FALL ON ROCK, STRANDED, EXCEEDING ABILITIES, INADEQUATE EQUIPMENT Arizona, Camelback Mountain At 1240 on January 24, 1987, the Phoenix Fire D epartm ent w as notified that a male (18) had fallen about 60 m eters to his death from a route know n as Suicide Direct (5.8) on C am elback M ountain in Echo C anyon Park in Phoenix. His com panion (19) w as stranded about that high off the ground. C am elback M ountain, w ithin the city lim its, is about 500 m eters tall and consists mostly o f rotten brecia and som e granite. The first pitch o f the clim b goes 30 meters Class 4 to a large ledge, the second pitch continuing 40 m eters at 5.8 w ith protection being five bolts placed by the first ascent party (including “ eye” bolts— som e since rem oved). The clim b gains access to an upper portion o f the m ountain known as A ugust Canyon. The tw o had attem pted the clim b and w ere able to make it about 60 m eters to a bolt, w here there is a slightly overhanging crux move. The boy follow ing slipped and fell. The stranded survivor had grabbed an old sling attached to the bolt there and hung on. Phoenix Fire D epartm ent called for C A M R A via the sh eriff’s departm ent and team m em bers w ere flown by helicopter to just above the victim , w here fire rscuers had set up. By 1440 the victim was on the ground by w ay o f an “uninjured
low ering,” using a top belay as a team m em ber rappelled along side with a leash line system . (Source: Central A rizona M ountain Rescue A ssociation— A ccident S um mary C om m ittee)
Analysis T his is one exam ple o f five situations in A rizona this past year w here individuals got them selves into clim bing situations and either fell or becam e stranded. None had clim bing experience or w ere adequately equipped. The region in w hich the Central A rizona M ountain R escue Team operates has an apparently disproportionate share of technical rescues for nonclim bers. A s their com m ittee points out, the rock in the Phoenix area beckons because o f the “stair-step” appearance. (Source: J. W illiam son)