my fall off of royal arches on 11/20

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meg AK

Trad climber
Kennicott
Topic Author's Original Post - Dec 14, 2007 - 12:50am PT
Hello to all you amazing people,

First off, my apologies for taking so long to get on this website and reply to you all. I have been amazed and so truly touched by all the love that has come through here and read aloud to me. Thank you. So truly.

So here I am sitting in Doug's living room by a crackling fire enjoying his amazing generosity. He is a gem of a human being, and if it took this to meet him, so be it.

I feel like I need to lay down some details for those of you who are still wondering about them. It is a bit embarrassing, actually, to admit one's mistakes, but also something for everyone to learn from. So I'm going to suck it up and tell you exactly what I was doing while dangling there at the ends of the ropes for quite some time before I finally fell off of them.

The topo of the rappel that is posted under Matt's description of my accident is accurate. We were rapping off that tree, while we should have been still scrambling.... on down that slanting ledge to the climber's right. We talked about it too- all the anchors should be newly bolted, all of that. But we couldn't see the next bolts and we were unfortunately a little too hasty to follow the direction the rap rings on the slings seemed to be aimed, rather than checking with the topo.

In usual fashion of low angle slabs, we threw our ropes and they landed in piles a way down, so I was rapping and continuing to slightly untangle and throw the rope ahead of me as I went. Once I got past the lowest angle part, I could see a rap station below me. I couldn't yet see if the ropes went to it, but it seemed close, so why wouldn't two 60 meter ropes reach, right? That's what it must be set up for? It wasn't until I was quite close that I saw I was just a few feet short.

We have double ropes, that although bought as a pair, red is about 10 feet longer than blue. We've never measured to see if red is long or blue is short, actually, we just assumed red must be long. We all know about assuming. While, red was only a foot or two short. The anchor was old button bolts with colored webbing slings between them and rap rings on those. I know I wasn't meant to use any of those. I actually sort of worked my way up the rope a little bit in that silly way you can pulling on rope and working it through the belay device. I was looking hard for other options. I saw the true anchor far to my right and tried a pendulum over to it, but I could not get nearly as close to that. I believe people may use the tree to back up the scramble to the right anchor down the angled ledge and the anchor I saw was second after that one? I'm guessing here. But I couldn't reach it from the tree.

So back directly below the tree, I start shouting to Matty. As is typical between belays/rappels, he cannot understand my request for him to prussik off the ropes so they cannot run through, enabling me to go onto just red and hopefully reach the old manky anchor that seems to be my only option. After several minutes of trying, I realize I'm on my own.

This is where the real lesson begins, so tune in. I had this feeling that I'm an experienced climber, so I should be able to handle this. I felt like I HAD to figure it out. Maybe a bit of ego in there? Perhaps you understand this feeling of not wanting to remain dangling and wait for someone to finally decide to come help? So I came up with a plan. I was not carrying some of the little prussik cords I always used to carry, no knots in the ends as I always used to have without exception..... I was ill prepared for this. But I did have some full length runners.

So I decided I would prussik onto the blue rope, attaching it to my harness so it couldn't run up and away, but in essence lengthening it. Then I could put my rappel just on red and get to within grasping distance of the anchor. Let me tell you, I didn't really like the plan and knew I didn't want to be doing this, but felt like I didn't have a choice. Listen to those little voices in your head, folks! I knew it didn't feel right. So first I tried to tie off my rappel with a clove hitch back on my harness, and I couldn't manage to fumble my way through that simple procedure, which lets you in on my tiredness and also how unsure I was of my whole plan. So I couldn't get hands free. I am at this point very close to the ends of the ropes, and we all know how slippery the rappel gets at that point. So one handed I was trying to tie a prussik onto the rope and it sure felt impossible at that moment. Which made me decide to go for a bachman's because it's so much easier to create as you clip through the gate of the beaner for your wraps. Slippery, though, so I (again) didn't like it but did it. I attached that to the power point of my harness, weighted it and about held my breath while I let the blue rope slide through my reversino.

System working. Need more extention. The quickest thing was to grab my purcell prussik and attach that to the bachmans at full extension. And then inch that bachman's down further than I liked. Now, I could catch that anchor webbing with my feet. Okay. Had not thought ahead enough, as I was just thinking one step at a time at this point. I needed that purcell prussik to hook onto that anchor, didn't I? Okay, just a few inches of red rope left to hang onto, and very little blue below that bachmans. Oh, then did I wish I had put knot in the end of that blue rope!!!! But I couldn't quite manage it at that point.

