Anyone out ther have information about a possible death in the Subway?
Printable View
Anyone out ther have information about a possible death in the Subway?
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/54...-zion.html.csp
Wow. :eek2: Foot caught?
My condolences to all involved.
We were there today, saw the body, and passed SAR on their way in. On the final rappell a guy used logs over a waterfall rather than the bolts. SAR told us his autoblock got caught in his descender, and he was stuck. He apparently tried to cut himself out of his harness, inverting himself in the process and got his legs stuck (on leg loops?) His partner was on the ground but unable to help so they went for help but couldn't figure out how to exit the canyon in the looming darkness. The partner contacted SAR this morning, and body recovery is happening tomorrow via long-line. Lots of parties passed the body today (us included) - pretty somber.
Unclear if the guy died from being inverted in his harness overnight, harness-induced pathology, or exposure from a cascading icy waterfall. He had a helmet, and he didn't appear close enough to a wall for trauma to be a factor.
I'm sure a more official incident report will be out soon - so lets try to hold judgement and speculation.
Terribly sad
Wow...
Sent using Tapatalk
Incredibly sad. My condolences to his family and others involved.
Good info, thanks for the post. I'm still trying to recover from the last time I saw a dead body. Course it was a buddie who blew his brains out, but I'm sure it was still traumatic seeing that for you too. Keep a close eye on yourself and if you start feeling crappy, get help. It sneaks up on ya.Quote:
Originally Posted by MattLeonard
Tragic. My heart goes out to the family.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mountaineer
X2
So very sad. Thank you for the information. I had heard only that it had happened. Prayers and condolences for the victim his partner and the families.
X2Quote:
Originally Posted by blueeyes
:-(
Man dies after spending night upside down in Zion Subway by McKenzie Romero
ZION NATIONAL PARK
That anchor wasnt there 2 weeks ago. I rigged that rappel off the logs 2 weeks ago. We placed a new log and put brand new webbing on it. I don't necessarily feel responsible but it hits close to home.
Damn.
I was wondering who placed the new log.
I'm really curious why the guy couldn't get free. Also wonder why the partner didn't climb back to the top and help. Currently there is a log between the waterfall and the bolted anchors that allows easy access to the upper subway from the lower subway.
Sent using Tapatalk
That was my log. My friend and I dragged it from about 20' away a week after the big flash. It was a fun rap right next to the falls and we joked about how we were building a sucker anchor. Makes me sick to think about it...
Dang, anybody have a pic of this spot?
I wish I did. It's at the very last waterfall that most people bypass for the bolts 30 yards down canyon on the left. Right above all the bottom-up hikers. There is a big crack that runs perpendicular above the slot below and the waterfall come in from the canyon right side of the T. When rappelling, the waterfall is just a few feet away and you can put your feet in it or swing into it one you're a couple feet down the rope. Nice rap if you ask me
I think adding the additional log above the existing log actually made it a little easier to get on rope relative to what it was before. With that being said, I can see how anyone unfamiliar with starting rappels at your feet could struggle and have the rope slip and get the autoblock caught. Unfortunately I suppose it also invites people who probably shouldn't be on a rappel like that to try it. Sad situation.
Canyons themselves invite people who shouldn't be there...
That log is no longer there. I will post a picture later.Quote:
Originally Posted by Iceaxe
I'll bet it was hypothermia that got him. If his friend didn't get a call in until nearly noon, he must have followed the creek all the way to the road? He missed the Right Fork exit, too...easy to do in the dark, I guess.
I wouldn't have left. I would have stayed there all night with him. But then again, I'm a really good climber and I would have figured a way to get him off of that thing. He had a knife? They panicked or just made a bad decision, perhaps figuring help would be available in a short time...Jeez, that's tough.
I always carry my little 15M hand line, wherever I go. That might have saved the day.
I have heard that there have been other fatalities here, but can someone provide any details on the previous one(s)? Just curious. Thanks.Quote:
Originally Posted by Iceaxe
Unless the log was washed out in the past week it is still there. The original log washed out earlier this year and bootie replaced it with anther.Quote:
Originally Posted by blueeyes
The Subway video I posted last week shows the new log. But in the video my family is shown walking across the log to reach the bolted anchors. The video also shows the waterfall as we swam back to the waterfall room, but that is hard to see as it is so dark.
