Estrellita is shown here on the left of the formation. Photo: Climbing.com
For the first time since climbers and local authorities originally developed the area for big wall sport climbing in the 1990s, El Potrero Chico in Mexico sees two deaths in as many days this new year. In two unrelated rappelling accidents, two climbers fell victim to what is suspected as knotless ends of their respective ropes.
According to Climbing Magazine, on Friday, January 2, two climbers had summited 23-pitch Time Wave Zero and begun their descent when about about halfway down a German male in his late 20s (limbing with a French guide) mis-executed an adjustment and not knowing where the ends of the ropes were, which he didn’t tie knots into, effectively rappelled off the rope.
The following day on Saturday January 3, a 26-year-old male from Austin, Texas (climbing with three friends) was descending 12-pitch Estrellita into Los Lobos Canyon when his partners heard a loud cracking sound followed by screams. Another party called for an ambulance, and several climbers with medical training soon arrived at the scene, but it was too late as the young man succumbed to a massive head injury. Witnesses reported seeing the rope break through the chains, and as with the incident the day before, there were no knots tied into the rope.
Read the entire story on Climbing.com.
