Falling climbers lose headlamps

[hopkins]

Having your headlamp fall off while climbing is poor technique.
-got to have a backup headlamp!
2 examples of just this type of disaster can be read
about here.
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.html?topic_id=614363&tn=0#msg614769

 

[ltiu]

I always check my headlight, the straps and helmet (and everything else ... safety check!!!) before going into a cave. People have only themselves to blame for these equipment failures. Usually it's a product of human error or neglect.

You don't just start climbing with a rope and a few beeners. You always need to check the rope and the beeners before climbing. Same goes for all your other equipment including your lights!

 

[hopkins]

Link to Incident w/analysis to the fatal epic on Cathedral Peak where the climbers headlamp popped
off his helmet and was lost during a night rappel in a November blizzard...not for those easily scared.

http://www.friendsofyosar.org/rescues/missions/11-11-07_Cathedral_Fatality.html

 

[TorchBoy]

Well... There's a lot to be said for being prepared.

 

[paulr]

Those guys relied on their cell phone to tell time with, and it was off by hours?! Ouch.

 

[hopkins]

They've upgraded the wireless network in the Yosemite Toulumne area. On a remote mountainside, near there, after a fine day of climbing, I was making dinner by headlamp light while my partner was doing Blackberry emails and making calls to his team...

I liked the advice of keeping the spare headlamp batteries inside a 2nd headlamp
carried with you.
:twothumbs

 

[Yucca Patrol]

As a caver, I don't do anything potentially hazardous in the dark without at least 3 sources of light and at least two of them attached to my helmet.

 

[lowatts]

That's a sad story that didn't have to happen. A good reminder that safety rules are often based on past experience, and it's not a good idea to start taking shortcuts with them even when things seem safe. It's amazing how frequently "unlikely" events do happen to bring on a disaster.

In the case of the light, it sure wasn't a good idea to have only a single light, and one that is detachable, when there was a good chance of a dark decent. Though in this case, the mistake of leaving so much gear behind probably would've meant any spare light would've been left behind too.

 

[greenLED]

Still wondering what type/brand of headlamps we're talking about here.

"LED headlamp with a yoke" isn't a very helpful description.

 

[Yucca Patrol]

Even when mounted using the clips provided on some climbing helmets, headlamps can easily come off if bumped.

I've got at least one zip-tie on my primary light to hold it securely to the helmet if the other attachment points fail.

Sad to think that someone's life could have been saved by a five cent zip tie. . .

 

[Patriot]

Link to Incident w/analysis to the fatal epic on Cathedral Peak where the climbers headlamp popped
off his helmet and was lost during a night rappel in a November blizzard...not for those easily scared.

http://www.friendsofyosar.org/rescues/missions/11-11-07_Cathedral_Fatality.html

Sad story. Although there is a lesson wrapped up in here about back up headlamps, it looks like the disaster was primarily due to the weather and some poor judgment calls.

 

[hopkins]

The time needed to complete tasks during the rappels was increased a whole lot with only the one remaining headlight. Only one person can go down the rope
at a time so the headlight must go first to set up the new anchors leaving the other guy in the dark to clean up then follow when safe.

I'd like to believe they both could have made the car before the one guy collapsed without the added delay of doing critical tasks by feel alone with numb hands.

 

[RonM]

The lost headlamp was just one factor. These guys were sloppy and cocky. I don't climb, but I know in other areas of my life when I've gotten hurt or had a close call it's because I too ignored standard precautions and procedures.

 

[ltiu]

The lost headlamp was just one factor. These guys were sloppy and cocky. I don't climb, but I know in other areas of my life when I've gotten hurt or had a close call it's because I too ignored standard precautions and procedures.

Read the book:

http://www.deepsurvival.com/

Explains a lot why people get into trouble outdoors.