Total speculation but my guess: He was rappelling with a prussic backup. It got wet, locked up on the rope, 30 degree water started to numb his fingers and he couldn't release it, the colder he got the more worthless his fingers became, and he just sat there with wooden hands, helpless, until he died from exposure.

Just a guess, but something was keeping him stuck in one place. Sad story.

Sad. It 400' waterfall and he was found dangling 200' down the fall. Sounds like he reached the end of the rope.

its possible that something happened to the second rap anchor which wasn't there to complete the additional 200 feet rap to the ground causing climber to be stuck in mid section.

A little more info...
http://canyonbeta.com/...anyon-mildred-falls/

The Canyon Descent:
A single bolt anchor will give you an 100′ rappel point down to an exposed ledge where you can find another bolted anchor point. The second rappel will be about 250′ mostly free hanging. From there continue down canyon along class III & IV terrain until the canyon begins to turn to the right. At that point you can begin looking for a way to to climb out canyon left back to the road.

whatever the cause, that is a real shame.

Is this in General because you were banned from A&I?

I can't help it if some people like to use their power to push others to the corner.

on the recent rappelling incident, your comments (jackatc) cause the post to be locked in addition to me been banned for a week from I&A. I do not understand why you (jackatc) continuously think that rappelling accidents are not rock climbing related nor they are worth to mention, analyzed or been discussed among climbers here. This is particular accident, a climber lost his life. this was not some back-country weekend warrior but a climber.

please feel free to add your comments to lock this post as well.

I know you're going to start slamming all over me as well about this but w/e. Enjoy.

First off, many rapelling accidents - including sport rapelling - have been discussed on this site.

My personal opinion - not that it matters to you - is that if you are using advanced techniques and equipment such as anchor systems, ropes, and rapelling, then we should be able to discuss it in A&I.

Taking this attitude of what does and doesn't constitute a "valid" post further would be like saying that bouldering shouldn't be here because they don't use gear. We should discuss all types of accidents that occur on the rock, because even if the activity itself does not involve climbing, the equpiment used and the situation that occurs can easily be accomplished while we are climbing.

As far as Majid treating people like statistics goes, anyone who knows long term SAR people would realize that many rescue personnell use this technique to avoid becoming too attached to the situation. It's a block to avoid the harsh realities and grisly situations they have to deal with constantly. Other people tell jokes during body recoveries.

While it does disrespect the "human element" it does tend to cut out the emotional shit so that the actual cause of the accident and prevention can be discussed without emotional bias.

I have to say that having read many of your posts and especially in rgards to Majid's posts, I am kind of unsure how much of your disagreement is soley based on your dislike of Majid, rather then the issue at hand.

You seem to have a lot of knowledge and make very solid points in most of your posts, and your opinions seem to be respected by a lot of the RCers and mods. But in this case, I think that this is more of a personal issue.

Edited to add some points.

I know you're going to start slamming all over me as well about this but w/e. Enjoy.

First off, many rapelling accidents - including sport rapelling - have been discussed on this site.

My personal opinion - not that it matters to you - is that if you are using advanced techniques and equipment such as anchor systems, ropes, and rapelling, then we should be able to discuss it in A&I.

Taking this attitude of what does and doesn't constitute a "valid" post further would be like saying that bouldering shouldn't be here because they don't use gear. We should discuss all types of accidents that occur on the rock, because even if the activity itself does not involve climbing, the equpiment used and the situation that occurs can easily be accomplished while we are climbing.

As far as Majid treating people like statistics goes, anyone who knows long term SAR people would realize that many rescue personnell use this technique to avoid becoming too attached to the situation. It's a block to avoid the harsh realities and grisly situations they have to deal with constantly. Other people tell jokes during body recoveries.

While it does disrespect the "human element" it does tend to cut out the emotional shit so that the actual cause of the accident and prevention can be discussed without emotional bias.

I have to say that having read many of your posts and especially in rgards to Majid's posts, I am kind of unsure how much of your disagreement is soley based on your dislike of Majid, rather then the issue at hand.

You seem to have a lot of knowledge and make very solid points in most of your posts, and your opinions seem to be respected by a lot of the RCers and mods. But in this case, I think that this is more of a personal issue.

Edited to add some points.

Discussing activities and areas that have little to do with rock climbing on a rock climbing site is not productive. Especially when it is just a copy and paste from google.com. The cycling site i'm on doesn't have articles on motorcycle accidents because they both have 2 wheels and wear helmets.

It may be an emotional block for him but family and friends of victims come on this site and read what is written. Pretty sure SAR guys don't joke around when those folks are present. Again, if Majid actually posted about a recent accident that he's responded to then perhaps he's have a slight case but newspaper clippings do not.

I do not like majid's copy and pasting, only posts poorly written articles with limited information, or his responses to people who actually post up their own accidents.

If it was up to me then A/I would have posts from people involved or were at least in the area at the time (ie i heard sirens while i was at ___ crag) This way the information would be credible, written BY climbers in terms climbers use correctly and that could be followed up on.

Apparently he was also a climber, which to me is relevant. If nothing else, he was part of the vague notion of "the climbing community". Also, as climbers I think most of us often make assumptions when we read about accidents in spelunking or canyoneering; that mistakes were made which a "climber" would not have made. Sometimes this is simply a strange form of hubris or an attempt to convince ourselves we're removed from the possibility of a similar fate.

Additionally, the cause of death, mechanic asphyxia, and harness hang syndrome are mentioned in the related article: http://sanjuancapistrano.patch.com/...ies-of-suffocation#c This is an entirely different conclusion than death by exposure, and suggests a different timeline.

Questions loom in my mind why the rescue was not more expedient. Why the efforts to reach the climber, and not simply short haul the rope up and out away from the cliff? Why send a chopper with such limited capabilities only to send the Huey later?

Big wall climbers have certainly been caught in storms with massive quantities of water channeling down routes. Climbers have certainly had trouble finding rappel anchors in a wide variety of circumstances.

So, for me at least, I don't think its unreasonable to discuss what happened and what can be learned from it.