3-storey fall kills skilled mountaineer

by Natalie Alcoba and Kerry Williamson
as appearing in May 3rd edition of The National Post.

The school year was done and summer was so close he could taste it, but as Nicholas Beaulieu strolled through Queen's University campus a week ago today, something told him the day was ripe for a climb.

The 19-year-old, an experienced mountain climber who was part of the university's popular climbing club, scaled the walls of a campus building, an activity known in climbing circles as “buildering.” He very nearly reached the summit, but lost his balance and fell three storeys, onto a parked van first, then the ground.

Mr. Beaulieu, from a city south of Calgary, died on Friday at a Kingston hospital. His parents took his body home on Monday after arranging for organ donations. A funeral will be held tomorrow, and more than 1,000 people are expected to attend.

It’s not clear what prompted Mr. Beaulieu, who was looking forward to a summer of scaling the Rockies, to climb Dupuis Hall, a three-storey brick building at the centre of the campus. Queen’s University does allow its climbing club, more than 20 years old, to scale two of its buildings, although there are specific and strict rules for when that can take place.

“Unfortunately this climb was not sanctioned. He just did it on a whim,” said Kingston police spokesman Mike Weaver.

Police said there is no indication the accident was an end-of-the-year stunt gone wrong and have labeled it death by misadventure. “It’s just absolutely a waste of life,” Mr. Weave said.

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Beaulieu started climbing when he was five years old with his mom and dad, and took classes through the YMCA.

“He was a very skilled climber,” his uncle, Stuart Koch, told the Calgary Herald. “As unfortunate as this was, Nick was a very qualified, skilled climber. He has a passion for it.”

The tragic accident has cast light on the practice of buildering, which started decades ago in North America as a way for city folk to practice their climbing skills, before the advent of indoor climbing gyms. Now it’s widely considered to be on the fringe of the climbing scene.

“Climbing on buildings is probably as old as buildings are,” said David Chaundy-Smart, 43, co-founder of the Toronto-based Gripped climbing magazine and a climber for 25 years.

Usually, it’s barely more than a few feet off the ground, Mr. Chaundy-Smart said, and used to develop technique and increase strength. He said it is uncommon now.

“I think this is just an unfortunate case where someone was doing something that was not part of the norm, and it just didn’t work out.”

Bruce Keith, executive director of the Alpine Club of Canada, the country’s national mountaineering organization, said it’s not an activity his group endorses because of safety reasons.

This past academic year, Queen’s University allowed buildering on the Jock Harty Arena and Humphrey Hall, only on Tuesdays and between the hours of noon and 7 p.m. No climbing was allowed after April 8.

The rules stress that only club members are allowed to climb and must do so in the company of others, said Janice Deakin, head of athletics at Queen’s.

Climbers are allowed to scale a building up to two meters, without a harness.

A climber who goes above two meters must be roped, according to directions in the Ontario Rock Climbing Safety Manuel, Ms. Deakin said.

She said climbers are required to have a first aid kit, a cellphone, and be well-versed in safety protocol if an accident occurs.

“I think it’s pretty clear form the rules and regulations of the club…this tragic event has occurred outside the parameters as laid down by the club,” Ms. Deakin said.

Still, Queen’s plans to reassess its safety regulations to see whether something could be done to prevent a similar tragedy.