Woman dies from fall in Mystery Canyon

[rockgremlin]

The article mentions a fall of roughly 50 - 80 feet. Yikes.


https://ksltv.com/463785/woman-dies-after-falling-more-than-50-feet-in-zion-national-park/amp/

[Byron]

I've only ever had one rope get "stuck"...recently, in fact. It was the initial rap into middle Lep, that little 20 footer. We had doubled a rope so I just climbed back up it hand over hand and the knot for that webbing was too close to the quick link and a flap of it had wedged in there. The last person down didn't eyeball it well enough....and that person was me.

I've soloed Mystery several times without incident but I'll tell you what...I'd never climb back up any of those big raps to free a rope. I'll just wait for the next person/group to come thru...even if it means sleeping by a little campfire. The big rap before the last one to the river requires a good pull technique along with some muscle, too. I wonder where this happened...up in the slot or down near the bottom?

[Iceaxe]

The big rap before the last one to the river requires a good pull technique along with some muscle, too. I wonder where this happened...up in the slot or down near the bottom?


FWIW - The Mystery Springs rappel and the final Narrows rappel are both exactly 115', but for some strange reason the Mystery Springs rappel seems much higher. And both rappels seem higher than 115' to me, but I measured those two rappels carefully for my beta because the ability to carry 120' ropes is a big bonus.

[oldno7]

Likely 80ish feet to the big chokestone on the Mystery springs rappel.

A fall would take you there rather than to the Spring proper.

[Iceaxe]

Likely 80ish feet to the big chokestone on the Mystery springs rappel.

A fall would take you there rather than to the Spring proper.I'm guessing she stuck the rope to the top of the big Chokestone, As I've watched a lot of folks stick their rope there. When you pull your rope if you're not careful it falls over the chokestone and gets pinched against the wall. Just a wild ass guess....

[Byron]

I'm guessing she stuck the rope to the top of the big Chokestone, As I've watched a lot of folks stick their rope there. When you pull your rope if you're not careful it falls over the chokestone and gets pinched against the wall. Just a wild ass guess....Yeah...I've never gone from above that chokestone, as I never liked the look of it. Always from the ledge.

[Iceaxe]

Yeah...I've never gone from above that chokestone, as I never liked the look of it. Always from the ledge.The problem is when you rappel from the ledge and pull your ropes standing to far north, or if there is a strong wind blowing up canyon it can also cause the ropes to fall into the chokestone pinch.

[nkanarik]

I'd never climb back up any of those big raps to free a rope. Clarification...I assume you meant that you won't climb on the pull side of the rope (single strand rappel). I had an instance in the past that the rope was stuck and I still had access to the rappel side; therefore was able to climb the rappel side...I don't see a safety issue there where the ropes gets loos and you free fall. Do you agree?