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Quasimodo
Trad climber
CA
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Topic Author's Original Post - Mar 10, 2015 - 11:48pm PT
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Bruce and I just warmed up on a 5.9 at Echo Cliffs off the Backbone Trail. I was feeling especially nimble that morning. We were packing up to move on when two young bucks approached us and asked if we were done. Bruce and I said go ahead. With my back turned to the wall, I heard a yell from above only to turn around and see one young fellow speeding towards me at what appeared to be Mach 1. Frozen, I watched in horror as the poor lad impacted a blunt five foot tall pillar with right butt cheek and then crumpled to the ground. The sickening “thud” made me squirm. I thought to myself, “That was the worst lead belay ever!”
The leader, Mister M, was 22 years old and his belayer, Mister J, was a few years older. They had come to Echo to train. Mister J said, “Mister M likes to skip bolts and run it out. He does it all the time.” I asked Mister J, “Where did Mister M fall?” He said, “At the ledge.” The first ledge is about 50 feet up the climb. Mr. M clipped only one bolt at 20 feet. He was 30 feet out above second bolt 50 feet from the ground ...that’s when he broke the hold. Mr. M skipped the first bolt, clipped the second, and then skipped the third through fifth. Running out chossy Echo volcanic rock held mostly together with epoxy is probably not ideal for trad "training". Too bad the boy did not do some simple math like 30 feet minus 20 feet equals -10 feet. Those negatives are a bitch especially with loss rock!
Mr. M, being 22 years old, decided that he would just jump up right after a 50 foot grounder! We convinced Mr. M to lay still. He had a small scalp laceration (no helmet) and a few boo-boos but he was alive. His color turned pasty and pale but vitals were strong. Two very nice EMT trained climbers pulled out surgical gloves and a full first aid kit. Mr. M’s pain got worse but he remained fairly alert.
Ventura County Fire and Search & Rescue were amazing. Luckily, my climbing partner Bruce has a Verizon cellular account so we could call 911 immediately (ATT no signal at all). Ventura Fire dropped a guy in less than twenty minutes and had Mr. M off to the ER in less than one hour from Bruce’s call. I still have dirt in my ears from the prop wash.
There is a happy ending. Mr. M only has only one broken vertebrae and a very sore butt.
If Mr. M had fallen at any other angle onto the blunt pillar the rescue would have become a recovery! This young lad is the luckiest guy alive on Sunday. I told Mr. J that if Mr. M walked out of the hospital he should immediately buy a Lottery ticket!
YOUNG PEOPLE PLEASE DO SCARY STUFF AWAY FROM OLD PEOPLE!!!!!
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ß Î Ø T Ç H
Boulder climber
extraordinaire
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Mar 11, 2015 - 12:14am PT
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Youth is not to blame.
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Flip Flop
climber
salad bowl, california
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Mar 11, 2015 - 12:16am PT
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Pull their cards.
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Delhi Dog
climber
Good Question...
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Mar 11, 2015 - 12:22am PT
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Glad he's okay, butt with balls that big and a brain that small I wonder how many more lives that cat has.
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mouse from merced
Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
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Mar 11, 2015 - 01:36am PT
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Jesus, Mary, and Joseph...
you send'em to the nuns and they still can't do arithmetic!
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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Mar 11, 2015 - 01:54am PT
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hey there say, qusimodo... oh my... :O
lucky to be alive, from what you just said...
his family will be very thankful for his life, still to be lived...
prayers for his recovered health, and his recovered way of learning to
climb...
good that you guys were there, too... quasimodo...
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EdwardT
Trad climber
Retired
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Mar 11, 2015 - 04:02am PT
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Darwinism in action.
