Two college students died in a rappelling accident Saturday at Ellison’s Cave on Pigeon Mountain in Walker County.
A group of 10 students from the University of Florida were at the site outside LaFayette for a weekend of climbing and caving,
said Walker County coordinator David Ashburn, who heads up the county’s cave and rescue team.
Ashburn said a male climber descended into the cave about 1 p.m. Saturday. The climber, having difficulties, called up to the group, and another male climber went down to help, Ashburn said. Neither was heard from again, he said. The group called 911 at 2:19 p.m.
The group was “significantly underdressed” for the technical challenges of Ellison’s Cave, Ashburn said.
It is a 30-minute hike to the cave from the parking lot. Some in the group had shorts and T-shirts for the 56-degree cave, which has an ice-cold waterfall inside, he said.
Climbing ability also may have been a factor, Ashburn said, as some in the group had never been in a cave before.
Both climbers were found by the cave and rescue team, midway down the 125-foot climb. Ashburn said he believes the two died of hypothermia. The bodies were taken to the state medical examiner’s office for an official cause of death.
Ashburn said the temperatures could have caused them to lose control in as little as 10 minutes.
Five of the women in the group were treated for mild hypothermia at the scene, he said. No one required hospitalization.
The other students were with crisis counselors Saturday evening, following interviews with the Walker County Sheriff’s Department. The families of the victims have been notified, but officials were not releasing names.
Walker County Sheriff Steve Wilson said rescue workers believe that two University of Florida students who died in a North Georgia cave were trapped by their rappelling ropes in a frigid waterfall.
Wilson said the two, 20-year-old Grant Lockenbach and 18-year-old Michael Pirie, apparently died of hypothermia in Ellison’s Cave.
David Ashburn, director of Walker County Emergency Management, said Lockenbach, Pirie and eight other students from Gainesville, Fla., entered the cave Saturday morning to explore it.
Witnesses told officials that Lockenbach rappelled into a pit to retrieve a bag but got tangled in his ropes and cold water poured over him.
They said Pirie went down to help but also got stuck.
The bodies were recovered hours later.
Source: RomeNews Tribune
Monday, February 14, 2011
2 Florida students found dead in Walker County cave
Two college students died in a rappelling accident Saturday at Ellison’s Cave on Pigeon Mountain in Walker County.
A group of 10 students from the University of Florida were at the site outside LaFayette for a weekend of climbing and caving,
said Walker County coordinator David Ashburn, who heads up the county’s cave and rescue team.
Ashburn said a male climber descended into the cave about 1 p.m. Saturday. The climber, having difficulties, called up to the group, and another male climber went down to help, Ashburn said. Neither was heard from again, he said. The group called 911 at 2:19 p.m.
The group was “significantly underdressed” for the technical challenges of Ellison’s Cave, Ashburn said.
It is a 30-minute hike to the cave from the parking lot. Some in the group had shorts and T-shirts for the 56-degree cave, which has an ice-cold waterfall inside, he said.
Climbing ability also may have been a factor, Ashburn said, as some in the group had never been in a cave before.
Both climbers were found by the cave and rescue team, midway down the 125-foot climb. Ashburn said he believes the two died of hypothermia. The bodies were taken to the state medical examiner’s office for an official cause of death.
Ashburn said the temperatures could have caused them to lose control in as little as 10 minutes.
Five of the women in the group were treated for mild hypothermia at the scene, he said. No one required hospitalization.
The other students were with crisis counselors Saturday evening, following interviews with the Walker County Sheriff’s Department. The families of the victims have been notified, but officials were not releasing names.
Walker County Sheriff Steve Wilson said rescue workers believe that two University of Florida students who died in a North Georgia cave were trapped by their rappelling ropes in a frigid waterfall.
Wilson said the two, 20-year-old Grant Lockenbach and 18-year-old Michael Pirie, apparently died of hypothermia in Ellison’s Cave.
David Ashburn, director of Walker County Emergency Management, said Lockenbach, Pirie and eight other students from Gainesville, Fla., entered the cave Saturday morning to explore it.
Witnesses told officials that Lockenbach rappelled into a pit to retrieve a bag but got tangled in his ropes and cold water poured over him.
They said Pirie went down to help but also got stuck.
The bodies were recovered hours later.
Source: RomeNews Tribune
A group of 10 students from the University of Florida were at the site outside LaFayette for a weekend of climbing and caving,
said Walker County coordinator David Ashburn, who heads up the county’s cave and rescue team.
Ashburn said a male climber descended into the cave about 1 p.m. Saturday. The climber, having difficulties, called up to the group, and another male climber went down to help, Ashburn said. Neither was heard from again, he said. The group called 911 at 2:19 p.m.
The group was “significantly underdressed” for the technical challenges of Ellison’s Cave, Ashburn said.
It is a 30-minute hike to the cave from the parking lot. Some in the group had shorts and T-shirts for the 56-degree cave, which has an ice-cold waterfall inside, he said.
Climbing ability also may have been a factor, Ashburn said, as some in the group had never been in a cave before.
Both climbers were found by the cave and rescue team, midway down the 125-foot climb. Ashburn said he believes the two died of hypothermia. The bodies were taken to the state medical examiner’s office for an official cause of death.
Ashburn said the temperatures could have caused them to lose control in as little as 10 minutes.
Five of the women in the group were treated for mild hypothermia at the scene, he said. No one required hospitalization.
The other students were with crisis counselors Saturday evening, following interviews with the Walker County Sheriff’s Department. The families of the victims have been notified, but officials were not releasing names.
Walker County Sheriff Steve Wilson said rescue workers believe that two University of Florida students who died in a North Georgia cave were trapped by their rappelling ropes in a frigid waterfall.
Wilson said the two, 20-year-old Grant Lockenbach and 18-year-old Michael Pirie, apparently died of hypothermia in Ellison’s Cave.
David Ashburn, director of Walker County Emergency Management, said Lockenbach, Pirie and eight other students from Gainesville, Fla., entered the cave Saturday morning to explore it.
Witnesses told officials that Lockenbach rappelled into a pit to retrieve a bag but got tangled in his ropes and cold water poured over him.
They said Pirie went down to help but also got stuck.
The bodies were recovered hours later.
Source: RomeNews Tribune