Rescue crews bring down fallen hiker

[jumar]

Anyone have additional details?
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=3236705

Rescue crews bring down fallen hiker
May 5th, 2008 @ 10:06pm
(KSL News) A climber fell nearly 50 feet in Big Cottonwood Canyon and had to be rescued today.

The man was climbing with some friends on Storm Mountain. Police say the 20-year-old was using a two-rope system but forgot to attach the ropes. When he got to the end of the first one, he fell.

The man broke his leg, so search and rescue crews carried him down the mountain. He was flown to hospital in serious condition.

[tanya]

That had to be an awful feeling!

[JP]

using a two-rope system but forgot to attach the ropes. When he got to the end of the first one, he fell.

Wow I hope he pulls through.

[denaliguide]

forgot to attach the rope? to what? his harness? oops! darwinism at work.

must have missed the warning on the rope that said "do not use without proper instruction"

even more curious! when he got to the end of the first one? like he was going to tie the ropes together at the start? thats the strangest 2 rope system i have ever heard of. not sure how that would work exactly. my guess, not at all.

[Iceaxe]

Just a guess but I think this might have been what was intended... I've seen it some in ice climbing around here...



Double Rope System - The Double Rope System is sometimes considered more flexible system than the Single Rope System.

With the Double Rope System, one can reduce or entirely cut out any rope drag. This is a major advantage as it contributes to the safety of the system.

The Double Rope System is often used in Traditional Rock Climbing, Mountaineering, and Ice Climbing.

The two Double Ropes are more practical to carry. The load of the two ropes can be divided equally between two people.

When the two double ropes are tied together, then one can abseil the full rope length as opposed to a half rope length in a Single Rope System.

Compared to the Single Rope System, the Double Rope System is safer and more durable.

Double Ropes are normally between 8-9 mm.

The Double Rope System is more costly than a Single Rope System.

[denaliguide]

i have used that technique on rock as well as ice. really helps with reducing the rope drag. the ropes i use are 8.8mm and 65m long. it's real nice being able to split the ropes up for the hike in. you need to carry 2 ropes anyway for the rappells and this way you aren't carrying a 11mm and a 9 mm haul line. make raps smoother having 2 ropes the same diameter too.

so, yea i'm sure that was what he eas trying to do too. just wasn't described very well by those in the press. what can you expect being non-climbers.

[Bo_Beck]

It would be interesting to know what they are talking about when they say a "2 rope system"? Might prevent accidents like this in the future possibly.