Sent using Tapatalk
The only one I can think of is when a tree that someone was rapping off pulled out of the ground. I think it was in Russell Gulch rather than the Subway though?Quote:
I have heard that there have been other fatalities here, but can someone provide any details on the previous one(s)? Just curious. Thanks
About 15 years ago a guy died when his rappel anchor failed. The anchor was a small bush that pulled out of the ground. I have the NPS morning report on that accident, but its on my computer and I'm out of the office today.Quote:
Originally Posted by jman
Sent using Tapatalk
1992.Quote:
Originally Posted by Iceaxe
http://www.canyoneeringusa.com/history/mr1992.htm
Tom
Thanks Tom and Shane.
That's too bad for David Bryant as well... :(
It's interesting in that SAR to see that Bryant "still had a pulse at the time, doctors soon pronounced him dead". I wonder if today's technology could of saved the guy. Anyways...back to topic...
The accident happened at the 3:00 mark of the video. We walked across the logs to reach the bolted anchors. If you look close you can see the sling on the log that they probably rappeled from.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sombeech
The 3:25 mark of the video is the waterfall from below. This is where he would have ended up hanging. The video doesn't show it very well but there is a pretty good flow of water at this point.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyLo5BrmzcE
Man dies after hanging by foot overnight in Zion slot canyon
Subway excursion tragedy
I see. Yeah last time we were in there was the first of Aug and the log was gone. Also I was thinking of the log that was slightly outside of the waterfall room.Quote:
Originally Posted by Iceaxe
OH My! This is so sad. Things like this really make me ponder on how I do things and manage groups in canyons.
From a rock climber’s perspective if your belay device gets jammed, you would rig a prussic ascending system and unweight the rappel device. Once it is unweighted you can normally free the obstruction. If you cannot free the device, you can use the ascending system to descend the rope.
If you are doing the standard two strand rappel, the new problem is getting your rope back since the rappel device has effectively locked the two strands together.
You only ever cut the rope in an emergency situation. When you rock climb the rope is your life line.
Is this the spot?
http://i.imgur.com/iZblj.jpg
Granted, that picture is from 2005, and I haven't been back through subways since, but the if i remember correctly, the anchors are just down and to the side of that, and it's easily down climbable.
Very Sad!
I would never pass jusgement on anyone without first hand knowledge of the incident, but if there is a lesson-learned to be had here I would certainly like to know. Learning is a continuous process...
- I do not see how the log had any play in the accident.
"The partner went for help, but was unfamiliar with the exit route and was caught by darkness."
- This is often my worry. As the most experience person in my set of canyoneering friends I am often the one most at risk. On questionable anchors I will back it up with a deadman or if there isn't an anchor I will be the downclimber (last man at risk). I have been teaching them navigation skills and encourage them to participate, but I have been doing it for so long everyone gets lazy and relies on my skills.
Very sad indeed. Under the realm of learning from these accidents, another very quick and easy method for freeing a stuck rappel device (be it stuck with an autoblock or long hair), is to simply bend one leg so your knee is in your chest, then reach down and wrap the rope around the foot of your bent leg about three times and then stand up on that leg. That usually releases enough tension from the rope to clear the stuck device.
update to story
Man, 74, dies after hanging by foot overnight in Zion NP canyon Subway excursion tragedy
Wow, 74. As a physician, I would caution even my healthiest 70 year old patients about this sport. I gotta give the guy props for simply being our there at that age. I hope he is remembered well and passed doing the adventuresome things he loved.
Oh, what an awful situation.
So sorry this happened.
I'm sure there's plenty of potential lessons to be learned here, but...how sad.
Pretty grim stuff...my condolences to friends and family.
74!!!!!!
I hope I'm still out rocking canyons at that age.
Some more information http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/m...9#.UFukMBjlGHl Sad news indeed. Condolences to his family and friends.