

Yet despite this reality, climbers have been slow to embrace basic avalanche safety practices, even when they always use avalanche gear when backcountry skiing. This contradiction makes no sense, and it’s high time for a paradigm shift.

Once you’ve determined if your ice route is formed, your next move should be to figure out whether it’s threatened by avalanches. Any steep snow slopes on the approach, the route, above the route, or on the descent have the potential to release an avalanche.

If your route is threatened by avalanches, then you need to know more. Is the climb located in a gully with avalanche start zones overhead? Will you be climbing through snow slopes above cliffs? How about the approach—will you be walking under avalanche paths or kicking steps up a 40° slope to reach the base? How hard is the route—can you climb fast or will you be exposed to avalanches for hours? What does the local avalanche forecast say? You need to answer all of these questions before going climbing.

AVALANCHE RISK

Avalanche risk in ice climbing has three main ingredients: 1) enough snow to produce an avalanche, 2) avalanche-prone terrain, and 3) climbers exposed to this hazard. Remove any one of these elements and you’ve eliminated the avalanche risk.

But while eliminating avalanche risk ensures safety, it won’t get you up the routes on your hit list that are subject to avalanche hazard. For this, you’ll need to manage the risk by assessing its individual elements and understanding how they affect you and your partner.

SNOW

The best indicator of unstable snow is avalanche activity. Both slab avalanches and sluffs are threats to ice climbers, because it doesn’t take much to knock you off your front points. If avalanches are occurring near your route, then it’s safe to assume the snow on your route is also unstable. Here are the big three factors:

(1) Precipitation: new snow and especially rain can overload the snowpack

(2) Wind can move snow at 10 times the snowfall rate and create locally deep slabs

(3) Temperature: warming trends, inversions, and temps over 0°C (32°F) produce avalanches

TERRAIN

Minimize your exposure by positioning belays out of avalanche terrain or in protected locations, moving together when you can, moving one at a time when necessary, belaying across exposed slopes, and spending no unnecessary time exposed to avalanches. These are the strategies that keep experienced climbers alive. Here are the terrain basics to keep front of mind:

(1) Slope angle: the prime angle for slab avalanches is 30° to 45°

(2) Aspect: there are big differences between routes in the shade and in the sun

(3) Elevation: snow depth increases with elevation, so be aware of conditions overhead

(4) Terrain traps: ice climbs are often in or above terrain features that increase consequences (cliffs, gullies, creeks, etc.)

PEOPLE

For risk to exist, something must be “at risk,” and in climbing this is people, deliberately exposing themselves to avalanche hazard. All people are fallible, and human factors are well-recognized as a major contributor to avalanche accidents. Here are some considerations:

(1) Partners: climb with people you trust and who share your values around risk

(2) Decision-making: trust your instincts and bail if it doesn’t feel right

(3) Trophy hunting: don’t obsess over one climb; have options and let the conditions determine your route

(4) Group size and speed: keep your team small and move efficiently

PUBLIC AVALANCHE FORECASTS

Debris from several slides that trapped two climbers on a route in Santaquin Canyon, Utah, in February 2019. The avalanche hazard was rated low at the elevation of the climb but more dangerous high up the mountain, where these slides originated. Read the report here.

An excellent source of information on local conditions is the public avalanche forecast, found at avalanche.ca in Canada and avalanche.org in the USA. Locals watch the forecast regularly to stay abreast of conditions; start checking it early to get a sense of the snowpack.

Don’t climb in avalanche terrain unless the danger rating is Low or Moderate. When it’s Considerable, avalanches are likely, so now you need to know specific details about the route and what might trigger an avalanche there. If you don’t understand this, then don’t climb there. High and Extreme are obvious—stay out of avalanche terrain.

NATURAL RELEASES AND CLIMBER TRIGGERED AVALANCHES

Many ice climbs form directly beneath large avalanche slopes. To climb these routes, you need to determine whether a natural avalanche will release while you’re there. This is difficult, but the avalanche forecast, weather forecast, and ridge-top weather stations (accessible online) will provide some of the information you need. Always remember that snow depth, wind effect, and air temperature will be much different high above your climb, so don’t be lulled into complacency by snow conditions near your route.

Climbing steep snow is usually part of ice climbing, and this can lead to triggering a slope yourself. Whenever possible, go around snow slopes or cross them as high as you can to reduce the amount of snow above you. If you have to climb directly up the middle of a big slope, the best tactic is to evaluate smaller, safer slopes of similar character to get sense of conditions. Then consider spacing out, going one at a time, or belaying, even if the slope is small but the consequences are catastrophic.

CARRY AVALANCHE RESCUE GEAR

If you’re climbing and exposed to avalanche risk, then you should use avalanche rescue gear. If someone gets buried, you have about ten minutes to find them, dig them out, and clear their airway before they asphyxiate. Each member of the team should carry an avalanche transceiver, probe, and shovel. Nobody likes extra weight, so be thoughtful about when and where you carry the gear—plan it out like you plan your rack. Do you only need it for the approach or for the whole route? Maybe take one shovel up the route instead of two. What about the descent?

Even if you’re climbing a route where you think an avalanche would be unsurvivable, somebody will still want you back, which means SAR teams will be searching for you. Wearing a transceiver and using clothing equipped with the Recco system does everyone a favor by making you searchable.

RISK AND REWARD

Good avalanche skills are part of being a solid alpinist and waterfall ice climber. While climbing a great route feels awesome, climbing it in good style and doing everything you can to reduce your risk feels even better. Adding risk without additional benefit is pointless, so learn about avalanches, carry the gear, and respond to the ever-changing conditions.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Grant Statham is an IFMGA mountain guide and avalanche forecaster based in Canmore, Alberta. He works with Parks Canada’s search and rescue and avalanche safety programs in Banff, Yoho, and Kootenay national parks.

GO DEEPER: The following webinar expands on the topics discussed above. This session was hosted by Avalanche Canada and Grant Statham and presented by Canadian guide Sarah Hueniken on November 4, 2020.

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THE SHARP END: A CREVASSE FALL IN THE TETONS!

Tyler Willis and a friend were descending from a successful ascent of Mt. Owen in Grand Teton National Park. It was late in the day when they reached the Teton Glacier, which they had crossed without a problem early that morning. Just a few steps later, Tyler plunged into a hidden crevasse, an extremely rare accident for the Tetons. By the time climbers pulled him to the surface, he was hypothermic, and it wasn't until the next day that rangers could helicopter him to safety. Hear all about it in Episode 58 of the Sharp End (link below).

An accident like this illustrates the importance of recognizing and treating the symptoms of hypothermia, which may develop even on a sunny day in August. A useful reference for climbers and clinicians alike is the Wilderness Medical Society’s updated guidelines assessment and treatment of hypothermia patients. The article and several downloadable field guides (like the one shown above) are available at this link.

The Sharp End · Ep 58 - Crevasse Fall in the Tetons! - Tyler Willis

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AVOID INJURIES DURING WINTER TRAINING

Photo: Alton Richardson

Dr. Volker Schöffl is one of the world’s foremost authorities on climbing injuries. The German professor and physician is co-author of One Move Too Many: How to Understand the Injuries and Overuse Syndromes of Rock Climbing (Sharp End Publishing, 2016). This year, he and co-authors Dicki Korb and Patrick Matros released a new work describing complementary training to avoid injuries. The 94-page book is packed with tips and specific exercises, and it’s available as a free download! We decided to ask Schöffl for some training advice for Prescription readers.

We’re headed into winter and lots more indoor climbing. What are the most important things climbers can do to prevent injuries during the months of indoor training?

Do not overdo it early on, and build up strength gradually through the winter. Motivation is high, as everyone wants to be better next season. Don’t forget, you have to endure a couple months of training, and you should pace yourself. Increase the load gradually and this will help you to avoid overuse injuries in November.

What are the most common areas of injury for climbers heading indoors? 

This really depends on the type of training you are doing. In pure strength training, simple overload leads to finger stress and tenosynovitis (inflammation of the tendon sheath). In indoor bouldering, especially with dynamic problems, injuries from falls onto the lower extremity are most common. Overuse and over training in indoor climbing also affects the shoulders and elbows.

Any recommendations for avoiding these common injuries?

A proper warm-up will help to reduce both injury incidence and severity. Stretching itself is not ideal as a warm-up, as it reduces muscle tension (stretching is more appropriate for cool-down after a session). Warm-up should consist of some general exercise and include finger specific exercises (e.g., therapy putty, softball squeezes, or plain finger movements). You can find some examples in One Move Too Many. Climbers should also focus on adjunct compensatory training (ACT)—exercises that counteract the specific stressors of climbing. We just released our ACT program, which is a free pdf booklet, accessible through www.act.clinic. After this general warm-up phase continue into some easy climbing and gradually increase stress/difficulty to a peak approximately 30 minutes into the climbing session.

