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avid
Trad climber
Sacramento
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Topic Author's Original Post - Aug 31, 2015 - 12:46pm PT
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Hey all,
I was climbing at Lovers Leap yesterday and heard a couple sirens from the highway. Minutes later, a helicopter was making passes for about 10 minutes. At one point they were below me while I was topped out on Surrealistic Pillar. Eventually they made a pass near the top of the main wall. The helicopter went toward Strawberry Station and I think even landed in the field over there briefly. They took back off and buzzed the leap heading East. One hour later, a helicopter flew over back west. I can't confirm it was the same helicopter, though.
Does anyone know if there was an accident at the Leap? I didn't see any obvious signs of an accident, but the helicopter behavior suggested something did happen.
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Matt's
climber
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Aug 31, 2015 - 01:06pm PT
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my best guess, based on past data:
leader fall on p1 of the line, gear blew, groundfall.
(bump for what actually happened!)
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avid
Trad climber
Sacramento
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 31, 2015 - 01:40pm PT
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That's what I immediately suspected as well. I looked over at the line and saw some dude leading up it. There was a bottleneck on final pitch of Bear's Reach, but that is standard.
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squishy
Mountain climber
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Aug 31, 2015 - 01:43pm PT
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Could have been a rattle snake bite for all we know..
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PolishClimber
Trad climber
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Aug 31, 2015 - 01:47pm PT
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I was at the top of Surrealistic at the same time! Never found anything out about the chopper. Seemed like it got awfully close to the wall for a training exercise...
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squishy
Mountain climber
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Aug 31, 2015 - 02:09pm PT
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Maybe it was just a drone and we should ban them...didn't it ruin your wilderness experience?
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Kique
Trad climber
Livermore
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Aug 31, 2015 - 04:24pm PT
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A gentleman took a 25ft leader fall on Just Acquaintances (5.6) on Hogwild. Left ankle got pretty banged up as he came to a halt down the route. Great response by a climbing party on Hogwild (5.7) next door which had an MD and helped stabilize until CDF arrived on the scene. Hope he recovers soon.
There is a significant amount of blood streaking down the lower part of the climb. People might want to avoid this climb until after a rain...
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andand89
Trad climber
Berkeley
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Aug 31, 2015 - 07:46pm PT
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I was following on the line when the sirens and helicopter showed up for the climber who fell on Just Acquaintances. On a whim my partner and I decided to scope out Hogwild and Better Than Bacon before driving back to the bay, and a friendly British-accented man pointed the routes to us while using the blood stain as a reference point. Apparently the leader fell and broke his ankle with an open fracture (hence the blood).
Glad to hear there was someone on the scene quickly, the red streak on the rock looked pretty ominous.
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gizzard
Trad climber
sacrramento
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Aug 31, 2015 - 09:03pm PT
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yeah that 5.6 rating is sandbagged as well.. at least 1 or 2 5.8 moves on that route... but the rest is 5.6 (supertopo has it as 5.6) The Tahoe book has it listed as 5.8 in which I agree (based on just those few moves)
I hope that didn't factor into their decision to climb that route. Hope everyone is okay.
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Chris Cunningham
Trad climber
San Francisco
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Aug 31, 2015 - 09:20pm PT
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Sandbagging is bad enough; but failing to update published topos on long established routes is worse. A few guide books do make mention of the original rating and the current consensus rating.
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crankster
Trad climber
No. Tahoe
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That climb's a bit tricky, and dirty. Most folks are there to do Hogwild or Better With Bacon, probably do this when those popular climbs are crowded. Glad to wasn't worse.
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splitclimber
climber
Sonoma County
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I remember feeling sandbagged on that route big time. Felt 5.8
Best wishes to the injured climber for a full recovery.
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avid
Trad climber
Sacramento
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 1, 2015 - 12:03pm PT
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Dang, I'm sad to hear someone was injured. I'm hoping for a speedy recovery for the fallen lead climber.
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mucci
Trad climber
The pitch of Bagalaar above you
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I remember seeing the 5.6 rating, grabbed a rack of stoppers and a couple hexes and took off.
Whoa, way out of the comfort zone.
Great climb though.
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Simes
Trad climber
Camino, CA
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I am the one who fell. My wife and I had planned to climb Hogwild, but it was crowded. I put too much confidence in the Supertopo rating. Though just getting into the sport, I've led some 5.6 and 5.7 routes and followed on other slightly more difficult ones. Supertopo's rating is a complete sandbag for this climb and I knew it at the first crux. Did not feel comfortable at all and should have just retreated.
I spent 4 hours in surgery and the good staff at Barton put me back together. They weren't sure I'd keep my foot. I severed an artery and had a 10mm open wound. Topmost piece did not hold and I guess I fell 30+ feet. Climber next to us, Alex, applied a tourniquet and managed to stop the bleeding. The EMTs were fantastic, but it took them an hour to reach us. I will recover thanks the the pins and plates Dr. Kyle Swanson installed. He told me it was the worst he'd ever seen. Thank goodness for today's pain meds.
Sorry for all the blood I left behind. Maybe it will serve as a warning to others like me that this climb is not a 5.6. I would have never tried this lead of oh ad known the accurate rating.
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couchmaster
climber
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Sounds like it should end well after some healing time. Glad it wasn't worse for you bro, you'll be back on it soon. Remember to not be impatient and follow the Dr recommendations -make sure it's a sports orientated doctor too. Ammon all but had his ankle up in his ear and he made a comeback (remarkable one too) so don't get despondent.
Don't worry over the blood left behind it will take care of itself, heal up fast and good luck!
Re Simes quote: "I am the one who fell. My wife and I had planned to climb Hogwild, but it was crowded. I put too much confidence in the Supertopo rating. Though just getting into the sport, I've led some 5.6 and 5.7 routes and followed on other slightly more difficult ones. Supertopo's rating is a complete sandbag for this climb and I knew it at the first crux. Did not feel comfortable at all and should have just retreated.
I spent 4 hours in surgery and the good staff at Barton put me back together. They weren't sure I'd keep my foot. I severed an artery and had a 10mm open wound. Topmost piece did not hold and I guess I fell 30+ feet. Climber next to us, Alex, applied a tourniquet and managed to stop the bleeding. The EMTs were fantastic, but it took them an hour to reach us. I will recover thanks the the pins and plates Dr. Kyle Swanson installed. He told me it was the worst he'd ever seen. Thank goodness for today's pain meds.
Sorry for all the blood I left behind. Maybe it will serve as a warning to others like me that this climb is not a 5.6. I would have never tried this lead of oh ad known the accurate rating. "
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doughnutnational
Gym climber
its nice here in the spring
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I'm sorry you got hurt and I hope it's just foggy headedness due to pain meds, surgery and stress but it sounds like your blaming your mistake on the guidebook. It's your fault not the guidebooks.
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FRUMY
Trad climber
Bishop,CA
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^^^^^ What
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High Fructose Corn Spirit
Gym climber
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A reminder to us all.
Sorry you got hurt. Thanks for posting up, letting us know, and giving us time to reflect.
Wishing you a speedy recovery. Hope you get back to the Leap soon!
PS Pay no attention to the weirdos at this place.
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Daphne
Trad climber
Northern California
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I send good vibes for a swift and thorough healing.
donutnational, that was a dick thing to post
edit: have you ever been laying in bed going over your fall and how your life just got seriously changed? That is not the time to point out someone's error to them. That is the time for support and encouragement.
Remark to doughnut edited.
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