Lived to tell
Great White Book in Tuolumne. I should have heeded the warning "even though it is only 5.6, many climbers will not have the experience to feel comfortable on this climb." Experience is what I did not have at the time. I had only been climbing three years. There are two ways to finish the climb - go left or right after you finish the dihedral. Well, a storm was approaching and we wanted to get off quick so we opted for the left quick finish. A huge friction traverse completely unprotected and scary. You traverse above a humongous roof for a good distance then have to confront a steep section with rounded half baseball type holds dotted here and there with 90 feet of rope dangling between you and your belayer. If you fall, you pendulum over the roof back into the dihedral - freakin nasty. OK, now I'm in the steep section with my right foot on one of the holds and nothing for my left foot or hands and it starts to rain. I look down and my brother and his friend are putting in more gear to back up the bolts. Thanks a lot guys for your confidence I'm thinking. At this point I was too scared to move. I couldn't down climb or continue - too wet. So, there I stood in agony for 45 minutes. Thankfully, a very well known climber and her companion saw my predicament. They did a monster, over 100ft, pendulum from the climb to our right to rescue me. We waited the storm out and continued on after everything dried.
I had lightning strike a metal power pole about 50 feet away from me once. The concussion knocked me to the ground. One second I was walking, then there was this loud, sizzling sound, and thenk, BAM! I was on the ground on top of my dog who was curled up in a ball. Just goes to show we are insignificant litter in the path of nature.
The stupidest thing I've done climbing so far is to thread a grisgris backwards which is not necessarily fatal but still really stupid.
The stupidest thing I've done climbing so far is to thread a grisgris backwards which is not necessarily fatal but still really stupid.
Last edited by Alan Evil on Wed Feb 02, 2005 5:50 am, edited 1 time in total.
[size=75]You are as bad as Alan, and even he hits the mark sometimes. -charlie
"Not all conservatives are stupid, but most stupid people are conservative." - John Stuart Mill[/size]
"Not all conservatives are stupid, but most stupid people are conservative." - John Stuart Mill[/size]
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lordjim_2001
- Posts: 1764
- Joined: Fri May 30, 2003 5:07 pm
I decided to tell this one since some people here have heard it and I think of it more a learning experience than deadly.
Valentine's day 2004, I decide to head out to Pistol Ridge to try and work on Dreams. Hoof it out there solo, throw down the pad, and take off my boots. Now it had been cold and wet so there was a lot of ice at the top of the ridge, and it was nice, warm and sunny that day. I'm hearing it fall down the ridge past Dreams as I take off my boots and think nothing of it. I reach for my climbing shoes and about 10-15 feet away a basketball size chunk of ice falls and shatters on some of the talus there. I put on my hiking boots and hoof it back to my car.
Lessons learned, tell someone where you are going if you are going out solo, and watch out for ice in the Red in the winter.
Valentine's day 2004, I decide to head out to Pistol Ridge to try and work on Dreams. Hoof it out there solo, throw down the pad, and take off my boots. Now it had been cold and wet so there was a lot of ice at the top of the ridge, and it was nice, warm and sunny that day. I'm hearing it fall down the ridge past Dreams as I take off my boots and think nothing of it. I reach for my climbing shoes and about 10-15 feet away a basketball size chunk of ice falls and shatters on some of the talus there. I put on my hiking boots and hoof it back to my car.
Lessons learned, tell someone where you are going if you are going out solo, and watch out for ice in the Red in the winter.
Screw you guys. I'm going bowling.
Heh heh. What a great day. Some of the ugliest climbing ever done. I'll admit to stick clipping my way up that one route. What kicks. This weekend may not be too awful...!
[size=75]You are as bad as Alan, and even he hits the mark sometimes. -charlie
"Not all conservatives are stupid, but most stupid people are conservative." - John Stuart Mill[/size]
"Not all conservatives are stupid, but most stupid people are conservative." - John Stuart Mill[/size]
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Wicked Tribe
- Posts: 469
- Joined: Fri Jun 06, 2003 8:25 pm
lordjim, I did the FA of Dreams in 20 degree weather all alone on a day in January. I can relate.
