Corona Arch Rope Swing

[Sombeech]

Looks fun. Think it would leave any rope grooves on the arch?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4B36Lr0Unp4

Behind the scenes


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkptQOPEWSg

[jdgibney]

These guys have some awesome/crazy videos. Did you see the water jet pack one? And the human sling shot slip n slide might be my favorite one.... that might have been on here at some point... awesome.

[Watsonater]

I have climbed with these guys before and they are awesome! And yes in one of the previous videos they made it showed the grooves left in the rock, but a lot of people repel from it so who knows.

[spinesnaper]

These guys have some awesome/crazy videos. Did you see the water jet pack one? And the human sling shot slip n slide might be my favorite one.... that might have been on here at some point... awesome.

Wow, all fun and games until someone gets hurt.:nono:

[jman]

I wonder if they stole the idea from xxxnitsuaxxx's group. They posted their video like 6+ months ago.

Hmmmmmmmm

[jumar]

Do you have a video link for theirs?

[tcott]

I remember seeing this one a few months back.

http://youtu.be/7xm_PIQ6_hQ

[spinesnaper]

I believe this would be the thread: http://www.bogley.com/forum/showthread.php?61193-Fall-Forces
And this would be the post:


Fall Forces?

Some buddies of mine set up a rope swing off of Corona and I'm trying to figure out what sort of fall forces they're putting on the ropes. They rigged the ropes to the anchor on one side of Corona and then jumped off the other side, ending in a massive pendulum. (See the jump around 1:00) I've never taken a factor-2 fall (knock on wood) but I understand the concept. Since they're falling below the anchor, are they taking a factor-2 fall? Or does the fact that they're not taking a true whipper and instead mostly taking a pendulum mitigate the force? I'd appreciate any geeking out that y'all could do for me.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xm_PIQ6_hQ&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active

You May All Go To Hell And I Will Go To Texas

By the way, I believe that xxxnitsuaxxx owes us all photos from his Heaps trip. There should be appropriate punishment for not attaching photos to a trip report. I propose that an appropriate punishment is the offender has to buy brews for bogleyites who show up at the Bit and Spur the evening before the NPS opens the Narrows for the season.:haha:

Ken

[blueeyes]

First video :eek2::crazycobasa::2thumbs:

Okay secretly I would love swing that high if I new I was safe!

Second video... LIKE OMG!!! He proposed!!! The girly girl in me is all :ahh:What a fun proposal.

[xxnitsuaxx]

These are both from my group. We had to make multiple trips to get the footage Devin needed for the big video (the new one). We put the first video up just as a teaser. xxnitsuaxx is Austin. So I'm the guy who proposed!! :haha: Like Watsonater says, there are already a bunch of rope grooves up there from rappellers. We use a beefy, hard rubber hose as a rope protector though; so I think we leave fewer rope grooves than the rappellers. Ken - you're absolutely right. What kind of moron leaves a TR with no pics?! I'll fix that tomorrow.

[xxnitsuaxx]

PS - Watson...is this Nick?! We're hitting a canyon on Monday; want to come?

[spinesnaper]

:2thumbs::2thumbs:

[Sombeech]

xxnitsuaxx is Austin. So I'm the guy who proposed!!

Nice! Congrats :cool2:

[maarten.1975]

So I'm the guy who proposed!! :haha:

Congratulations man! It is definitely the most spectacular proposal I've ever seen. Fantastic!
Now make super-sure that the both of you stay safe together during these kind of activities! And the rest of the people as well of course!

The rope-swing itself is awesome and insane... :shock2: :hail2thechief:

[JONBOYLEMON]

Dang, in the making of video where the guy slips and nearly fell to his death, thats would have really ruined the entire thing. Spooky!!!!!

[xxnitsuaxx]

Devin (the guy who made the video) really played the whole "slip" up. My brother (the kid in the video) could have done a front somersault and rolled 15 feet and he'd still have been fine. Devin just wanted to make compelling video and hopefully scare some people away from trying it

[Watsonater]

Yeah it's me Nick . Yeah I wanna come! Where are you guys going

[accadacca]

Nice video work and boy does that look fun! :popcorn:

[Glockguy]

--->Not a climber.....


What do you guys think about what Petzl had to say on FB? Are they just covering their butts or is this a legitimate concern?

"We noticed this recent and very popular video. We would like to express our fear of accidents with this activity, if you look closely there is numerous points of friction of the ropes on the rock, which could lead to damage on the ropes and potential rupture. This is not a good example of a safe rigging and safe behavior."

[Brian in SLC]

No where near the longest swing. Dan Osman did a bunch of much much longer stuff, before one of his killed him...

Quality video. Kinda silly stunt, methinks. All fun and games until someone gets an eye poked out...ha ha...

[ratagonia]

--->Not a climber.....


What do you guys think about what Petzl had to say on FB? Are they just covering their butts or is this a legitimate concern?

"We noticed this recent and very popular video. We would like to express our fear of accidents with this activity, if you look closely there is numerous points of friction of the ropes on the rock, which could lead to damage on the ropes and potential rupture. This is not a good example of a safe rigging and safe behavior."

Watch the first video (ie, the earlier one). They cut their rope half through. They got lucky. :facepalm1:

T

[xxnitsuaxx]

Watch the first video (ie, the earlier one). They cut their rope half through. They got lucky. :facepalm1:

T

Totally agree. I wasn't along on the first trip and wasn't part of the rope cutting through. My friends told me what they did and about the core-shot and a couple friends and I came up with a solution. We got a piece of hard rubber hose that was long enough to cover the rope everywhere that it touched sandstone. After we did that, the rope never touched rock once. We did that every time that I went. I agree with Petzl; without rope protection it's real dangerous for your rope (and your life). With rope protection, I'm not worried about that at all. I think Petzl is both covering their butts AND that they didn't get a good look at the setup.

[xxnitsuaxx]

No where near the longest swing. Dan Osman did a bunch of much much longer stuff, before one of his killed him...

Quality video. Kinda silly stunt, methinks. All fun and games until someone gets an eye poked out...ha ha...

You're probably right. Jumping the swing is a silly stunt to a lot of people. But all of our hobbies are silly stunts to someone. My sport friends think trad climbing is lame. My trad friends think bouldering is silly. My bouldering friends think ice climbing is stupid. My cooking friends think that stemming through canyons is silly. My canyon friends think that my GOP debate watching parties are silly. EVERYONE thinks that live-action role-playing games are silly. Point is, people do what they want because they want to. Far be it from me to tell them that they don't or shouldn't enjoy something.

[zzyzx]

...cool guys and vivo!:2thumbs:
I saw this vivo a couple minutes ago in the news on german tv.

[Sombeech]

I saw this vivo a couple minutes ago in the news on german tv.
Nice :haha:

[BruteForce]

Crap! I sure wish I had seen this thread before we hiked to Corona Arch over the weekend. No raps or swinging when we were there, and we saw no evidence of rope damage (but weren't looking for it either). I'm actually surprised the USFS/BLM/Park Service allows climbing, etc on these natural arches (realizing this was not in a designated Park).

[Scott P]

I'm actually surprised the USFS/BLM/Park Service allows climbing, etc on
these natural arches (realizing this was not in a designated
Park).


Unless things have changed (which is possible), this is not on USFS/BLM/Park Service land. It believe it is on SITLA land (which is considered private land). And they generally do frown on this type of thing.

[BruteForce]

Unless things have changed (which is possible), this is not on USFS/BLM/Park Service land. It believe it is on SITLA land (which is considered private land). And they generally do frown on this type of thing.

