Auto belay accident what happened. Police say Janice Ciorra, 67, was Sep 21, 2023 · Seattle's Vertical World and Colorado-based manufacturer C3, which produces Perfect Descent auto belays, have settled in a lawsuit following a severe climbing accident that occurred on August 1 4 days ago · GRAND COUNTY, Colo. Aug 3, 2025 · Two women were killed in a head-on crash along Route 66 in Washington Township, Westmoreland County. Jan 15, 2024 · The industry has experienced at least two auto-belay deaths in the past three years and several serious injuries related to auto-belays. Sep 21, 2023 · Gym and Auto Belay Manufacturer to Pay $6M in Settlement for Auto Belay Accident Vertical World and Perfect Descent manufacture settle with climber who sustained 30-foot fall Published Sep 21, 2023 Delaney Miller We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. . The auto-belay itself is safer than the webbing and rope that comprise the rest of the system. Most of the accidents have happened when climbers were well into their climbing session. Your two eyes are your only double-checking mechanism. on Saturday afternoon. The horrific crash happened in Grand County on Aug 19, 2021 · As per usual, a brouhaha began on Mountain Project after Frohbieter’s posted about his accident, with some offering support and well wishes, but many calling the accident a hoax and requesting “proof. In September, after a four year long legal battle over an auto belay accident, Vertical World publicly announced a shocking $6m settlement. Also in 2021, a 73-year-old man was seriously injured at a gym in Poland, falling 30 feet after his auto-belay line reportedly broke. Jan 25, 2023 · Your monthly dose of climbing accident analysis from the editors of "Accidents in North American Climbing. Sep 22, 2023 · In 2019, a climber fell 30 feet while using an auto-belay device at a Seattle climbing gym. even if the cause of the accident was failure to use the auto-belay altogether. ” Others, meanwhile, took to lambasting both Frohbieter and climbing gym, or both, for the injury. 3 days ago · The Michigan State Police said the trooper was working the scene of a previous crash when they were struck by a passing motorist. In 2021, a young climber died after falling 43 feet from an auto belay–equipped route in Sydney, Australia. In the auto belay scenario you lack an extra set of eyes. Climbing (POSSIBLE PAYWALL) The use of auto belays has been a hotly debated topic in the indoor climbing industry for the last 10 years. Feb 8, 2024 · An informal post on a climbing forum titled "Auto-belay Accident" is the most perfect, concise way to tell a reader, they are going to read about a climbing accident that occurred on an auto-belay. Mar 3, 2025 · A few weeks ago, a climber in the Netherlands was pretty badly injured when the webbing (!) of an auto belay apparently snapped, causing them to fall from approximately 8 meters. The law office representing Vandivereclaims that Vandivere fell due to a defective auto-belay device, improper supervision by Vertical World staff, and inadequate training for climbers by Vertical World. Yeah, auto-belays aren't being removed because they're bad engineering. It is important to note that the majority of auto-belay-related incidents and deaths are not a result of the malfunction of the auto-belay itself. We first responded by removing our Perfect Descent auto belays (Perfect Descent was a defendant in One of the main elements in the auto belay set-up that is different from regular top rope climbing, is the absence of a partner. " This month, we cover an increasingly common gym accident involving an auto belay; and the risk of rock fall at outdoor crags. This lawsuit really amped up the conversation. It happened just after 1 p. Jan 15, 2024 · Photo: CityROCK There has been a lot of chatter about auto-belays in recent months, both in the media and behind closed doors. And unfortunately did not double check his partner, the auto belay. When the auto belay is my partner, I do double checks with the auto belay before I leave the ground just as I would with a human partner. Despite using the device properly, the climber fell when the auto-belay device failed to function as intended. (KKTV) - A family of five, including three children, were killed Monday morning when a wrong-way driver slammed into their SUV. Sep 27, 2023 · Vertical World and C3 Manufacturing recently agreed to pay a climber $6 million, one of the largest settlements in the climbing gym industry’s history, following an auto belay accident. His lawsuit could have far-reaching consequences. Sep 21, 2023 · Seattle’s Vertical World and Colorado-based manufacturer C3, which produces Perfect Descent auto belays, have settled in a lawsuit following a severe climbing accident that occurred on August 1, 2019. Although the frequency of auto-belay-related incidents is relatively low (compared to the frequency of auto-belay usage without incidents) — the severity of these incidents has caused many gym managers and owners to become extremely concerned. m. Feb 8, 2024 · This is a climbing accident where the injured forgot to attach himself to a belay. They're being removed because it turns out a partner check is just ridiculously important to avoid accidents on ropes over the long run. kadogx pharog wicpvt getf xzi nceefhh epxd gjhm tqymy txny