Can you tell us more about ACT and its importance for overall climbing performance?

Climbing, as with many other sports, stresses the body in uniform patterns, leading to strength in certain muscle groups and to neglect in others. These imbalances lead to posture deficiencies and poor movement patterns. ACT focuses on training the neglected muscle slings (muscle, fascia, and ligaments) and innervation patterns within their specific range of motion, building up posture and core strength as well as balancing the athletic build of the body. In order to withstand climbing specific training over time and to prevent associated injuries, the antagonists and neglected muscle groups must be addressed. This is where ACT comes into play.

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POLL RESULTS

No, not those polls…. In the last Prescription, we asked readers if they would use a phone to call family or friends when they were stranded in a life-threatening situation, or if they would save precious battery life for speaking with rescuers. Among the respondents, 86% said they’d limit their calls to SAR coordination, which is exactly what rescuers generally recommend.

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Meet the Rescuers

Doug McCall, President of Mountain Rescue Association (MRA) and member of Seattle Mountain Rescue

Years volunteering with your team: 12

Home Crag:  Exit 38, Deception Crags/Far Side Wall

Favorite type of climbing: Single-pitch sport. The crags near me offer a wide range of grades that allow me to climb with a wide variety of people. I love bringing new people to the crag and letting them try outdoor climbing for the first time. I also love challenging myself with friends who climb above my abilities.

How did you first become interested in search and rescue?

I was a volunteer firefighter at our local department when one of the other volunteers began talking about climbing and then later about Seattle Mountain Rescue (SMR). He had been a member of SMR for about 15 to 20 years and recommended that I apply. I was excited about the opportunity to combine my passion for the outdoors with the medical skills I had learned through the fire department. I was accepted into SMR in February 2008.

Why do you think accident reporting is important?

Learning from others’ mistakes is a powerful way that humans learn from one another. While it is easy to “armchair quarterback” some scenarios, you never really know what you might do when presented with a sudden experience. Knowing what others did or didn’t do helps to frame a thought process that may help you or your climbing partner down the road.

Personal scariest “close call”?

Early in my alpine career, my climbing partner, mentor, and cousin, Doug Walker, and I were caught in a slab avalanche that swept me down a 600-foot slope and then off a 30-foot cliff. I somehow survived. The worst injury was a severe fracture around my left eye that I likely sustained from a glancing blow to a rock. While we were able to self-rescue, I have since felt compelled to try to help others during their bad day in the mountains.

Personal safety tip?

I wear a helmet when climbing. While my doctors say that I have a very thick skull, I’d rather never have to test that again. Helmets are easy and offer good protection from an unexpected slip or rock fall. Also, I always tie knots at the ends of my rope when on rappel. I’ve been on numerous recoveries where a knot would have been the difference between life and death.

What would you say to people interested in learning more about search and rescue?

I’d encourage people to find a local MRA team or a SAR team and learn more about how to become a member. MRA teams train constantly and test each other to ensure that every team can safely effect rescues in all sorts of terrain and conditions. We also operate with a safety mindset that carries over into our personal climbing.

What is your favorite thing to do when you are not climbing?

Spend time with my family. My family has been very supportive and patient with all my time spent climbing and responding to rescues. While we tend to do a lot of outdoor activities together, they have also taught me to enjoy a number of other activities. Being with family and sharing experiences with them have been the greatest joys of my life.

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Share Your Story: If you’ve been involved in a climbing accident or rescue, consider sharing the lessons learned with other climbers. Let’s work together to reduce the number of accidents. Contact us at [email protected].

The monthly Accidents Bulletin is supported by adidas Outdoor and the members of the American Alpine Club.

Voter turnout sets records: Biden-Harris Administration turning their attention to climate and NEPA

As the AAC wraps up our landmark get out the vote campaign, Send it to the Polls, we’re feeling inspired and motivated by the climbing community. In the midst of a global pandemic, you committed to vote, educated others about how to vote, and importantly, you showed up to make your voice heard.

COVID-19 changed the way many Americans participate in the democratic process but against all the odds there was a record setting voter turnout! According to the non-partisan United States Elections Project, 160 million people voted, and there was a turnout rate of 66.9%. Turnout has not been this high since 1900 — 120 years ago. Investments were made across the country to increase voter accessibility like online and same day registration, mail-in ballots and earlier than normal voting. All measures the AAC supports carrying forward into future election cycles in order to continue breaking down voting barriers.

With the 2020 election in the books, we’ve been asked what a Biden-Harris Administration means for the climate and for fixing important environmental regulations like the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

The efficacy of a Biden-Harris environmental agenda partially depended on who controls the Senate - an outcome that was recently decided by two run-off elections in Georgia. With two Democrats winning Senate seats in Georgia, there will be an even split in power in the Senate with Vice President elect Harris acting as the tie breaker. This could mean big things for the conservation lands designations that we advocated for during the previous congress and for the composition of important committees like the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Check out the Summit Register issue #1 for an article about climate change impacts on the climbing community in Georgia.

With a shift in power in Congress, we’re hopeful to see the Biden Administration’s extensive legislative agenda realized. President Elect Biden’s website lists climate as a top four priority, and many of the policies highlighted to change in the first 100 days relate to repairing the countless rollbacks we witnessed over the past four years. In fact, the same day that President Trump announced changes to the Council on Environmental Qualities regulations that implement NEPA, then presidential hopeful Joe Biden “outlined an environmental policy that would roll back President Trump’s environmental reforms, invest trillions in clean energy and transportation, and set aggressive emissions goals, including emissions-free power by 2035.”

While we’re hopeful that the incoming Administration will correct these environmental rollbacks, it’s important that they hear from you to prioritize this goal.

The American Alpine Club alongside our partners at the Winter Wildlands Alliance, Western Environmental Law Center and Earthjustice, will continue to fight the previous administration’s NEPA rollback in court and expect to see challenges from intervening parties with a vested interest in a poorly functioning NEPA process. We’ll need your help to keep them at bay.

The National Environmental Policy Act ensures federal decision making is transparent, scientifically informed, and that the public has an opportunity to share their expertise and concerns. It's a bedrock environmental law that requires Federal agencies to engage in a project review process to identify the environmental, cultural, economic, and health impacts of a project, as well as offering alternatives to the plan before a decision is made.

NEPA is also a fantastic tool to help federal agencies consider and account for cumulative impacts like climate change but it needs to be restored to its original form.

Alongside correcting NEPA, President Elect Biden and Vice President Elect Harris have committed to re-entering the Paris Climate Agreement, and ensuring a just transition to renewable energy. With climate policy receiving a potential spotlight in the coming year - we look forward to advocating for public land management as a solution to the climate crisis. Policy objectives like the 30 x 30 resolution to protect 30% of public lands and waters by 2030 are a fantastic opportunity for conservation and recreation groups to conserve critical ecosystems, combat climate change and promote human powered outdoor recreation.

There’s a lot more work to be done, and we’ll need your help pushing the incoming Administration to stand up for the outdoor recreation communities needs, but we’re hopeful about the opportunities on the horizon.

The Prescription - November 2020

The adjacent article is part of the extensive avalanche coverage featured in the 2020 Accidents in North American Climbing. AAC members will receive the new book this month. The cover photo shows an avalanche on Polar Circus in Canada by Alex Ratson.

Ice Climbers & Avalanches

It’s Time to Take this risk more seriously

By Grant Statham

Every winter, ice climbers are caught—and sometimes killed—by avalanches. Even small avalanches can be deadly when they get funneled into the narrow gullies where ice climbs form. So understanding the avalanche conditions and carrying rescue gear when climbing is essential for many climbs.

Yet despite this reality, climbers have been slow to embrace basic avalanche safety practices, even when they always use avalanche gear when backcountry skiing. This contradiction makes no sense, and it’s high time for a paradigm shift.

Once you’ve determined if your ice route is formed, your next move should be to figure out whether it’s threatened by avalanches. Any steep snow slopes on the approach, the route, above the route, or on the descent have the potential to release an avalanche.

If your route is threatened by avalanches, then you need to know more. Is the climb located in a gully with avalanche start zones overhead? Will you be climbing through snow slopes above cliffs? How about the approach—will you be walking under avalanche paths or kicking steps up a 40° slope to reach the base? How hard is the route—can you climb fast or will you be exposed to avalanches for hours? What does the local avalanche forecast say? You need to answer all of these questions before going climbing.

AVALANCHE RISK

Avalanche risk in ice climbing has three main ingredients: 1) enough snow to produce an avalanche, 2) avalanche-prone terrain, and 3) climbers exposed to this hazard. Remove any one of these elements and you’ve eliminated the avalanche risk.

But while eliminating avalanche risk ensures safety, it won’t get you up the routes on your hit list that are subject to avalanche hazard. For this, you’ll need to manage the risk by assessing its individual elements and understanding how they affect you and your partner.

