Worst fall ever taken on gear (not bolts)......

Post by **Ascentionist** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 5:25 pm

Pulled a #4 and #3 TCU (and was caught by the #2) trying to top out Long Live Trad. Ended up falling 15 ft. or so and had a nice little bruise above my eye where the #3 hit me.

Post by **tomdarch** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 7:56 pm

My first real fall on gear has (so far) been my worst. It was on Classic Jamcrack in Yosemite - it's a straight-in slab crack. I managed to jam the rope in with my foot when I moved up, so I was stuck and unable or too dumb to just move down. I fidgeted for a while and finally (unexpectedly) popped out of the crack. I only fell about 10'-12', but I managed to get the rope behind my leg, so I got flipped and ended up with my head about 2' above the pointy cheater rock at the start. Sure taught me a lesson in rope management!

Post by **Snowpuppy** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 8:31 pm

15-18 foot whipper, no pro. Belayer litterally caught be before I hit the ground.

Post by **Wes** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 8:33 pm

Took a nice 20+ footer on to the blue TCU weekend before last on ripetide ride, almost hit a ledge. Then proceded to take several big falls on rebar at the top, again on the blue TCU, and other small gear. Those are the most recient, but I fall on gear quite a bit...

Post by **J-Rock** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 9:44 pm

My first trad fall was on the beginning of "Bedtime for Bonzo" of all routes. I was a gumby and my foot slipped. I landed in a rhodo at the base of the route and it softly cradled my fall.

Post by **HJ7** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 11:46 pm

My very first trad fall was on Strick 9; back when you had to clip the anchors on the ledge. I placed a good piece in the top corner but only had an Alein in the flake. As I was reaching for the top, I lost my footing and away I went. I don't remember what gear I placed where but I'll always remember watching that Alien rip out as I went plummetting by.

Post by **John E** » Thu Sep 01, 2005 12:23 am

My one and only lead fall while ice climbing. It was only about five feet long but the thought of falling on an ice screw is scary shit.

Post by **ynp1** » Thu Sep 01, 2005 3:06 pm

i took a really big whipper (70ft) on, right on..., at skybridge. i was aiding up it and i was at the top of the thin right leaning part of the crack. i had about 6 knifeblades below me. i was testing a cam when it popped. i fell on to the offset nut i was standing on. it blow and so did all the knifeblades. i was caught about 2ft from the ground by a .75 cam, which broke. i think most of the gear came out because the rock was kind of wet and i broke a little rock. i ended up dislocating and braking my elbow. i also took most of the skin off of my left arm. i hope not to take that big of a fall ever agian. unless it is on el cap and i have a lot of free air to fall into.

Post by **Namaste** » Thu Sep 01, 2005 4:17 pm

Yeah, here's a photo of the .75 that saved him but can't be fixed.

the survior himself

[/img]

and the knifeblades that ripped out of the rock

[/img]

Post by **J-Rock** » Thu Sep 01, 2005 5:26 pm

Damn, ynp1. I think you won the award for the worst gear fall taken at the Red. Glad to hear that you recovered and got back on the horse!