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couchmaster
climber
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Mar 11, 2015 - 05:41am PT
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It seems like us old guys use to have personal growth stories that were almost just like that many years ago. Except for the helicopter and cell phone of course. You get older climbers around a campfire and give em a couple beers. Soon they all start fessing up to learning about expanding flakes and pitons via groundfall/trip to ER, climbing unroped and falling into the only chimney within 200 miles and thus being spared a groundfall/trip to ER, or clipping the only pin and your belayer (not tied in to an anchor and giving a hip belay) steps off the ledge 200 feet up as he is bracing for the impact of your 80 foot fall/trip to ER....it goes on and on. You're gonna have to ply me with some alcohol to pry mine outta me now but old climbers almost all have at least one. If not more. I was feeling like I might have another one just last Saturday unroped 3rd classing over a short steep and slick dirt slope followed by a 200 foot precipice following a 24 year old. He brushed off my cautionary words with a simple "I come up here alone all the time, even my dog comes up here with me". The old school version of that is "STFU and do your 60 meters". LOL. Too busy pissing my pants and clawing at the dirt to snap a photo.
Now these guys will be able to participate with the rest of us in that campfire scene and laugh about their good luck, like we all do for ours. Congrats to the 2 young bucks on having the sense to have this occur right in front of 2 savy old dudes with a working cell phone. You got 8 lives left now. The rest of us, not so many:-)
Locker style edit - Re: DMT posting the same time as me, I think it's OK to laugh and joke about missing the reaper, and some of those posts crack me up. (math camp, heh heh) So I'll toss in the bonus ultimate old guy quote here as an add on to up the seriousness level:
“Still, the last sad memory hovers round, and sometimes drifts across like floating mist, cutting off sunshine and chilling the remembrance of happier times. There have been joys too great to be described in words, and there have been griefs upon which I have not dared to dwell; and with these in mind I say: Climb if you will, but remember that courage and strength are nought without prudence, and that a momentary negligence may destroy the happiness of a lifetime. Do nothing in haste; look well to each step; and from the beginning think what may be the end.” ― Edward Whymper, Scrambles Amongst the Alps
.....and I borrowed this from the Todd Gordon appreciation thread (one of the smartest, most experienced dudes around) to emphasis my point:-)
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L
climber
California dreamin' on the farside of the world..
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Mar 11, 2015 - 06:28am PT
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If Mr. M had fallen at any other angle onto the blunt pillar the rescue would have become a recovery!
This single line marks the difference between comedy and tragedy; a good campfire story vs. a condolence thread. It's my impression that if someone appears to be laughing at a mishap, it's actually nervous laughter...because the main character got a little too close to that dividing line. And almost any climber knows what that's like.
The thing about Echo--and anyone who's climbed there knows this--is that the only trustworthy holds are the ones that have been glued back on. Everything else is just detritus waiting for you to exfoliate it. :-)
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skcreidc
Social climber
SD, CA
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Mar 11, 2015 - 06:43am PT
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Mr. M, being 22 years old, decided that he would just jump up right after a 50 foot grounder!
This isn't all that uncommon when someone is in shock. Seen it a couple times where people want to stand their totaled motorcycle up or close their car door after an accident . And these people need to stay still till emergency services arrive. It can be hard to keep them still.
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Jones in LA
Mountain climber
Tarzana, California
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Mar 11, 2015 - 06:45am PT
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Very glad to read about a tragedy that didn't happen. Heal quickly, young man. Thanks, @quasi, for your excellent account.
Rich Jones
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Alpamayo
Trad climber
Davis, CA
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Mar 11, 2015 - 07:33am PT
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Aren't you guys so smart.
When yall get hurt maybe someone will mock you.
DMT Some stupidity deserves a good mocking. Many years ago, I got a good public mocking after a youthful climbing accident that got some press. I may not of appreciated it right then, but it sunk in a while later and I realized much of the criticism was spot on.
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High Fructose Corn Spirit
Gym climber
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Mar 11, 2015 - 07:46am PT
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"Too bad the boy did not do some simple math like 30 feet minus 20 feet equals -10 feet."
:)
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mhay
climber
Bishop, CA
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Mar 11, 2015 - 08:44am PT
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There but for the grace of stochasticity go I.
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skitch
climber
East of Heaven
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Mar 11, 2015 - 09:34am PT
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That is what pisses me off about poor bolting in places like the ORG and Smith, even on "easy" terrain holds break so it isn't entirely up to my climbing ability to keep me off the deck, it also isn't completely unheard of for old bolts to break. . . I have friends that don't like climbing every other move, but none of them are doing so because they are trying to impress others with their badassness, it's typically just cause they have climbed that route 100+ times and are decent at math.