SNOW

The best indicator of unstable snow is avalanche activity. Both slab avalanches and sluffs are threats to ice climbers, because it doesn’t take much to knock you off your front points. If avalanches are occurring near your route, then it’s safe to assume the snow on your route is also unstable. Here are the big three factors:

(1) Precipitation: new snow and especially rain can overload the snowpack

(2) Wind can move snow at 10 times the snowfall rate and create locally deep slabs

(3) Temperature: warming trends, inversions, and temps over 0°C (32°F) produce avalanches

TERRAIN

Minimize your exposure by positioning belays out of avalanche terrain or in protected locations, moving together when you can, moving one at a time when necessary, belaying across exposed slopes, and spending no unnecessary time exposed to avalanches. These are the strategies that keep experienced climbers alive. Here are the terrain basics to keep front of mind:

(1) Slope angle: the prime angle for slab avalanches is 30° to 45°

(2) Aspect: there are big differences between routes in the shade and in the sun

(3) Elevation: snow depth increases with elevation, so be aware of conditions overhead

(4) Terrain traps: ice climbs are often in or above terrain features that increase consequences (cliffs, gullies, creeks, etc.)

PEOPLE

Debris from several slides that trapped two climbers on a route in Santaquin Canyon, Utah, in February 2019. The avalanche hazard was rated low at the elevation of the climb but more dangerous high up the mountain, where these slides originated. Read the report here.

For risk to exist, something must be “at risk,” and in climbing this is people, deliberately exposing themselves to avalanche hazard. All people are fallible, and human factors are well-recognized as a major contributor to avalanche accidents. Here are some considerations:

(1) Partners: climb with people you trust and who share your values around risk

(2) Decision-making: trust your instincts and bail if it doesn’t feel right

(3) Trophy hunting: don’t obsess over one climb; have options and let the conditions determine your route

(4) Group size and speed: keep your team small and move efficiently

PUBLIC AVALANCHE FORECASTS

An excellent source of information on local conditions is the public avalanche forecast, found at avalanche.ca in Canada and avalanche.org in the USA. Locals watch the forecast regularly to stay abreast of conditions; start checking it early to get a sense of the snowpack.

Don’t climb in avalanche terrain unless the danger rating is Low or Moderate. When it’s Considerable, avalanches are likely, so now you need to know specific details about the route and what might trigger an avalanche there. If you don’t understand this, then don’t climb there. High and Extreme are obvious—stay out of avalanche terrain.

NATURAL RELEASES AND CLIMBER TRIGGERED AVALANCHES

Many ice climbs form directly beneath large avalanche slopes. To climb these routes, you need to determine whether a natural avalanche will release while you’re there. This is difficult, but the avalanche forecast, weather forecast, and ridge-top weather stations (accessible online) will provide some of the information you need. Always remember that snow depth, wind effect, and air temperature will be much different high above your climb, so don’t be lulled into complacency by snow conditions near your route.

Climbing steep snow is usually part of ice climbing, and this can lead to triggering a slope yourself. Whenever possible, go around snow slopes or cross them as high as you can to reduce the amount of snow above you. If you have to climb directly up the middle of a big slope, the best tactic is to evaluate smaller, safer slopes of similar character to get sense of conditions. Then consider spacing out, going one at a time, or belaying, even if the slope is small but the consequences are catastrophic.

CARRY AVALANCHE RESCUE GEAR

If you’re climbing and exposed to avalanche risk, then you should use avalanche rescue gear. If someone gets buried, you have about ten minutes to find them, dig them out, and clear their airway before they asphyxiate. Each member of the team should carry an avalanche transceiver, probe, and shovel. Nobody likes extra weight, so be thoughtful about when and where you carry the gear—plan it out like you plan your rack. Do you only need it for the approach or for the whole route? Maybe take one shovel up the route instead of two. What about the descent?

Even if you’re climbing a route where you think an avalanche would be unsurvivable, somebody will still want you back, which means SAR teams will be searching for you. Wearing a transceiver and using clothing equipped with the Recco system does everyone a favor by making you searchable.

RISK AND REWARD

Good avalanche skills are part of being a solid alpinist and waterfall ice climber. While climbing a great route feels awesome, climbing it in good style and doing everything you can to reduce your risk feels even better. Adding risk without additional benefit is pointless, so learn about avalanches, carry the gear, and respond to the ever-changing conditions.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Grant Statham is an IFMGA mountain guide and avalanche forecaster based in Canmore, Alberta. He works with Parks Canada’s search and rescue and avalanche safety programs in Banff, Yoho, and Kootenay national parks.

GO DEEPER: The following webinar expands on the topics discussed above. This session was hosted by Avalanche Canada and Grant Statham and presented by Canadian guide Sarah Hueniken on November 4, 2020.

THE SHARP END: A CREVASSE FALL IN THE TETONS!

View fullsize

Tyler Willis and a friend were descending from a successful ascent of Mt. Owen in Grand Teton National Park. It was late in the day when they reached the Teton Glacier, which they had crossed without a problem early that morning. Just a few steps later, Tyler plunged into a hidden crevasse, an extremely rare accident for the Tetons. By the time climbers pulled him to the surface, he was hypothermic, and it wasn't until the next day that rangers could helicopter him to safety. Hear all about it in Episode 58 of the Sharp End (link below).

An accident like this illustrates the importance of recognizing and treating the symptoms of hypothermia, which may develop even on a sunny day in August. A useful reference for climbers and clinicians alike is the Wilderness Medical Society’s updated guidelines assessment and treatment of hypothermia patients. The article and several downloadable field guides (like the one shown above) are available at this link.

AVOID INJURIES DURING WINTER TRAINING

Photo: Alton Richardson

Dr. Volker Schöffl is one of the world’s foremost authorities on climbing injuries. The German professor and physician is co-author of One Move Too Many: How to Understand the Injuries and Overuse Syndromes of Rock Climbing (Sharp End Publishing, 2016). This year, he and co-authors Dicki Korb and Patrick Matros released a new work describing complementary training to avoid injuries. The 94-page book is packed with tips and specific exercises, and it’s available as a free download! We decided to ask Schöffl for some training advice for Prescription readers.

We’re headed into winter and lots more indoor climbing. What are the most important things climbers can do to prevent injuries during the months of indoor training?

Do not overdo it early on, and build up strength gradually through the winter. Motivation is high, as everyone wants to be better next season. Don’t forget, you have to endure a couple months of training, and you should pace yourself. Increase the load gradually and this will help you to avoid overuse injuries in November.

What are the most common areas of injury for climbers heading indoors? 

This really depends on the type of training you are doing. In pure strength training, simple overload leads to finger stress and tenosynovitis (inflammation of the tendon sheath). In indoor bouldering, especially with dynamic problems, injuries from falls onto the lower extremity are most common. Overuse and over training in indoor climbing also affects the shoulders and elbows.

Any recommendations for avoiding these common injuries?

A proper warm-up will help to reduce both injury incidence and severity. Stretching itself is not ideal as a warm-up, as it reduces muscle tension (stretching is more appropriate for cool-down after a session). Warm-up should consist of some general exercise and include finger specific exercises (e.g., therapy putty, softball squeezes, or plain finger movements). You can find some examples in One Move Too Many. Climbers should also focus on adjunct compensatory training (ACT)—exercises that counteract the specific stressors of climbing. We just released our ACT program, which is a free pdf booklet, accessible through www.act.clinic. After this general warm-up phase continue into some easy climbing and gradually increase stress/difficulty to a peak approximately 30 minutes into the climbing session.

Can you tell us more about ACT and its importance for overall climbing performance?

Climbing, as with many other sports, stresses the body in uniform patterns, leading to strength in certain muscle groups and to neglect in others. These imbalances lead to posture deficiencies and poor movement patterns. ACT focuses on training the neglected muscle slings (muscle, fascia, and ligaments) and innervation patterns within their specific range of motion, building up posture and core strength as well as balancing the athletic build of the body. In order to withstand climbing specific training over time and to prevent associated injuries, the antagonists and neglected muscle groups must be addressed. This is where ACT comes into play.

MEET THE RESCUERS

Doug McCall, President of Mountain Rescue Association (MRA) and member of Seattle Mountain Rescue

Years volunteering with your team: 12

Home Crag:  Exit 38, Deception Crags/Far Side Wall

Favorite type of climbing: Single-pitch sport. The crags near me offer a wide range of grades that allow me to climb with a wide variety of people. I love bringing new people to the crag and letting them try outdoor climbing for the first time. I also love challenging myself with friends who climb above my abilities.

How did you first become interested in search and rescue?

I was a volunteer firefighter at our local department when one of the other volunteers began talking about climbing and then later about Seattle Mountain Rescue (SMR). He had been a member of SMR for about 15 to 20 years and recommended that I apply. I was excited about the opportunity to combine my passion for the outdoors with the medical skills I had learned through the fire department. I was accepted into SMR in February 2008.

