No injured cavers recorded.
Incident: California, Bigfoot Cave
July 5, 1981
On Sunday July 5, Mark Fritzke (24), Steve Knutson, and Lynn Clarke visited Fleetwood Dome in Bigfoot Cave, Siskiyou County, California. Fritzke climbed a wall fissure for 45 feet to inspect the top of the dome, but upon downclimbing he slid off a friction slab and fell about 20 feet to a scree slope. He landed on his feet, tucked and rolled out, suffering a bruised elbow and hip. The party exited the cave without assistance.
Analysis: If one wishes to be safe, one must use protection and a belay for such climbs. In a cave like this one (37 degrees) it is doubly foolish to risk a serious injury. Fritzke narrowly missed hitting sharp boulders which could have caused severe injury. Fritzke felt that "his climbing instincts and mental awareness were hampered by a bad cold." I should mention that, even though I was there, I do not exert absolute control over others.
Reference: Mark Fritzke Personal Communication August, 1982.
This record was last updated on 27th Apr 2024 at 23:11 UTC.