I didn't like any of it and had to move on to the next step quick. So I had to get another runner on my harness to use to attach myself to the anchor (unfortunate extra step that I'm actually not sure if I pulled off or not) I do remember reaching in a stretching way, foot bringing webbing up, left hand reaching down to grab it, very aware that the extra pressure of this long reach had the potential to pull that bachman's off the blue rope. But I wasn't scared. There was an almost ledge just below the anchor, and I sort of felt like I could stick it or something. I don't know, I just knew it would be okay somehow. This is all I can give you, really. I have no memory of the fall whatsoever. I think that bachman's must have slipped just as I feared, and in my grab for it, I must have let go of the red too? Somehow, I just fell right off both of them. As Matt reported, the ropes didn't move. My fingers were ground down to meat it seemed, so I think I must have scraped my way down the slab trying to grab on, and maybe that is the secret slow down to my surviving?

So that is the long version of the accident report, for all those who really like the details. Total pilot error, really. But now I want to give you a little current update.

We are settled in living with Doug for a few weeks, and somehow it seems meant to be. This is a valuable friendship that we would not have found otherwise. I had to go for checkups with my doctors on monday, and they were both very impressed with my healing. All staples have now been removed, and x-rays show healing. Apparently my two lungs already sound the same. Although I still need heavy drugs for pain, the ribs now allow me to laugh and cough-two things that were terrible before. I'm healing. It feels like a miracle, and so I can be nothing but happy about the whole situation.

Matty and I are in very good spirits! What was meant to be our dream roadtrip of climbing and skiing has taken a very large turn off course, and somehow we're not even bummed. I think it is because we have felt so surrounded by love and support. This is something that is not so surprising from friends and family, but this site has added all sorts of amazing strangers to the mix, and that is the really inspirational part. It gives me such faith in the goodness of people, and I am so grateful to each and every one of you who has been sending us the good vibe. Thank you so much. I hope my lengthy entry is helpful to you in some way.
meg
Mtnmun

Trad climber
Top of the Mountain Mun
Dec 14, 2007 - 01:08am PT
Get well soon Meg. Santa Cruz is a wonderful place to rehabilitate. Thanks for the story.
WBraun

climber
Dec 14, 2007 - 01:12am PT
Thanks for the update Meg and synopsis of what happened. Heal well.

And special thanks to Doug for showing us the true spirit of humanity.
monolith

Trad climber
Berkeley
Dec 14, 2007 - 01:13am PT
Thanks, it really does help us to know what happened. I appreciate it very much.
ng

Trad climber
southwest
Dec 14, 2007 - 01:19am PT
how far did you fall?

will you be submitting your story to R&I or Accid. NA Mountaineering?

there are alot of teaching points in your story.

glad to hear you're well.
Jello

Social climber
No Ut
Dec 14, 2007 - 01:24am PT
Wonderful spirit, Meg! Wishing you a continued speedy recovery.

-Jeff
murcy

climber
San Fran Cisco
Dec 14, 2007 - 01:26am PT
glad you're healing so well. thank you very much for the report--which is not only useful but really gripping; it must have been tough to write.
Ed Hartouni

Trad climber
Livermore, CA
Dec 14, 2007 - 01:32am PT
great to hear from you Meg. We all find ourselves in those situations, sometimes sh#t happens... I'm so happy you are here to tell us about it.

Wishing you the best in your recovery.
tarek

climber
berkeley
Dec 14, 2007 - 01:54am PT
Thanks for that effort, Meg. You really captured the sequence of decisions--much more of a service than a dry, factual account by someone else. Best of luck for complete healing.
DR sure walks the walk.
nick d

Trad climber
nm
Dec 14, 2007 - 01:55am PT
I am very happy you are able to tell your story so lucidly! Perhaps the occasion will arrive for me to tell you my rappelling to my death story. Here's to happy landings for all those of us briefly lost to the void. May we all land safe, or some reasonable facismile thereof.
Jay Wood

Trad climber
Fairfax, CA
Dec 14, 2007 - 02:10am PT

Thanks for the details. The clear picture will help me, and I'm sure others, to be safe.