Why do you think accident reporting is important?

Learning from others’ mistakes is a powerful way that humans learn from one another. While it is easy to “armchair quarterback” some scenarios, you never really know what you might do when presented with a sudden experience. Knowing what others did or didn’t do helps to frame a thought process that may help you or your climbing partner down the road.

Personal scariest “close call”?

Early in my alpine career, my climbing partner, mentor, and cousin, Doug Walker, and I were caught in a slab avalanche that swept me down a 600-foot slope and then off a 30-foot cliff. I somehow survived. The worst injury was a severe fracture around my left eye that I likely sustained from a glancing blow to a rock. While we were able to self-rescue, I have since felt compelled to try to help others during their bad day in the mountains.

Personal safety tip?

I wear a helmet when climbing. While my doctors say that I have a very thick skull, I’d rather never have to test that again. Helmets are easy and offer good protection from an unexpected slip or rock fall. Also, I always tie knots at the ends of my rope when on rappel. I’ve been on numerous recoveries where a knot would have been the difference between life and death.

What would you say to people interested in learning more about search and rescue?

I’d encourage people to find a local MRA team or a SAR team and learn more about how to become a member. MRA teams train constantly and test each other to ensure that every team can safely effect rescues in all sorts of terrain and conditions. We also operate with a safety mindset that carries over into our personal climbing.

What is your favorite thing to do when you are not climbing?

Spend time with my family. My family has been very supportive and patient with all my time spent climbing and responding to rescues. While we tend to do a lot of outdoor activities together, they have also taught me to enjoy a number of other activities. Being with family and sharing experiences with them have been the greatest joys of my life.

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Share Your Story: If you’ve been involved in a climbing accident or rescue, consider sharing the lessons learned with other climbers. Let’s work together to reduce the number of accidents. Contact us at [email protected].

The monthly Accidents Bulletin is supported by adidas Outdoor and the members of the American Alpine Club.

UPDATE: PRACTICAL BETA ON CLIMBING IN THE COVID ERA

Throughout the pandemic, climbers have cleared the crags and demonstrated responsible decision-making out of concern for their community. Thank you.

Across the country, restrictions on access to public lands are beginning to change, and, with heightened vigilance, climbers have started to head back to the crags. As we re-engage the activity that we love, our decisions should prioritize the well-being of all individuals and communities that we may impact.

To help foster responsible decision-making and protect vulnerable communities, we offer the following Guiding Principles as we enter the next phase of the pandemic.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES:

• Don't become a vector for transmission; your behavior matters.

• Default to always wearing a mask when there is a potential of being near others.

• Know and follow federal, state, county, and local health guidelines and recommendations. 

• Follow guidance from local land managers and climbing organizations.

• Be respectful of rural gateway communities, and use heightened vigilance if you choose to travel to these areas.

• Keep your objectives conservative. Climbing accidents are avoidable and expose first responders, search and rescue teams, and hospital staff to increased stress and disease risk.

• Be kind, respectful, and patient with one another during this time. We all want to spend time outside safely; let's work together to create an environment that allows this.

SHOULD I GO CLIMBING?

If you feel confident that you can climb while keeping others and yourself safe, ask the following questions before heading to the crag:

Do I Feel Sick Or Have Reason To Believe I've Recently Been Exposed To COVID-19?

• Do not go climbing if you feel sick!

  • Learn more about COVID-19 symptoms from these CDC Guidelines. 

• You may be a carrier of COVID-19 without experiencing symptoms. Be sure to make conservative decisions if you believe you may have recently been exposed to COVID-19.

Who Should I Climb With?

• As with any social activity, minimize the number of different partners you climb with during this time.

• Climbing in large groups increases the impact on the land, each other’s experience, and the likelihood of spreading the virus. If you’re in a large group, consider breaking into smaller sub-groups to climb.

Where Should I Climb?

• States and counties have adopted different standards—check federal, state, and local regulations before deciding where to climb.

• Respect and follow local climbing organization and land management guidelines.

• Be hypervigilant if you do decide to travel to vulnerable rural gateway communities.

What Should I Do If I Choose A Crag, And When I Arrive, It's Packed With People?

• Have a plan B, or even plan C. If you get to the crag, and it's too crowded to maintain social distancing guidelines, head to another spot.

• If you are at the crag, and it gets crowded, leave for another area.

What Can I Do to Protect Myself, My Partner, And Others?

• Default to always wearing a mask when there is a potential of being near others.

• Keep your outdoor objectives conservative.

• Practice frequent hand sanitation before, during, and after a session.

• Treat the rock and gear as you would surfaces in town. 

How Else Can I Help?

• Rapid COVID-19 tests are becoming widely available. If you choose to travel, consider a COVID-19 test before and after your trip.  

• Continue to practice Leave No Trace principles.

• Financially support your local climbing organization.

Thank you for continuing to represent the climbing community through responsible decision-making.

The Prescription—October 2020

A severe storm on the first full day of summer caught two climbers high on 14,197-foot Crestone Needle in southern Colorado. After descending the Ellingwood Ledges route for about 1,000 feet, the two spent a cold night on a tiny ledge (circled). Photo: Patrick Fiore.

EPIC ON ELLINGWOOD LEDGES

STRANDED | Storm, Darkness, Inexperience

On Friday, June 21, 2019, two climbers from Kansas (ages 23 and 30) drove up to the east side of the Sangre de Cristo Range. Their goal was the Ellingwood Ledges (a.k.a. Ellingwood Arête) on the east side of Crestone Needle, one of the “Fifty Classic Climbs of North America.” The 2,000-foot route ends at the summit of the 14,197-foot peak.

The next morning, under sunny skies, they started climbing at 9 a.m. via the route’s direct start. Their iPhone weather app showed a forecast of “partly cloudy with a 20% chance of showers.” Enjoying warm weather and dry rock, the duo made good time cruising the easy 5th-class pitches at the bottom and the 3rd- and 4th-class ledges in the middle of the route. However, at the route’s crux, just a few hundred feet below the summit, the 5.7 to 5.9 cracks (depending on exact route) were filled with ice. Clad in rock shoes and with no ice axes, they couldn’t climb past the thin ribbons of ice. Meanwhile, the sky turned gray as, unbeknownst to the pair, a strong winter-like storm was barreling in from the west.

Around 4 p.m. the storm hit, with intense snow showers along with thunder and lightning. The pair put on their light fleece jackets and waterproof jackets. With visibility dropping to 30 feet, they kept trying to climb, thinking safety would be gained by going over the top and descending the standard route. (In fact, the 3rd-class normal route up and down Crestone Needle is exposed and tricky to follow, and has stranded climbers even in the best weather.) Eventually, realizing they could not go up, the pair called the Custer County Sheriff’s Office to request assistance. It was about 5:30 p.m.

Custer County Search and Rescue (CCSAR) began planning for a technical rescue. The climbers started down, building rappel anchors and occasionally downclimbing, a descent they described as “terrifying.” They made steady progress and continued to give updates to CCSAR. (Cell service is very good high on the Crestones.) At approximately 9:30 p.m. and at 13,030 feet, soaked and shivering hard, and nearly out of gear to build anchors, the pair grew concerned their fatigue could affect their safety if they continued. In a call with CCSAR, a senior member told them not to continue down if they were not completely confident in their anchors. They decided to stop and wait for morning on a snow-covered ledge about as wide as a lawn chair. 

Rescuers staging below Crestone Needle in the Sangre de Cristo Range in southern Colorado. Photo courtesy of Dale Atkins.

Given the complexity of the situation, CCSAR began planning a parallel rescue effort: one ground-based and another by helicopter hoist. Members of various other rescue teams started toward the area to help, and a line of communication was opened with the Colorado Army National Guard (COANG). 

High on the mountain, light snow continued to fall until about 1 a.m., and then, as the skies cleared, the temperature dropped into the lower 20s (F). Their sodden clothing froze hard and their joints turned stiff. They had found no gear placements, so they had no anchor. Afraid to even stand up for fear they might fall, they stayed put. The two were so miserable and scared that they each called parents and siblings to say good-bye, thinking they might die before sunrise. 

By 3 a.m., rescue teams started to arrive at CCSAR’s base in Westcliffe. An hour later, over 20 mountain rescuers from four counties were hiking toward the base of Ellingwood Ledges. All the while, CCSAR liaised with the National Guard to coordinate a helicopter extraction utilizing two Alpine Rescue Team hoist rescue technicians. Weather conditions were questionable, and it was not until well after sunrise that the helicopter mission became a “go.” After a 130-mile flight, Black Hawk 529 out of Buckley Air Force Base arrived overhead at about 9:45 a.m. and determined a hoist insert and extraction was possible.