I don't know who manages or owns that land, but we did see Park Rangers in the area..(Federal types)

[Iceaxe]

I believe Corona Arch is on school trust land (SITLA), The trailhead and trail to the arch is BLM. The route and arch are patroled by the BLM.

[Sun Dance]

Hmm. You know what happened last time we had an accident on SITLA land. Nutty Putty was a treasure sucked up by this agency not subject to the will of the people; hopefully such won't be the case with Corona Arch.

[Bo_Beck]

Hmm. You know what happened last time we had an accident on SITLA land. Nutty Putty was a treasure sucked up by this agency not subject to the will of the people; hopefully such won't be the case with Corona Arch.

Had quite a few inquiries here at The Rat the past few days about getting the right gear so that they can head over and set up for "The Swing"! Kinda scary?! Looks like Corona Arch should be getting set for the kind of popularity Blue John and other areas have seen? I'm not familiar with the locale of Corona Arch, but here in the SG area, Moes Valley became quite contentious for some time. Moes is adjacent to SG and obviously has substantial market value for SITLA. After a half dozen meetings it was tenatively agreed upon that the land mostly be traded and governed by the City of SG. Not too sure where it rests now, but the last plan of development (blueprint) I saw showed the majority of the land be set aside as permanent open space with the more developable land be sold off for homesites. The city had drafted up plans to make the permanent open space into a hiking/biking/bouldering/climbing/trailrunning recreation area. Seems prudent to me to tread lightly when messing around on SITLA terra. As the previous post suggested.....SITLA can and will do what they want with the land and there's nada you can do about it other than try to get other entities involved.

[spinesnaper]

Here is the youtube link http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=4B36Lr0Unp4

As of this morning over 5.5 million views!

Ken

[jman]

It would be a sad irony if the thing they love (jumping from arches/rappelling from Corona) with the the video becoming viral - is the straw the breaks the camels back with STILTA and they ban rappelling from the arch (along with all the other arches in Utah with some new legislation).

On retrospect perhaps it would have been better to keep the vid private...

[spinesnaper]

It would be a sad irony if the thing they love (jumping from arches/rappelling from Corona) with the the video becoming viral - is the straw the breaks the camels back with STILTA and they ban rappelling from the arch (along with all the other arches in Utah with some new legislation).

On retrospect perhaps it would have been better to keep the vid private...

Wait, you're not suggesting...secret video for elites?:lol8:

Does any one know how the income thing works on Youtube? I understand it is possible to make money on really popular original video. Does anyone know what kind of dollars a video this popular generates, if anything, for the poster?

Oh and regulatory backlash, yeah that would not be to surprising so every Tom, Dick, and Jane doesn't go out there with their water ski tow rope and attempt this.:facepalm1:

Ken

[Bo_Beck]

It would be a sad irony if the thing they love (jumping from arches/rappelling from Corona) with the the video becoming viral - is the straw the breaks the camels back with STILTA and they ban rappelling from the arch (along with all the other arches in Utah with some new legislation).

On retrospect perhaps it would have been better to keep the vid private...

Ahhh, but it is so much easier for SITLA to not ban Arch Swinging....They just ban entry onto their land. period.

[Bo_Beck]

If in fact this is SITLA then:

PURPOSE
Purpose of School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration

The School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration--an independent agency of state government--is established to manage lands that Congress granted to the state of Utah for the support of common schools and other beneficiary institutions, under the Utah Enabling Act.

The state of Utah expressly accepted this grant in the Utah Constitution, thereby creating a compact between the federal and state governments which imposes upon the state a perpetual trust obligation to which standard trust principles are applied.

Title to these trust lands is vested in the state as trustee to be administered for the financial support of the trust beneficiaries.

The trust principles impose fiduciary duties upon the state, including a duty of undivided loyalty to, and a strict requirement to administer the trust corpus for the exclusive benefit of, the trust beneficiaries.

As trustee, the School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration must manage the lands and revenues generated from the lands in the most prudent and profitable manner possible, and not for any purpose inconsistent with the best interest of the trust beneficiaries.

The trustee must be concerned with both income for the current beneficiaries and the preservation of the trust corpus for future beneficiaries, which requires a balancing of short and long-term interests so that long-term benefits are not lost in an effort to maximize short-term gains.

The beneficiaries do not include other governmental institutions or agencies, the public at large, or the general welfare of the state.

Paraphrased From: TITLE 53C-- SCHOOL AND INSTITUTIONAL TRUST LANDS MANAGEMENT ACT

If you are thinking of benefitting monetarily from YOUTUBE, you may consider what is stated above?

[trackrunner]

it's soon to be BLM land. US congress & Pres. Obama approved a bill (Utah Recreational Land Exchange Act of 2009) authorizing land swap of Corna Arch (and other SITLA lands) for mineral rights lands currently managed by the BLM. Only thing holding it up is bureaucratic red tape appraisals. Looks like congress did not allocate or authorize money for the BLM to legally spend money for its portion of the appraisal. oops!

also there was a question about the park service. I believe arches does have a ban on climbing on top of named arches.

[Bo_Beck]

it's soon to be BLM land. US congress & Pres. Obama approved a bill (Utah Recreational Land Exchange Act of 2009) authorizing land swap of Corna Arch (and other SITLA lands) for mineral rights lands currently managed by the BLM. Only thing holding it up is bureaucratic red tape appraisals. Looks like congress did not allocate or authorize money for the BLM to legally spend money for its portion of the appraisal. oops!

Not sure thats a good thing or bad thing for continued access and continued recreation of this type? I guess a lot is contingent on the areas BLM management perspective?

[trackrunner]

I wonder if a filming permit is needed from SITLA. I would imagine guided groups that rappel from the arch would need a permit from SITLA then BLM after the transfer.

[Brian in SLC]

On retrospect perhaps it would have been better to keep the vid private...

That was never the intent:

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=960&sid=19318080&title=rope-swing-off-corona-arch-is-epic-hit-on-youtube&s_cid=queue-15



He essentially makes YouTube videos for a living, but says that’s not the real reason for posting the incredible videos. Once the videos become viral, they become a valuable tool for marketing his abilities. His videos get seen and that gets him work.

“I got Mountain Dew contacting me,” he said. “I got people in Iceland contacting me to fly over there. I just got back from New Zealand. I’m leaving for Africa.”

[spinesnaper]

That was never the intent:

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=960&sid=19318080&title=rope-swing-off-corona-arch-is-epic-hit-on-youtube&s_cid=queue-15

What was I thinking? Only Google makes money off of Youtube.:haha:

Ken

[jman]

What was I thinking? Only Google makes money off of Youtube.:haha:

Ken

On a side-note: Which is why Viacom is suing google over it. The more views the more money. And typically the more views, the more controversial the subject matter IE tv shows, movie clips, etc, music that isn't licensed. Making a profit off a copyrighted material is viacom's beef.

Sure google will give the "of course we will remove the copyrighted material" but with a wink wink nudge nudge.

[xxnitsuaxx]

For what it's worth, none of us are making money off of it. Devin is running ads on the BTS video but not on the actual swing video. He's definitely going to get a lot of exposure out of the video and that's going to bring him jobs but he's not really bringing in much from the video being on Youtube. My friends and I did the video for fun. I got to watch my 57 year old mom and my Supreme Court clerk law professor jump off the arch and then I got to propose underneath it. That's all the payment I needed.