Hope your recovery continues to be rapid and complete.
Melissa

Gym climber
berkeley, ca
Dec 14, 2007 - 02:39am PT
Wow...to all of it. Heal fast, and enjoy your time at Doug's. I've only met him once but from the tails of my own mentor in the beginning who learned from him, you must be in good hands. I hope your dream trip happens as you planned it eventually.
bhilden

Trad climber
Mountain View, CA
Dec 14, 2007 - 02:45am PT
First off, Meg, I hope you heal quickly and thanks for sharing your story. There is a ton of useful information there that we can all learn from.

Secondly, I have never met Ed H., but in reading his posts I think he appears to be a good guy, but I just cannot agree with his assessment that "sh*t happens".

In climbing, when "sh*t happens" people can get either very seriously hurt or they can die. We, as climbers, cannot have a relaxed attitude about the risks and dangers in climbing. A relaxed attitude is one huge contributing factor to the fact that an alarming number of climbers have been seriously injured or killed by having their partner lower them off the end of the rope(I realize that is not what happened in Meg's case).

Climbers, please, please be careful out there. I am constantly reminded of the great Sheridan Anderson cartoon depciting a sign at the entrance to the Valley, "Entering Yosemite Valley, Laws of Gravity Strictly Enforced"

Soap Box Mode off,

Bruce

ps - if you ever saw the "Jack Osborne Climbs El Cap" one of the guides makes a similar statement "It was an honest mistake" when the second guide finds Jack sitting on a small ledge, halfway up El Cap, not tied in. The response by the second guide to the first giude about her statement was classic.
mcreel

climber
Barcelona, Spain
Dec 14, 2007 - 03:27am PT
Thanks for telling the story. It's funny how people are often reluctant to explain their mistakes. It seems you learned a lot, and your clear explanation can help other people to learn too. I especially like the way you explain how the brain starts fooling itself, thinking that things are under control. It makes it easy to realize how we all do this at times. Merry Christmas!
dirtineye

Trad climber
the south
Dec 14, 2007 - 04:27am PT
Nice story.

Bet you never do THAT again!

I lived though a really stupid climbing thing once, learned a lot from mine, too.

Thanks for all the reminders, what you wrote will probably save someone.
Karl Baba

Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
Dec 14, 2007 - 04:40am PT
Hi Meg

Thanks for the report and glad it's working out in many ways.


All the best

Peace

Karl
O.D.

Trad climber
LA LA Land
Dec 14, 2007 - 09:24am PT
Your detailed description and frank analysis of your accident will be useful to all who read it, and is commendable. Best wishes for a full and speedy recovery.
survival

Big Wall climber
arlington, va
Dec 14, 2007 - 09:53am PT
Meg,
Thanks for the report...I was sweating by the end of it!

Many of us have had frighteningly similar episodes. So glad you're ok.

MegAK? Kennicott? Does that mean you're from McCarthy?
I'm from Eagle River and I was married at Kennicott lodge! I have taken my kids there on an annual trip since the early 90's.
Do you know Andy and Cynthia Shidner? I worked with Andy for years. Good to find an Alaskan in here if I'm supposin' correctly.
Bruce
Bhilden, how does one "lower" ones partner off the end of a rope? Doesn't "lowering" imply being tied to the partner above?
Prod

Social climber
Charlevoix, MI
Dec 14, 2007 - 10:27am PT
Glad you're here to tell the story.

Prod.
cintune

climber
Penn's Woods
Dec 14, 2007 - 10:37am PT
"and we all know how slippery the rappel gets at that point."

Wow, thanks for the instant heart-rate boost, right there!

Glad you made it, get well quick.
rhyang

Ice climber
SJC
Dec 14, 2007 - 10:54am PT
Great to hear you are doing so well !!

btw I read that you were in a halo. Wore mine for 3 months and made a keychain out of one of the pins -
GOclimb

Trad climber
Boston, MA
Dec 14, 2007 - 11:05am PT
Thanks for the testimonial! I remember the first time I discovered how slick a bachmanns can be. Fortunately for me at the time, I was just hanging below a roof on tiny double ropes, not desperately clinging to the ends of them!