Two rescue techs were lowered to the stranded climbers. Other than being very cold, stiff, hungry, and thirsty, the climbers were in remarkably good condition. The morning sun had thawed and dried their clothes, and warmed their spirits. The two were helped into rescue harnesses, and when the Black Hawk returned, the climbers and rescuers were hoisted two at a time and flown to CCSAR’s base in Westcliffe. By 2:45 p.m., all the ground teams had returned safely to Westcliffe, ending a 22-hour mission. 

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ANALYSIS

The two climbers were capable multi-pitch crag climbers who aspired to do their first alpine or big-mountain route. They had the skill to climb this route in summer conditions; however, the preceding winter had been one of Colorado’s snowiest in many years. Though the calendar said early summer, snow and ice on the high mountains was similar to mid-May. The arrival of the storm only worsened the situation. 

The storm had been well forecasted for the mountains, but the pair did not get the right forecast. Many phone apps present weather for nearby towns, so the climbers got the forecast for Westcliffe, located in the valley to the northeast of the mountain. Then they typed in “Crestone” and another benign forecast popped up—however, this forecast was for the hamlet of Crestone, low in a valley on the west side of the peak. Seeing two good forecasts, the climbers were confident. But there was a very different forecast for the peaks 6,000 feet higher. [Editor’s Note: 14ers.com links to NOAA spot forecasts for each of the Colorado 14ers.] 

The climbers had a good alpine rack but left nearly all of it as they rappelled and downclimbed nearly 1,000 feet of snow-covered rock and grass. In their packs they carried shell jackets, beanies, gloves, and good socks—barely enough protection. They climbed in rock shoes and carried light trail shoes for the descent. In a typical summer, these shoes would have been fine, but had they reached the summit, their descent off a very snowy and icy Broken Hand Pass would have been difficult. 

To their credit, these climbers kept their wits and survived a miserable night in a very exposed spot. They tried very hard to self-rescue and did a phenomenal job to descend as far as they did. 

The role of luck—good and bad—plays a much larger role than we often acknowledge in such situations. In the Sangre de Cristo Range, the weather cleared soon after midnight, leaving the climbers with drying conditions. Further north, in Colorado’s central and northern mountains, the storm continued all night, and upwards of two feet of snow fell. These two put themselves in a place to be lucky when they wisely decided to stop. Surviving a miserable night is always easier than surviving a fall. (Sources: Dale Atkins, Alpine Rescue Team and Colorado Hoist Rescue Team, and Jonathan Wiley and Patrick Fiore of Custer County SAR.)  

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THE SHARP END: EPISODE 57

Brian Vines was a high school senior and a budding climber in the 1990s when he and some friends went to Sand Rock, Alabama, for a day of top-roping. On their last climb, a simple mistake led to a damaging ground fall. More than two decades later, Brian and hostess Ashley Saupe look back at that day for the Sharp End podcast. Brian has returned to climbing, and his 14-year-old son, J.T., now leads many of their climbs. But the lessons from that day at Sand Rock still guide their every move.

The Sharp End · Ep 57 - The Flawed Knot - Brian Vines

30 YEARS OF ACCIDENT DATA

The September issue of Rock and Ice features an article by AAC member Eliot Caroom presenting a unique analysis of reports in the last 30 years of ANAC (more than 2,700 accident narratives in all). Eliot created a database of keywords to examine the characteristics of accidents in ways not possible with our annual data tables. The results are very enlightening. For example, it’s well-known that many accidents happen during descents (about 32 percent in Eliot’s sample), but his method also reveals that rappel errors were a factor in 29 percent of descent accidents, and another 14 percent involved strandings. Moreover, nearly one-third of all accidents involving a rappel error led to a fatality. Eliot has offered to share his one-of-a-kind database so other researchers can mine this information. Read the story and learn more here.

TECHNIQUE TO TRY: PRE-RIGGED RAPPELS

Pre-rigging or “stacking” rappels is a technique that is used most often by guides but it also offers multiple safety and speed benefits to any experienced climber. Pre-rigging is when each member of the climbing team attaches an extended device to the ropes at the rappel anchor before anyone begins to rappel. The technique allows everyone to check each other’s rappel setup, and it provides other safety and efficiency benefits, including the fact that only one stopper knot is needed at the end of the rappel ropes. The pros and cons of this technique are well explained in this article at Alpine Savvy.

Pre-rigging is not appropriate for every rappel, and expert instruction is recommended. Once you learn the technique, however, you may be surprised how much you like it for long series of rappels.

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ROPE RECALL

Petzl is recalling a number of low-stretch kernmantle rope after a report that a defective rope was discovered earlier this year. No accidents or injuries have been reported. The recall is a follow-up to a July request for inspection issued by Petzl. The voluntary recall notice, issued by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, is dated September 30 and covers more than 15,000 ropes sold in the United States and Canada, mostly for professional access work and rigging, as well as some caving and climbing applications. The owners of ropes with certain serial numbers are asked to inspect their ropes and contact Petzl if specific problems are discovered.

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MEET THE VOLUNTEERS

Lindsay Auble, Regional Editor for Kentucky, Arkansas, and Tennessee

Years volunteering with ANAC: 6 

Home crag: Red River Gorge, Kentucky

Favorite type of climbing: Single-pitch sport. Each season I choose a few routes to project at the very edge of my ability. I love the process of breaking down a climb and training each move. It can be frustrating at first; I can’t count the number of times I’ve said, “I can’t do that move.” But after weeks of problem-solving, training, and engraining muscle memory, the moment it comes together is that much sweeter because of every failed attempt.

How did you first become interested in Accidents? 

I started climbing outside in the Red River Gorge and was very lucky to have a strong community of climbing mentors . When I was relocated for work, I asked one of them for suggestions on how I could continue my climbing education, and he pointed me to the AAC and the Accidents publication. Now, every incident I edit is a research project. After I gather the details of the accident, I consult with experienced climbers, guides, and first responders to fully understand why it occurred. We have even set up several situations on practice anchors in the house. In the process of unpacking the “why?”, I have greatly expanded my knowledge of climbing gear and techniques.

Why do you think accident reporting is important?

For a decade, I worked as a chemical engineer, mostly with the construction industry, which is constantly working to improve safety metrics. They found that companies that continuously discuss safety incidents and near misses have significantly fewer accidents. It reminds people of the potential consequences and pulls them out of autopilot, especially when the activity is repetitive. Almost all of the climbing accidents I have analyzed have been at least partially attributable to human error.

Personal scariest “close call”?

While I’ve had an off-route moment with potential consequences that scared every molecule in my being and a low fall that resulted in an injured tailbone, I feel the scariest moments have been a bit more innocuous. Once I hung near the top of a route and then noticed that my knot had threaded only the waist loop tie-in point. I thought, “Huh, this somehow made it through all our safety checks.” Or lowering from a route and realizing that I didn’t remember cleaning it. Kind of like arriving somewhere and not remembering the drive, because you’ve done it hundreds of times. So scary!!

Personal safety tip?

After an accident that devastated our community, we are getting in the habit of weight-testing the system before leaving the ground. After our regular safety checks and stick-clipping the first bolt (a must in the Red), both climber and belayer lean back and weight the system, loading the knot and engaging the belay device. In addition to serving as a demonstrative check of the system, this method has the added bonus of tightening the knot and removing a little stretch in the rope to better protect a low fall.

What is your favorite thing to do when you are not climbing?

I’m a huge fan of puzzles and games. If there is such a thing, I might have a clinical sudoku addiction. When my boyfriend and I traveled to Las Vegas, I think we were close to splitting our time equally between climbing and the Pinball Hall of Fame—my boyfriend wins free games and then I use them up when he moves on to a different machine. In fact, we even created a game ourselves: Crag Crushers.

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Share Your Story: If you’ve been involved in a climbing accident or rescue, consider sharing the lessons learned with other climbers. Let’s work together to reduce the number of accidents. Contact us at [email protected].

The monthly Accidents Bulletin is supported by adidas Outdoor and the members of the American Alpine Club.

The Prescription - October 2020

A severe storm on the first full day of summer caught two climbers high on 14,197-foot Crestone Needle in southern Colorado. After descending the Ellingwood Ledges route for about 1,000 feet, the two spent a cold night on a tiny ledge (circled). Photo: Patrick Fiore.

The Prescription - October 2020

EPIC ON ELLINGWOOD LEDGES

STRANDED | Storm, Darkness, Inexperience

On Friday, June 21, 2019, two climbers from Kansas (ages 23 and 30) drove up to the east side of the Sangre de Cristo Range. Their goal was the Ellingwood Ledges (a.k.a. Ellingwood Arête) on the east side of Crestone Needle, one of the “Fifty Classic Climbs of North America.” The 2,000-foot route ends at the summit of the 14,197-foot peak.

