August 11, 1963
Stan Shepard was climbing the South Wall of the Twin Owls when pitons came out and he fell 50 feet before being stopped by his belayer. The angle of the pitch was an overhang, so Shepard swung into the face and broke his neck. He was later rescued.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1964
June 30, 1978
Diane Russell fell 35 feet down a face on the Twin Owls while rappelling. The ascending end of the rope came to an end before she was able to stop. She suffered fractured vertebra as well as foot and hand injuries.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1979
July 15, 1979
Dave Trout was climbing a route on The Book when a flake crumbled under his feet and he fell 30 feet. His fall was checked by his belayer and he was carried out. He suffered a severe ankle injury.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1980
April 15, 1985
David Boles was climbing a pitch on Sundance Buttress when a rock used as a handhold came out and protection failed to check the fall. He suffered a skull fracture from the rock he impacted at the base of the climb and was carried out on a backboard.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1986
August 29, 1985
Tammy Dziadek was leading Sundance Buttress when she fell on her partner, who lost control of the rope, and continued to fall another 80 feet. She was rescued after her partner summoned help. She sustained multiple injuries and a compound fractureSource: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1986
August 26, 1986
Doug Grimm was descending the Twin Owls Northwest Corner when a rock came loose, resulting in a 10 foot fall. He fractured his tailbone in the fall, but was able to walk out under his own power.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1987
June 1, 1988
Two climbing Rangers were drilling bolts into Checkerboard rock when protection came loose and a Ranger fell down a chimney, suffering a fractured pelvis and elbow.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1989
May 7, 1989
Robert Johnston was leading a pitch on the Twin Owls known as Conan's Gonads when a piece of protection someone had left was used and came out, resulting in a 30 foot fall. He suffered cuts on his head an a loss of consciousness. He was carried out by rescuers.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1990
August 23, 1990
Marcus Hall was leading the Pear when he fell 15 feet while attempting to clip into the first bolt.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1991
September 6, 1990
Richard Jakush was leading a route known as Bonzo on Sundance Buttress when protection pulled out and he fell 20 feet and impacted the back of his head on a rock. He was carried out after his partner summoned help, suffering a concussion and a fractured skull.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1991
April 28, 1991
Charles Sharp was leading the Organ Pipes on the Twin Owls when he fell 15 feet, breaking his leg.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1992
May 23, 1994
Jack McConnell were ascending the White Whale route on the Left Book when he slipped on an unprotectable slab and fell. His son Thomas descended to summon help, but Jack died from massive head injury sustained in the fall.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1995
August 12, 1994
Bob Koppe was ascending The Bookend when he slipped on wet rock and fell head first 30 feet down a chimney. His hips stopped the fall, resulting in a fractured pelvis. He was later rescued.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1995
September 15, 1994
Laura Grignon and her partner were ascending off-route on The Book when she slipped and fell 20 feet, injuring her back. She was rescued.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1995
September 3, 1995
David Charis-Mink was climbing The Pear Buttress when he lost his handhold and fell 20 feet, breaking his leg. Search and rescue personnel carried him out.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1996
December 2, 1995
Greg Levine was descending from Batman Rock with his partner when his rappel anchor came loose and he fell 70 feet down a chimney, becoming wedged. He sustained multiple open lacerations to his front side, including a severed pancreas. He was rescued after his partner went for help.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1996
May 6, 1996
Jorge Arias was leading a 5.10 route on The Book when his protection came out, causing him to fall 20 feet and breaking his leg. He was later carried out by a search and rescue team.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1997
July 11, 1996
Shanna Ryan was leading a pitch known a 'Backflip' on The Bookmark when she fell 20 feet and lost consciousness. Although she was wearing a helmet, she suffered scalp lacerations. She was later rescued.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1997
March 2, 1997
Hayner Brooks was ascending Thunder Buttress when his protection failed near the top of the route on rotten rock, while the rest of the route had been solid. Brooks impacted twice during in his 40 foot fall, fracturing his upper femur. He was later rescued after his belayer, Kenneston Miller lowered him and went for help.Source: Email from the Brooks
August 9, 1998
Stewart Ritchie fell 60 feet from Checkerboard Rock when he leaned back to rappel because his partner mistakenly removed the belay. He suffered cuts and a broken leg.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1999
February 6, 1999
Kevin Hare was traversing a section on The Book when he pendulumed from a slip, and protection came out, resulting in a 40 foot fall, landing in a prone position. He suffered head, back and hand injuries.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 2000
June 25, 1999
Claudine Perrault was climbing the Twin Owls with her partner Todd Burke, when she grabbed a slack rope lowered by Burke. When Perrault fell, it did not take up all the slack, and she suffered a concussion and back injuries.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 2000
June 28, 1999
Dale Yang was leading on The Book when he fell and his belayer did not have control of the rope. Yang impacted a ledge after falling 30 feet injuring his back.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 2000
August 7, 1999
Michael Hines was struck and killed by lightning on the Cow Creek Trailhead approaching Lumpy Ridge.Source: Rocky Mountain News
August 7, 1999
Bryan Pollack was ascending an easier route on the Twin Owls to place a toprope when a rock came loose, breaking his leg. His partner was able to summon help and he was rescued.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 2000
July 1, 2000
Mike Head was climbing The Book when he fell 50 feet as his protection failed. He suffered three fractures to his foot, and was rescued later that night after making a cell phone call to Park Rangers.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 2001
June 20, 2002
Craig DeMartino fell 110 feet from his top anchor on Guillotine Wall as his belayer was not tied in. When he leaned back, he went into a freefall horizontally, and struck a tree, which aided him in landing vertically. He suffered shoulder, neck, and foot injuries.Source: www.ClimbingBoulder.com
Twin Owls from the South
Photo © Gordon Novak