tree climber falls

[Mahk_Adams]

On Thursday, Nov. 7, in Decatur, Georgia, a tree climber fell from a tree when his attachment knot failed. He broke several veterbrate and his heel, but is expected to make a full recovery.


The climber is an aquaintance of mine. He never lost consciousness and was cognizant throughout the whole incident. I have spoken with several other people about the incident, but not with the climber himself. Some of the details that follow may not be completely accurate. The climber is still in the hospital, but I hope to speak with him sometime this week.

The climber had apparently finished removing the brush from a tree and had just recrotched his rope (although it is unclear whether he tied into the same or a nearby tree). He was using a split tail system, but, instead of having an eye splice in his climbing line, he was simply using an anchor hitch as an attachment knot for his carabiner. He was in a hurry and apparently didn't properly dress and set the anchor hitch. It had too short a tail and was not snugged up tight before he started to descend. He rappelled about 20 feet, then the hitch failed and he started to free fall. He has some airborne training and that training may have saved his life. When he realized he was falling he rotated his body so that he was vertical, bent his legs and when he landed he rolled forward.

He landed in about six inches of water at the edge of a creek bed, between two boulders, and rolled into the creek. The distance that he fell has been reported as being somewhere between 45 and 72 feet.

Several months earlier, someone had cautioned the climber about using the anchor hitch, but the climber just shrugged it off.

All of this was told to me by someone who had talked to the climber, so the information is probably fairly accurate. What is clear is that someone fell because they were in a hurry and did not pay proper attention to what they were doing.

If I learn more or find that these details are inaccurate I will make a follow-up post.


Mahk

[ November 12, 2002: Message edited by: Mahk Adams ]

 

[Oxman]

We had a climber come out of a tree whose bowline failed in similar circumstances. He walked away from a short fall--a wrought iron stair railing crumpled nicely. When using a split tail without an eye splice on my climbing line, I'll tie either a buntline hitch or a double fishermans knot. TDS (tie, dress, set) is the name of the game when tying any knot.

 

[acer]

Hmmm..

I'm glad the climber made a full recovery. None of my ropes have eyes spliced. I used to use a figure 8 as end loop, and have also used a dbl fisherman's, but switched back to bowline because it's easier to break. I normally dress it and pull it snug, then put my weight on the new system before releasing from the old, but it's the 1 occasion when you forget to do that that'll find you out. I'm happy using it, but what's the verdict on the bowline? I've heard other people say that there's a greater possibility of it being tied wrong and failing..

 

[Mahk_Adams]

If you use a bowline as an endline knot you should tie it with a Yosemite tie-off (shown in 'On Rope', 'Tree Climber's Companion' et al.).

Don Roppolo related that he used a regular bowline for some time and one day he noticed that it had all but come untied. In that particular climb he was frequently loading and then unloading the knot and he thinks that this may have contributed to its near failure.

Despite the accident I described above, an anchor hitch is considered a secure knot. I talked to the climber who fell and he says that he was just in a hurry. He quickly tied an anchor hitch without checking the length of the tail, and didn't dress or set the hitch before starting to descend.

I like to use a buntline. It is easy to tie, requires only one turn (and can thus be used on a 'biner or a snap), is easy to untie after use (climbing, not rigging) and the tail exits at a right angle and doesn't interfere with the rest of my gear. It's also shown in 'Tree Climber's Companion'.

Mahk

 

[Riggs]

Did he have a chain saw attached to him when he fell? I know it's a dumb question , but I'm curious , and it's no dumber than your life line coming undone .

 

[Help]

Hmmmm, my names not help! Need to sort that one.

Glad to hear the climber will make a full recovery - Oxman, couldn't agree more, tying setting and dressing of knots crucial. A Yosemite tie off to finish a bowline, again must be TDS, had a climber recently over here (Uk) who used the yosemite, wasn't set correctly and actually clipped into the loop that is created when you take the tail back up your line. Lucky to be alive. (Says his PPE saved his life). Bowline then stopper? Single figure of eight or single overhand - again, a few accidents over here where arborists have clipped inbetween both knots, applied weight to the system will seem to hold, as the knot holds against the krab, then just pops out.

Pugsly

 

[Mahk_Adams]

He had a 335 attached to the right side of his saddle. He landed on both feet in about 6 inches of water at the edge of a creek. His butt slammed into his heels and his chest hit his knees. He rolled backwards and to the left. His saw did not affect him at all. It was still attached when the EMT's cut his saddle off of him.

This guy was an Airborn Army Ranger for two years and has completed 22 jumps, most of them at night. That training probably saved his life.

Still, if he had only paid attention to the training that says to tie, dress and set a knot he wouldn't be in the hospital.


Mahk

 

[Stumper]

The Yosimite tie off is supposed to increase the strength of the Bowline a few percentage points and get the tail out of the way. The disadvantage to the YTO is (imho) that it must be dressed and set. The standard bowline doesn't require dressing and a quick tug sets it. I have never had a bowline come apart after setting BUT I don't use the bowline as a tie-in knot. The Buntline hitch is superb for tying into the climbing line. For those who like the figure 8 knot:check out the fig 9 knot. Another half turn adds 10% knot strength and is easily dressed and set.

 

[MrPez]

Many accidents with knots I have heard of happen when changing lifeline. A supple rope is much more forgiving of sloppy knot tying (eg single braids). A stiffer rope can easily unspring a Bowline if it isn't tied, dressed and set porperly. For these types of rope (eg some low stretch kernmantles), a figure 8 loop or half double fishermans will give less opportunities for concern. Stopper knots come undone/loosen in the same way and can be clipped into by mistake. Of course, some people say they tied a certain knot, but you can't be sure they tied it properly. I've seen countless experienced climbers tieing knots incorrectly because they saw it once and thought they got it right.

Training, training, training...........