(30ft-20ft = 10ft)
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rbord
Boulder climber
atlanta
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Mar 11, 2015 - 09:44am PT
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Believing that simple math is simple is what we're good at.
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son of stan
Boulder climber
San Jose CA
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Mar 11, 2015 - 09:46am PT
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Agree young climbers should not fall in the presense of old climbers.
Thoughtless youth. Shame teaches a lesson never forgotten.
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Caveman
climber
Cumberland Plateau
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Mar 11, 2015 - 09:48am PT
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"Aren't you guys so smart.
When yall get hurt maybe someone will mock you."
Just because you have done the same thing doesn't mean you have to get mad at us!
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looks easy from here
climber
Ben Lomond, CA
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Mar 11, 2015 - 09:50am PT
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Luckily, my climbing partner Bruce has a Verizon cellular account so we could call 911 immediately (ATT no signal at all)
FOR 911 CALLS SIGNAL DOES NOT MATTER
If you call 911 your phone will use any available carrier. You can even use a phone that doesn't have a plan. If you have power, you can call 911.
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Flip Flop
climber
salad bowl, california
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Mar 11, 2015 - 09:54am PT
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If I go out like a dumbass then you guys better mock me.
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Caveman
climber
Cumberland Plateau
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Mar 11, 2015 - 09:54am PT
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"Oh caveman :* I could never be mad at you...."
OK....take the wind out of my sails! :)
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Gnome Ofthe Diabase
climber
Out Of Bed
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Mar 11, 2015 - 10:08am PT
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Hey!
I was up at four am and saw this post go up.
I hesitated to say
I DJUTTS
My wife and I agree,
And I echo mouse,
SUMMER SCHOOL ! !
No pitches for you!¡ take away their shoes.
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climbski2
Mountain climber
Anchorage AK, Reno NV
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Mar 11, 2015 - 10:24am PT
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Verizon runs on cdma. Att is gsm. In some places one or the other will not work for 911.
Dingus.. Im freakin rollin. Excellent epitaph.
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apogee
climber
Technically expert, safe belayer, can lead if easy
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Mar 11, 2015 - 10:31am PT
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'stochasticity'
You made me look, Mike.
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guyman
Social climber
Moorpark, CA.
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Mar 11, 2015 - 10:40am PT
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The folly of youth.....
I have told my friend.... "Heal Up... Stay Strong"
He said "Thanks, see you at Stoney in a couple of months"
The young lad walked out of the hospital Tuesday nite...
a much wiser man.
Quazamoto.... thanks for helping out.
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couchmaster
climber
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Mar 11, 2015 - 11:39am PT
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There once was a lad named stochasticity
Who's climbing was so fast it was pretty
He passed by some bolts
while watching birds molt
and now he languishes, sadly....a pity
Heal up !
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JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
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Mar 11, 2015 - 12:48pm PT
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If there's one thing we oldtimers all probably share, it's an appreciation that emulating our early climbing careers would be good training - if you survive.
Glad to hear this fall resulted in so little damage, compared with what could have been. I hope he heals up quickly.
John
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pyro
Big Wall climber
Calabasas
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Mar 11, 2015 - 12:56pm PT
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That sucks!
Ur supposed to have fun day at echo..
glad he is alive..
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FRUMY
Trad climber
Bishop,CA
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Mar 11, 2015 - 12:59pm PT
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JEleazarian how true.
This kid has had good training. He's a good kid that let his ego get the better of him.
Best to you M. Heal well & fast.
Glad he's mostly OK.
Thanks Quasimodo.
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Brian
climber
California
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Mar 11, 2015 - 01:13pm PT
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I was one of the "trained" folks on scene. Just a point of clarification: neither I nor my partner are trained EMTs. I have an expired WFR and she has a very current WFR.