The next morning, under sunny skies, they started climbing at 9 a.m. via the route’s direct start. Their iPhone weather app showed a forecast of “partly cloudy with a 20% chance of showers.” Enjoying warm weather and dry rock, the duo made good time cruising the easy 5th-class pitches at the bottom and the 3rd- and 4th-class ledges in the middle of the route. However, at the route’s crux, just a few hundred feet below the summit, the 5.7 to 5.9 cracks (depending on exact route) were filled with ice. Clad in rock shoes and with no ice axes, they couldn’t climb past the thin ribbons of ice. Meanwhile, the sky turned gray as, unbeknownst to the pair, a strong winter-like storm was barreling in from the west.

Around 4 p.m. the storm hit, with intense snow showers along with thunder and lightning. The pair put on their light fleece jackets and waterproof jackets. With visibility dropping to 30 feet, they kept trying to climb, thinking safety would be gained by going over the top and descending the standard route. (In fact, the 3rd-class normal route up and down Crestone Needle is exposed and tricky to follow, and has stranded climbers even in the best weather.) Eventually, realizing they could not go up, the pair called the Custer County Sheriff’s Office to request assistance. It was about 5:30 p.m.

Custer County Search and Rescue (CCSAR) began planning for a technical rescue. The climbers started down, building rappel anchors and occasionally downclimbing, a descent they described as “terrifying.” They made steady progress and continued to give updates to CCSAR. (Cell service is very good high on the Crestones.) At approximately 9:30 p.m. and at 13,030 feet, soaked and shivering hard, and nearly out of gear to build anchors, the pair grew concerned their fatigue could affect their safety if they continued. In a call with CCSAR, a senior member told them not to continue down if they were not completely confident in their anchors. They decided to stop and wait for morning on a snow-covered ledge about as wide as a lawn chair. 

Rescuers staging below Crestone Needle in the Sangre de Cristo Range in southern Colorado. Photo courtesy of Dale Atkins.

Given the complexity of the situation, CCSAR began planning a parallel rescue effort: one ground-based and another by helicopter hoist. Members of various other rescue teams started toward the area to help, and a line of communication was opened with the Colorado Army National Guard (COANG). 

High on the mountain, light snow continued to fall until about 1 a.m., and then, as the skies cleared, the temperature dropped into the lower 20s (F). Their sodden clothing froze hard and their joints turned stiff. They had found no gear placements, so they had no anchor. Afraid to even stand up for fear they might fall, they stayed put. The two were so miserable and scared that they each called parents and siblings to say good-bye, thinking they might die before sunrise. 

By 3 a.m., rescue teams started to arrive at CCSAR’s base in Westcliffe. An hour later, over 20 mountain rescuers from four counties were hiking toward the base of Ellingwood Ledges. All the while, CCSAR liaised with the National Guard to coordinate a helicopter extraction utilizing two Alpine Rescue Team hoist rescue technicians. Weather conditions were questionable, and it was not until well after sunrise that the helicopter mission became a “go.” After a 130-mile flight, Black Hawk 529 out of Buckley Air Force Base arrived overhead at about 9:45 a.m. and determined a hoist insert and extraction was possible.

Two rescue techs were lowered to the stranded climbers. Other than being very cold, stiff, hungry, and thirsty, the climbers were in remarkably good condition. The morning sun had thawed and dried their clothes, and warmed their spirits. The two were helped into rescue harnesses, and when the Black Hawk returned, the climbers and rescuers were hoisted two at a time and flown to CCSAR’s base in Westcliffe. By 2:45 p.m., all the ground teams had returned safely to Westcliffe, ending a 22-hour mission. 

ANALYSIS 

The two climbers were capable multi-pitch crag climbers who aspired to do their first alpine or big-mountain route. They had the skill to climb this route in summer conditions; however, the preceding winter had been one of Colorado’s snowiest in many years. Though the calendar said early summer, snow and ice on the high mountains was similar to mid-May. The arrival of the storm only worsened the situation. 

The storm had been well forecasted for the mountains, but the pair did not get the right forecast. Many phone apps present weather for nearby towns, so the climbers got the forecast for Westcliffe, located in the valley to the northeast of the mountain. Then they typed in “Crestone” and another benign forecast popped up—however, this forecast was for the hamlet of Crestone, low in a valley on the west side of the peak. Seeing two good forecasts, the climbers were confident. But there was a very different forecast for the peaks 6,000 feet higher. [Editor’s Note: 14ers.com links to NOAA spot forecasts for each of the Colorado 14ers.] 

The climbers had a good alpine rack but left nearly all of it as they rappelled and downclimbed nearly 1,000 feet of snow-covered rock and grass. In their packs they carried shell jackets, beanies, gloves, and good socks—barely enough protection. They climbed in rock shoes and carried light trail shoes for the descent. In a typical summer, these shoes would have been fine, but had they reached the summit, their descent off a very snowy and icy Broken Hand Pass would have been difficult. 

To their credit, these climbers kept their wits and survived a miserable night in a very exposed spot. They tried very hard to self-rescue and did a phenomenal job to descend as far as they did. 

The role of luck—good and bad—plays a much larger role than we often acknowledge in such situations. In the Sangre de Cristo Range, the weather cleared soon after midnight, leaving the climbers with drying conditions. Further north, in Colorado’s central and northern mountains, the storm continued all night, and upwards of two feet of snow fell. These two put themselves in a place to be lucky when they wisely decided to stop. Surviving a miserable night is always easier than surviving a fall. (Sources: Dale Atkins, Alpine Rescue Team and Colorado Hoist Rescue Team, and Jonathan Wiley and Patrick Fiore of Custer County SAR.)  

THE SHARP END: EPISODE 57

Brian Vines was a high school senior and a budding climber in the 1990s when he and some friends went to Sand Rock, Alabama, for a day of top-roping. On their last climb, a simple mistake led to a damaging ground fall. More than two decades later, Brian and hostess Ashley Saupe look back at that day for the Sharp End podcast. Brian has returned to climbing, and his 14-year-old son, J.T., now leads many of their climbs. But the lessons from that day at Sand Rock still guide their every move.

30 YEARS OF ACCIDENT DATA

The September issue of Rock and Ice features an article by AAC member Eliot Caroom presenting a unique analysis of reports in the last 30 years of ANAC (more than 2,700 accident narratives in all). Eliot created a database of keywords to examine the characteristics of accidents in ways not possible with our annual data tables. The results are very enlightening. For example, it’s well-known that many accidents happen during descents (about 32 percent in Eliot’s sample), but his method also reveals that rappel errors were a factor in 29 percent of descent accidents, and another 14 percent involved strandings. Moreover, nearly one-third of all accidents involving a rappel error led to a fatality. Eliot has offered to share his one-of-a-kind database so other researchers can mine this information. Read the story and learn more here.

TECHNIQUE TO TRY: PRE-RIGGED RAPPELS

Two rappellers ready to go. Photo courtesy of Alpine Savvy.

Pre-rigging or “stacking” rappels is a technique that is used most often by guides but it also offers multiple safety and speed benefits to any experienced climber. Pre-rigging is when each member of the climbing team attaches an extended device to the ropes at the rappel anchor before anyone begins to rappel. The technique allows everyone to check each other’s rappel setup, and it provides other safety and efficiency benefits, including the fact that only one stopper knot is needed at the end of the rappel ropes. The pros and cons of this technique are well explained in this article at Alpine Savvy.

Pre-rigging is not appropriate for every rappel, and expert instruction is recommended. Once you learn the technique, however, you may be surprised how much you like it for long series of rappels.

ROPE RECALL

Petzl is recalling a number of low-stretch kernmantle rope after a report that a defective rope was discovered earlier this year. No accidents or injuries have been reported. The recall is a follow-up to a July request for inspection issued by Petzl. The voluntary recall notice, issued by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, is dated September 30 and covers more than 15,000 ropes sold in the United States and Canada, mostly for professional access work and rigging, as well as some caving and climbing applications. The owners of ropes with certain serial numbers are asked to inspect their ropes and contact Petzl if specific problems are discovered.

MEET THE VOLUNTEERS

Lindsay Auble, Regional Editor for Kentucky, Arkansas, and Tennessee

Years volunteering with ANAC: 6 

Home crag: Red River Gorge, Kentucky

Lindsay at home in the Red. Photo: Johnny Nowell.

Favorite type of climbing: Single-pitch sport. Each season I choose a few routes to project at the very edge of my ability. I love the process of breaking down a climb and training each move. It can be frustrating at first; I can’t count the number of times I’ve said, “I can’t do that move.” But after weeks of problem-solving, training, and engraining muscle memory, the moment it comes together is that much sweeter because of every failed attempt.

How did you first become interested in Accidents? 

I started climbing outside in the Red River Gorge and was very lucky to have a strong community of climbing mentors . When I was relocated for work, I asked one of them for suggestions on how I could continue my climbing education, and he pointed me to the AAC and the Accidents publication. Now, every incident I edit is a research project. After I gather the details of the accident, I consult with experienced climbers, guides, and first responders to fully understand why it occurred. We have even set up several situations on practice anchors in the house. In the process of unpacking the “why?”, I have greatly expanded my knowledge of climbing gear and techniques.

