BAD BELAY

[clif]

http://www.rockandice.com/weekend-whipp ... as-it-gets

someone posted this in the climb's thread but everyone should see it and learn from it. THIS SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN!

[monty4355]

That move to the slopper is scary.

[MikeWilkinson]

I posted it. I went and found it since I took a fall at the same spot. Didn't flail upside down like the guy in the video, as I got a great belay and was totally fine. I ended up maybe 4-5 feet off the ground, embracing my belayer. It's a tough spot to clip, but if you go past the slopers and blow it going above... you're gunna have a bad time.

[clif]

hey Mike-thanks for sharing the link. I hope I didn't offend anyone, I'm glad they're ok with posting the video and letting others learn from the experience.

I can't recall the climb that well, but in the video he wasn't clipping the next bolt, was he? I can maybe see getting 5 feet from the ground if you fall as you're clipping (with the slack out) but, otherwise (as the analysis said, with the last bolt 2-3 feet below his waist) one should only fall maybe 8 feet below the last bolt, right?

[lena_chita]

hey Mike-thanks for sharing the link. I hope I didn't offend anyone, I'm glad they're ok with posting the video and letting others learn from the experience.

I can't recall the climb that well, but in the video he wasn't clipping the next bolt, was he? I can maybe see getting 5 feet from the ground if you fall as you're clipping (with the slack out) but, otherwise (as the analysis said, with the last bolt 2-3 feet below his waist) one should only fall maybe 8 feet below the last bolt, right?

His foot was above the last (2nd) draw when he fell, so more like 4 feet above the draw, and ~10 ft fall expected...

And 10 feet below the second bolt IS about 4 feet from the ground on that route. The guy in the video looked to be close to 6ft tall, so if he flipped over that's 3 feet of torso/upper body. So head is close to the ground even if there wasn't much slack in the system to begin with.

I am not sure why his belayer went up so far, he didn't look to be that much lighter than the climber.

But i think I remember seeing another flipping-over close call on that route a year or two ago. Might have been Monkey Bars instead... It always amazes me that there aren't more serious accidents at the Red, considering how many close calls there seem to be.

[OMP]

Thanks for posting! I always like things that make me refocus on safety.
Noticed that his leg hooked the rope during the fall. That's what made him flip.
Glad he didn't wack his noggin!