Glad to hear that things look OK for the victim. When he was hauled up we (my partner, I, and the SAR folks) were pretty sure he also had a pelvic fracture. We also thought there might be broken ribs. And of course, with the lacerated scalp there was lingering concern about a head injury, though the victim remained responsive and lucid throughout the ordeal. If these suspicions--other than the broken back--turned out not to be the case, so much the better.
Echo is sketchy, though I love it as a training resource near the city. Got to be careful out there. Helmets are a good idea, especially for the belayer. There are also some VERY sketchy hooks/anchors out there from people TR dogging the anchors. (I try to avoid that and TR only on my own gear; but even my partner and I did one TR lap on an anchor after I lowered without clarifying whether or not she intended to climb the route again.)
Be careful out there folks. Best wishes for a full and speedy recovery to the victim.
Brian
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jstan
climber
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Mar 11, 2015 - 02:25pm PT
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Pardon me while I take a break from my taxes.
He's a good kid that let his ego get the better of him.
Ego is not the only way to explain this behavior. As a noobe I soon recognized there are states of endorphinization allowing one to assume immortality. It was a self-apparent decision point; one to be consciously avoided.
Later observations of other people suggested many of us start with a risk budget that can be expended either on a single climb or over the course of many years. When fully expended, the climbing years are ended. Granted, alpinists may not have such a budget.
A story in this vein. In 1969 I stood alongside Lester Germer watching a young man solo Ken's Crack as his very first climb. The broken rocks at ground level would have left little of him recognizable, had he fallen. After he had just barely made it, Lester muttered "Someone has GOT to do something." That he was impelled to comment is remarkable if you know who Lester was.
Lester volunteered and flew combat missions over Europe in WWI. He survived and after getting his Doctorate in Physics he did the work demonstrating electrons are simultaneously both particles and waves. Work that Einstein relied upon to guide his own thinking on the matter. At an advanced age and after having someone's crampons implanted into his back he trekked around Everest. Every once in awhile we meet people who can be considered to be "Sources." Lester was such a source and I was struck that even sources can feel helpless, as Lester felt at that moment.
We all are helpless. As a result I resolved at that moment never to fear failure whenever the goal justified the risk. Climbing is just play so nothing in my climbing ever justified real risk. But there were other later decisions that did, and Lester had prepared me for them.
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WBraun
climber
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Mar 11, 2015 - 02:29pm PT
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Attention Young People: Please stop scaring the old people!
Can't be done!
It's what young people do, and what old people do.
Remain young and you won't be scared anymore .....
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phylp
Trad climber
Upland, CA
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Mar 11, 2015 - 02:54pm PT
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All EMTs should be qualifies to do emergency vasectomies in cases where there is a clear need, such as this one.
Just kidding, I hope the guy recovers fully. Scary!
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perswig
climber
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Mar 11, 2015 - 03:01pm PT
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In case nobody has said it yet, props to the initial first responders and to the Ventura crew that lifted him so quickly.
Dale
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Charlie D.
Trad climber
Western Slope, Tahoe Sierra
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Mar 11, 2015 - 03:12pm PT
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For all you young dad's an mom's out there just wait until your kids start climbing on their own! Despite all your best instruction they will make decisions you'll hear about later that will scare the shIt out of you, leaving you wondering where did I go wrong?
Scaring old people is part of the program. Glad to hear the young man is OK.
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'Pass the Pitons' Pete
Big Wall climber
like Ontario, Canada, eh?
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Mar 11, 2015 - 04:33pm PT
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I have a nurse friend who worked in triage in emerg. Occasionally people like this guy would come in.
She would annotate the chart TSTL - too stupid to live.
or as my cavin' buddy Dick would say, "There ain't no accountin' for stupid."
I figure if you are going to be this stupid, it really pays to be lucky.
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Yafer
Trad climber
Chatsworth, California
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Mar 11, 2015 - 09:00pm PT
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Hey Mr. P, I never thought you were old...
Mr. M and J, let's learn from this one...see you soon at the crags.
and Mr. B or Bruce (the only one with a full name!) thank you for aiding in the rescue of my friend Mr.M.
I've been reckless, high with confidence..and I have the scars and healed fractures to prove it!