[Brian in SLC]

Devin is running ads on the BTS video but not on the actual swing video. He's definitely going to get a lot of exposure out of the video and that's going to bring him jobs but he's not really bringing in much from the video being on Youtube.


Well, sounds like he's bringin' in something...


Salt Lake City filmmaker Devin Graham makes many kinds of YouTube videos for a living, including the one of a giant rope swing off of Corona Arch, near Moab.


Commercial use permit? Hmmm....

I have friends fightin' with the forest service on having a signle photo published in a calender...can't imagine how to defend someone who's gettin' paid for a video that has over 5 million hits...

[spinesnaper]

Here is an article on making money on Youtube with original content:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/11/business/media/11youtube.html

Please do not take that to mean that I begrudge anyone from doing that. (It is just that I wish I could figure out how to do it!)

Ken

[blueeyes]

For what it's worth, none of us are making money off of it. Devin is running ads on the BTS video but not on the actual swing video. He's definitely going to get a lot of exposure out of the video and that's going to bring him jobs but he's not really bringing in much from the video being on Youtube. My friends and I did the video for fun. I got to watch my 57 year old mom and my Supreme Court clerk law professor jump off the arch and then I got to propose underneath it. That's all the payment I needed.

Your mom rocks!

Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk

[ratagonia]

For what it's worth, none of us are making money off of it. Devin is running ads on the BTS video but not on the actual swing video. He's definitely going to get a lot of exposure out of the video and that's going to bring him jobs but he's not really bringing in much from the video being on Youtube.

Sounds like "Commercial Use" to me! Certainly in a National Park jurisdiction it would be.

The vehemence of SITLA land managers may be considerably less.

T

[Iceaxe]

It's better to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission...

The video rocks :2thumbs:

I hope the creators of the video make a million dollars off of it and give the finger to the wannabes and nay-sayers on there way to the bank.

Carry on....

[Sombeech]

Demonizing the concept because of monetary gain? :roll:

If the video just didn't take off and got less than 1,000 hits, everybody'd be cool with it and the main focus would go back to how much damage was done to the arch.

If some teens had their cell phone video rolling at ZionS National Park Lodge filming their friend, somehow trips on a curb and lands a funny face plant... the video goes viral, they make money with google ads.... They would be making money from footage filmed in a National Park. You could argue that their intention wasn't for "Commercial Use" but I know plenty of teens who think every time they film their friends getting hit in the crotch, it's going viral.

This results from this video were hoped for, maybe even expected. But had the video flopped, making virtually nothing, the producers wouldn't be so demonized for "intending to make profit" because it failed. So it's only after a success that it's really frowned upon, right?

[Brian in SLC]

So it's only after a success that it's really frowned upon, right?

Any port in the storm...kinda.

The video is great. And...that's the problem. Just like 127 hours was a fairly decent film. Its like moths to the flame.

Its a bit of a "nimby" effect, to be sure.

This genie might be hard to put back in the bottle. The shine will come off the apple in a while...and it'll be yesterdays fad.

[Bo_Beck]

Wow! Certainly no objection here about you becoming millionaires! No objection here about doing the cool arch swing! Only a bit of concern as to where it all leads? Attention grabbers like this generally lead to negative repercussions (or maybe not;disneyland theme park in Moab?). As I stated in a previous post; 3 separate folks have inquired into buying the proper equipment so that they could drive over and "do" the swing?! Thats just here in small populace SG. The inevitability of many folks heading out to attempt this swing seems quite real? Will restrictions, regulations or denial of the public right to do this follow? Could have keeping it hush-hush insured that it would continue as normal? The internet sure does popularize cool things in a hurry. Whatever happens; it looks like a good time was had by all and good LUCK in future endeavours!

[Slot Machine]

For those that are curious, here are the cameras that were used to film the Corona Arch Swing:

A Canon 5D Mark II
Canon 7D
Canon 60D
IPhone 4S (for one of the shots)
GoPro HD 1 cameras
Epic Red One camera (for a couple shots)

Bob

[Sombeech]

I just saw some facebook photos from some people I know, looks like they did another swing on it this last Sunday

[Brian in SLC]

Interesting update:

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/55750452-78/arch-swing-james-corona.html.csp

[accadacca]

http://gov.cbia.com/images/sized/images/taxes/Closed-sign_032511-572x368.jpg

[Bootboy]

Good. That didn't take long. I'm glad they got shut down. I hate the commercialization of stuff like that. It's only a matter of time before someone ruins it for the rest of us...

[Sombeech]

Closed only to paid guide services? Sounds like it's left pretty much wide open.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

[Iceaxe]

I also noticed the arch is about to become BLM property.

Tap'n on my Galaxy G3

[JTMiller]

Looks like the inevitable has happened. Sad to hear.

http://www.ksl.com/?sid=24533690&nid=148&title=west-jordan-man-killed-on-corona-arch-rope-swing&fm=home_page&s_cid=queue-2

[WorkBad]

Looks like the inevitable has happened. Sad to hear.

X2

[xxnitsuaxx]

Not to sound unfeeling, but I'm surprised that it took so long. Some of the questions I've gotten\videos I've seen made me think that this would happen WAY sooner.

[Sombeech]

Ah that's too bad. People will rush to blame the original video though, but not realize the amount of planning that went into the safety precautions. To hear that the rope was too long makes me wonder what kind of precautions were made at all.

[xxnitsuaxx]

Exactly. Of all the things you've got control over, the rope length is the easiest to check.

[Iceaxe]

West Jordan man killed on Corona Arch rope swing

MOAB

[Scott P]

Shane or any moderator. There are already at least two threads (one is on general) on the accident. Should they be combined into one thread so it's easier to follow?

[Iceaxe]

Exactly. Of all the things you've got control over, the rope length is the easiest to check.

Just a wild guess after hearing the news.... but... I'm guessing they miss calculated the amount of stretch in their dynamic climbing ropes. Because I'm thinking you at least toss a loaded backpack from the arch before hooking up living victims to at least test the pendulum of your swing. And anther thought.... maybe they should not have stopped the paid guide service, at least we know they had the fundamentals of setting up the swing covered.

:popcorn:

[Scott P]

Petzl (who is the manufacturer of the equipment) post on the activity (before the accident):

https://www.facebook.com/Petzl/posts/231277850298280



We noticed this recent and very popular video. We would like to express our fear of accidents with this activity, if you look closely there is numerous points of friction of the ropes on the rock, which could lead to damage on the ropes and potential rupture. This is not a good example of a safe rigging and safe behavior.


Besides the original post, see the comments made by Petzl in the thread as well after Petzl "looked carefully at the setup":


Yes we have looked carefully at the set up and at 0:35 the rope does not seem protected when it touches the rock under the bridge, pls check at 0:40 sec where we clearly see the ropes dragging on the rock at the beginning of the swing, thats what we don't like. Check this page with at the bottom a video of breaking test on fixed rope under tension : http://www.petzl.com/en/outdoor/product-experience/self-belay-solo-climbing/introduction.
thx for your participation.


My (expanded)post on the other thread (which has now been locked):


Condolences to the friends and family. I will not judge and have much sympathy about the accident, but I do know that many of us wondered how long it would take before this happened (which isn't to say that we've all done dangerous things at times as well).

Before the accident, some gear manufacturers came out with statements that the swing is not a proper or intended use of their products and suggested not using them in that manner. Reports I've heard/read from people are that the rope swings have caused significant damage to the arch as well.

