Joshua Tree accident, Sun 10/23

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happiegrrrl

Trad climber

www.climbaddictdesigns.com

Oct 26, 2011 - 12:40pm PT

No, from what I understand from the accounting upthread. It said he had placed 3 pcs, fell, those pcs zipped, and that he was 10 ft from deck when his fall pulled the anchor. That person sustained little injury.

The original leader, who built anchor and then belayed the other, fell about 30 feet(from anchor when it ripped, I assume), and was severely injured.

If this is incorrect - please let me know, and I will edit or delete.

Gene

climber

Oct 26, 2011 - 12:41pm PT

I read it as first guy goes up 30 feet, builds anchor, and brings up second guy. Second guy leads out, places three pieces, peels, the pro zips, and winds up 10 feet off the deck. Then the anchor fails and the first guy ground falls resulting in a serious head injury.

EDIT: Simulpost with Happiegrrrl

John Moosie

climber

Beautiful California

Oct 26, 2011 - 12:46pm PT

amiright?

Not according to Gary's description.

First guy leads to 30 feet. Stops, builds anchor.

Second guy climbs to first guy and then takes over leading. He places 3 pieces, then falls, ripping those pieces.
He falls past the anchor and the first guy, and ends up 10 feet above the ground, at which point the anchor fails and he falls the final 10 feet ending with some injuries.

Meanwhile the first guy who built the anchor falls 30 feet and has severe head injuries.

...

Thats how I'm reading what Gary wrote.

Edit: simulpost with gene and happiegirl..

Elvis Leg

Trad climber

Northern, CA (return from exile in TX :)

Oct 26, 2011 - 01:03pm PT

@locker: I would say the insight I gained from Ilgners book was equeal to more than a years worth of insight I have gained from climbing. I found by applying Ilgner's principals I had a quantum leap in how I enjoyed climbing and it enabled me to gain an exponentially greater amount of wisdom from each risk I chose to accept.

Ilgner's approach was a little more zen than I am used to when I first read it but it grew on me over time.

Toker Villain

Big Wall climber

Toquerville, Utah

Oct 26, 2011 - 01:12pm PT

Climbing gyms and sport routes have a deleterious effect on judgement when it comes to transitioning to trad.

I've seen gumbies place gear as if the point was only to support the weight of the anchor itself alone.

I wish people could get their minds wrapped around just how long it takes to acquire trad skills.

alleyehave

Trad climber

San Diego, CA

Oct 26, 2011 - 01:28pm PT

I see, is Fowl Foul typically climbed multipitch?

scuffy b

climber

dissected alluvial deposits, late Pleistocene

Oct 26, 2011 - 01:55pm PT

"...quantum leap in how I enjoyed climbing and it enabled me to gain an exponentially greater amount of wisdom from each risk I chose to accept."

The quantum leap bit is beyond me, I pretend to wander in a Newtonian
world, but the exponential increase in wisdom is interesting. Squared?
Cubed? Is it something like doubling your risk increases your wisdom by
eight times?

moabite

Trad climber

moab, Utah

Oct 26, 2011 - 03:22pm PT

Hopefully the climber will recover.

Elvis, it is not common to zip gear, your more likely to see "zipping" on hard aid routes. However, the only people that know exactly what happened, are the two climbers... So some people (cragman) should stop postulating the idea that these were noobs. You have absolutely no idea what experience they have. And (karodrinker).. Elvis was asking a legit? So do the climbing community a favor and throw your prodigious ego out the window. There are way too many egotistical climbers in this world. Just show your condolences and be on your way.

strangeday

Trad climber

Brea ca.

Oct 26, 2011 - 03:29pm PT

Best of wishes to the injured climber, regardless of how it happened.

It may just be how I feel, but THE most important piece of gear in jtree is a HELMET...

alleyehave

Trad climber

San Diego, CA

Oct 26, 2011 - 03:59pm PT

It may just be how I feel, but THE most important piece of gear in jtree is a HELMET...

I agree. Ground falls are too common in jtree, and one reason being is the already stated common occurrence of not only tricky placements, but the majority of which being near the start of a lot of climbs.

TGT

Social climber

So Cal

Oct 26, 2011 - 04:05pm PT

This is an old rarely done route with flared cracks, grain, convoluted route finding and numerous oportunities to screw it up.

Probably about the worst thing an out of towner could jump on.

Spider Savage

Mountain climber

The shaggy fringe of Los Angeles

Oct 26, 2011 - 04:10pm PT

People new to placing cams may not realize that you have to "set" them with several good yanks.

There may be incomplete training in some areas if this is not emphasized.

Note:
Experienced climbers may not do this if the placement is visually bomber giving the noob the idea that plug and go is the correct technique.

Johnny K.

climber

Oct 26, 2011 - 04:27pm PT

Best wishes for the injured climber,hope he has a fast recovery.

The eye is quite popular and always has traffic on it.It is one of those climbs where its low angle and ledge climbing.If you fall pretty much anywhere regardless if you placed gear or not,you are 99.9% going to hit a ledge.The first part is a low angle ramp/gully,then 3 big ledges.The route is a jug haul(5.0),but majority of all the gear is a few feet below each ledge move.

TGT

Social climber

So Cal

Oct 26, 2011 - 04:34pm PT

Foul Fowl, not The Eye.

But to your point, just about everything 5.7 and under in the Monument is really DNF! terrain with a few notable exceptions.

Gene

climber

Oct 26, 2011 - 04:38pm PT

Three days after a Japanese tourist plunged 25 feet in a rock-climbing accident, the climber remained in critical condition Wednesday, a hospital spokesperson said.

Yosuke Komiya, 36, was climbing Cyclops Rock in Joshua Tree National Park on Sunday afternoon, when, according to a park spokesperson, his climbing partner fell from above.

That climber's safety gear failed, leading to a collision with Komiya that knocked him off the rock.

Komiya received life support in the field and was airlifted to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, where he remains for treatment, officials said.

He sustained severe head injuries, while the other unidentified climber was unhurt, the park spokesperson said.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/10/joshua-tree-climber-yosuke-komiya-critical.html

Ksolem

Trad climber

Monrovia, California

Oct 26, 2011 - 06:05pm PT

Best wishes to the injured climber, and also thoughts for his partner.

Terrible being in an accident and sufferring serious injury so far from home.

The question was raised as to why they would choose such an obscure and wierd route. My guess is that they went to do The Eye, found it occupied, looked in their guidebook for anything moderate nearby, and there you have it.

I hope the injured c limber is able to make a complete recovery and that his partner is coping well.

neebee

Social climber

calif/texas

Oct 26, 2011 - 06:24pm PT

hey there say, Gene... thanks for the update, as to who the young man is...

prayers for Yosuke Komiya, 36,
prayers for his family, who must wait through all this, as well...
:(

Condorman

Trad climber

Garden Grove, CA

Oct 26, 2011 - 07:03pm PT

I don't hear any of the comments addressing the CLIMB they were on. the face of Cyclops is chocked full of features, but in many places the flakes are very thin and hollow as memory serves me. For one, the climb isn't that long, to think someone set up an anchor mid route and belayed from there tells me perhaps they weren't the most experienced. IF that's the case, even solid placement on there could lead to the rock failing. I certainly wasn't there, but I think the climb goes at a 4. It's steep, and has features, but you've heard those hollow sounds in the rock, and I recall even feeling some flex to it there. There's a bomber TR setup in a crack in the top of the eye, but as a lead, I'd think it's kind of dangerous for a 4 (if I'm right) due to the sketchy rock.