Very glad to hear you're doing so well. Kudos to you for having the courage to speak up. And a BIG thank you to everyone involved in helping you out, rescuers, friends, family, Doug. I'm sure many others have played a part. So far as I'm concerned, if they're helping you, they're helping us all, as there but for the grace of circumstance go I.

Hoping you a full and speedy recovery.

Cheers!

GO
bluering

Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
Dec 14, 2007 - 11:06am PT
Good God, you're lucky to be alive. Count your blessings, heal up, and learn from your mistake. Merry Christmas!!!

Tie knots in the end of the rope, please. It doesn't take that much time.

Be well, Meg.
spyork

Social climber
A prison of my own creation
Dec 14, 2007 - 11:18am PT
Wow, that was a gripping story. Glad to hear you are recovering.

pud

climber
Sportbikeville
Dec 14, 2007 - 11:24am PT
Meg,
I'm so glad you are here and on the road to recovery.

Now, when your grandkid tells you about the ten foot whipper he took on that 10b sport route, you can sit him down and educate him on the true meaning of "epic".
:)
Chiloe

Trad climber
Lee, NH
Dec 14, 2007 - 11:58am PT
That was a gripping read indeed, the slow-motion things going wrong while you knew they weren't quite right, but each decision set up the next. Thanks for sharing it so frankly with all us strangers, most of whom can probably recall their own share of sketchy rappels and bad decisions.

I used to back up many of my raps with a prussik self-belay, but have lost that habit over the years. Now both prussiks and end knots are a situation-specific thing. Can't count the number of times I've wrapped the rope a few times around one leg, though, as a no-tech solution to free my hands and buy time.
the Fet

Knackered climber
A bivy sack in the secret campground
Dec 14, 2007 - 12:28pm PT
Meg,

First of all, your attitude is friggin awesome! People who can look at things like you are seem to have the happiest lives.

And thanks for sharing your story and the lessons learned. You had my hands sweating just reading it.

It seems this scenario is very typical of accidents. Unexpected things come up. Then a series of not well thought out decisions (made in the heat of the moment under duress) combine to a bad outcome.

I'm glad that for all things considered, things are going as well as they are. Get well soon!
L

climber
The Late Great Planet Earth
Dec 14, 2007 - 03:10pm PT
Wow Meg--thanks for that update! Glad to hear you're mending so well and so quickly.

Thanks also for reminding us about "that little voice". Its importance to each of us adventurers in the vertical world can never be stressed enough.
poop*ghost

Trad climber
Denver, CO
Dec 14, 2007 - 03:27pm PT
Glad you're okay. Back in my early yosemite forays I had issue w/ the place where I believe you fell.

This is an exert from my trip report (06-2001)

8:30pm - Sun goes down and we had 2 more pitches to rap. Monty and J were a bit slower rappellers - so we were dragging and I kept harping on going way faster - but it was just no use... we were benighted. It was dark and Paul (the most experienced guy) did rap 9?? (off a big tree near the river) but stopped too early at some old rusty 1/4 inch bolts and backed them up.
The other guys rapped (really slow in the dark) and then I rapped last, arriving and seeing the shitty old bolts I realized (as had paul) that he should have kept going and found better bolts lower.

I kept rapping on the same line, looking for the good bolts and then saw some anchors further down on the left wall(yeah!). What I found were 2 of the scaries looking button-heads with nightmare slings on them (no!). No way was I hanging off that crap!

So I went down a more and didn't see a damn thing! It was really dark and I couldn't see the ends of the ropes and no bolts in sight (even with the headlamp). Knowing that I'd have to prussic back up all the distance I rapped if I didn't find any bolts had me worried about going down when I didn't see anything.

I finally decided that I'd prussic back up the bad belay where the other were and we'd have to re-group and swing further right to find anchors. With a backpack full of crap, I climbed the ropes (prussics) back up to the belay.

Did I mention that the ropes were wet? Horrible, horrible, horrible time getting back up the rope. Tying backup knows every 25 feet was impossible. The wet ropes would pull tight on the knot and become rock hard - making it really tough to untie.

I was completely spent by the time I got back up. Paul got on rappel and swung way to the right and finally found some shiny new bolts at the top of a bolted route - BUT the ropes were stuck at the bottom. He clipped the ropes to the new anchors, rapped and unstuck the ropes (they were in the water too) and prussic'ed back up to the anchors.