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Gary
Social climber
Desolation Basin, Calif.
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Mar 11, 2015 - 09:08pm PT
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I have a nurse friend who worked in triage in emerg. Occasionally people like this guy would come in.
She would annotate the chart TSTL - too stupid to live.
That applies to all of us, no?
Glass houses and all that. I can't believe climbers are posting stuff like this. There but for the grace of god...
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apogee
climber
Technically expert, safe belayer, can lead if easy
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Mar 11, 2015 - 09:14pm PT
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I'm with you in principle, Gary, but there sure seems to be a magnitude more of stoooopid out there these days.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Mar 11, 2015 - 09:20pm PT
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Mr. M is a moron. His age is probably coincidental....he will likely be a moron at 44, 66 and 88... should he live that long.
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'Pass the Pitons' Pete
Big Wall climber
like Ontario, Canada, eh?
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Mar 11, 2015 - 09:37pm PT
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Gary - there is no excuse for not clipping bolts. The guy is a total dumbass, and almost paid with his life.
Hopefully other dumbasses out there who skip clipping bolts will read this, and not do it any more.
Certainly I have made mistakes - look at my ankle sometime. But nothing so egregious as this! His mistake is absolutely unequivocally indefensible.
Stupid is as stupid does.
Emphatically concur with Donini - an old fart who has cheated death numerous times, mostly by not being a dumbass.
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JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
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Mar 12, 2015 - 12:06am PT
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For all you young dad's an mom's out there just wait until your kids start climbing on their own!
Climbing was easy - they were aware that it was dangerous from early on. Their staying in Camp 4 alone was more of a concern, but wait til they start driving. That's the real test!
John
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this just in
climber
Justin Ross from North Fork
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Mar 12, 2015 - 08:07am PT
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A couple years ago my girlfriend and I headed to Tollhouse for the day. The plan was to do her first multi-pitch. We are walking along the base and above us is a team of two older gentleman. The belayer notices us and seems to be waiting for me to say hello. So, I say something cool, like "How's it going?" He says something cool like, "Good, you?"
Now I look at the leader and can see his uncomfortableness. Probing his hands for the thin face section, moving his head every which way in search for something, maybe a hold, maybe his last bolt, most likely how bad of a fall he's looking at.
We all know the feeling of being stuck and the sensation of your feet slowly smearing away.
I was tempted to watch the show, but kept walking. A couple of seconds later I hear what I thought would be the guys last screams. Four death screams as he slid down the face and a final thud when the rope caught him and his weight slammed into the rock.
My girl saw the whole fall, I ran up and saw him dangling below his belayer after a fifty foot slide/fall. Then the best line came. "What happened?" Said Mr. Belayer.
"I fell." Said Mr. Leader in a shock and terrified voice.
It was hard not to laugh at the response, but they were both fine and looks like he was off route.
Needless to say my girlfriend wanted no part of a multi-pitch after witnessing that, so we just did single pitches.
So, Attention Old People: Please Stop Scaring Young People!
So happy in both cases that they lived to climb another day.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Mar 12, 2015 - 08:18am PT
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"Honest, officer, I didn't know it was loaded."
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Flip Flop
climber
salad bowl, california
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Mar 12, 2015 - 09:07am PT
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Being a vertical cannibal I can say this;
If I die first you guys can eat me.
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Todd Townsend
Social climber
Bishop, CA
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Mar 12, 2015 - 11:55am PT
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You guys are funny. Usually around here it's all:
"Sport climbing is neither."
"No risk = no commitment = no adventure = no sack."
Then something like this happens and it's all:
"No excuse for not clipping bolts."
"The guy is a total dumbass."
Hahaha. Carry on, old dudes!
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Mar 12, 2015 - 01:33pm PT
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Hmmmm....you obviously miss a key point youngster. Try climbing routes that require skill, experience and a bit of cunning to take what's offered and get just enough protection to assure being around for the next climb.
Skipping already extant bolts to the point where falling results in injury is pure DUMBASS. He obviously lacked the skill level required to safely ignore the bolts.
