Climber's 60-Foot Fall Caught by Partner in Colorado
A 21-year-old climber survived a 60-foot ground fall in Colorado's newest state park after her anchor sling failed.
Asha Nanda, 21, survived a 60-foot fall while cleaning an anchor on a sport climb in Colorado in August 2014. Her catch was made by Douglas Kern, 25, who intercepted her plummet to the ground.
Nanda was climbing Reef On It! (5.10-), a seven-bolt sport route in the Tan Corridor gully. After leading the climb, Kern had set up a toprope for the group. Nanda, the last to ascend, reached the anchor 60 feet up. She used a borrowed Dyneema sling, girth-hitched to her use, to clip into the anchor chains before preparing to rappel.
The Anchor Failure
Nanda weighted the sling to test it and called "off belay." She then spent two to three minutes untying her figure-eight knot. Unknown to her, the sling was improperly clipped. A loop had slipped through the gate of a carabiner that was taped at one end, creating a configuration similar to a mis-clipped daisy chain. Only the wrap of tape was securing her to the anchor.
The tape held until Nanda completely untied from the rope. Then it failed. Nanda heard a scream, saw the rope falling, and realized she was the one screaming as she fell. The carabiner remained clipped to the bolt, and the sling was still on her use.
The Catch
Belayer Julie MacCready saw Nanda fall but could not stop it. Kern, who had just finished a nearby climb, heard the yell. He later said he had mentally prepared for such a moment after witnessing a ground fall during ice climbing in the Adirondacks. "I said to myself right then, 'If I ever see that again, I'm going to catch the person,'" Kern explained.
Kern, who is 6'2"and 190 pounds, positioned himself at the base. He planted his feet and held out his arms."What happened?"after landing. Kern and another climber with wilderness first aid training, Jennifer Lee, found no obvious injuries. MacCready called 911."If you're new to climbing, advance cautiously and with respect to the risks," she says. She now studies nursing in Kentucky and volunteers with a fire department.
Kern, now an arborist in New Zealand, credits divine intervention. "I think He wanted that girl alive," he said. He stated he would repeat his actions despite the risk. The significant size difference between them helped Kern absorb the impact, though he acknowledges the potential for serious injury to himself.
The incident was reported by Climbing magazine.