At this point it's 10pm. We all rapped to where paul was, me going last and breaking down his anchor. Upon arrival at what we thought to be the last rappel - we were all weary. But the night wasn't over.

The ropes got stuck again and we couldn't pull them through. All our energy was blown pulling and they were just stuck, but we still had both ends.

11:00pm - Paul decides that because we could pull the ropes very slowly in one direction, he could tie in and toprope up to a spot where he could fix the problem. I would yard with all I had to get the ropes to move in the one direction, then they'de pull up the slack through an ATC. Finally Paul was able to get up enough to flip the rope over and then lowered slowly back to us.

We pulled and pulled - finally the ropes came down.

11:30pm - Rap 10 put Paul on the ground. The others rapped and finally I followed, I'd been going last to double check the beginners before every rappel.

12:00am - Coil the soaking wet ropes - began scramble.

12:30am - Open cold beers from Paul's truck.


 I can still remember the exhaustion and brain numbing that comes w/ hanging on those raps - trying to find anchors and dealing w/ the unknown. I sure hope your rehab goes great and you can get back to doing the things you love in life.

Jason
Clint Cummins

Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
Dec 14, 2007 - 03:34pm PT
Thanks for sharing your story, Meg. Definitely scary to see it happen from your perspective, but very helpful because it gives us events we can relate to. It's so nice of Doug to give you and Matt a place to stay while you heal up.

I agree with Roger that when rapping and you are unsure if the rope reaches (in this case because of the tangled ropes), the leg wrap is the first thing I would go to. Heck, I even do it when untangling the ropes. But once the ropes are at full length and you are still unsure if they reach (as you get closer to the lower anchor and rope stretch is having some effect), then it's time to use the leg wrap before you get too close to the ends (and put the knots in at that time).

One of my friends had a similar rappelling accident in the summer, where the ropes also did not reach but looked like they might. She managed to get a knot into one of the ends. The other end slipped through her ATC, but fortunately, the knot was on the "right" strand to hold her. She considered trying to extend down from the ends of the rope using some long slings, but realized things were getting out of hand and she didn't want to increase the risk any further. She didn't have prusiks and couldn't communicate with her partner, so she was stranded [Edit: see Kate's post - even without prusiks, she could have ascended the rope with slings, but she wasn't sure at the time it would work - she took a self-rescue class shortly after and is up to speed now]. Fortunately she was able to call down to the valley floor and YOSAR was contacted; they were able to climb up and reach her. This accident is briefly mentioned on the friends of YOSAR rescues page on 6/17/07:
http://www.friendsofyosar.org/rescues/rescues1.html

Meg's accident was previously described at:

http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.html?topic_id=494023

and the rescue at:

http://www.friendsofyosar.org/rescues/missions/11-20-07_Arches.html

P.S. survival asked:
> Bhilden, how does one "lower" ones partner off the end of a rope? Doesn't "lowering" imply being tied to the partner above?

I think what Bhilden meant was lowering someone after they have led a climb. If the anchor is higher than expected (more than half the rope length), then if the belayer is not watching for the far end of the rope, it can go through their belay device and the leader then falls to the ground.
JuanDeFuca

Big Wall climber
Stoney Point
Dec 14, 2007 - 03:57pm PT
Why did you not tie a backup knot at the end of the ropes. This has saved me more than once.

Juan
crøtch

climber
Dec 14, 2007 - 04:09pm PT
Thanks for sharing that story and best wishes for a speedy recovery.
scuffy b

climber
Stump with a backrest
Dec 14, 2007 - 04:14pm PT
Best wishes with your healing, Meg, and thanks for the frank
and informative report.
If you are up for some climbing entertainment Monday evening,
come on over to the Soquel Offwidth with Doug. He knows the way.
How is his reading voice, by the way?
steve
survival

Big Wall climber
arlington, va
Dec 14, 2007 - 04:17pm PT
Clint,
Thanks for the clarification. I totally understand that possibility, but I didn't think that was what he was talking about.
the Fet

Knackered climber
A bivy sack in the secret campground
Dec 14, 2007 - 04:30pm PT
For rapping I usually do not put knots in the ends of my ropes (unless it's a free hanging rap), and almost always use an autoblock on a leg loop. I keep my eyes on the rope whenever I'm moving down and make sure there's plenty of rope below me. If I did see I was running out of rope the autoblock stops the rap and I can do what I need to do hands free. Sorry to put rap safety talk into this thread but I don't think it's wrong to not have knots, and I think an autoblock can help prevent accidents.

