2 Climber Falls in JT this weekend

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FreeCoffee

Trad climber
Joshua Tree, CA
Topic Author's Original Post - Dec 4, 2017 - 07:39am PT
1) White Rasta -climber fell off the top move and yes hit the boulder. Resulted in an open tib/fib fracture. Interestingly enough same climber had sent on lead Hot Rocks earlier in the day. Said he's going to keep to climbing on ropes from now on. (Friday 12/1)

2) Lost Horse Wall - female climber fell near the top of The Swift at sunset. Ended up near where Dappled Mare and Bird on a Wire merge. Some gear may have pulled. Injuries unclear. JOSAR was staged and ready, but due to the extent of the injuries and the time of day, California Highway Patrol lowered a paramedic to the patient, then extracted them both. (Sat 12/2)

Big thanks to all the bystanders who helped out on both of these rescues.

The Emergency Phone at Intersection Rock was used to call for help during both these incidents. Next time you are in the park, find it, and show your friends. Cell phone service is unreliable
Bad Climber

Trad climber
The Lawless Border Regions
Dec 4, 2017 - 07:49am PT
Whoa. Sounds like folks are going to recover. Be careful out there, kids.

Yikes.

BAd
zip

Trad climber
pacific beach, ca
Dec 4, 2017 - 08:04am PT
3) Climber Coffee participant fell over boulder next to table, knocking over info billboard, and spilling coffee all over boulder and himself.
Victim never lost grip of coffee mug, and did not appear to sustain any physical injuries.
Jon Beck

Trad climber
Oceanside
Dec 4, 2017 - 08:25am PT
Probably good to know what service works and where to get optimal signal.
FreeCoffee

Trad climber
Joshua Tree, CA
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 4, 2017 - 08:55am PT
Emergency Phone is a satellite phone and can take 30 seconds to connect to dispatch. Dispatch Center services all of San Bernardino County - so it is best to have lots of details about where you are and extent of injury if known. They are a more direct link than calling 911. Also, it is a good idea to stage someone at the phone post phonecall to direct emergency traffic to the correct location.

And yes, what Zip described did actually happen at Climber Coffee on Sunday :)
Fat Dad

Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
Dec 4, 2017 - 10:15am PT
Bummer. I'm surprised there aren't more injuries on White Rastafarian though. It's tall, there's a rock below and the top out can be sketchy if you're not used to climbing outside much.
rincon

climber
Coarsegold
Dec 4, 2017 - 11:22am PT
Yup. That guy got to experience the consequences of falling off the top of that thing the way nature intended!
jeff constine

Trad climber
Ao Namao
Dec 4, 2017 - 11:45am PT
LOL ^^^
Mr_T

Trad climber
Northern California
Dec 4, 2017 - 11:56am PT
Is the following for real?

1) There is a boulder in the desert with a moderate problem, that folks really like to climb up (White Rasta).
2) There was a rock at the bottom that someone could have fallen onto.
3) A group of people moved the rock at the base so that someone wouldn't fall onto it.
4) Some other group of people moved the rock back to under at the base knowing that it would increase the chance of injury.
5) A person just fell onto the rock at the base, resulting serious injuries.

And if so, is it really the case that the location of a rock in the desert is more important than the a 20-something male with a life-altering injury?

cavemonkey

Ice climber
ak
Dec 4, 2017 - 12:12pm PT
Hmmmmm
Don't know how I feel about this. Remember hearing about the boulder being moved back, and at the time I thought "Good for them!". Now it seems almost malacious.
Fat Dad

Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
Dec 4, 2017 - 12:15pm PT
You're a climber going up on a highball and see that there's a boulder beneath it. You either 1) sack up and go for it, assuming the consequences of screwing up, or 2) decide that you'd rather not risk it and do something else. Sounds like our poor injured friend decided on the latter. His choice, not yours'.
Mr_T

Trad climber
Northern California
Dec 4, 2017 - 12:21pm PT
What really irritates me here is that this concerns a boulder problem that is absurdly far from the edge of the sport. It's a V3. It may have been cutting edge in 1963, but a far cry by today's standards. The forefront of today is what, V15/5.15? People do V10+ high balls out in Bishop all the time.

There seems to be some members of the community that can't handle a few people enjoying a fun, beginner boulder problem on a sunny afternoon. They have been eclipsed by later generations and they just cannot deal.

And yes, it does affect all of us as JOSAR probably spent a few thousand tax dollars to deal with the mess. It impacts all of us.
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
Dec 4, 2017 - 12:34pm PT
Exactly...Mr_T
guyman

Social climber
Moorpark, CA.
Dec 4, 2017 - 12:37pm PT
Precisely Mr._T
justthemaid

climber
Jim Henson's Basement
Dec 4, 2017 - 12:55pm PT
Egads... . I don't think I've ever seen Mr. T get " irritated" .

Bummer about the accidents. Wishing both a speedy recovery.
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
Dec 4, 2017 - 12:56pm PT
Has anyone here ever moved a rock from below a boulder problem you were going to do? I know that I have. As Mr_T pointed out, V2/3 is no longer cutting edge, it’s recreational. So some people moved the boulder (objective hazard) from beneath a recreational boulder. Kind of like avalanche control at a recreational ski area.
If it were a cutting edge problem with few ascents due to the presence of the boulder there could be a good argument for leaving it.
I suppose it was “cutting edge” for the people that took the time to put it back.
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
Dec 4, 2017 - 01:02pm PT
Never too soon. Oh, and by the way, there was sh#t on top of the boulder. Those names may be harder to come by.
StahlBro

Trad climber
San Diego, CA
Dec 4, 2017 - 01:16pm PT
I'm a little rusty on modern bouldering, but I thought a pad pile was the cutting edge for sanitizing landings.
blahblah

Gym climber
Boulder
Dec 4, 2017 - 01:25pm PT
As Mr_T pointed out, V2/3 is no longer cutting edge, it’s recreational

So by that standard I suppose Bacher Yerian is "recreational" too, as the rating is only a smidge harder. So time to add the bolts, we don't want all those beginners getting injured.
MikeL

Social climber
Southern Arizona
Dec 4, 2017 - 02:57pm PT
Mister T: +1
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