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Todd Townsend
Social climber
Bishop, CA
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Mar 12, 2015 - 06:30pm PT
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Ok, so the criteria is:
Run it out into R/X terrain and don't fall = Rad.
Run it out into R/X terrain and fall = Dumbass.
Makes sense to me!
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TGT
Social climber
So Cal
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Mar 12, 2015 - 06:37pm PT
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Intentionally turn a sport climb into R/X by skipping bolts = DUMBASS
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WBraun
climber
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Mar 12, 2015 - 06:42pm PT
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Intentionally turn a sport climb into R/X by skipping bolts = DUMBASS
Yep, ... there's no way around it.
DUMBASS
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Todd Townsend
Social climber
Bishop, CA
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Mar 12, 2015 - 06:45pm PT
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So by your criteria every time Bachar went soloing in the ORG he was being a dumbass.
Got it.
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Lorenzo
Trad climber
Portland Oregon
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Mar 12, 2015 - 07:16pm PT
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^^^ oh, my. That was in poor taste.
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Gilroy
Social climber
Bolderado
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Mar 12, 2015 - 07:40pm PT
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Trolling has nothing to do with taste. More about tantalizing comment to foment discussion. And a little bit about lawyer-like leading of the witness with scandalous and challenging slightly off the point verbal feints.
Well played. Even got the doninisaurus.
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Katiekorn
Sport climber
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Mar 17, 2015 - 07:21pm PT
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Best wishes "Mr. M." Heal up quickly! I've known many intelligent people who've made dumb mistakes... And "Mr. M." essentially is the one who will suffer the consequences, but he is neither dumb or a show off. Hope to see you out there soon.
~KT
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justthemaid
climber
Jim Henson's Basement
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Mar 18, 2015 - 07:55am PT
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Well, I'm very happy he's ok and lived to tell his tale. I hope he climbs safer if he chooses to continue climbing. I agree... age may have not relevance to being scary but the younger guys can certainly be more impulsive.
Difference between dumbass and non-dumbass? A non-dumbass would have the common sense to not just randomly go yarding on notoriously chossy, unsound and glue-dependent rock like that found at Echo Cliffs when your life is on the line. Hell, even clipping the bolts I don't trust some of that rock. It's all suspect IMO.
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Sierra Ledge Rat
Mountain climber
Old and Broken Down in Appalachia
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Mar 19, 2015 - 11:54am PT
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Mister M likes to skip bolts and run it out. He does it all the time.
Betcha that ain't gonna happen anymore.
There's a fine line between bravery and foolishness, and he crossed that line.
I crossed that line too many times myself, that's why I'm broken down.
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thinkmck
Trad climber
West Hills CA
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Hello everybody, I'm mister M as of a month later I'm healing quickly as well as looking back at the mistake and learning from it, A couple old timers told me about this forum post and thought maybe I should chime in. I hairline fractured the l1 in my back and was called the luckiest person in the hospital that week. the doc gave me a 6-8 week recovery time and to take it easy, An incredible way to learn a valuable lesson without much consequence, to sum it up as mister j reminds me avidly everyday "you deserve the luckiest boy in America medal". Not sure exactly what thoughts were going through my head that day, i know I really wanted to climb and red point Java in the shade, the week prior I was running laps as fast as I could on that climb So I thought f*#k it, make up some time just keep going! I remember when I was climbing and the hold blew I tried slapping back into the pocket (which then became a slopey pocket) with no points on, I looked back at the ground and my belayer mister J And thinking "that's a lot of rope out". "WHOOPS"! So if any climber can learn from this climb smart be safe and in my opinion the sport can be as safe as you make it!
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L
climber
California dreamin' on the farside of the world..
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Apr 10, 2015 - 04:56am PT
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Good on ya, Thinkmck!
Really glad to hear you're healing up quickly.
