Climbing Safety
Every year when I renew my membership to the American Alpine Club, a little ritual takes place. I send them my money for the good deeds they do and they send me the most recent edition of “Accidents in North American Mountaineering.”
The author clipping a bolt in Rattler Gulch
The book itself is one of the good deeds. Reading it every year serves as a reminder of the little things that separate safe and potentially dangerous climbing tactics. I know that a lot of folks think climbing is inherently dangerous, and that’s true to an extent. But it’s far less dangerous than say, driving a car.
The “Accidents” book regales us with stories — many told by the climbers themselves — of mountain mishaps that befall rock climbers, mountaineers and the occasional misguided hiker. It’s important to note the relative safety differences regarding rock climbing and mountaineering. That difference is plain to see in the book, as most accidents involve snow/ice problems on mountaineering routes.
There’s just no other way to say it: Rock climbing is way safer than mountaineering. The climber controls most of the accident-producing dangers, while even the most prepared mountaineer can fall to the unexpected avalanche, collapsed serac or falling rock.
Still, what’s instructive in the “Accidents” book is the repeated reminder that it’s often the little things that cause the problems. For instance, every year a handful of climbers rappel off the ends of their ropes. Knotting the end of the rope — the knot can’t go through your belay device, so you can’t die! — is so simple, but so often overlooked.
Another major hazard for rock climbers is communication between climber and belayer. This year’s edition of “Accidents” contains at least one event where a climber thought he was being lowered to the ground while the belayer thought the climber was rappelling. He fell 100 feet and, remarkably, didn’t die. The lesson is simple: work out what sort of instructions you’ll give once you get to the anchor. Make it very clear that you’re going to re-tie the rope and be lowered instead of rappelling.
I’m gonna pick up this topic again later in the week, and also talk about what the statistics in this year’s accidents reveal about the dangers posed by climbing and mountaineering.
Michael Moore
Great post and reminders.
I was inspired a few years ago when I read an editorial in Rock & Ice about using a prusik while rappelling. The author narrowly escaped a fatal fall while descending, a fall that wouldn’t have happened had he had a prusik backing up his rappel device. His point was that rigging a prusik is very easy and takes little time, yet provides so much additional safety. Inspired by that, I’ve been using one ever since, even when just out cragging single-pitch routes.
As you indicate, safety in rock climbing begins by not being complacent, by never skipping the small details that keep us alive.
In terms of climbing being inherently safe, I can think of three injuries I’ve been aware of over the past couple of years: one resulted in surgery to an ankle and a lengthy rehab period; one resulted in loss of an eye; and the most recent required my coworker to have knee surgery just this week. Source of each of those injuries? Softball. As I told my coworker, take up something safe… like rock climbing!
Responsible climbers alway wear head gear. Of course some don’t, or maybe someone is just out exploring and get into a climbing situation. Although not common, head injury from a fall or falling rock can be serious. I just read an article written by a local doctor discussing head injuries.
He listed symptoms of a severe head injury which would require immediate medical attention:
– Blood or other discharge from ears or nose.
– Difficulty talking or walking
– Seizures or vomiting
– Sleepiness or headaches that worsen
– Nausea that doesn’t subside
– Confusion or irritability
– Enlarged or different-sized pupils
– Weakness or numbness in arms or legs.
So if you are ever involved an incident where a head injury occurs, be alert for these symptoms if any are present, head for the nearest Emergency Room.