Just a reminder to anyone new to climbing at Fortress Wall, there's a lot of loose rock on and near the top of the main ledge. We had a large one get dislodged by another party near the top of Calypso I (the 5.7 route) and come crashing down about 3 ft from a belayer this weekend. If you're hanging around the base at Fortress, might want to stay away from any routes with a climber on them!
And yeah, I'm starting to re-think my helmet criteria.....
Loose rock at Fortress
I put my hand out to pick up something at Fortress and a big rock just missed my head and hand. It actually cratered. Woosh, thump. I felt the breeze! 
What I love about running is you can meditate while running. It's a peaceful place.
Sister Mary Elizabeth Lloyd, Runs marathons to raise money and awareness about children orphaned by AIDS
Sister Mary Elizabeth Lloyd, Runs marathons to raise money and awareness about children orphaned by AIDS
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Curmudgeon
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dyno_heaven
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...and come crashing down about 3 ft from a belayer this weekend.
And no doubt that belayer was helmet-less... Jeeze, what does it take to be smart? Death???
Lifesaved 1 - This past spring my buddy volunteered to belay a dude he did not know on wadcutter. He dropped a quickdraw trying to clip the anchors. The QD landed not even a foot from him. My buddy was the only person at the crag wearing a helmet. I was sitting 50ft from the rock with near broken ribs and saw the whole escapade.
Lifesaved 2 - A different buddy kicked a 3feet log overboard from about 30ft from the belay station. It clunked me on the head and rolled down my back. I had bruises on my neck and back. It rang my bell something good.
Lifesaved 3 - Same buddy from number 1 was belaying me at left flank. I dropped a QD on him clipping the anchors. I have no idea how two QD's got unclipped when I unclipped only one. He was wearing a helmet and the QD landed a few feet from him.
Lifesaved 4 - My girlfriend got clunked by an unknown sized pebble as we were gearing up for Nutcracker in Yosemite. It sure sounded loud.
Lifesaved 5 - I was climbing ice and a lunchbox sized block of ice hit my head then shoulder. One second I was having a conversation with a fellow climber...Next second I was picking my carcas from the ground wondering what the hell happened (and rubbing my hurt shoulder).
I can't remember the last time I saw someone at the red not wearing a helmet.mazzystr wrote:
And no doubt that belayer was helmet-less... Jeeze, what does it take to be smart?
Lifesaved 1 - This past spring my buddy volunteered to belay a dude he did not know on wadcutter. He dropped a quickdraw trying to clip the anchors. The QD landed not even a foot from him. My buddy was the only person at the crag wearing a helmet. I was sitting 50ft from the rock with near broken ribs and saw the whole escapade.
Lifesaved 3 - Same buddy from number 1 was belaying me at left flank. I dropped a QD on him clipping the anchors. I have no idea how two QD's got unclipped when I unclipped only one. He was wearing a helmet and the QD landed a few feet from him.
Lifesaved 4 - My girlfriend got clunked by an unknown sized pebble as we were gearing up for Nutcracker in Yosemite. It sure sounded loud.
It doesn't sound like any lifes got saved there. Maybe if the belayer was paying attention he could have caught the quickdraw, and then something would have been saved. But I am glad the belayer was wearing a helmet (on a well established sport route) just in case the climber dropped a quickdraw. I am not sure what the other idiots were doing without the helmets, idiots I tell you.