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The primary purpose of these experience reports and the Annual Report of Accidents in North American Mountaineering is to aid in the prevention of accidents.
Narrative Description of Accident:
Mark Kent, 42 and his father, Terry Kent, 64, arrived at Smith
Rock State Park on a Saturday morning to find that the trad sport climbs they
had researched were taken by other climbers. They found Godzilla around the
corner near Monkey Face, a 5.8 climb rated one star by Alan Watts in his
Climber’s Guide to Smith Rock.
Godzilla is a traditional unbolted climb given a mixed review by Watts for its
climbing, including a dirty flair, a bulge and a 5.8 under-cling at the top of
the route. Godzilla requires gear to three inches according to Watts.
Mark’s father, Terry Kent, is a past Climb Leader with the Portland based
Mazamas club. Terry belayed as Mark worked his way up the route. Near the top of
the first pitch, Mark set a flexible shaft cam in a two inch horizontal crack
and climbed upward over a bulge. Roughly eight feet above his last piece and
with clear air below the bulge, Mark found no where to go and after warning his
belayer, he dropped off.
Mark remembers a jerk as the last piece pulled out, before falling an estimated
25 feet to a ledge. He landed flat footed on the ledge and then fell over
backward, striking his head and hanging upside down. He was wearing a helmet
that may have saved his life, according to Mark.
Terry Kent lowered his son toward the ground as Mark made his way through the
complexity of the climb. They were alone in this part of the Park. They called
911 from their cell phone. A Ranger appeared and soon two firemen charged with
rescues at Smith. Mark was given morphine. The four carried Mark down the steep
narrow trail to the Crooked River where other firemen were rigging a boat to a
waiting ambulance. Mark was released from the hospital with his x-rays and two
soft casts. He returned to work five weeks later and is mountaineering again.
Analysis of Accident: What knowledge and techniques will help prevent future
accidents?
Mark suggests that climbers should create below a known crux move, a secure,
redundant protection point rigged for no
extensions. Also, he is concerned about the soft nature of the rock
in this part of Smith which does not protect well. He feels, in retrospect, that
this route was a bit beyond his current level.
Read more . . .
American Alpine Club
Oregon Section of the AAC
Accidents in North American Mountaineering
MOST RECENT
AAC Report: Smith Rock Leader fall turns climber upside down
Three climbers, their MLU and a dog rescued on Mt. Hood
Three North Face climbers lost on Mt. Hood
Family of five and exhausted Great Dane dog rescued from South Sister Climber's Trail
Climbing the Snow Creek Route on Mt. San Jacinto, California
Cheating death on the Snow Creek Route on Mt San Jacinto, California
A climb of Three Fingered Jack in the Mount Jefferson Wilderness
Ten high altitude deaths on Everest confirmed for 2006 climbing season
On Being and Becoming a Mountaineer: an Essay
Climbing Mount Hood in April with Arlene Blum and friends
AAC Report - Accident on Mount Washington ends with helicopter rescue
AAC Report - Fatal fall from Three Finger Jack in the Mount Jefferson Wilderness
Three Finger Jack - OSU student falls on steep scree slope
Mount Huntington's West Face by Coley Gentzel
©2005 by AAI. All Rights Reserved
Solo climber falls from Cooper Spur on Mount Hood
Climber dies on the steep snow slopes of Mount McLaughlin
Warning!! **Climbers swept by avalanche while descending North Sister's Thayer Glacier Snowfield
Mt. Whitney's East Face Route is quicker!
Mt. Whitney's Mountaineer's Route requires skill and experience
Report: R.J. Secor seriously injured during a runaway glissade
Mount Rainer . . . eventually, with R.J. Secor by Tracy Sutkin
Warning!! ** Belayer drops climber off the end of the top rope
Runaway glissade fatal for Mazama climber on Mt. Whitney
Sierra Club climb on Middle Palisade fatal for Brian Reynolds
Smith Rock - Fall on rock, protection pulled out
Mount Washington - Report to the American Alpine Club on a second accident in 2004
Mount Hood - Solo hiker drowns while crossing Mt. Hood's Sandy River
Mount Hood - Solo climber slides into the Bergschrund and is found the following day
Notable mountain climbing accidents analyzed
Mount Washington - Report to the American Alpine Club on the recent fatal accident
Mount Washington - "Oregon tragedy claims two lives"
Mount Jefferson - two climbers rescued by military helicopter
North Sister - climbing with Allan Throop
SMITH ROCK EXPERIENCES
AAC Report: Smith Rock Leader fall turns climber upside down
Smith Rock - Fall on rock, protection pulled out
Smith Rock - WARNING - top rope belay error
Smith Rock - inadequate top rope belay
Smith Rock - climber injured on the approach
Smith Rock - WARNING - belayer drops climber off the end of the top rope
Smith Rock - novice sport climber injured
Smith Rock - fall on rock, protection pulled out
Smith Rock - fall on rock - poor position, inadequate protection
Smith Rock - pulled rock off - fall on rock, failure to test holds, exceeding abilities
Smith Rock - belay failure, fatal fall on rock
SMITH ROCK PHOTOS
Smith Rock from above the Burma Road
Smith Rock rescue cache by AAC/ORS and TraditionalMountaineering
Smith Rock weekend
Smith Rock Monkey Face practice
