Auto belay death Focus: The route I was on was a white (marked) 5. But on the auto belay it’s up to the climber to double check his or her system. Fort Collins police spokesman Brandon Barnes tells The Coloradoan the woman fell at Ascent Studio Climbing & Fitness on Saturday, and it appears she became unattached from the auto-belay system. Auto belay devices are used in rock climbing. Dec 2, 2021 · Three Italian engineer/climbers designed a lead auto-belay system for production at scale. Autobelays permanently removed from Sydney gym after death. This means that newer, less experienced climbers can tend to gravitate towards autobelays. FORT COLLINS, Colo. With the passing of their mother, these two children were left without any family nearby to care for them. I cant count how many people I had to remind to clip into an auto belay Oct 25, 2021 · While autobelays are safe if used properly, and current models have near nonexistent rates of failure, many gyms don’t require autobelay users to pass top rope belay tests, and/or have low (or nonexistent) age minimums for autobelay use. the climber clipped into the quickdraws like a normal lead climb on a sport climbing route), where the device was fixed to the bottom of the route. Jun 16, 2021 · Many of you are aware of the tragic incident at Ascent Studio last Saturday. 6. Rather, the staff walk around and pay attention to belay technique, watch the cameras etc to make sure everyone is doing things properly. They allow a person to climb indoor routes on a top rope without a human partner belaying from below. Ironically, Johnston has been pushing for better auto belay practices for years. e. Oct 14, 2021 · A woman fell about 12 meters to her death at an indoor climbing gym in northern Colorado called Ascent Studio Climbing & Fitness. There has been a lot of chatter about auto-belays in recent months, both in the media and behind closed doors. The 99% was just a metaphore to make a point, yes auto belays are way safer than that. Testing complete, it might be on its way to your gym. Feb 27, 2025 · TRUBLUE iQ and TRUBLUE iQ+ Auto Belays Hazard: The recalled auto belay device can fail to retract, posing a fall hazard and risk of serious injury or death. Once someone has been belay certified on top rope and auto belay, staff do not check every person once they leave the ground… that would be intense and I guarantee that climbers would hate it. I worked in a gym with auto belays for a long time I have seen alot of falls on them and even more close calls. In 2021, a young climber died after falling 43 feet from an auto belay–equipped route in Sydney, Australia. 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. Recall Date: February 27, 2025. While traditional auto belays use a top roping format with the device hanging from the top of the route, in 2021, a new type of auto belay–the lead auto belay–was developed that used a lead climbing format (i. Why do they not give out more information? It's not like they are the only gym using auto-belays? If it's an actual issue, that should be taken into account everywhere. The woman who died was a mother of two young children. Brandon Barnes of the Fort Collins police said it appeared she became unattached from the auto-belay system. Argyle, 57, of Fort Collins. 10. . Jun 21, 2021 · A woman has died following an auto-belay accident at Ascent Studio Climbing & Fitness, in Fort Collins, Colorado, on Saturday, June 12. The climber was ascending the climbing wall alone using an auto-belay device at the time of the incident. Sold At: Headrushtech. By far, auto belay misuse it the number 1 reason for major falls in a gym. Oct 21, 2021 · A Sydney rock climbing gym will reopen on Friday after a man fell 13 metres to his death last week when a device that allowed him to climb a wall without a partner, called an autobelay, failed. Sep 21, 2023 · In 1994, he also served as one of the original board members for the Climbing Wall Association. Mar 4, 2025 · The recalled auto belay device can fail to retract, posing a fall hazard and risk of serious injury or death. Jan 15, 2024 · Photo: CityROCK. com from May 2023 through December 2024 for between $2,800 to $4,600. Recall Number: 25-165. Last week, a man fell 43 feet to his death at a A 28-year-old member of the public suffered fatal injuries after falling approximately 13 metres at a Sydney indoor climbing gym. Today, the gym confirmed that the incident involved an auto-belay system. Fort Collins Police Services spokesperson Brandon Barnes told The Coloradoan that the climber fell from about 40 feet up in the auto-belay area. If the device fails to work properly, the climber could fall along distance or experience ground impact, potentially resulting in injury or even death. At first reluctant to host auto belays in his gyms, he compromised with a stringent and required belay check that all members who wish to use the auto belays must undergo. In my haste I neglected to check anything. (AP) — Police say a woman fell about 40 feet (12 meters) to her death at an indoor climbing gym in northern Colorado. Mechanical failure: One of the biggest concerns with auto belays is mechanical failure. The device is mounted to a fixed position at the top of the route. Oct 22, 2021 · Last week, a man fell 43 feet to his death at a rock climbing gym in Sydney, Australia. Jan 25, 2023 · In top rope and lead belay we constantly check each other’s knots. That grade is the upper limit of what I climb. Hazard: The recalled auto belay device can fail to retract, posing a fall hazard and risk of serious injury or death. Feb 27, 2025 · Name of Product: TRUBLUE iQ and TRUBLUE iQ+ Auto Belays. When the climber Apr 24, 2023 · Cons of Auto Belays: 1. The Larimer County Coroner’s Office identified the decedent as Steffani A. 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. hsgkiaokehdyhiyaxmxxjftnvjgfuorbdygwvdrrwzhmoyv