It's not very efficient but you can also jug back up your lines with an autoblock on your leg loop (along with another friction knot to make upwards process and then working the ropes through the rap device and autoblock to hold you on the rope).
Holdplease2

Big Wall climber
Yosemite area
Dec 14, 2007 - 05:10pm PT
Thank you, Meg, for sharing this story. Its a really un-selfish thing to do. Its also good to hear that your recovery is going well.

Regarding Prussiks - Two people in this thread have mentioned how someone "Didn't have Prusiks" and implied that the rope could not be ascended because of this. (Both the OP and in a later thread, someone referring to a friend mention something like this.)

Next, both posters go on to mention trying to extend the ropes with the slings that they have with them.

It seems to me that if you have two slings, or even one sling and a belay device or just a locker, you can prussik a rope. Is there something I'm missing here?

Of course, I can understand making the decision not to prusik...but folks seem to be implying that it couldn't be done.

-Kate.
spyork

Social climber
A prison of my own creation
Dec 14, 2007 - 05:22pm PT
I use an autoblock on a leg loop, like the Fet. Unless its a super easy rap where I know where Im going, and the Sun's out. I usually dont ties knots in the ends of the rope.

I always carry at least one short prussic cord. Sometimes I have two.

A few times with my son I have set gear he could not clean. Rather than taking it out of his allowance, I tie him in, rap down and clean the gear, then switch to a prussic and a reverso and jug back up.

I havent tried it, but somewhere I heard that a dyneema sling is hard to use as a prussic. Maybe it just takes more wraps around the rope?
meg AK

Trad climber
Kennicott
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 14, 2007 - 05:51pm PT
To "survival" from eagle river. Yes, we live right in kennicott, actually. One of the few private properties in the mill site. Very lucky indeed. Very quiet and secluded as well. It is a magic place.


dirtineye

Trad climber
the south
Dec 14, 2007 - 06:10pm PT
Flat sling material does not make a good prussik knot, you are supposed to use cord. BTW, I'm pretty sure those new mammut dyneema slings would be one of the worst choices for friction knots, as the dyneema is very slick. I have made all sorts of friction knots in the wider BD dyneema/nylon slings, and they work well, although a wider all nylon sling would still probably be better. A friction knot that won't fric is not a good thing.

Failing to have two or three prussik CORDS. OOPS. Those things just live on my harness, along with an alpine clutch (two oval biners and a 2 foot sling). With three prussik cords and an alpine clutch you can do almost anything, and do it fast, with out much effort.

Anyway, you can use other knots that are better for flat stuff.

I believe the op mentioned that she tried a bachman, and also one other that she had trouble with, before settling on the bachman.

The OP also makes note of how fatigue had a big effect on her ability to do what she needed to do. These rappel accidents often come at the end of the day of course. When you're tired, it's getting dark, and you want to go down now.

Why people seem to think knots in the ends on multi pitch raps are situational I don't know. It's always better to deal with a stuck knot than to try to deal with falling off the ends after you've don it. famous line from fasulo's book: Nobody dies from an unplanned night on the mountain, but lots die from rapping off the ends.

Failing to use a rappel backup. Bad idea. There's nothing more to say cause you are either preaching to the choir on this or wasting your time. But, a decent rappel backup will save your butt.

Why people get complacent, and that's part of what happened here, the OP stated that usually she tied knots in the ends)and how to avoid that is a huge issue for anyone who has climbed long enough to reach the complacency point.

My own stupid climbing accident involved a lot of bad luck, but complacency is what did me in.

Anyway, if you study self and leader rescue, or even take a course in it, You're probably going to at least have the things you need with you ALL THE TIME, and your mind will already be on the right track if you get in a tight. Even better, after some self and leader rescue training, you are a lot better at avoiding the bad situations in the first place.

