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Heloise Pendagrast
Trad climber
Tahoe City
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Topic Author's Original Post - Oct 31, 2015 - 06:55pm PT
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Friends are calling from Colorado to try and obtain details ... Any info is appreciated. Apparently family has been notified.
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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Oct 31, 2015 - 09:23pm PT
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hey there say, oh no.... :(
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climba
climber
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Yes. There was a fatal rappelling accident on Washington Column on October 30th.
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survival
Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
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Sorry to hear this.
R.I.P.
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ß Î Ø T Ç H
Boulder climber
ne'er–do–well
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uh oh -- condolences to the family and friends
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survival
Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
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Any news released on who this was, or what happened yet?
Bummer.
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Spiny Norman
Social climber
Boring, Oregon
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That's terribly sad. Condolences to friends & family.
And for those still here, check your rig and check your buddy's rig. Then check them again…
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crankster
Trad climber
No. Tahoe
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Sorry to hear.
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skcreidc
Social climber
SD, CA
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.......... :( ...........bummed. Don't know what to say....
Thanks for the link jefe. Cool write up
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survival
Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
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Thanks for posting that Jefe.
Fixed line that just ended out in nowhere?
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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RIP Ethan Gillett.
Condolences to all
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Jan
Mountain climber
Colorado, Nepal & Okinawa
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The first fatality among the close knit professional climbing community in Yosemite in the 1960's occurred on Washington's Column under similar circumstances. Sad that it's still happening. RIP.
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steve s
Trad climber
eldo
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RIP Ethan. Condolences to family and friends.
Please be careful out there.
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clinker
Trad climber
Santa Cruz, California
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We hear stories of accidents unfortunately often. We are climbers, we are all cut from the same cloth and when this happens it hurts us all. When it happens to our core, our family, it’s a hard reminder that the risks we take are real, with real consequences. And for this reason, it’s worth saying what happened.
Ethan rappelled off the end of a fixed line. He was the most solid, careful climber I knew, and yet this happened. Maybe it was the fatigue of a long ascent up Washington Column, maybe something else: it doesn’t really matter. What matters is that you, everyone, be safe. Please be safe. There is always time to double-check the system, to pull up the line and put a knot in the end. There’s always time for that.
And to you, Ethan, may you shine, shine, shine upon the mountain tops. For now we all have another reason to reach the summit: to be closer to you.
Beautifully said and all of our collective reality.
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climba
climber
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As far as I know, there was a fixed line on pitch 6 of the South Face (fixed at top and bottom of the pitch), and one or more fixed lines going from the bottom of pitch 6 to dinner ledge. It appears he rapped off the few feet of tail at the bottom of the line on pitch 6. Please be extra careful when rappelling everyone! Especially when rappelling at night, when you can't see the end of your rope because it's dark or below an overhang, when tired, and/or when rapping on somebody else's lines. Take your time to get things right.
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Alpamayo
Trad climber
Davis, CA
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Also worth mentioning that on the occasion I have had to leave a tail/leftover end on a fixed line that there is the possibility of someone else using, I still tie a knot in it just in case I/someone else mistakes it for the next line.
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Ihateplastic
Trad climber
It ain't El Cap, Oregon
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Sad. But these sort of accidents are 100% preventable and should NOT be happening!
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CCT
Trad climber
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So sorry to hear about this. Darkness, being tired, it's so easy to make a simple mistake.
Condolences to all involved.
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JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
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Terrible news, yet again. There, but by the grace of God, go I. Condolences to friends and family. We all feel the pain.
John
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