Why do you think accident reporting is important?

For a decade, I worked as a chemical engineer, mostly with the construction industry, which is constantly working to improve safety metrics. They found that companies that continuously discuss safety incidents and near misses have significantly fewer accidents. It reminds people of the potential consequences and pulls them out of autopilot, especially when the activity is repetitive. Almost all of the climbing accidents I have analyzed have been at least partially attributable to human error.

Personal scariest “close call”?

While I’ve had an off-route moment with potential consequences that scared every molecule in my being and a low fall that resulted in an injured tailbone, I feel the scariest moments have been a bit more innocuous. Once I hung near the top of a route and then noticed that my knot had threaded only the waist loop tie-in point. I thought, “Huh, this somehow made it through all our safety checks.” Or lowering from a route and realizing that I didn’t remember cleaning it. Kind of like arriving somewhere and not remembering the drive, because you’ve done it hundreds of times. So scary!!

Personal safety tip?

After an accident that devastated our community, we are getting in the habit of weight-testing the system before leaving the ground. After our regular safety checks and stick-clipping the first bolt (a must in the Red), both climber and belayer lean back and weight the system, loading the knot and engaging the belay device. In addition to serving as a demonstrative check of the system, this method has the added bonus of tightening the knot and removing a little stretch in the rope to better protect a low fall.

What is your favorite thing to do when you are not climbing?

I’m a huge fan of puzzles and games. If there is such a thing, I might have a clinical sudoku addiction. When my boyfriend and I traveled to Las Vegas, I think we were close to splitting our time equally between climbing and the Pinball Hall of Fame—my boyfriend wins free games and then I use them up when he moves on to a different machine. In fact, we even created a game ourselves: Crag Crushers.

Share Your Story: If you’ve been involved in a climbing accident or rescue, consider sharing the lessons learned with other climbers. Let’s work together to reduce the number of accidents. Contact us at [email protected].

The monthly Accidents Bulletin is supported by adidas Outdoor and the members of the American Alpine Club.

Joint Statement on Climbing Route Naming

The American Alpine Club, Appalachian Mountain Club, Colorado Mountain Club, Mazamas, and The Mountaineers join with those speaking out and taking action against racist, sexist, and otherwise derogatory route names, and we welcome the conversation about how best to move forward as a community.

Historically in the U.S. climbing community, the opportunity and privilege of naming a route has been given to the first ascensionist. Naming a route is an earned honor, responsibility, and form of artistic expression. When done well, a route's name tells a story. It often cleverly captures the experience of establishing or climbing the route or a unique characteristic of the formation. At worst, a route name inscribes onto the rock an individual's prejudice, insecurity, and violence. These names deface the special places where we climb. Names like "N*****s Wall," "Case of the F*gs," and "Slant Eyes" signal that not all people are welcome, creating a hostile environment that we should not accept.

Recent movements across our nation, including Black Lives Matter, SafeOutside, and Me Too, have been a catalyst for many individuals and organizations to recognize the institutionalized and systemic oppression built into the foundation of our society.

Though not a new problem, we are grateful to Erynne Gilpin, Ashleigh Thompson, and Melissa Utomo, along with Brown Girls Climb, Melanin Base Camp, and Natives Outdoors, for bringing focus back to this problematic practice. As individuals and as a community, we must recognize that words matter. The climbing community as a whole is accountable for the language we use to identify and describe the places where we climb. We must own the toxicity in the practice of naming routes. It’s time for change.

As signers, our 5 organizations represent 150,000 members nationwide. We commit ourselves to building a more respectful community. That includes working collaboratively with climbers across the country to change names of existing routes, providing anti-racism and anti-harassment training for our members and volunteer leaders, and auditing our own publications and websites to determine a process for expunging offensive route names. These changes represent only a starting point, but they are a necessary first step toward making the climbing community more inclusive and our crags and mountains welcoming to us all.

In unity,

American Alpine Club

Appalachian Mountain Club

Colorado Mountain Club

Mazamas

The Mountaineers

Climb United Timeline

When Climb United was first launching, we came up with a timeline to share with you all what we’d accomplished so far, and the vision for where we are headed. Check back at the Climb United landing page to see how we are evolving and moving forward into 2022 and beyond!

BREAKING NEWS: William Perry pendley’s nomination to lead bureau of land management is withdrawn!

William Perry Pendley is Unfit to Lead the Bureau of Land Management—Thank you for telling your representatives!

Remember this name: William Perry Pendley? A few weeks ago we asked climbers to write to their representatives to let them know that the outdoor community sees Pendley as unfit to lead the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Hundreds of you took action to write your senators in opposition, and your voices were heard. Over the weekend news broke that the Trump administration withdrew its nomination of Pendley, to lead the Bureau of Land Management.

In a letter to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, the Outdoor Alliance summed up our community’s beliefs surrounding the nomination stating:

“Pendley’s longstanding advocacy for the sell-off of public lands; history of disparaging comments directed against BIPOC, immigrant, and LGBTQ communities; his denial of the urgent threat of climate change; and his long history of advocacy against environmental protection and core conservation laws collectively make him manifestly unsuited to stewarding our country’s public lands.”

Photo by Julia Clark-Riddell of Anna Hazelnutt climbing the “Sad Boulders” of Payahuunadü

What now?

Unfortunately, Interior Secretary David Bernhardt, intends to keep Pendley in his “acting director” role, even though he clearly would have been unable to move forward in the role if it came to a confirmation vote in the senate. We believe this is unacceptable and we believe Pendley should be forced to resign. There are several active lawsuits  opposing his role as acting director that claim the Trump administration has kept him installed as acting director of the BLM far longer than what's legal under federal law. As this story progresses we will keep you up-to-date.

Thank you—the fight continues!

It is clear that the climbing and outdoor community overwhelmingly believe that Pendley is not the right person for the job. We asked our representatives to oppose the Trump administration’s nomination of Pendley to be the Director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and our voices were heard. Now we must demand his resignation and push for a leader who embodies the mission of the BLM. Thank you for taking action! The AAC celebrates our community’s willingness to act under pressure and take the time to impact change when public lands, members of our communities, or climbing resources are under threat.

Becoming Dillon: A Tribute to Dillon Blanksma and Growth Through Climbing

On July 30th, 2020, American Alpine Club employee Dillon Blanksma died after a fall from Broadway ledge below the Diamond on Longs Peak in Colorado.

In a recent phone call with Dillon's sister, Katie Joy Blanksma, it dawned on us that his feverish passion for climbing had created a feedback loop of influence on his personality and on those around him. Below, we take a deeper look at both sides to better understand the critical role that climbing played in Dillon's life and the impact that he had on his climbing community.

*This story is best told with the help of vibrant and dynamic photography. Dive into this Spark Exhibit to see these photos come alive alongside this story.

AAC SUES THE COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY TO KEEP THE “PUBLIC” IN PUBLIC LANDS

Photo by Dawn Kish

GOLDEN, CO—Today, the American Alpine Club joined forces with Winter Wildlands Alliance and 20 other conservation and environmental justice organizations to sue the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and stop its evisceration of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). 

For the past 50 years, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) has ensured that climbers and skiers have a voice in how the federal government managers our public lands. Whether considering issues like climbing regulations in forest planning, balancing recreation with cultural preservation in national monuments, or accounting for impacts to the climate from energy development on public lands—NEPA ensures that the federal government incorporates science and public opinion in the decision-making process. NEPA assures that the federal government operates with transparency and is held accountable for the decisions made on public lands. Having transparent decision making and accountability is particularly important to the climbing community as many of our cherished climbing areas are located on federal public lands across the country.

“Mountain regions are warming at roughly twice the pace of the global average, and climbers and skiers are experiencing these changes every time we go into the mountains. Now, the administration has decided that federal agencies no longer need to consider how their decisions will affect the climate. We’re suing the administration to force the government to continue accounting for climate impacts before approving development projects.” says Taylor Luneau, Policy Manager at the American Alpine Club. Luneau wrote about the changes to NEPA in detail in the AAC’s Summit Register: The Policy Zine for Climbers.

The policy changes announced by President Trump on July 15, 2020, mark a significant departure from how the government has previously interpreted NEPA. The new regulations limit public participation, restrict the scope of environmental analyses, and intend to fast-track approval for development and infrastructure projects. These policy changes raise significant concerns not only for the protection of public lands and outdoor recreation, but for the health and well-being of communities across the country who rely on clean air, water, and a healthy climate. 

“The National Environmental Policy Act gives every American a voice in how public lands are managed. If you’ve ever sent a letter to the Forest Service, Park Service, or Bureau of Land Management, weighing in on a project, you were able to do so because of NEPA,” says Hilary Eisen, Policy Director at Winter Wildlands Alliance. “These policy changes dramatically re-interpret the law to sideline the public and prioritize corporate interests over environmental protection,” Eisen added.