Also, I know with Delicate Arch, the NPS (this is not NPS land obviously) asks hikers visiting the arch to not "hog" the arch or spend long times hanging around next to/under it so others can get photos of the arch without all the people in them (or to get a photo of the arch with them in the photo). Given the popularity of Corona Arch, I would think that this should fall into the same category. If you do activities like this, it's best to do them at a place that isn't a major tourist attraction, where up to dozens of people can be waiting just to get a good photo of the arch.

RIP. My thoughts and prayers are with all those affected.

[xxnitsuaxx]

Scott - I actually got into a fight with Petzl on that thread. Their big concern (as you noted) was friction between the arch and the rope. They didn't notice (even after their "careful" examination) that we used a hard rubber tube as a rope protector and that there wasn't any risk from the friction. They actually admitted that the statement you posted above was wrong, but by that point the "Petzl thinks this is unsafe" meme had started and there was no stopping it.

[xxnitsuaxx]

And as far as the "significant damage"...you're obviously free to draw your own conclusions about what constitutes "significant damage", but the arch doesn't look any different after the swings than it did after years of people rappelling from it. I'm not sure how we decide that the damage from rope pulls in canyons is acceptable but that the damage from rappelling\swinging on arches isn't.

[Scott P]

And as far as the "significant damage"...you're obviously free to draw your own conclusions about what constitutes "significant damage", but the arch doesn't look any different after the swings than it did after years of people rappelling from it.

I haven't been up there to see any damage myself; just quoting what others have said. My statement was that Reports I've heard/read from people are that the rope swings have caused significant damage to the arch as well. There are several of those floating around, including from the BLM and mentioned in the article comments as well. As mentioned, this is second hand information. Plus, you are not the only ones who have been swinging off the arch. Good point on possible damage from rope pulls though (and yes it does exist along several routes).

Even if there was a way to make it 100% safe, my opinion is that because of the visibility/tourist attraction of the place, Corona Arch isn't a good place for such activities. I'd say the same thing about setting up a bake sale right under the arch, or having a long big group picnic under the arch. It may be legal, but it does hog the arch for those who want to enjoy it in other ways. In a more remote area, or if no one else was around, or if the time spent doing it would take less than a few minutes, my opinion would be different on this. Of course, opinions may vary.

[burley]

the arch doesn't look any different after the swings than it did after years of people rappelling from it.

No opinion formed or expressed, but I'm fairly confident the group I watched swing last weekend added at least something to the grooves when they pulled their backpack up after every jump. I'm sure different groups do things different ways. It didn't appear that the swinging itself was adding much.

No matter the cause I was sad to see the amount of scarring, though it seemed to be pretty limited to the 'back' (less photographed) side, for whatever that is worth. And even sadder to hear about the young kid yesterday.

[xxnitsuaxx]

That's a fair point. Corona is a popular destination and I think there's a legitimate discussion to be had as to whether or not it's fair to "hog" it. We considered that before we ever shot the video. Ultimately, we decided that Moab has so many options for solitude and that Corona, with its short approach and high popularity, wasn't really a spot that one could expect to be alone. People may disagree with our decision, but it's something that we at least thought about.

And...for what it's worth - everyone we talked to while we were jumping really enjoyed watching us. I'm sure that others had different experiences, but we didn't find anyone who seemed upset at our presence. We even had some bystanders jump the arch with us.

[burley]

And...for what it's worth - everyone we talked to while we were jumping really enjoyed watching us. I'm sure that others had different experiences, but we didn't find anyone who seemed upset at our presence.

I found the same. The tourists (myself included) love it. A nature photographer at sunset, maybe not so much.

[moabmatt]

Unfortunately, the height of the arch, the swing itself and the amount of freefall have been grossly exaggerated by many, including a guide service offering the swing. I've heard it's as much as a 150' swing. The fact is the swing is well short of 100' (we rig it around 85'+/-) . Whether or not the deceased relied on these bogus claims, it's still hard to imagine simply jumping without verifying the length personally. My condolences...

[xxnitsuaxx]

I've heard it's as much as a 150' swing.

Half the stories I read show it at 250'. It's unbelievable how inaccurate most media reports are.

[hank moon]

I'm not sure how we decide that the damage from rope pulls in canyons is acceptable but that the damage from rappelling\swinging on arches isn't.

I'm equally not sure, but it's good to have a discussion, eh? One difference between such arch-play as it's currently practiced (i.e. purty close to roads) and canyoneering is that temporarily protecting one anchor sling path on an arch is relatively easy compared to protecting every drop in a canyon. Another is the arch rope groove audience is often a larger slice of the general population than simply canyoneers.

So, not protecting an arch has greater consequences and - since it's easier to protect an arch - is less forgivable than not protecting canyon raps. Protecting arches should have a (slightly?) higher priority than protecting canyons from rope grooves. Though in an ideal world, they should have equal priority.

[xxnitsuaxx]

I'm equally not sure, but it's good to have a discussion, eh?

Absolutely. We discussed the ethics of creating the swing before we ever did it and we felt ok about it. That being said, there are some ethical counter-arguments (as you just brought up) and I'm open to being persuaded.

[Sombeech]

We discussed the ethics of creating the swing before we ever did it and we felt ok about it.

It's unfortunate that your group was falsely accused of damaging the rock so immediately, that this first impression of your irresponsibility can never be undone even after multiple times of explaining how this was not the case and having the footage to prove it.

Some of those making the false accusations, rather than issuing a full apology for their knee jerk reactions, have turned more towards the backpedalling of "oh, we mean it's a good idea in general to be safe".

Too bad, you guys really did take the precautions, considered the environment preservation, even the potential "hogging" of the arch, and deserve every bit of success that the project has brought. It's the copycats who are sometimes not as safe with themselves nor with the environment, but yet your group gets the blame for their lack of integrity.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

[JP]

Some of those making the false accusations have, rather than issuing a full apology for their knee jerk reaction
Poor environMENTALISTS :haha: It's those knee-jerk reactions that get you all the time, but not as bad as the well planned reactions.

[hank moon]

Absolutely. We discussed the ethics of creating the swing before we ever did it and we felt ok about it. That being said, there are some ethical counter-arguments (as you just brought up) and I'm open to being persuaded.

Just to be clear, the stuff I said earlier was about the relative "acceptability" of canyon rope grooves vs. arch swing rope grooves. Not about the overall ethics of setting up an arch swing. I think it's cool that you guys did it and had a blast. You can't beat fun!

hank

[Scott P]

It's unfortunate that your group was falsely accused of damaging the rock so immediately, that this first impression of your irresponsibility can never be undone even after multiple times of explaining how this was not the case and having the footage to prove it.

Not sure who you are referring to Beech'. Are you talking about the initial discussion on Petzl (which is in the above link) or this particular bogley thread?

If it is the Bogley thread, I did make the comment that there were reports that rope swings have damaged the arch. As far as I know, no one on this current discussion Bogley has said or implied that it was xxnitsuaxx's group. Who are you referring to that has made the false accusations against xxmitsuaxx? :ne_nau: It sounds like there have been many groups on the arch swing. After xxmitsuaxx chimed in with his comment, it was also that acknowledged that some of them were already there and caused by rappellers. It has also been pointed out by Burley that the group he saw probably did groove the arch.

Personally, I though this conversation was pretty civil. xxmitsuaxx brought up his thoughts and explained that his group used precautions which were missed by Petzl. I think the point about taking the arch for too long was a good point to consider as well. I think that linking the Petzl discussion, Petzl being who manufactured the equipment that was used was something very valid to look at.

