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The climber was on Bohica as I was to getting my shoes on next to his route.I was facing out the cave not looking at the belayer and what he was doing with the GriGri. I remember I was sitting on the ground putting my shoes on when I see the climber fall into my view, his plummeting stopped a little above the bushes there. Luckily, the grigri caught just in time, but the rope stretch smacked his feet into the rock behind the two climbs. Luckily, the rock angles back at such a way that complimented his landing. Had it been reversed, he would have two broken legs and his feet would be jacked.

I remember the belayer saying something like "I thought he was clipping!!?". The climber, whose name I believe was "Martin", said that he was not clipping, but dynoing on a move near the rest before the roof I think. I assume the belayer fed out rope when he didn't need to, the guy dynos and misses, then proceeds to take a much longer fall than normal. The belayer was probably was still holding the grigri as he fell and then realized this, letting go probably at the latest--and luckily, least injurious time. Talk about close call...

I actually felt bad for him after the public shaming he got. He seemed pretty shook up about it and some of the Loder's definitely made him feel small, which I guess he should? I dunno. Hopefully the guy learned from his mistake and they communicate better with each other. Yikes.

beyond feeling small that belayer should not be allowed to belay at any crag where he doesn't know every person there. this type of shoddy belaying takes for granted every other person at the crag who is going to have to help when they screw up. i was belaying in the cave when he decked his climber and did everything i could to make him feel small. i felt like everyone was pretty friendly when you consider he almost killed his friend with a bunch of folks he'd never met watching.

No, you're right. It was shoddy for sure and he deserved to be called out as such. It was definitely shitty belaying and he should have been standing where he could see the guy and where he was at on the route.


The two techniques Petzl recommends:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxqMTwx4LZM

"Loders"...is there also a secret handshake?

727foxtree wrote:The two techniques Petzl recommends: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxqMTwx4LZM

Min 1:45, the belayer is standing too far away from the wall! The belayer should be directly under the gear to minimize rope length in the system. If the climber suddenly fell there in the video he would likely deck! Get right under the gear before the first 3 are clipped and only pay out just enough for the climber to clip.

pigsteak wrote:"Loders"...is there also a secret handshake?

I prefer "Lode daddies" myself.

I personally enjoy the public humiliation sessions & hope they may at least help convince the hordes of shitty inexperienced belayers in the Red to pay more attention to what they're doing while taking others' lives into their hands when they shouldn't be.

I'm not really speaking to that. I'm referring to how they use the grigri.

727foxtree wrote:I'm not really speaking to that. I'm referring to how they use the grigri.

I am with you pal. But if they publish something like that they should get it all right. In the little folding tract that you get with a new gri they tell you to stand close to the wall when the climber is low. Why put out a video with someone not doing this right; even though it is Chris Sharma.

I hear you - again, all I'm saying is their thumb technique is a good way to avoid grasping the entire device. It seems like a good way to prevent someone from locking their hand down in surprise when a fall happens. As to Petzl's inconsistency in their video to manual information, that IS weird and confusing for people. I agree with you, and I missed that totally. Nothing like muddying the water with safety information! Ughhhh.

Thanks for point that out...

pigsteak wrote:"Loders"...is there also a secret handshake?

yes with the break hand...