Does anyone know what happens now ? Is a tragic accident like > this “shelved” (death through worn gear) or does someone look > further into it ?
In the USA, since it took place in a National Park, the NPS will investigate (and the guy at Yosemite works closely with the QC Manager at Black Diamond on these things) and a report will be produced. The American Alpine Club together with the Canadian Alpine club publishes a yearly book called Accidents in North American Mountaineering, usually with a bit of analysis.
> I just checked his first book (1998) and the author says “up until now > no accidents have surfaced from a broken harness (not counting home- > made ones)”… can’t check the later editions right now.
Koen > There was a death in Yosemite many years ago (80’s, I think) of a harness failure leading to death, slipped ascenders, fall to the end of the rope, harness broke – an old Whillans Sit Harness, heavily worn.
I fully agree with the article and have seen similar test results: to use a harness that worn to break under rappelling loads is really hard to believe – or something else was wrong with it (or a combination of several factors).
Does anyone know what happens now ? Is a tragic accident like this “shelved” (death through worn gear) or does someone look further into it ? In the Alps there’s a German university professor who digs deeper into all fatal accidents, especially when they’re “weird”. He’s come up with surprising results. His (3) books on the subject are treasure troves of “what certainly not to do” in the mountains – extremely interesting info, gathered the hard, tragic way… readers with a weak stomach better not look at some of the more gruesome pictures in those books…
I just checked his first book (1998) and the author says “up until now no accidents have surfaced from a broken harness (not counting home- made ones)”… can’t check the later editions right now.
Tom Jones
— In Yahoo Canyons Group, “Koen” wrote:
Does anyone know what happens now ? Is a tragic accident like > this “shelved” (death through worn gear) or does someone look > further into it ?
In the USA, since it took place in a National Park, the NPS will investigate (and the guy at Yosemite works closely with the QC Manager at Black Diamond on these things) and a report will be produced. The American Alpine Club together with the Canadian Alpine club publishes a yearly book called Accidents in North American Mountaineering, usually with a bit of analysis.
> I just checked his first book (1998) and the author says “up until now > no accidents have surfaced from a broken harness (not counting home- > made ones)”… can’t check the later editions right now.
Koen > There was a death in Yosemite many years ago (80’s, I think) of a harness failure leading to death, slipped ascenders, fall to the end of the rope, harness broke – an old Whillans Sit Harness, heavily worn.
Tom
Koen
— In Yahoo Canyons Group, steve mestdagh wrote:
Worth a read > http://blackdiamondequipment.com/scene/beta/qc_kp.php
-steve > http://smestdagh.blogspot.com/
I fully agree with the article and have seen similar test results: to use a harness that worn to break under rappelling loads is really hard to believe – or something else was wrong with it (or a combination of several factors).
Does anyone know what happens now ? Is a tragic accident like this “shelved” (death through worn gear) or does someone look further into it ? In the Alps there’s a German university professor who digs deeper into all fatal accidents, especially when they’re “weird”. He’s come up with surprising results. His (3) books on the subject are treasure troves of “what certainly not to do” in the mountains – extremely interesting info, gathered the hard, tragic way… readers with a weak stomach better not look at some of the more gruesome pictures in those books…
http://www.amazon.de/Sicherheit-Risiko-Fels-Eis-03/dp/376336031X/sr=1- 1/qid=1162337695/ref=sr_1_1/028-1007189-9785355?ie=UTF8&s=books
I just checked his first book (1998) and the author says “up until now no accidents have surfaced from a broken harness (not counting home- made ones)”… can’t check the later editions right now.
Koen