So far I haven't seen any accusations/uncivil discussion (on Bogley) concerning what happened. In the news article, yes, Bogley no. I don't see anything hank said to be accusatory either. So far no one on Bogley has accused xxmitsuaxx of being at fault for the death.

[accadacca]

Condolences to the family and anyone grieving. There are inherent dangers in many of the outdoor hobbies that we all love. Learning from each others mistakes can be a valuable tool. Unfortunately in this case, it was a death.

[xxnitsuaxx]

So far I haven't seen any accusations/uncivil discussion (on Bogley) concerning what happened. In the news article, yes, Bogley no.

You're totally right and this was something that sombeech and I already discussed. While the media, Youtube, and Mountain Project didn't waste any time in flaming us, Bogley was nothing but civil. Most of the responses were positive and even the ones that disagreed with what we did were civil, fair, and logical. Your post was of the same high caliber and I appreciated it.

[JP]

Bogley was nothing but civil.
:haha:

[Sombeech]

Not sure who you are referring to Beech'. ...

If it is the Bogley thread,


No, not at all. As was mentioned before, Bogley is one of the more tolerant outdoor forums out there. Even with the popular threads like "Assault Weapons" with clear disagreements, I think even that thread has been really civil and open, as with this thread. So I didn't get the notion of vile from anybody here. :2thumbs:

As Austin mentioned, it's multiple sources on Facebook, Youtube, and even other forums that have absolutely turned vile towards the video. In the Petzl thread, even after Austin gives the full in depth explanation, there's still some assclown that says " These guys should get their asses whipped for causing damage to the rock and diffusing malpractices in the community." It's too bad, even after extensive measures were taken to ensure safety of the rock, the knee jerk broadcasts from multiple sources trash these guys and spark comments with violent intent.

[Iceaxe]

Yo.... xxnitsuaxx

Check your PM's.

[reflection]

Just spoke with a work mate. She, her hub and 2-3 kids were down there, at the arch, before the accident and then watched the accident. She mentioned a son and daughter in the narrative. She may have had another kid there? Son early 20's, daughter late teens. (And I should note, with all accidents, angle, view, and possible perception & bias can direct a report and opinion.)

Her statment (generally). Family was at/under the arch Sunday. All of a sudden a rope and a bag - looked like a small camel back- came flying down and just about hit my daughter. My husband immediately starting yelling at the people above..... We all backed off from under the arch immediatly and then saw the people standing on the arch. Then we saw a person (young man) jump and kind of swing and then the next instant his upper body hit and his face and body dragged across a wide section of rock. There was blood everywhere. We immediatly left the area and went to the car. This after the people on the arch yelled out that they had cell coverage and had called 911 - para medics were on the way. Our (grown) son stayed until the para medics showed up. My son said there was not much left of his face and there was so much blood. The Para medics told him that he apparently died at impact.

End of report.
I have seen and witnessed accidents myself - terrible ones. I trust the above is not inappropriate for an adult audience. And if there are any family or relatives viewing I trust they know that all of respect the sanctity of life and are deeply sorrowful as to their loss. It's a major tragedy, a young man at that age - lights out. I'm sorry for the family's loss.

I've been to Carona numerous times over the past decades. I enjoy it most when no one else is there. I've not rapped or swung from the arch. Not an interest of mine.

A reminder I hope/trust...rapping off something, an arch for example - the skill, technique, planning and execution. Folk pay their dues in canyoneering and then move up (in difficulty). Jumping and then swinging from an arch. A different game, somewhat of a different skill set, technique and greater need for planning and safety. I suppose anyone that has this event on their radar will....do just what? I guess folk will do as they wish and plan as they will.

[Scott P]

:shock:

[xxnitsuaxx]

Jeez. That's pretty sobering.

[Iceaxe]

Just spoke with a work mate. She, her hub and 2-3 kids were down there, at the arch, .

Thanks for posting that.....

I get the feeling this weeks rope swing was not very well thought out.

:popcorn:

[Iceaxe]

This story is going to blow up big time.... it's already getting a lot of play locally and the National News is starting to jump on it. I hear it might be a big story on Good Morning America tomorrow.

Salt lake Tribune
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/56057160-78/arch-rope-swing-corona.html.csp?utm_source=twitterfeed

Deseret News
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865576638/Man-killed-attempting-to-rope-swing-off-Corona-Arch.html

Fox 13
http://fox13now.com/2013/03/25/one-dead-in-corona-arch-rope-swing-stunt/

KUTV
http://www.kutv.com/news/top-stories/stories/vid_4305.shtml

And it just made the front page of Yahoo
http://www.grindtv.com/outdoor/nature/post/thrill-seeker-dies-at-towering-corona-arch-made-famous-by-youtube-videos/

[blamkin86]

Wow, I hope that story isn't accurate.

[Scott P]

As Austin mentioned, it's multiple sources on Facebook, Youtube, and even other forums that have absolutely turned vile towards the video.

This is hitting all over the news (including nationally). Wait 24 hours. I bet the Youtube comments are going to grow exponentially, especially in the vile department.


Wow, I hope that story isn't accurate.

Surely it is. That's exactly what you would expect to happen if the cord was too long.

[Sombeech]

This is hitting all over the news (including nationally). Wait 24 hours. I bet the Youtube comments are going to grow exponentially, especially in the vile department.


Exactly. I'm interested to see the extent the criticism will go to regarding their video. As some have already said, we can count on people calling for their "asses to be kicked", and it wouldn't surprise me if some would call for legal action, ignorantly.

And hey Scott, I'm sorry that my comments are often misunderstood, especially towards you. I need to work on my "wordsmithing" a bit. I very rarely hold any ill will towards you and I know my posts have been a little misunderstood in the past. I apologize for that. -and to anybody else for what it's worth. I'm just as blunt with my best friends but I take for granted the fact they know where I'm coming from. In bogley's 9th year, I'm still working on improving my online communication :mrgreen:

[blamkin86]

Surely it is. That's exactly what you would expect to happen if the cord was too long.

No, that part about someone up top chucking a test weight, without even bothering to find out if anyone below was in danger of being hit.

If my daughter got hit by something like that, well, it wouldn't be pretty.

[Iceaxe]

The test weight story and the detail about hitting and being dragged after contact leads me more then ever to think someone severely underestimated how much a dynamic rope actually stretches under load. If someone standing under the arch was afraid of being hit by a light weight pack, there is not enough ground clearance for a human. And the part about being dragged is exactly would you would expect from the elasticity in a dynamic rope.

:cool2:

[spinesnaper]

Crap. It is of course all fun and games until someone gets hurt. I am as guilty as anyone for vicariously enjoying this rope swing video: 17 million youtube views. I know our thoughts and prayers, as a community, are with the young man's family and friends. Many of you on this forum have seen how accidents can impact public policy. I think it is hard for authorities to clean up what in retrospect looks like a senseless accident caused by a frivolous but foreseeably dangerous activity. It would not be surprising if agencies responsible for public lands take steps to reduce the risk of this type of event from occurring in the future by barring them and related activities. This reasonably should make any canyoneer nervous, for obvious reasons, regarding wilderness access blow-back.

