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An incredibly Lucky Climber Survival Story

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    • I wonder how long it takes to fall 2,000 feet, long enough to make a short groecery list? Long enough to recite the Lord's Prayer? Or maybe even make a phone call to loved ones on speed dial...but certainly there's enough time to kiss your own arse bye bye.

      Never mountaineer alone???

    • meat wrote:

      I wonder how long it takes to fall 2,000 feet, long enough to make a short groecery list? Long enough to recite the Lord's Prayer? Or maybe even make a phone call to loved ones on speed dial...but certainly there's enough time to kiss your own arse bye bye.

      Never mountaineer alone???
      At least 40 seconds by my calculations, assuming a terminal velocity of 53 m/s and neglecting air resistance before reaching terminal velocity. That might be long enough for an Our Father and a few Hail Marys.

    • WanderingStovie wrote:

      meat wrote:

      I wonder how long it takes to fall 2,000 feet, long enough to make a short groecery list? Long enough to recite the Lord's Prayer? Or maybe even make a phone call to loved ones on speed dial...but certainly there's enough time to kiss your own arse bye bye.

      Never mountaineer alone???
      At least 40 seconds by my calculations, assuming a terminal velocity of 53 m/s and neglecting air resistance before reaching terminal velocity. That might be long enough for an Our Father and a few Hail Marys.
      Wow, that's a long time to contemplate death...I like quick goo-byes :D

      Glad the fellas alright

    • WanderingStovie wrote:

      meat wrote:

      I wonder how long it takes to fall 2,000 feet, long enough to make a short groecery list? Long enough to recite the Lord's Prayer? Or maybe even make a phone call to loved ones on speed dial...but certainly there's enough time to kiss your own arse bye bye.

      Never mountaineer alone???
      At least 40 seconds by my calculations, assuming a terminal velocity of 53 m/s and neglecting air resistance before reaching terminal velocity. That might be long enough for an Our Father and a few Hail Marys.
      certainly long enough to string out OH SHIIIIIT a little longer, between the prayers of course.

    • meat wrote:

      I wonder how long it takes to fall 2,000 feet, long enough to make a short groecery list? Long enough to recite the Lord's Prayer? Or maybe even make a phone call to loved ones on speed dial...but certainly there's enough time to kiss your own arse bye bye.

      Never mountaineer alone???


      Long enough to write a song
      Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.
      Dr. Seuss Cof123

    • One of the posters had interesting words...

      "Some people don't understand the quest for adventure. Stay home on your couch, Michael James Gudat, where you belong."

      When I mention a quest to TH the AT, some folks express disbelief at exposure to weather extremes while others are wishful.

      Lest we forget.....


      SSgt Ray Rangel - USAF
      SrA Elizabeth Loncki - USAF
      PFC Adam Harris - USA
      MSgt Eden Pearl - USMC

    • Dan76 wrote:

      WanderingStovie wrote:

      Sorry, 14.2 seconds. I forgot to use the distance in meters instead of feet.
      A quick mental calculation had me questioning the initial figure, but now I agree.
      I get 11.17 seconds to impact at 2000 feet, assuming instant acceleration to terminal velocity and terminal velocity of around 122mph...add about 8 seconds from standstill to 90 percent of terminal velocity for about a 20 second fall duration...

      Just for reference, 90 percent of terminal velocity is 110mph. In a free fall, you reach 50 percent of terminal velocity in around 3 seconds. That is 61mph. A 3 second free fall that terminates instantly is 100 percent fatal. I figure it to be equivalent to jumping off of a 9 story building. It turns the human body into a bag of pulverized goo...

    • Rasty wrote:

      I'm fairly certain when falling down a mountain you won't hit terminal velocity.
      You don't need to....50 percent for 3 seconds will get it done...

      There's is one "off-piste" ski run at Alta that ends with a cat track traversing the width of the run. It is so steep that unless you can self-arrest in a fall(iffy, at best) you will gather enough speed that when you hit the cat track, it's all over but the funeral...

    • ScareBear wrote:

      Dan76 wrote:

      WanderingStovie wrote:

      Sorry, 14.2 seconds. I forgot to use the distance in meters instead of feet.
      A quick mental calculation had me questioning the initial figure, but now I agree.
      I get 11.17 seconds to impact at 2000 feet, assuming instant acceleration to terminal velocity and terminal velocity of around 122mph...add about 8 seconds from standstill to 90 percent of terminal velocity for about a 20 second fall duration...
      Just for reference, 90 percent of terminal velocity is 110mph. In a free fall, you reach 50 percent of terminal velocity in around 3 seconds. That is 61mph. A 3 second free fall that terminates instantly is 100 percent fatal. I figure it to be equivalent to jumping off of a 9 story building. It turns the human body into a bag of pulverized goo...
      Having arrived among the first on scene of several suicides using the free fall method, I tend to agree.

      Lest we forget.....


      SSgt Ray Rangel - USAF
      SrA Elizabeth Loncki - USAF
      PFC Adam Harris - USA
      MSgt Eden Pearl - USMC

    • Dan76 wrote:

      ScareBear wrote:

      Dan76 wrote:

      WanderingStovie wrote:

      Sorry, 14.2 seconds. I forgot to use the distance in meters instead of feet.
      A quick mental calculation had me questioning the initial figure, but now I agree.
      I get 11.17 seconds to impact at 2000 feet, assuming instant acceleration to terminal velocity and terminal velocity of around 122mph...add about 8 seconds from standstill to 90 percent of terminal velocity for about a 20 second fall duration...Just for reference, 90 percent of terminal velocity is 110mph. In a free fall, you reach 50 percent of terminal velocity in around 3 seconds. That is 61mph. A 3 second free fall that terminates instantly is 100 percent fatal. I figure it to be equivalent to jumping off of a 9 story building. It turns the human body into a bag of pulverized goo...
      Having arrived among the first on scene of several suicides using the free fall method, I tend to agree.
      yikes!