Posted on 03/29/2022 7:01:53 PM PDT by BenLurkin
The second climber to die in Joshua Tree National Park this year has been identified by a witness as an experienced climber named Tina Fiori.
Fiori died Saturday afternoon following an 80-foot-fall while rock climbing.
Tina Lynn Fiori was 51 years old and a resident of Riverside County.
Himmelstein said the group was "top roping," a method of climbing that involves stringing a rope through a permanent anchor system at the top of the climb. The rope acts as a safety mechanism that supports a climber's weight if they fall. A second person assists gathering slack at the bottom of the climb and serving as a counterweight.
Himmelstein explained that climbing equipment, such as a type of nylon rope known as webbing, is often left attached to the permanent anchors at the top of a climb.
"(Fiori) just ended up being the last person in the day to climb up there," he said. "She got to the top and told us that she had secured herself, so the person down at the bottom was no longer doing that safety work."
Himmelstein said Fiori ran her safety rope through nylon webbing that had been left by someone who had previously climbed the route.
"Whether it was six months old (or) two years old I can't tell you, but it was old enough that it was compromised," he said. "And that's what failed."
When Fiori leaned back to repel down the rocks, the weathered webbing gave way and the she fell to her death.
Himmelstein said the use of used webbing and other leftover equipment is "not uncommon" at any climbing location, but that it is done less frequently in Joshua Tree than in many other places.
(Excerpt) Read more at desertsun.com ...
The desert lives on a healthy diet of people’s TIRES, outdoor wooden furniture and other structures, and now nylon.
You lean back for a simple rappel down the cliff and away you go. What horror for a few seconds.
If this pattern of death continues, somebody is going to say that very old tree should be cut down.
I climbed in my university days. One of the first things we learned was to never trust other’s hardware or ropes left on the mountain.
2.23 seconds to fall 80 feet. Enough time for a very short prayer.
Desert temperatures and sunlight are very hard on plastics.
Good God. I don’t do that kind of thing, but trusting your life to that kind of thing seems foolhardy. When I read it, I thought “Who would do that?” but then, knowing human nature...them seeing other people using it and not getting killed or hurt...
It seems like going into an old abandoned airfield, finding a dusty, weathered old parachute that had been exposed to heat, water leaks, and sun exposure hanging on a nail on the side of a building, and using that to jump out of a plane.
Tragic for her.
“...ran her safety rope through nylon webbing
that had been left by someone who had previously climbed the route...”
-
Rookie mistake.
Joshua Tree
And he still hasn’t found what he’s looking for.
Probably had a really unique cool view for a few seconds.
Oh sh1t, save me Lord.
To quote the Critical Drinker, “Naw. It’ll be fine.”
Back in my climbing days I never relied on someone else’s rigging or ropes unless I knew them and was satisfied with the way they maintained their equipment.
Ditto that.
Yep. Once on a boat I took hold of a line I thought was secure but wasn’t and landed in the drink. That first instant is an odd feeling. Can maybe imagine the next several seconds of a big fall, but probably not.
RIP Tina.
In my college days and after, we went to the rocks in Joshua Tree often. The climbing is great and it was easy for us to get in dangerous situations without even thinking. Lots of traction.
We were stupid but lucky. I understand the park is crowded these days.
This was like pulling the trigger on a gun that someone said was loaded with blanks.
One thing you’ll never catch me doing... Anything to do with heights.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.