Submitter:Jeff Jackson Date:2011-02-04
Translator: tethys (Contact translator: tethys2006++gmail.com, replace ++ with @)
Located in Kentucky's Red River Gorge, USA, “Midnight Surf Wall” is part of the newly developed area in Muir Valley (a roughly 7-mile-long valley within the Red River Gorge, featuring sandstone cliffs ideal for rock climbing, hiking, and other outdoor activities.—Translator’s note). Most routes here are long, slightly overhanging climbs known for dynamic moves between widely spaced holds, with pre-placed quickdraws. Recently, a climber was ascending Tapeworm, a classic 5.12d route, when he clipped his rope into the first quickdraw after starting the climb, then moved toward the second bolt—but ultimately decided not to clip in and began to downclimb. He fell from a height of about two feet above the first bolt. Due to the significant impact force, the fall was short. According to the belayer and the climber (both requested anonymity), they heard a loud “bang!”—the rope had been severed. The climber landed on his feet, rolled backward, and fell, hitting his head on the rock and losing consciousness. He lay on the ground, bleeding from the head injury and convulsing.
The belayer took out his phone to call 911, but there was no service. Another person on site was about to run to the Muir Valley Emergency Care Center for help when the injured climber woke up and said, “I think I’m okay.”
He decided to “walk it off.” Later that evening, he went to the emergency room to get stitches for the head wound.
The next day, the climber returned to the wall and reported feeling “pretty good.”
Accident Analysis
In some popular sport climbing areas, it has become increasingly common to leave a quickdraw permanently attached to the first bolt of a route. Instances have also started occurring where ropes get “sheathed” (i.e., the sheath separates from the core) by the sharp groove of the quickdraw. While rope-cutting incidents remain rare, Kolin Powick documented a similar accident in 2008 in his Black Diamond blog, where a rope was also cut by the first quickdraw at a climbing gym in Prague.
Several factors contributed to the Tapeworm accident, but three stand out:
First: Since the belayer often stands away from the wall, the first quickdraw typically causes the rope to bend at a sharp angle as it passes through. This angle increases the force exerted on the quickdraw during a lower-off, and the section of the carabiner that contacts the rope also wears more than others.
Second: The sharpness of a carabiner’s worn edge relates to its shape. In this case, the basket—the curved load-bearing section of the carabiner—was designed to be wide, then abruptly tapered to connect with the narrow, long side. When metal wear occurs, the edges of the wider load-bearing section can become thin and flake-like. This type of wear is common with HMS carabiners or those that transition from wide to narrow, and photos of the carabiner involved in the Tapeworm incident confirm this.
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(Image sourced by translator online: The image above is from:http://www.trango.com/carabiners_draws/smooth-carabiners The image below is from:http://www.redriverclimbing.com/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=13270
The top image is a diagram of a Trango Smooth carabiner; the bottom image shows a heavily worn carabiner. The quickdraw involved in this accident, which was attached to the first bolt, was a product of Trango, marked with "Trango Italy"—Translator’s note)
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Third: Isaac Heacock, a guide in the Red River Gorge, told Rock and Ice, “People are diligent about replacing worn quickdraws at cruxes, but the first quickdraw is often overlooked because it’s not difficult.” Heacok said that wear on the first quickdraw of Tapeworm had previously been noticed, but no one felt it necessary to replace it because they didn’t believe they would fall while climbing a 5.11a route.
These three factors cause the carabiner on the hanger to become sharp. In the event of a short fall, the rope may be cut.
Preventive Measures
Do not leave a quickdraw permanently fixed on the first bolt of a climb. Before climbing, inspect and assess the condition of all gear already installed on the route, including expansion bolts and hangers—especially at belay stations and cruxes, where carabiners experience the highest usage and wear. It’s recommended to use steel carabiners or non-HMS carabiners. If in doubt, use your own gear.