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Matt Leonard
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jul 11, 2011 - 07:39pm PT
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Many of you might know Liz - he's a local SF-area climber, a good friend, and a regular climbing partner. She had a pretty nasty fall this weekend up at Smith Rock - thanks to the antics of someone above doing the famous "Monkey Swing".
From what I've been told - she was in spot near the trail at the base of the climb where it would not be expected to be anchored in. She's still in the hospital there with some broken bones, but is expected to recover.
-Matt
http://www.ktvz.com/news/28500142/detail.html
Smith Rock Fall Victim in Fair Condition
One Tumbled 85 Feet, Now In Serious Condition
By Barney Lerten, KTVZ.COM
UPDATED: 3:34 pm PDT July 11, 2011
TERREBONNE, Ore. -- Two Smith Rock climbers were injured Saturday afternoon, one critically, after a rope that swung across the face of Monkey Face struck them, causing them to lose their balance and fall up to 85 feet, authorities said.
As it turned out, the pair already had climbed Monkey Face, a recognizable feature of the well-known climbing spot, and had rappelled down to the base when the accident happened around 1 p.m., said Deschutes County sheriff’s Deputy Mike Biondi, assistant Search and Rescue coordinator.
Elizabeth Redmond, 29, of Oakland, Calif., was flown by AirLink helicopter to St. Charles Medical Center-Bend, where she was listed in critical condition late Saturday night, but a nursing supervisor said had improved to serious condition Sunday morning -- and was in fair condition Monday.
Lee Dingemans, 28, of Minneapolis, was treated at the scene and was able to walk down the trail on his own, the deputy said.
Officials learned the two had climbed Monkey Face, then rappelled to the base. As they gathered their gear, another climber swung on the “rope swing” attached to Money Face -- and while swinging, grabbed a rappel rope previously anchored to the top of the feature, Biondi said.
His momentum caused the rappel rope to move across the rock face, hitting Redmond and Dingemans in the lower legs and causing them to lose their balance and fall, Biondi said.
Witnesses said Redmond fell 10 feet, then rolled another 75 down the hill. Dingemans also fell about 10 feet, then rolled another 20 feet downhill, Biondi said.
Sheriff’s 911 dispatchers got a call around 1 p.m. to report the accident, initially believed to be one climber. As units responded to the call, it was learned two climbers had fallen near Monkey Face, Biondi said.
A sheriff’s deputy and a dozen Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue members, including medics and mountain rescue personnel, responded to the scene, along with Redmond Fire Department paramedics, he said.
The two climbers were stabilized by paramedics, and Redmond was taken by wheeled litter about a half-mile down the trail and across the Crooked River by rubber raft. Dingemans, treated at the scene, was able to walk down and also was taken across the river, later released to friends.
Other rock climbers say while this accident was quite unusual, it serves as a reminder to everyone out there climbing to be aware of others. around you.
"Obviously, it's not like going to Shevlin Park, and going walking the river trail," Mountain Supply worker Jesper Hilts said Sunday. "There's a lot of loose rock up there, and there's a lot of terrain that inevitably could cause you to fall."
"I mean, you hear stories of people falling off Misery Ridge at Smith Rock all the time," Hilts added. "But this specific story was pretty amazing. You actually don't think that things like that would ever happen."
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, CA
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Jul 11, 2011 - 07:44pm PT
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Good to hear she's healing. It sounded nasty from initial reports. Good luck, Liz!!!
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Seamstress
Trad climber
Yacolt, WA
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Jul 11, 2011 - 07:45pm PT
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As a fairly regular visitor to Smith, I am appalled at what happened and hoping for a quick recovery. There are a lot of good folks in the Northwest that would never knowingly take an action that could affect someone else's safety. Smith is so climber friendly, reflecting the personality of most folks that climb there often.
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ron gomez
Trad climber
fallbrook,ca
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Jul 11, 2011 - 08:38pm PT
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Hope yer friend Liz recovers with no lingering injuries. Anyone know who the brainless knuckleheads doing the swing are? Would like to know, so if they're ever around when I'm climbing, I can leave the area. Some people can be dumb, these guys are clueless. Best wishes to yer friend.
Peace
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TGT
Social climber
So Cal
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Jul 11, 2011 - 08:43pm PT
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Any time I see "climbing accident" and "critical condition" I immediately think brain injury.
Hopefully she was lucky enough to avoid that. Sounds like she did.
It would be justice if she got a judgement that paid the bill and more.
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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Jul 11, 2011 - 10:29pm PT
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hey there, say, matt....
i started a small home-made gift to her... but wasn't sure how to get it to there, but a hospital was mentioned, earlier, too, in an article....
well, now that you posted, you could either email me, or, if there is a hospital-address-room-number, to send cards, some of us could do that...
i will email, now, too, and see which is best...
just in case, sometimes, folks may not want the hospital/or home address out here to public...
check you email, though...
:)
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