Climber falls in Big Cottonwood Canyon

[tanya]

Posted on: Tuesday, 6 May 2008, 09:00 CDT

A man rappelling in Big Cottonwood Canyon survived a fall of more than 50 feet Monday afternoon.

The 22-year-old was rappelling with friends near Storm Mountain around 4 p.m., said Salt Lake County Sheriff's Lt. Paul Jaroscak.

"He was using a two-rope system but didn't attach the second rope," Jaroscak said. "He got to the end of the first rope and went into a free-fall."

The man, who suffered a broken leg, was flown to University Hospital in serious condition, police said.


http://www.redorbit.com/news/science...eet_in_canyon/

For Brian

[climbinghalfdome]

I took my Dad up Astar Command tower in Zion this last weekend and I only grabbed my 70Meter rope. I rapped from the top anchors and had to down climb 5 feet to get to the highest set of chains on top of the first pitch. Normaly I'd rap the several sets of anchors off to the east, but I left gear on the lower pitch and needed to get it. Always to remember to BARK.

B = buckel, is it threaded correctly and doubled back, legs and waste?
A = anchor, is it sound, threaded right and the knot away from chain link?
R = Rap device, do you have both lines and device clipped? Biner locked?
K = Knot at the end of the rope? Last Saturday that knot saved my tail.

What are the Cottonwood conditions like? Snow?
I'd like to take Dad up a solid 5.9 trad route and I don't have a guide book. Any suggestions?
Kevin

[neumannbruce]

Once the rain clears you'll be good to go for the north side of LCC. See www.mountainproject.com if you don't have a guide book - may prove useful.

[Brian in SLC]

What are the Cottonwood conditions like? Snow?

Not on the south facing stuff lower in the canyon. Folks have been climbing that stuff since January. And, the snow that was there has been long gone for several months now, with most of the main craggin' in SLC pretty dry up to this last storm.

I'd like to take Dad up a solid 5.9 trad route and I don't have a guide book. Any suggestions?

Wow, your dad must be pretty burly.

Coffin Crack, Crescent Crack finish on the Final Link, Sasquatch, Altered States, Smitty's Wet Dream, Crack in the Woods, Touch Up, Gordon's Hangover, S Direct, etc etc etc.

But, really...if you haven't climbed in LCC, you might start on slightly lower grades, you know, for the sake of ol' dad. Ha ha.

Actually, the mountainproject data base is pretty good. Plenty of info there.

Cheers,

-Brian in SLC