Ken

[Taylor]

Before I share a little more of what happened, or may have happened, I want to express deepest condolences to any friends or family of Kyle who may read this. Last Friday I bought a new ICG rope to use to swing Corona yesterday. I wasn't convinced I wanted to trust both my current static lines. A few weeks ago my friend Jeff and I had planned a trip to climb Castleton on Saturday and then swing Corona yesterday. His 12 yr old Ethan came with us when his climbing partner backed out. Kor-Ingalls was awesome, above my skill level but Jeff led everything and Ethan and I followed. We topped out then rapped down the north face. Yesterday morning we hiked to the arch and climbed up, started setting up anchors, etc. A few minutes (maybe 15-30) later Kyle and the others climbed up. We felt fortunate to be there first so we could do the thing. We wouldn't have waited around if another group had beat us to the arch. We took at least two hours setting up, testing rope lengths, jump angles, rubber hose placement, etc. Jeff made the first jump, didn't push off hard enough and skimmed the wall on the first drop before you tension the ropes and swing. Small lesson learned. Ethan jumped next, smooth and clean. That kid is one amazing 12 yr old. Now my turn. Jump out as far as possible, didn't feel any whip at the bottom of the free fall, swung through as high as the arch. Awesome. Jeff jumped once more to redeem his earlier poor effort. Now the what-ifs begin. For hours now, Kyle and friends had been patiently waiting for their turn. They helped us while we set up, let us use a couple of their ropes for retrieval of the swing ropes and to rap to the ground when needed. After Jeff's last jump, I climbed back up for the last time to release our gear and basically get out of their way. We were ready to go home. Why didn't they ask to swing on our setup? Why didn't I push it when I half-heartedly offered and he declined? I honestly didn't believe more than two of them would jump. It wouldn't have delayed us more than a couple hours. Most of the time, discussions like this on Bogley seem like "preaching to the choir". We are here because we are skilled and responsible to some degree and want to learn more. But this is what I should have done and maybe we can learn to do this better: push the issue if you have more experience, skills or even just years. Look in the eyes, "do you know what you're doing? You can use my ropes. Hell, you can have my ropes." I'm sorry for the indulgent, selfish nature of posting this. I don't think I've ever felt like I do today. My buddy Jeff is taking it hard. I don't know how he told Ethan. I'm sorry.

[ratagonia]

It's unfortunate that your group was falsely accused of damaging the rock so immediately, that this first impression of your irresponsibility can never be undone even after multiple times of explaining how this was not the case and having the footage to prove it.

Some of those making the false accusations, rather than issuing a full apology for their knee jerk reactions, have turned more towards the backpedalling of "oh, we mean it's a good idea in general to be safe".

Too bad, you guys really did take the precautions, considered the environment preservation, even the potential "hogging" of the arch, and deserve every bit of success that the project has brought. It's the copycats who are sometimes not as safe with themselves nor with the environment, but yet your group gets the blame for their lack of integrity.



Making a really great video of swinging the arch has had consequences. One of those consequences is that people less prepared and less savvy will do the same thing, but do it poorly, resulting in damage to the arch, and to themselves.

Just as I have responsibility for the rope grooves and trails on the sandpile in Spry Canyon, because I am the original publicist for that specific canyon.

Tom

[jman]

I just watched the KSL vid on it, and they say the "one vid in particular" is to blame. Obviously they meant Devin Super Tramps, but they played my friend's Jeff Guest and my video instead in their clip.....just to clarify.

EDIT: just saw all of the telecasts and it looks like their 6pm was our video, but the rest of the telecasts were correctly apportioned.

So sad though.... :(

So I'm not sure how this works so maybe Tom or anyone else familiar with BLM (rather should I say, Corona arch is managed by the BLM) could they or SITLA close it down or bar access from the top, legally that is. Sure it's MY land but there are plenty of other BLM managed sites that are closed down (petroglyph sites, 4WD through Paria, etc). Please school me if you don't mind. This red tape between BLM and SITLA confuses me.

[Sombeech]

Making a really great video of swinging the arch has had consequences. One of those consequences is that people less prepared and less savvy will do the same thing, but do it poorly, resulting in damage to the arch, and to themselves.

Just as I have responsibility for the rope grooves and trails on the sandpile in Spry Canyon, because I am the original publicist for that specific canyon.

Tom

This is true, but when people see the rope grooves in Spry, will they curse your name in a knee jerk reaction, or will they look for individual parties that were directly responsible for the damage?

In most, if not all of the articles reporting the death, they write about "the video". Although possibly hundreds of people have swung the arch by now, it's always "the video" they are indirectly blaming. It's unfortunate.

[Brian in SLC]

Why didn't they ask to swing on our setup? Why didn't I push it when I half-heartedly offered and he declined? I honestly didn't believe more than two of them would jump. It wouldn't have delayed us more than a couple hours. Most of the time, discussions like this on Bogley seem like "preaching to the choir". We are here because we are skilled and responsible to some degree and want to learn more. But this is what I should have done and maybe we can learn to do this better: push the issue if you have more experience, skills or even just years. Look in the eyes, "do you know what you're doing? You can use my ropes. Hell, you can have my ropes." I'm sorry for the indulgent, selfish nature of posting this. I don't think I've ever felt like I do today. My buddy Jeff is taking it hard. I don't know how he told Ethan. I'm sorry.

That's some tough stuff. I ponder this when I see a less than saavy group out climbing, or, whatever. But, the difference, I get to see them in action and can tell if they're kinda experienced, or, sans clue. Its tough to speak up without coming across like a know-it-all or worse. Unless I think someone is in imminent danger, I might just offer some friendly advice, or, check 'em out a bit more closely then pass on by. Sometimes I get to the parking lot and wonder if they did ok.

Don't know what else you could have done.

Did you get a gander at their ropes? Static or dynamic? Did they see you guys suss out the distance?

Tragic mistake. Ugh. What if what if what if. Crazy stuff to ponder. Not a bad thing to dwell on a bit, but, hope it doesn't consume too much. Good luck! Talk to folks if you need to.

Condolences to the family and friends of the young man.

[Scott P]

So I'm not sure how this works so maybe Tom or anyone else familiar with BLM (rather should I say, Corona arch is managed by the BLM) could they or SITLA close it down or bar access from the top, legally that is

I'm not sure what the process they have to go through is, but yes, they can close it down. I believe SITLA can actually close anything they want, in fact most of their lands aren't open to the public.

[Mountaineer]

I'm sorry for the indulgent, selfish nature of posting this. I don't think I've ever felt like I do today. My buddy Jeff is taking it hard. I don't know how he told Ethan. I'm sorry.

Thanks for sharing and posting. Very tough. I can't imagine what you are going through.

It was not your fault.

[Iceaxe]

Wouldn't surprise me to see STILA blow the arch up. After all, this is the same group that filled Nutty Putty Cave with concrete. I see little difference between the cave and the arch. They are both a beautiful act of nature that has deadly potential when poor judgment is used.

Tap'n on my Galaxy G3

[Eric Holden]

Lots of talk about this out here in Cali, my non-outdoors wife heard about it and brought it to my attention. Very sad to hear and I send all my best wishes to the family.

[UintaSolitude]

You're totally right and this was something that sombeech and I already discussed. While the media, Youtube, and Mountain Project didn't waste any time in flaming us, Bogley was nothing but civil. Most of the responses were positive and even the ones that disagreed with what we did were civil, fair, and logical. Your post was of the same high caliber and I appreciated it.