This post is in no way a mean spirited criticism of the OP, but it is an attempt to save some butts in the future, and clear up a few ideas.

off soap box



Oh yeah, 4 wrap prussiks are superior to three wrap prussiks.
bhilden

Trad climber
Mountain View, CA
Dec 14, 2007 - 06:51pm PT
Survival,

Clint was correct. I was referring to the, unfortunately, very common occcurance where a climber is being lowered after completing a lead (most times this is sport climbing) and the rope runs right through the belayer's device and the leader decks. Clearly, that is not what happened in Meg's case.

Bruce
BoKu

Trad climber
Douglas Flat, CA
Dec 14, 2007 - 07:11pm PT
Meg,

Thanks for the coherent and incisive report. Glad to hear you're healing well. Keep it up!

Thanks again, Bob "BoKu" K.
10b4me

climber
1/2way between Yos and Moab
Dec 15, 2007 - 12:44am PT
Meg,
glad to hear tht you are doing better.
thanks to DR for his support.
survival

Big Wall climber
arlington, va
Dec 15, 2007 - 07:04am PT
Bhilden, Bruce, Bruce here....Ha!
Thanks, I get it. Maybe sport guys need to put a knot in the end of their rope too? Or maybe there should be a sign at the base, Warning: This pitch is greater than half a rope length!
(Here's your sign...)
Meg, I have walked that road so many times headed for the glacier. It's one of my families favorite places in the world. I have some Kennicott copper on my porch here in Arlington, and check this out, we have neighbors here from the Kennicott family! No kidding
'Pass the Pitons' Pete

Big Wall climber
like Oakville, Ontario, Canada, eh?
Dec 15, 2007 - 10:15am PT
Holy frig! How far did you fall? What stopped you? Sounds like you're lucky to be alive, so congrats on that, eh?
dirtineye

Trad climber
the south
Dec 18, 2007 - 02:07pm PT
Bump to keep people from getting bumped off.
meg AK

Trad climber
Kennicott
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 20, 2007 - 06:05pm PT
Hello all,
Yet another reply to my own posting, but I have a really amazing addition to add to all this. I don't know how many of you are familiar with the company Ibex, but they are a small company out of vermont who make really amazing new zealand grown merino wool clothing. So my newest most favorite pants had been in my pack when I fell, and Matty had pulled them up over my legs while we waited for that awesome yosar crew.

Once at the hospital, I was coherent enough to beg them not to cut them off, as just sliding them off from the knees seemed so much easier than the real trouble they went to not to cut my harness! Well, protocol is protocol and out came the shears. Later, I went to order a new pair and didn't find my size in a color I wanted, so I wrote to Ibex, told them my story and gave them this link, and asked if perhaps they had my size in an old color stashed away that they would sell me.

Oh gosh, did they go beyond that!! I just received the most incredible and generously large care package from them with the wish to get well soon. What a company?! Who'd have thought? I was just floored by their generosity and good will, and felt the best way I could repay them was to spread this story around. They are good ones. A great company to support, as I have found the support goes both ways. Also, such a tangible illustration of the good will I have felt from all you amazing humans who care about us all. Pretty special.

Just wanting to pass on the story of good karma for people who deserve it,
meg
bluering

Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
Dec 20, 2007 - 06:11pm PT
Wow, that was pretty cool of them to do that.

Ibex, huh? I'll give 'em my business.

http://www.ibexwear.com/shop/index.php

A gratuitous plug for what sounds like a great company.
scuffy b

climber
Stump with a backrest
Dec 20, 2007 - 06:16pm PT
That's great, Meg.
Keep us informed, it makes (most of) us feel all warm and fuzzy.
We'll get you over to see the homemade offwidth one of these
days.
Glorious healing to you!!

sm
davidji

Social climber
CA
Dec 20, 2007 - 09:50pm PT
thanks for the report. glad you're recovery is going well!
Brutus of Wyde

climber
Old Climbers' Home, Oakland CA
Dec 22, 2007 - 12:14pm PT
Meg --

Glad you're healing well.

Having experienced more than my share of missed rappel stations, stuck rap ropes, prussiks in the dark, ropes not reaching the anchor, questionable rap anchors, off route rappels, stuck prussik knots, and mistakes caught at the very last moment before committing myself to them, your story really hit home.

One of our biggest enemies in the mountains is The Unexpected. being prepared for him and recognizing him when he shows us his face is one of our greatest challenges.

Thanks for your story.

Heal quickly!