Gosh, there are so many "lived to tell" type stories. I'll go with the fairly tame on that still pisses me off to this day.
I was out driving around on a weekday in the middle of winter a few years ago and ended up doing the Gorge loop. I pulled off at Hen's Nest, right under Middle Small Wall and became firmly and unquestionably stuck in the mud of the pulloff.
It was a couple hours before dark, in the mid 30s and as I got out to look at the damage it began to drizzle some nasty freezing rain type stuff. I hadn't planned on getting out of the car that day, so I was in a T-shrit and a light jacket. So, with little prospect of a ride I started walking back toward Gladie hoping that maybe the caretakers would give me a ride or radio someone to call my parents to come get me.
ON that long hike out I saw one car and they didn't even slow down as they passed. I got to Gladie and went up to that trailer that the caretakers used to live in and knocked on the door. The woman came to the door and looked suspiciously at me as I explained my plight and then calmly told me there was nothing she could do. Through chattering teeth I begged her to drive me down to the steel bridge where I could ask for help at one of the houses there. She just kept saying no.
Then she suggested that I go back up to Pumpkin Bottom campground, that Dave might be there (fat chance) and he might have a cell phone and if he wasn't there then she might drive me down the road to the next phone. That would have been a mile back up the road and then another mile back to Gladie. I just scowled and said, "No thanks, I guess I'll just keep walking." And proceeded to walk the rest of the six or seven miles on down to the houses at the steel bridge where I finally found some human decency and a phone.
From that experience I gained a deep appreciation for the plight of those without vehicular transportation and will never refuse someone a ride.
Gosh, there are so many "lived to tell" type stories. I'll go with the fairly tame on that still pisses me off to this day.
I was out driving around on a weekday in the middle of winter a few years ago and ended up doing the Gorge loop. I pulled off at Hen's Nest, right under Middle Small Wall and became firmly and unquestionably stuck in the mud of the pulloff.
It was a couple hours before dark, in the mid 30s and as I got out to look at the damage it began to drizzle some nasty freezing rain type stuff. I hadn't planned on getting out of the car that day, so I was in a T-shrit and a light jacket. So, with little prospect of a ride I started walking back toward Gladie hoping that maybe the caretakers would give me a ride or radio someone to call my parents to come get me.
ON that long hike out I saw one car and they didn't even slow down as they passed. I got to Gladie and went up to that trailer that the caretakers used to live in and knocked on the door. The woman came to the door and looked suspiciously at me as I explained my plight and then calmly told me there was nothing she could do. Through chattering teeth I begged her to drive me down to the steel bridge where I could ask for help at one of the houses there. She just kept saying no.
Then she suggested that I go back up to Pumpkin Bottom campground, that Dave might be there (fat chance) and he might have a cell phone and if he wasn't there then she might drive me down the road to the next phone. That would have been a mile back up the road and then another mile back to Gladie. I just scowled and said, "No thanks, I guess I'll just keep walking." And proceeded to walk the rest of the six or seven miles on down to the houses at the steel bridge where I finally found some human decency and a phone.
From that experience I gained a deep appreciation for the plight of those without vehicular transportation and will never refuse someone a ride.
Do Not Spray Next 300 Feet
I dropped one of my hiking shoes (don't ask) about half way up a multi pitch route in Spain. I was laughing hysterically watching it tumble toward the base. My partner said "Why on earth are you laughing?" To which I replied, "What else can I do?" We finally summited after dark and had NO idea how to get off the damned mtn. (it was a hike off not a rapel!)
I think we finally got down around 9:30 me wearing one climbing shoe and one hiking shoe. Watching the sunset over the Mediterranean Sea would have been worth hiking down completely barefoot though!!!!! 8)
I think we finally got down around 9:30 me wearing one climbing shoe and one hiking shoe. Watching the sunset over the Mediterranean Sea would have been worth hiking down completely barefoot though!!!!! 8)