Trail Master, God bless!....The issue I take with those flaming you, is that life is risky and tragic accidents happen all the time. Somehow as certain activities become more mainstream and popular we no longer questions the hundreds, or thousands of deaths that occur in those activities. One tragedy occurs in an upstart sport and that sport and the individuals that participate in it are villified. I think this is unfortunate. Perhaps we should have forums of debate over every bicycle rider that is killed, and ensure that bicycles can't be sold or used. Those of us that take risks in the lifestyles we choose need to take personal responsibility for our choices and the consequences, and most of us do. Society needs to get off their soap boxes and let us benefit from the rewards and consequences of the lives we live....Corona Arch will be shut down to the public, it's all but inevitable. I think that is a cowardly knee jerk response to one horrible event, considering I can still bike, ski, race dirt bikes, race automobiles, swim, jet ski etc. even after thousands of deaths....Thank you for your patience with contrary opinions to yours. Thank you for the care, precision, and expertise that you put into your hobbies, so that others that participate in them will not be judged on your mistakes and errors....This is simply a very sad tragedy. I don't see the benefit of over analysis into the values of the sport.

[Iceaxe]

I find it silly to blame others for poor judgment, lack of experience, stupid mistakes or just plain old bad luck. People need to step up and take personal responsible for their own actions and the results of those actions.

I find the rope swing videos very entertaining, but only an idiot would fail to see the dangers.

Tap'n on my Galaxy G3

[Brian in SLC]

I find the rope swing videos very entertaining, but only an idiot would fail to see the dangers.

Maybe so, but...

Realize folks outside this community are finding this thread (already seen it cross referenced on another forum). When family and friends of the deceased read your comments, and they will, I guess I'd say to err on the side of a wee bit of compassion.

[Iceaxe]

I do have compassion and feel for the family. I'm also pretty sure Kyle Stocking understood the dangers... my comment was directed more towards those who would advocate shutting the arch down. Most who recreate in the outdoors understand it is not Disneyland and nothing in the wilds of nature is guaranteed to be safe. Sorry if my poorly worded comment was misunderstood.

:2thumbs:

[kiwi_outdoors]

Y'all know what will eventually happen. Canyoneering will be outlawed because its an easy thing for a bureaucracy to do. Not for any other reason. Its a certainty. So enjoy it while you can. And when an environmentalist whines about rope grooves remind them that on a per ton basis mother nature destroys the parks squadrillions of times faster than we do with natural erosion and weathering. The good news is that there is still a lot to enjoy without ropework.

[spinesnaper]

Unfortunately whether it is in the line of duty making the ultimate sacrifice for country so the rest of us can sleep secure in our homes, or from some tragic accident in the pursuit of a beloved outdoor activity, no one is prepared to loose a 22 year old. I am not even sure if our brains are mature at age 22 ( mine wasn't). I am pretty sure that I am here because I got lucky on more than a couple of occasions when I was that old (I know I am not alone). Thank god my family was not there it watch me crash and burn. But now we live in a world were a Gopro and Youtube give us all access to mass media. The consequences of this are really unfathomable. I have no doubt that locking up all the bicycles in the world will make the world far more safer that turning a stone arch into gravel. But that is little solace if you have just lost your son, brother, husband, or best friend.

Ken

[Bootboy]

Y'all know what will eventually happen. Canyoneering will be outlawed because its an easy thing for a bureaucracy to do. Not for any other reason. Its a certainty. So enjoy it while you can. And when an environmentalist whines about rope grooves remind them that on a per ton basis mother nature destroys the parks squadrillions of times faster than we do with natural erosion and weathering. The good news is that there is still a lot to enjoy without ropework.

And we're going to do it to ourselves.
I'll admit that I'm somewhat selfish when it comes to these types of activities. I don't go around telling everyone I know how great Kolob canyon is. It's bad enough that the subway is a freakng zoo already. We popularize this crap and all the city dwelling sheeple flock to our places of solace. 127 Hours was a disaster for the sport of canyoneering. I've been a back country traveler since I've been able to walk. My dad was a redneck from the blueridge mountains who lived in the woods as a teenager, my grandfather was a forest service ranger. It's great for people to get out appreciate our beautiful world but for the hidden nooks and crannies, those rare and special places, there is definitely a critical mass, that once reached, means diminishing returns for all. I know this sounds seething and misanthropic, but it's the truth. I may have a selfish sense of entitlement to these things, but thats fine with me. I tell people to go to Zion and hike emerald pools, that the rest of the park is not all that exciting. I don't even mention any of the other canyon destinations in Utah i.e. escalante, the swell, etc.. People who publish this stuff (articles about the subway in national publications) for a buck or for readership I think fail to comprehend the consequences or they simply don't give a shit.

The videos produced by devinsupertramp and the like kind of bother me. I know that people are responsible for their own actions, but human nature is so painfully predictable that you can not reasonably refute the fact that someone would eventually get killed emulating your "rad" videos. Youtube is a curse in this regard.

I could go on but I won't. I'm grumpy anyway. I've already said too much.

[Iceaxe]

This article contains some additional information and confirms underestimating the stretch of a dynamic climbing rope was a contributing factor.


Parents of man killed in arch swing accident preach caution
KSL - By Viviane Vo-Duc
March 26th, 2013 @ 7:02pm

WEST JORDAN — Their son attempted to swing from Corona Arch in Moab, but a miscalculation cost him his life.

On Tuesday, Mike and Linda Stocking spoke about their 22-year-old son, Kyle Stocking, and his love for adventure. They knew they couldn’t stop him, and they have advice for thrill-seekers:

"Think about your parents, your family, your friends before you do things like this, because you might lose your life, and it’s going to absolutely devastate your family," Linda Stocking said.

The couple said their son loved life and lived it to the fullest, and they knew that he was planning to go to Moab to do the jump.

“It was something that he wanted to do,” his mother said. “I finally learned a long time ago, you cannot change your children. They are going to do what they’re going to do.”

His parents had seen the YouTube video titled “World’s Largest Rope Swing” and were apprehensive about the trip.

"I didn't think he would do it,” she said. “But when I learned he was going to do it, I almost had to block it out of my mind that he was going to go, because if I sit there and think about everything that he does, I would go crazy. It’s too scary to me. I am not adventurous.”

Their son was an experienced rock climber, but he was overly excited and undertrained for this endeavor. The day he left on his trip, his parents were heading out to California.

“Before he left, I was standing at the bottom of the stairs, and he was standing at the top (waving) and saying, ‘Goodbye, Mom.’ I said, 'OK, please be careful and take care of each other.' ”

Kyle Stocking and five friends set up a rope swing on the natural arch Sunday afternoon. They miscalculated the length of the rope, however, and Stocking hit the ground when he tried to swing, sustaining fatal injuries. His parents got a call that evening.

“I couldn’t believe it was Kyle, just, just in disbelief,” his mother said in tears.

“It was the hardest phone call I ever received,” Mike Stocking said. “It’s a surreal thing. It’s almost like an out-of-body experience. Until a person ever goes through it, they will never understand how devastating that phone call is.”

The loss of his son hasn’t sunk in yet, he said. “I’m still waiting for him to come in (at lunch), waiting for someone to say, ‘Just kidding, this isn’t real.’ ”

He said he and his family are going through the grieving process.

“I pray that the young men and women who do things like this stop to think for a moment of the risks involved and those people left behind that are going to be broken-hearted,” he said.

His wife said if someone has the desire to do something and it’s their passion, they should do it. “But just be really safe,” she said. “Go with someone who has done it before. Learn. Be taught. Don’t just dive into it, because you may lose your life.”

They don’t believe his friends had ever done the jump or any kind of test on the rope beforehand. “(The rope) stretched too far,” Linda Stocking said. “They just miscalculated quite a ways, from what we understand.”

They met with Kyle’s friends Tuesday and shared the pain from the experience. “Our hearts are broken for the horrible thing they had to witness and the long, hard drive that they had coming back, knowing that their friend was gone,” Mike Stocking said.