Brutus
Jag

climber
Jan 4, 2008 - 01:41pm PT
I greatly appreciate your candor and humility- you are correct in that we all need to listen to that "inner voice." Just out of curiousity, does Doug's last name start with an E. and did he do his undergrad work at WSU? Thanks!

Pam
survival

Big Wall climber
arlington, va
Jan 4, 2008 - 01:52pm PT
Meg,
If you're still looking at this....
You never said whether you know the Shidners or not.
Maybe it's a touchy subject?
Hey, I know how small McCarthy is.....
dirtineye

Trad climber
the south
Jan 4, 2008 - 05:07pm PT
Congrats on getting better.

Congrats to everyone in the rescue who did the right things so that you could recover!

Was any ice used on the neck?
Chris Oakes

climber
Hayward
Jan 26, 2008 - 08:35pm PT
I really appreciate your going into your thoughts. Sometimes it is just as f-up, but a lot of the time we convince ourselves to do something wrong. Humility is a bitch, lack of it can be dangerous.

I've been in the act of making an error and then you have to come up with a plan. Hopefully we haven't f-ed up so bad that the only reasonable plan is "don't fall".
nutjob

Trad climber
San Jose, CA
Jan 27, 2008 - 02:05am PT
One thing this thread has done for me personally is get me over my complacency about having sufficient material on my harness to make prussiks, bachman, or kleimheist. Also, I think I've been complacent about tying the ends of the rope on multi-pitch raps, and will re-cultivate that habit. Only risk is forgetting to untie it before pulling topes, but if you tie the ends together in a simple half-hitch you can never let the ends go with a knot in it (thus addressing the concern that some consider the justification to not tie the ends).

My personal favorite is kleimheist:
http://www.iland.net/~jbritton/kleimheist.htm

You can bite the sling with your teeth to hold the starting end, then just flip around the rope as many times as seems sturdy. More slippery material = more turns in the sling. Bachman is just like this but with a biner inside that reduces friction and makes for easy release... definitely not my first choice when hanging near the end of the rope!

In terms of being tired and not thinking straight at end of day, definitely something to plan around and get the systems wired as a preventive practice. I remember my first big multi-pitch rap was royal arches, getting to ground at 10pm. We had to focus extra hard just to rememebr whether to pull blue or red rope at each station. My motto in these situations is always to take it slow and rethink everything (at least after I've lost the race with the sun). I don't care if it takes me all night to get off something, as long as I get off in one piece.
neebee

Social climber
calif/texas
Jan 28, 2008 - 07:32pm PT
hey there ... i just saw someone recently posted on this.. and it got me wondering how meg is doing...

hope all is well and that are not too many bad after effects... didn't exactly find out how bad you fell... but best wishes to you... (i only saw the first few)... so meg, hope all is well now...
rhyang

Ice climber
SJC
Jan 29, 2008 - 04:12pm PT
bump
neebee

Social climber
calif/texas
Jan 29, 2008 - 10:45pm PT
hey there... nice idea--bump...
Anastasia

Trad climber
Califlower
Jan 29, 2008 - 11:00pm PT
Big Bump!
Let us know wondergirl how ya' doing!
AF
rhyang

Ice climber
SJC
Feb 22, 2008 - 11:49am PT
A little bird told me someone's halo came off recently. Congrats ! I hated that thing ..
426

Sport climber
Buzzard Point, TN
Feb 22, 2008 - 12:06pm PT
Whew! "I can stick it" is a scary thot on descents! Leg wraps are great as mentioned.


If you use a grigri, we usually have the first go down gri on single line...easier to "jug" if needed and a tad safer near the ends (still use knot!).
tinker b

climber
your local park
Dec 18, 2008 - 07:44pm PT
hey has anyone heard from matt and meg recently. just wondering how they are doing now.
Doug Robinson

Trad climber
Santa Cruz
Dec 19, 2008 - 12:05am PT
I talked to Meg and Matt around Thanksgiving. Quick conversation, but she seemed to be doing well. If you're main concern is how much XC skiing you'll be able to do this winter, I'd call that a pretty good sign.

But maybe she'll come back on and give us another dose of her own words, something incisive and humble about how it really is. I know her neck is stiff.

It's quieter around here this solstice. And cold -- felt good to burn the wheelchair ramp.
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