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Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
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Topic Author's Original Post - Aug 2, 2011 - 01:03am PT
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Fortunately, he didn't die, and I can still claim to be at least partially cool. But for a few minutes there, the whole life/death thing was not entirely clear.
Saturday was something of an adventure, Tom (Mooser) was belaying me as I TR'd a line at the new secret crag to see if it was worth working on when I pulled a big chunk off the wall. He was well out to the side (we knew the place was fragile), so when I stopped bouncing around and saw him all crunched up, I was laughing and thinking he was maybe over-reacting to rockfall that wasn't really all that close. But when he stayed hunched up...
The block I pulled off must have hit something, and one of the pieces it broke into went sideways and nailed him directly on the kneecap. He said he was in so much pain that he almost lost consciousness, and in fact it was fully five minutes before he could move or talk. He can chime in and correct me, but I think he'd had his head down when the block and I went airborne, and if I hadn't yelled, he reckons he'd have taken it on the head. He was able to dive sideways a bit as he saw it coming, but still took some serious damage.
Scary shit!
He also took a smaller impact on his foot, which drew blood even through a heavy sock and the padded tongue on his hiking shoe. And the rope took a core shot.
The knee was pretty bloody, but he was able to jug out, hike a few hundred meters and then ride his bike back three miles to the car -- fortunately on a fairly flat road. He was hurting, though. I talked to him this morning, and while both knee and foot are swollen, he reckons there's no serious damage. For which I am deeply thankful.
As to the block, well, we knew there was plenty of loose stuff up there, and I was being really careful. But the piece that came out had no visible separation line, and it and I were flying before I had any warning. Next trip in will feature major crowbar action.
But just to keep the mood from being too dark, here's the view on the bicycle approach
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Eh, depends on the partner.....
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nature
climber
back in Tuscon Aridzona....
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Glad you are still cool.
I was gonna email you but I'll do it here.
Looks like I fly into Sea-tac on the 15th of september. let's get Mashiko reservations.... at the bar.
though we might end up with a crowd so....
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Nice try! Gotta wonder about your target with the grin. Of course, people in
shock do strange things.
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nature
climber
back in Tuscon Aridzona....
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starting rumors, Jim? I think David is married ;-)
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nature
climber
back in Tuscon Aridzona....
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it does beg the question.... is killing your pa... par.... oh.... what jim said. forget it!
i think i gotta agree with rox on his last point. good thing that, really.
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flyingkiwi1
Trad climber
Seattle WA
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He may or may not be married, but he's definitely Maried.
Sorry, couldn't resist.
i
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nature
climber
back in Tuscon Aridzona....
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that's funny...
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johnboy
Trad climber
Can't get here from there
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Way to hang on there Mooser.
Damn good job belaying.
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Glad Mooser seems OK.
Trying to remember if Ghost ever tried to kill me when we were climbing. He must have been tempted at times.
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landcruiserbob
Trad climber
BIG ISLAND or Vail ; just following the sun.......
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Close call; Grigri?
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MH2
climber
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As to the block, well, we knew there was plenty of loose stuff up there
I hope you people have lots of orange cones and wear bright vests.
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Karl Baba
Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
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I hate big blocks and I can not lie, You other climbers can't deny... Sir Cranks a Lot
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mooser
Trad climber
seattle
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I'll climb with David (Ghost) and Mari (Mari) anytime! This was definitely one of those situations where we were in the least likely positions for a catastrophe, and still it went south.
David was totally surprised by the block that came off, as was I, and had he not yelled instantly, I'm pretty sure this would've been a very different (and not too bueno) outcome. The rock that hit my knee was about the size of a shoebox, but it was headed straight for my head or upper torso. Didn't see what hit my foot, but sure felt it later.
I kept as good a control of the belay as I could, and tried to dodge the bullet. It hit my knee, and knocked me off the shelf I was on, and into a bush/small tree lower down. I'm now a bigger fan of the Gri Gri than I was, because I had--by this time--lost control of the belay, and was struggling to stay conscious. I kept making hand gestures to David in response to his yells, so that he'd know I heard him and was awake, but knew that if I lifted my head, I'd probably check out. Weird that a blow to the knee and foot would have that effect!
David was able to set up a rap on a project line to his right, and go off belay, which was good--partly because his rope had taken (I think) two good core bites. Mari rapped down from the rim lickety-split, and both did a stellar job of making sure I was okay. I've been hobbling around like an old man for the last couple of days (very temporary), but consider myself to be incredibly fortunate.
So here're my thoughts, post-accident:
1. As safe as you think you are being, there's always the possibility of unforeseen variables;
2. Helmets are my friend! My head took a lot of smaller debris, but being helmetless for the larger stuff would've been disastrous;
3. David and Mari rock;
4. You wouldn't believe their obscure cliff-discovering skills!
Cheers!
Tom
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Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 2, 2011 - 11:33am PT
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I'm now a bigger fan of the Gri Gri than I was, because I had--by this time--lost control of the belay, and was struggling to stay conscious
Hmmm. Since I had your Gri Gri on my harness (and used it to rap the project line), and since I'm still here writing this note, I think it's safe to conclude that you did not lose control of the belay.
Maybe those little rocks that banged your helmet were bigger than you think, because you've forgotten that you gave me your Gri Gri before we even rapped in. You were using what looked like an ATC. That you managed not to let go is a fairly major testimony to your decades of experience.
Thank god you don't drink much, cuz I'm not sure I could afford that cask of single malt I owe you.
D
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mooser
Trad climber
seattle
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Really?? That's pretty weird if I got that sideways.
But you'd think that if I'd taken some bigger shots to the head, I'd be making random, disjointed statements, or something.
Refrigerator!
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BurnRockBurn
climber
South of Black Rock City (CC,NV)
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Glad you are ok as well. Amazing how quick thing like this can happen. This happened to me in lee vining with ice fall. Huge piece came off and shattered and a 2ft piece hit me in the calf as I jumped away. Thought I broke my tib fib and about passed out. Still don't know how I held belay. Long ass hobble out. Again glad you are all safe
Shawn
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Darwin
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Tom(mooser) (and Ghost and Mari),
Glad you're all OK. "No visible separation line" scary.
Being a selfish SOB, I am of course trying to reverse engineer the location of your secret crag from the photo. I like the sound of
"hike a few hundred meters and then ride his bike back three miles to the car -- fortunately on a fairly flat road" and that looks like Barring and Index in the background, ... something west of Persis, but that covers a lot.
Did you ever do the bike approach to Monte Christo? I think it saves 8 miles of hiking and is fairly level. You have to carry over one log crossing though.
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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hey there say, guys.... whewwwwwww... i am so GLAD you are all okay from this bad surprise....
hope the knee will be okay, for the long run...
god bless...
:)
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