Ground fall 11-21-12

[climb2core]

I know people swear by their cinch, but to me it just seems like it the device is extra prone to belayer error/failure.

Every device is extra prone to belayer error/failure. Grigri, cinch, SUM, etc. They're all the same. You can fuck up belaying with any of them.

In everything, there are degrees of risk. From my small anecdotal sample, I would suggest that the cinch has a higher incident rate.

[toad857]

Hey guys, its Saifu. I figured I should fill people in on what happened (first hand accounts are a little more reliable than fourth hand). I took a lead fall trying to clip the fifth bolt on Fire and Brimstone. I landed on my back and ended up with a fracture in my pelvis and 7 compression fractures in my spine. Thanks to everyone at the crag who took care of me while we waited for the ambulance. My belayer was using a cinch, not a gri gri, and I was climbing on a 10.1 mm rope. At this point I can't say whether it was user error or device failure; I haven't seen my equipment since the fall so when I'm all healed up I figure I'll check out the belay device and do some investigating. Sorry I can't be more informative but I don't want to make any conclusions until I get a better idea of what happened. I'm healing up well though, 6-12 weeks using a back brace and walking around like an old person and I should be ready to start working back into shape. The amazing support from the community has definitely helped.

Get better soon. Glad things didn't end up worse.

Fire & Brimstone is an epic route for a fall like that--I hope you get back on it someday, and crush it with mental fortitude.

[clif]

7 compression fractures seems like a pretty fair number, the pelvis though, seems like over doing it.

as i'm likely to be climbing Fire and Brimstone and Breakfast Burrito for the rest of my life, i'm curious to be sure, esp. as dustonian believes that one of the clips on BB has groundfall potential (maybe the 3rd???) anyway, under ideal conditions, the 5th of F&B wound not normally be considered runout and dangerous, right?

good to hear you are recovering well.

[dustonian]

2nd and 3rd are very poorly protected on BB... not to mention the top. I know of at least one groundfall from the bottom of that route, but I'm sure there have been more.

[usmcmars]

I have fallen at the 5th bolt on F & B. It was a nice soft catch and I didn't even come close to the ground. We were using a gri-gri.

I have fallen in the gym from just a few inches above the 3rd bolt (and I was already clipped) and ended up landing about 2 feet above the ground. The belayer was using a Cinch and I was climbing with a 9.7 Sterling rope. He blamed my rope. I bouldered until Margarita came home from Rifle;)

[agdenm2]

http://www.rockandice.com/news/2383-joh ... groundfall

[camhead]

http://www.rockandice.com/news/2383-joh ... groundfall

I'm not sure what that has to do with this accident. JL forgot to complete his bowline. Pretty simple.

As for the disproportionate amount of accidents that have happened with the Cinch, I think it comes down to people new to that particular device, and assuming that it operates like a grigri, which it does not necessarily do.

[Josephine]

I have fallen at the 5th bolt on F & B. It was a nice soft catch and I didn't even come close to the ground. We were using a gri-gri.

I have fallen at the 5th bolt on F&B. It was a hard catch, but I was about 20 feet from the ground. I slammed the rock and broke my wrist. The belayer was using a gri gri. I no longer climb with random people I meet.

[Meadows]

Well, the 5th bolt of F&B took me out to dinner, showed me a great time, and then didn't call ever again. I was so hurt.

[Wolf]

Well, the 5th bolt of F&B took me out to dinner, showed me a great time, and then didn't call ever again. I was so hurt.

You shouldn't have put out on the first date.