The Accident

The Accident

by Brad Roach on Wednesday, August 4, 2010 at 11:47am

Mountains are a domain that demand respect. Oftentimes, so saturated in the beauty and excitement of this environment; we can forget how weak humans are in comparison with their vast and violent powers. I write now, trying to understand an event that has me considerably humbled and shaken by this power. I witnessed a traumatic death days ago while belaying 70 meters into an 8 pitch, 200 meter climb.

The General

The route was called “The General”, a granite monolith in Seoraksan, South Korea. The mountain was busy, several parties were there and already there had been several rock falls. Nevertheless, the day was sunny, the route challenging and engaging and the views spectacular. Climbing with a Korean team, I was happy to be out, climbing one of the most celebrated routes in the country. The mood was exuberant and there was very little to worry about. 

In an instant, the reverie was shattered by screams from above. A sharp crack and what sounded like rock fall, heading for our belay station. Looking at my climbing partner (a strong experienced climber by the name of Yeongju), I saw not fear but horror in his face. He understood the meaning of the screams. 

Flying down the mountain was a person, not a rock. I was unable to look away as they flew, mere feet from my belay station. Wet impact left a deafening silence. We prepared to rappel down. Climbing was finished. We descended and arrived at a grisly scene. Our gear was littered with small pieces of flesh and the fallen climber, most assuredly dead, was in plain view. We packed up and left but unfortunately, the images from that scene have traveled with me.

I have been shaken after this event. I am a risk taker, I love the mountains and everything they offer but I had not yet seen the reality of these risks. The big question I keep asking is how did something like this happen? No amount of physical ability, money, intelligence or experience can guarantee safe passage in the mountains.

Accidents prove that a minor mistake in an unforgiving environment can have an instant and fatal result. I did not see the accident happen, only the result. The climber had no rope attached and there were no signs of gear failure. Sometimes accidents are unavoidable, but many have, in hindsight, an obvious lapse of judgment. I stand humbled by the power of the mountains and sobered by the fragility of human life. May the deceased climber rest in peace.

I have learned a few things since the accident. The climber was a woman (impossible to tell at the accident scene) in her forties. She was very experienced but, in a fatal lapse of judgment, she unclipped from an anchor before tying in.