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couchmaster
climber
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Apr 10, 2015 - 05:30am PT
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Right on Mick! You sound like you have a great attitude in general and about this accident as well and will be fine soon enough. Congrats on surviving it with minimal trauma. Events such as the one you had are not uncommon amongst the rest of us, including Werner and Donini I would imagine. However, they are far enough back in the rear view mirror that we tend to have forgotten them. The trick for you is to use this event as a learning and growth thing, not specifically about clipping or not clipping bolts, but about climbing as a mental process. The process is utilized every time you go out (or not used), for everything - not just clipping bolts.
You CANNOT eliminate all risk (ie, it cannot be made as safe as you want it to be like you say), but you can mitigate your safety in many situations. Donini has a great story about backing up an otherwise good appearing rap anchor once that saved his and his partners life. You can search for as an example of what I'm saying. That should be the most important take-away from this accident for you IMO. Not just about these bolts, or this climb, but about you climbing...in general.
Meantime, welcome back and may good health and fun follow you throughout your days.
Thickmck said: "Hello everybody, I'm mister M as of a month later I'm healing quickly as well as looking back at the mistake and learning from it, A couple old timers told me about this forum post and thought maybe I should chime in. I hairline fractured the l1 in my back and was called the luckiest person in the hospital that week. the doc gave me a 6-8 week recovery time and to take it easy, An incredible way to learn a valuable lesson without much consequence, to sum it up as mister j reminds me avidly everyday "you deserve the luckiest boy in America medal". Not sure exactly what thoughts were going through my head that day, i know I really wanted to climb and red point Java in the shade, the week prior I was running laps as fast as I could on that climb So I thought f*#k it, make up some time just keep going! I remember when I was climbing and the hold blew I tried slapping back into the pocket (which then became a slopey pocket) with no points on, I looked back at the ground and my belayer mister J And thinking "that's a lot of rope out". "WHOOPS"! So if any climber can learn from this climb smart be safe and in my opinion the sport can be as safe as you make it! "
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Charlie D.
Trad climber
Western Slope, Tahoe Sierra
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Apr 10, 2015 - 05:44am PT
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Great attitude Mr. M, heal up and get back at it!!!
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Apr 10, 2015 - 05:57am PT
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Right on Thick Mick! Glad you're on the mend!
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Apr 10, 2015 - 07:55am PT
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Good post Mick...sounds like a lesson well learned.
Regarding doing REALLY dumb things, it is not limited to young climbers.
I'm celebrating my two year old "second birthday." Forget the experience I developed in the preceding 69 years.
I posted a thread about it but to make a long story short....I rapped off of a ridiculously faded piece of webbing that cut thru like butter. Only clipping a nearby webbing knot jammed into friable sandstone saved my life.
I''ve survived forty plus expeditions in the World's knarliest alpine terrain and I do something dumb like that.
The lesson learned is....don't rest on your laurels . Rock climbing can be very safe BUT gravity lurks on every climb and requires constant vigilance to keep it at bay.
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pyro
Big Wall climber
Calabasas
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Apr 10, 2015 - 08:00am PT
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Mr M Java is all time classic!
Stay safe so you can continue to climb that route years to come!
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Poloman
Trad climber
Anna, Il
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Apr 10, 2015 - 08:02am PT
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Gravity waits silently for one mistake
one mistake
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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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Apr 10, 2015 - 08:48am PT
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Todd is offended by the age thing, but stupid is stupid at any age.
Wasting public resources as a result should be remedied from the bold leader's wallet, but of course, won't be.
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guyman
Social climber
Moorpark, CA.
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Apr 10, 2015 - 09:28am PT
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Good to know your getting better..... Looking to see you soon at Stoney.
Remember, if you borrow gear from me, please use it.... :>)
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STEEVEE
Social climber
HUMBOLDT, CA
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Apr 16, 2015 - 10:33am PT
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Wasting public resources as a result should be remedied from the bold leader's wallet, but of course, won't be. From the sound of things nothing was wasted. Everything was gained.
Glad you're okay Mister M.
Climb on!
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matty
Trad climber
under the sea
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Apr 16, 2015 - 12:51pm PT
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Heal up quick M, tried to call but your cell has changed?? Anyways would love to run up HD again and then on to the nose...! Hope to see you at stoney sometime.
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| Messages 1 - 69 of total 69 in this topic |
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