Very interesting article... here's a quote from it: "An analysis of a decade of lowering accidents (from 2003 to 2012 ) found a majority of the incidents (56%) were attributed to “rope too short.” In many of these cases, tying one simple knot could have prevented a ground fall, reducing or eliminating, the possibility of injury."
What I find interesting about this topic, is the stat of 56% of the incidents in this category were directly related to the absence of a knot. Why are so many people making the same mistake? There is no data that would help to identify the experience level of the climbers etc. So I will go out on a limb and suggest that just maybe this lack of tying a knot in the belay rope could be addressed through the training people are receiving.
I must confess that I am as guilty as those unfortunate people who became statistics. I did a 70 meter rap with a 60 meter rope. Fortunately the last 10 meters of the climb were forgiving.
True, Peter, training is one part but many people learn in the gym where generally this insn't a consideration. We can ensure this is covered in the BCMC Rock Climbing Intro. It that's a small group of climbers.
I think there are other factors that training cannot overcome: awareness, complacency, familiarity, using a rope you believe is the current standard of 60m but it's someone else's rope and it's only 50m. So often, when cragging, the pitches are so very short that we stop paying attention to the actual length of the climb. But then there is the route Plumline in Skaha to remind us to pay attention. It's 35m. Enough have learned the painful way that they put in a belay/rappel anchor on the little ledge 5m up.
I think that many accidents occur because we stop being mindful and in the moment. Things become automatic and we may miss a fatal flaw (both ropes through the rappel device anyone?).
Win wrote:
I think that many accidents occur because we stop being mindful and in the moment. Things become automatic and we may miss a fatal flaw...
Important point, and highlighting one of the root causes of many accidents (similar to texting while driving.....)
This is one of my favourite topics. Check out the following videos that cover closing the system for both rappelling and lowering/climbing.