To learn more, join Taylor Luneau and Hilary Eisen, along with Susan Jane Brown, staff attorney at Western Environmental Law Center, for a webinar at 6 p.m. Mountain Time on August 11. 

Register online at: https://bit.ly/NEPALawsuitWebinar

To learn more about the importance of NEPA for climbers, read our latest blog post and check out the AAC’s newest publication Summit Register.

AAC is suing the Administration over change in NEPA, the peoples environmental law

When the government proposes a project that could impact the health of your community and environment, one federal law keeps you in the loop and allows your voice to be heard—but last week the Trump Administration pulled it apart. As a result, the AAC is joining forces with Winter Wildlands Alliance and 20 other conservation and environmental justice organizations to sue the Council on Environmental Quality and the Trump Administration.  

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) ensures federal decision making is transparent, scientifically informed and that the public has an opportunity to share their expertise and concerns. It’s a bedrock environmental law that requires Federal agencies to engage in a project review process to identify the environmental, cultural, economic, and health impacts of a project, as well as offering alternatives to the plan before a decision is made.

Sounds pretty reasonable right?

Well, after years of environmental deregulation under the guise of “efficiency” and “job creation,” the Trump Administration finalized its biggest rollback yet. On July 15, the White House’s Council on Environmental Quality released the final text of their updates to the rules that implement NEPA. 

These rule changes raise major concerns not only for the protection of public lands and outdoor recreation, but for the health and well-being of communities across the country who rely on clean air, water and a healthy climate. The destruction of NEPA is not only an environmental issue, but a social justice issue as well.

“This rule change is a massive step backward not only for public lands and the climbing community but for all Americans. NEPA ensures meaningful community participation and representation, it considers public health data and other important scientific research to make informed decisions, and it considers the composition of the affected area to determine and address disproportionate impacts on low-income and minority communities. These changes fly in the face of every American’s right to a healthy environment - especially now in the midst of a public health crisis.”

— Taylor Luneau, AAC Policy Manager

WHAT IS CEQ

Essentially, the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), is the keeper of the nation’s environmental goals. Created by NEPA, the CEQ is meant to advise the Executive branch on how best to protect the quality of the nation’s environment. Importantly, it’s tasked with overseeing how NEPA is implemented by federal agencies such as the National Forest Service or the Bureau of Land Management. As you can imagine, the CEQ plays a major role in how our natural resources are managed, and that role can change dramatically from administration to administration. 

CUMULATIVE IMPACTS

The CEQ’s new regulations limit the scope of environmental review and remove meaningful science and data from decision making. Importantly, it no longer requires agencies to consider certain long-term effects of a project due to eliminating what are known as “cumulative and indirect impacts” from environmental analysis. These are the effects of a project that result from incremental actions, or impacts that are reasonably foreseeable in the future. These impacts may be minor individually, but collectively result in significant impacts over time. 

For example:

Say there’s a new logging proposal on Mt. Hood which will cut a road directly through the approach trail to your favorite climb! In the previous NEPA process, the Forest Service would need to create an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) where they consider the immediate impacts of the logging proposal on things like wildlife, recreation, and the watershed. In addition, the EIS would also analyze the indirect effects, such as the long-term decline of a species due to habitat fragmentation, as well the cumulative impacts, like the impact on the climate due to removing a carbon rich forest.

In the updated NEPA process, the Forest Service is now only responsible for considering immediate and direct effects of the proposal and can ignore those indirect and cumulative impacts, of which there are many.

Removing the requirement to consider long-term project effects opens the door for extractive industries looking for fewer environmental constraints. This favors the interests of industry over the health of our communities and impedes our important work to address climate change.

PUBLIC PROCESS

Discussions surrounding NEPA cannot be had without acknowledging the systems of environmental racism that have been in place in this country since its inception. Disruptive federal projects like the interstate system or power plants, have historically landed in the communities of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. The history of racial injustice caused by these federal projects was part of the impetus behind NEPA’s creation. The law provided the chance for community members and allies to have a say in projects being proposed in their own backyards. Trump’s rollback sidelines the public and gives corporate polluters the ability to cut corners and complete their own analysis without listening to opinions of constituents. Industry does not deserve to have the final say on the future of our communities and public lands. 

“The elimination of public comment periods silences citizens while giving a megaphone to corporations who profit from the destruction of public lands and pollute neighborhoods across the country.”

— Amelia Howe, AAC National Campaign Coordinator

HOW CAN WE INTERVENE?

Congress must take action to hold the Administration accountable and defend the National Environmental Policy Act, an act that once was celebrated for its overwhelming bi-partisan support. Our elected officials must understand that public process and the need for thorough environmental analysis are not partisan issues. We must elect officials who will stand up for laws that aim to protect our environment and vulnerable communities. 

The AAC is committed to fighting for the National Environmental Policy Act at all costs which is why we are suing the Trump Administration. There is a long fight ahead, but together we can protect our climbing landscapes and communities.

Anti-public lands advocate nominated to lead BLM —Tell Congress you disapprove

Trump nominates anti-public lands advocate to lead blm

On Tuesday, William Perry Pendley was officially nominated by Donald Trump to be the first permanent director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) during Trump’s presidency. Yes, you read that correctly. For the last four years, the Trump administration has skirted the political system of checks and balances by allowing “acting directors” to run several public land agencies. Pendley, one of those acting directors selected by Interior Secretary David Bernhardt, was tasked with managing 245 million acres of public lands. This official nomination from the White House is three and a half years too late and is still the wrong candidate.  

What should have happened?

When Trump was elected president, he had the responsibility of nominating people to  leadership roles across all government agencies. Once someone is nominated for a role, the Senate is tasked to assess whether or not the individual is the right fit for leading an agency by voting to confirm the individual. Two-thirds, or 67 members of the Senate must agree to confirm Pendley to the role of BLM Director.

Who is Pendley?

Like many other public land officials involved in this administration, Pendley has a long history of staunchly supporting the sale of public lands. In addition to this, he’s also considered by many to be more of a fringe voice in the public lands conversation, emphasizing the need for less government control of land and claiming that “The Founding Fathers intended all lands owned by the federal government to be sold,” (National Review, 2016). 

What can we do to stop this?

Many senators in key re-election races throughout the west, and across the country, rely on public lands voters. This puts those senators in a tricky position knowing that they will let those voters down if they confirm Pendley right before the November election. We can act now to put pressure on our senators, and let them know that we see Pendley as unfit to lead the BLM.

AAC Announces Next CEO—Mitsu Iwasaki

Golden, CO—The American Alpine Club (AAC) Board of Directors announced today that it has named Mitsu Iwasaki as the organization’s next Chief Executive Officer, effective August 3. Iwasaki is currently the Executive Director of the Mazamas in Portland, Oregon.

Prior to the Mazamas, he led the rebuilding of the Northwest Outward Bound School where he was the executive director for more than five years. He has also held senior roles at Outward Bound and Big City Mountaineers. “I first joined the AAC as a member in 1997 and am honored to step in as the next leader,” said Iwasaki. “The AAC has broad and deep influence both within and outside the climbing community. The AAC is at an exciting and important juncture with an opportunity to build on the strong foundation put into place under the leadership of Phil Powers.” 

AAC Board of Directors President Kevin V. Duncan said, “We’re thrilled to welcome Mitsu as our next CEO. Mitsu brings a strong track record of guiding organizations through periods of growth and transformation. Climbing is evolving rapidly and the AAC is leaning in. As more people are introduced to climbing through gyms and outdoor adventure films, our mission is to both share and support our passion for climbing, as well as respect the places we climb. We are more attuned to the responsibility we share to protect the public lands on which we recreate and to ensure that climbers are equipped with the knowledge and skills to keep themselves safe. We are confident that Mitsu is the best person to lead us into this new future.” 

Current AAC CEO Phil Powers announced his resignation in October 2019, after fifteen years at the helm of the organization. “On behalf of the Board of Directors,” said Duncan, “I wish to thank Phil for his outstanding leadership. His contributions to the club have been invaluable, driving significant growth and diversification of membership, and setting the stage for continued expansion and relevance.”

Iwasaki was selected after an extensive national search led by the Koya Leadership Partners. “At every step of the way, we challenged ourselves to be inclusive of input from our broad stakeholder community,“ said immediate past President Deanne Buck and search committee chair. “We were looking for that unique individual who brought a depth of experience running organizations with significant growth, the ability to connect with the national politician and the first time climber, a track record of inspiring, building, and leading a team of dedicated professionals, and who has a deep and unabiding love and passion for climbing and the mountains. Mitsu brings all of those attributes and more.” 

Iwasaki will be located in Golden. He is a partner at the Outdoor Policy Outfit and serves on the boards of Big City Mountaineers, Oregon Humanities, and the Oregon State Parks Foundation. 

CONTACT:

Shane Johnson, Marketing and Membership Director

[email protected]