Ice Climber Falls 30 metres in Rappelling Accident

An ice climber at Ranger Creek in Kananaskis Country in Alberta fell 30 metres in a rappelling accident. Kananaskis Public Safety responded to a call on Oct. 23. They didn’t mention how serious the injuries were.

Rappelling accidents are all too common, so be sure that you’re rappel-device and ropes are rigged properly before unclipping from the anchor to rappel. Rappelling in winter with gloves on, extra layers and iced ropes can be difficult, especially with skinny ropes.

Consider adding a backup to your rappel setup, like a friction hitch above or below the device. Prior to rappelling, check every aspect of your system.

BRAKES

The acronym BRAKES, developed by Cyril Shokoples, is now used by guides and climbing schools:
B – Buckles: Check the buckles on your harness to be sure they’re double-backed.
R – Rappel Device/Ropes: The carabiner should be locked and both strands of the rope have been loaded in the device, and is threaded through the rappel anchor.
A – Anchor: Confirm that the anchor is strong and rigged properly.
K – Knots: Check all the knots in the system.
E – Ends: Confirm that the ends of your ropes are on the ground or reach the next anchor. Add knots to the ends of your rappel lines.
S – Safety Backup/Sharp Edges: Use a backup and don’t rappel over any sharp edges.

Also consider bringing avalanche gear, such as a beacon, shovel and probe. Read why you should carry avalanche gear while ice climbing here.

In May, longtime climber Steve Stanko, 63, died after being injured after a rappelling accident in Jasper National Park. In 2018, photographer Matt Snell died in a rappelling accident on Tunnel Mountain in Banff.