Rope Jump Fatality?

[JaapSuter 0]

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Hey I agree Jaap, No disrespect to the dead, but what a dumb ass!!

I want to stress very clearly that I never called the deceased a dumb ass.

In the hypothetical scenario where somebody would do rope work in 109 mph winds, I would lean towards an assesment that indicates poor risk managment.

However, I do not have sufficient facts to see how close the actual event is to the above mentioned hypothetical scenario.

So let's refrain from calling people dumb-asses.

[cresTfall 0]

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No disrespect to the dead, but what a dumb ass!!

Coco

First off, I'm not trying to flame you, just prove a point. Two, that was totally disrespectful. I totally agree with and respect calvin19. I also agree that noone should get into rope jumping, as a climber i know the design specifications of your average 129.00 rope, usually around 5-7 UIAA falls, not quite enough to handle repeated factor 2 falls and extreme use. Also, I understand the complex nature of the tyrolean rig and how multidirectional the forces (stress and strain) are that result on a rope designed for unidirectional force. The beauty and wonder of mathmatics can result in critically high stresses, that may not be intuitively or visually evident. That shit will kill you!


The gust of 109 mph was recorded at Kenosha pass which is about 45 miles from denver and more like 60 (57.4) from boulder. There was one, one gust of 97.9 mph recorded in boulder on MONDAY morning at the National Wind Technology Center, not Tuesday at 3:00 AM when this incident occurred. Yes the winds in the area were a pretty steady 50 mph on average during the morning on Monday. By the afternoon on monday though, the wind had already weakened considerably and was at 9 mph by 2145 Dec 5 and 14 mph at 545 on tuesday Dec 6 with very little change in barometric pressure over that time. Those are conditions in which I would likely BASE jump. The rest of the wind that evening was uneventful, the majority of the damage (not that there really was too much ultimately) occurred on monday morning. Yes there was a Piper that was flipped over and heavy equipment was used to shield the remaining aircraft at the airport.

Just because there is a rumor in an internet forum that some kid was jumping from a crane in 100+ mph winds does not make it true. Did the incident happen? Sure. Does that give anyone the right to call someone (who for one happens to be dead and definitely not from suicide more like a mistake whether poor judgment or lack of knowledge it does not matter, it could happen to anyone even me) who has absolutely no affiliation with these forums at all a "dumb ass!!." You can do what you want, but in my opinion it is totally unacceptable. You too can find these simple facts by maybe doing a little research into the situation rather than just following rumors blindly. Hopefully you feel ultra confident knowing and making sure everyone else knows that you are less of a "dumb ass!!" than an 18 year old adventure seeking kid from boulder. Great karma, if you're lucky, it will roll with you throughout your base career. Oh yeah, I have absolutely no attachment to the deceased, I am just tired of reading flames directed to those who are unable or unwilling to defend themselves.

My sincerest condolences are with Ryan Young's family, though I never knew any of you. It is never an enjoyable experience to lose someone you love to something they love. I will never blatantly desecrate someone else's reputation after a misfortunate event, who knows, maybe I'll be next? Has BASE taught you nothing about yourself, or is it just some kind of fun little game/hobby? I'm sure eventually you will have an experience that will put your own life into perspective, I just truly hope that isn't your last experience.

Hey I agree with common sense, no disrespect for poor decision making, but don't forget to think!!

Jeremy

Premier Member IGPA
2009 IGPA Overall Champion

WWTAD

[SkiD_PL8 0]

My condoloences to the family and friends.

Greenie in training.

[dmcoco84 4]

I apologize, sorry if I offended people. I guess I should have chosen my words more wisely.

BUT, I look at doing rope work in 109 gusting winds in the same boat as (a hypothetical) me having 14 BASE, 1 wingsuit skydive and going to the Swiss valley and doing WS BASE. If I burned in, I’d consider myself a “dumb ass” for doing something so careless and irresponsible.

But I agree, I should have been more sensative to the deceased.

[JaapSuter 0]

In my opinion having 14 jumps makes you a dumb ass already, but that comes from a guy who's hoping that his best friends will piss on his grave and nominate him for a Darwin when he smokes in BASE jumping....

Don't ever forget that we're really just a bunch of monkeys having a good time...

[freakydiver 0]

I can vouch for the winds - I live about 15 miles west south west of boulder at 9000 feet. the wind got REAL loud that night, i mean, FREEFALL loud. strange thing is, i was walking around my property that night checking things out and had to use poles in addition to my snowshoes just to stay upright.

-- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

[CBRnick 0]

I dont know anything about rope jumping or base other than what Ive read, but I did use to work with cranes when I wa a bit younger.

Some of the big permenant cranes that were used where I worked swayed qite a lot in even a light wind, and if there was a storm warning they were left set so that the top could rotate something like a weathervane to reduce stress on the structure during the storm.
It always used to suprise me how easy they seemed to move. If not for the fact that I saw this due to my work I wouldnt know this.

I could be wrong, but taking an educated guess, id think that the static weight of a body swinging on the end of a rope attatched to the tip of the gib would be enough to swing it round a suprising amount.

[lifewithoutanet 0]

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that comes from a guy who's hoping that his best friends will piss on his grave and nominate him for a Darwin when he smokes in BASE jumping....

F U, man. I've already watched you die once. It's TIVO'd into my head for the rest of my life. Do it again and I'll not only piss on your grave, you'll get a nice posthumous Cleveland Steamer to boot.
-C.

[NickDG 23]

>>if there was a storm warning they were left set so that the top could rotate something like a weathervane to reduce stress on the structure during the storm.<<

I think they only secure them if there is a chance they can hit something . . .

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=1400380;search_string=cranes;#1400380

NickD BASE 194

[Calvin19 0]

From what i have looked at so far, this may be a simple rappelling accident, made complicated by a moving crane. again will kee updated

[clr 0]

That is prety much the word on this end (CUPD) as well.

[Calvin19 0]

Yeah, thats what it is. A rappelling accident. forgive the hype.

Yet another case where the media destroyes the truth an a perfectly simple case.

Rest.

[davedlg 0]

It now sounds like it was a rope jump (more like a rope swing). They were apparently trying to swing through an alley between two buildings and missed. He had just started skydiving too.
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_4304525,00.html

There was a good graphic in the newspaper that isn't online. I'll see if I can scan it.

[skibumhass 0]

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>>if there was a storm warning they were left set so that the top could rotate something like a weathervane to reduce stress on the structure during the storm.<<

I think they only secure them if there is a chance they can hit something . . .

[BASE 194

this is pretty much bang on i rig tower cranes for ajob they free slew when not in use and it doesnt take much wind or change of direction to move them im not positive on the efect of a swinging mass on the slew as i havnt fallen off yet but they have a lot of inertia so i wouldnt think it would do any thing. and they are occasionally tied down if the potential to hit something however it requires special permission as it opens another big can of worms.

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