Fatal accident on Crestone Needle
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Please be respectful when posting - family and friends of fallen climbers might be reading this forum.
Please be respectful when posting - family and friends of fallen climbers might be reading this forum.
- JenGa
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Re: Fatal accident on Crestone Needle
RIP Matthew.
- BagginPeaks
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Re: Fatal accident on Crestone Needle
I generally try and stay out of the accidents page, but this one has struck me with curiosity. From what little I have read, he was on the Ellingwood Arete route. This is a route I have had my eye on for a couple years now. And with the utmost respect, I just have to ask.. Was he soloing or was he with a partner? Was he roped or unroped when he fell? Did a piece of gear fail or did he fall before they were roped up?
RIP Mathew, condolences to the family and friends that will be missing you.
RIP Mathew, condolences to the family and friends that will be missing you.
- mtgirl
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Re: Fatal accident on Crestone Needle
RIP, Dr. Matthew Davis. Thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, and the fine individuals who devote their time to SAR teams.
"Life is not measured by the breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away."
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Re: Fatal accident on Crestone Needle
Terribly tragic. The only positive thing is that he died doing something he enjoyed.
"Thy righteousness is like the great mountains."
Psalm 36:6
Psalm 36:6
- Custer County SAR
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Re: Fatal accident on Crestone Needle
He had a climbing partner and they had finished the direct start with no issues. As we understand it, the fall occurred while the pair were crossing the class 3 section, while un-roped. His climbing partner was able to down climb and determine that he did not survive the fall.
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Always tell someone where you're going and when you'll be back, even if you aren’t hiking alone.
That person should also know what vehicle you are driving, what trail head you will be parked at and what your intended route is.
Always tell someone where you're going and when you'll be back, even if you aren’t hiking alone.
That person should also know what vehicle you are driving, what trail head you will be parked at and what your intended route is.
- anasarca76
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Re: Fatal accident on Crestone Needle
My condolences to the fallen climbers friends and family. Be safe out there everyone!
- polar
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Re: Fatal accident on Crestone Needle
Condolences to Dr. Davis's friends and family. I was also eyeing Ellingwood Ledges (aka Ellingwood Arete) this year, but wasn't able to get on it due to work-related travels. It's very sad to hear about this accident. There are a lot of exposed class 3/class 4 terrain on this route where most would scramble unroped for speed, but any slip on those easier section can have very dire consequences.
"Getting to the bottom, OPTIONAL. Getting to the top, MANDATORY!" - The Wisest Trail Sign
- Upwardlybound
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Re: Fatal accident on Crestone Needle
Thanks for the update, CCS&R. Your work is very much appreciated. My heartfelt condolences to the family. Be safe out there everyone. Tragedy can happen when and where you least expect it.
"He who forms the mountains, creates the wind, and reveals His thoughts to men, He who turns dawn to darkness, and treads the high places of the earth -- the Lord God Almighty is His name." Amos 4:13
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Re: Fatal accident on Crestone Needle
Polar/Baggin Peaks: I've been on the route twice, doing both the older Head Crack variation, which IMO has fallen out of favor, as well as the newer variation with the dihedral/crack finish. Both are pretty straightforward, protect well on relatively solid rock. IMO opinion the safety crux of the climb is the long class 3 scramble up to the climbing cruxes. The terrain gets progressively steeper where a fall could quickly build momentum, it's too long to pitch out, and good protection opportunities sparse. Think steeper staircase climbing with alpine grass…the kind that could get slick when wet. As you suspect, Polar, if you slipped there it could get dire very quickly. Personally I wouldn't do that section in any sort of marginal weather, or even within a day of prior rain, but that's just conservative-when-unroped me.
Condolences to the fallen climber, RIP.
-Tom
Condolences to the fallen climber, RIP.
-Tom