The Stockings say they are also grateful to the nurse who helped their son and for members of their LDS faith who gave Kyle a blessing before he passed away.

His mother wants to go visit Corona Arch. “I want to hike where it is,” she said getting very emotional. “I want to see it, I want to be where he was the last time.”

An account* has been set up in Kyle Stocking's name at Granite Credit Union to help cover funeral costs. The funds will also go toward a memorial plaque that friends and family are hoping to place at the base of Corona Arch.

The Utah Trust Lands Administration will review the request.

http://www.ksl.com/?sid=24555020&nid=148&title=parents-of-man-killed-in-arch-swing-accident-preach-caution&fm=home_page&s_cid=queue-11

[accadacca]

Man, that is rough. Be careful out there. :sad:

[Sombeech]

I'm heading to Moab today, I'll bet corona arch will be a madhouse. Not even gonna think about it.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

[Iceaxe]

We all knew this was coming..... BLM officials in the Canyon Country District, are currently reviewing extreme sport activities such as rope-swinging and high-lining with an eye towards how best to balance uses and visitor experiences in the backcountry.

According to BLM Utah spokesperson Megan Crandall:

“The BLM Canyon Country District Office has been reviewing activities like rope swinging and high-lining, as well as the conflicts that can arise between high energy, high adrenaline pursuits and the more quiet experiences often sought by other public land users at scenic attractions like Corona Arch,”

“Looking ahead, the Moab Field Office will be taking a closer look at appropriate ways to balance and manage these activities on public lands.”

[mr. incognito]

[QUOTE=Iceaxe;531158]We all knew this was coming..... BLM officials in the Canyon Country District, are currently reviewing extreme sport activities such as rope-swinging and high-lining with an eye towards how best to balance uses and visitor experiences in the backcountry.

According to BLM Utah spokesperson Megan Crandall:

[I]

[blamkin86]

I feel that reckless behavior should be talked about and analysed by the sport community not avoided due to some misguided wish to not offend the family.

With all due respect, I think you should go back and read the BLM statement again. They are discussing whether innocent people out for a nice day at Corona Arch, should have to be endangered by people swinging off the arch. If you also go back and read the incident report, you'll see that a young girl bystander was almost hit by the test pack.

Again, not trying to be preachy here, but I really feel you're missing the BLM's point. While this was a terrible tragedy, can you imaging the backlash had that little girl been injured or worse?

[Iceaxe]

And in the Johnny-come-lately department.... Outside Magazine throws their 2 cents into the mix.

http://www.outsideonline.com/adventure-travel/adventure-ethics/Epic-Rope-Swings-and-Public-Land.html

[Iceaxe]

A quick update.... According to recent information from the BLM.... canyoneering and rock climbing are not included in the talks regarding "adrenaline sports" and acceptable land usage for area's managed by the BLM. In my opinion this is a good thing for canyoneers and climbers as I can see nothing good coming from us being lumped in with BASE jumpers and giant rope swings.

Also.... both Corona Arch and Negro Bill Canyon are scheduled to come under BLM management at years end as part of a land swap with STILA. For those new to the game. Negro Bill Canyon is home to the popular Medieval Chamber Canyoneering Route (http://climb-utah.com/Moab/medieval1.htm), while Corona Arch provides part of the Advanced Cameltoe Route (http://climb-utah.com/Moab/cameltoe.htm).

[xxnitsuaxx]

This Thad James character mentioned in the Outside article has said that if he can't get permits to swing Corona commercially, he plans to try and get permits to set up swings on Rainbow Bridge. Yes...THAT Rainbow Bridge in Lake Powell.

http://www.moabtimes.com/view/full_story/21646988/article-State-halts-commercial-rope-swinging-at-Corona-Arch

[Iceaxe]

This Thad James character mentioned in the Outside article has said that if he can't get permits to swing Corona commercially, he plans to try and get permits to set up swings on Rainbow Bridge. Yes...THAT Rainbow Bridge in Lake Powell.

Good luck with that.... :roflol: :roflol:

Talk about delusions of grandeur... I hear their are a couple of nice bridges in Bridges NM that are looking for a rope swing concessionaire.

I would be nearly impossible to get a permit for a rope swing in a National Park or Monument. Those guys can just say "no" because they feel like it.


:popcorn:

[phatch]

I may be in the minority, but the first time I viewed the Corona Arch swing, I thought it was in bad taste.

For such a popular and easily accessed arch it does "hog" the arch from others' enjoyment. But using Corona Arch added to the hype and visibility of the video.

Even asking bystanders their opinion is not a method to ascertain their acceptance. Sales uses the same violation of social manners and relies on you not to rock the social boat. Go along to get along, even if you don't really like it. To really find out their opinion, you have to ask them away from the event where their answer and privacy are protected.

What really turns me off is the ego promotion style of the videos. It's not about the beauty, the safe techniques and such. It's more "We're cool 'cause look at we do".

[xxnitsuaxx]

What really turns me off is the ego promotion style of the videos. It's not about the beauty, the safe techniques and such. It's more "We're cool 'cause look at we do".

Sorry you missed out the first time - there's already been plenty of words dedicated to what douchebags my friends and I are for making that video. If you want to get it on the video-bashing, I'd suggest heading over to Mountain Project. They hate us WAY more over there and you'll probably have an easier time getting people to join in.

[phatch]

That wasn't my desire.

[Iceaxe]

Sorry you missed out the first time - there's already been plenty of words dedicated to what douchebags my friends and I are for making that video. If you want to get it on the video-bashing, I'd suggest heading over to Mountain Project. They hate us WAY more over there and you'll probably have an easier time getting people to join in.

:roflol: :roflol: :roflol:

Actually I noticed Bogley was one of the few outdoor forums that supported the video's for the most part.

Personally I have enjoyed all the video's.... but then again, I understand they are still just a movie and not real life....

I hope you all become millionaires and famous from the video's, I hope folks buy you a free drink when they first meet you, I hope hot young women toss their panties your way.... and I hope to see at least a hundred more video's from ya'll.

:2thumbs:

[Sombeech]

What really turns me off is the ego promotion style of the videos. It's not about the beauty, the safe techniques and such. It's more "We're cool 'cause look at we do".

I'd like to point out that the perspective of the "group" while filming and performing the actions during most videos are often different than the "producer" during editing the footage. Not to compare my video editing to this level, but those with me during filming rarely know what I have in mind for the final production, or the overall impression I'm trying to produce with the combined 10 second clips from each ride, surf, snowboard, or river run.

It's my assumption that many of the "swingers" were scared out of their mind before the jump, and were there with friends just to try something new. They had no idea how the final cut would be and probably assumed that their "entire jump" would be in the footage rather than just 5 seconds.

Even though the crew was very safe and respectable in the setup, the producer's goal is to promote a video/product, to reach as many people as possible.

Imagine if Devin focused more on the rigging setup and safety issues, then he would involuntarily be nomintated as the "authority" on how to rig it up, and when somebody made a mistake and was injured, they could say "I set it up exactly how they showed us how to in the video". I'm sure the group, nor Devin wanted the responsibility of answering rigging questions. And if questions came to Devin regarding the anchor integrity, rope length and dynamic rope stretching rates, he probably would have no information to offer because he was just operating the camera.

As one of the prior article suggests, swinging from the arch started soon after rappelling did. Devin just did an outstanding job of recording an even that has been taking place for decades.

[canyonmonkey]

Greetings! I think this may be the shortest rope swing I've seen these guys do -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAat-EzJngY