UKC

Well, it had to happen one day - after climbing for 7 years, I've finally fallen off on lead!

After some great advice in http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=44958 about the route, I tried to lead Tippler Direct at Stanage on Saturday. The short version:

- I did fall off (no deliberate jumping!)
- Had a total of 5 separate attempts, pulling the ropes down each time, but couldn't quite latch the hold
- It was great fun, and not as scary as I expected!
- I'll be back for another attempt soon

Photos at:

http://www.ukclimbing.com/photos/search.html?text=tippler+direct

Notice how one of the wiregates is fully open in mid-fall (!) I think it was rubbing against the overhang - something I hadn't considered. I'll move the gear or have a longer extender next time.

Cheers

In reply to Nick Smith:

That wiregate looks like it is still being pressed against the rock, forcing it open. The same would happen with a normal krab and with a screwgate it might have broken the gate itself.
You are not in flight there, you have had time to grab the ropes to stop you inverting, it seems you do not trust your harness to do that

It is one of those routes that you need to do in the first two goes, I have got the thread on the lip but never finished it, pooh. That is where it gets hard I am told

In reply to Nick Smith:

nice lycra.

In reply to daveP: Ron Hill Trackers, I think you'll find

In reply to Nick Smith:

_Two_ photographers on stand-by for this Herculean falling-off effort, I see.

What do you want: a chocolate watch?

In reply to Anonymous: They had to work in shifts - it went on all afternoon!

You seem to have a bit of an obsession with time-pieces... perhaps you should register as the user 'Chocolate Watch' ??

In reply to Nick Smith:

No: different anonymous.

But you keep supplying the 'look at me, dad!' posts, and I'll keep supplying the watches. Deal?

In reply to Anonymous: Sounds like a good deal. Since you're also in Sheffield, perhaps you can deliver them in person? I'm only a few minutes up the road in Walkley.

Cheers

In reply to Anonymous: Get a life - was great to see Nick pushing his grade and risking the fall which, after all, is what holds most of us back in our climbing efforts. I am sure most *real* climbers would appreciate the head game involved. Go make your anonymous postings elsewhere...

In reply to penny allchin:

One of the fan club? Then you may have an elephant stamp.


Ouch!

In reply to Anonymous:

You are an unpleasant c*nt, so shouldn't be surprised if people would like to see you hit by a bus.

G

In reply to Graham:

Go back to bullshitting, son.

In reply to Anonymous:

... no, just someone who has respect for other climbers and their efforts

In reply to Nick Smith: As long as your gear holds, you were on a safe route to fall off!(as can be).

My first and only true fall, I landed on my coxythingy - wowwww that hurt for weeks.

Me

In reply to Nick Smith:

Is it really your first fall? What about sport climbing indoors/outdoors?

It's not clear from your posting.

Just curious.

Cheers,

J

I find it really funny. when ever there is a post about a really hard ascent sometimes even world class, you punters do nothing but fault and argue with there ascents.
Now someone has failed on a route that has been climbed thousands of times by bad climbers and is not even hard you all give congratualtions. typical punters eh

is jealousy.

In reply to Andy:

more likely, it's commenting on something people can relate to rather than something they're never going to get near

In reply to Ropeboy:

No problem. It's my first fall onto trad gear. I've had a few other little ground falls on trad routes, but those were without any gear in. The most memorable being Long John at Bamford - traverse in from the left to the arete... there must be some gear on this route... bit higher... where is the gear?!? bit higher... splat. No way that route felt VS!

I suppose I've fallen a few times indoors, when a hold has spun or my foot has popped off. But honestly, I just never fall - I generally retreat to the last bit of gear rather than risk the fall

Cheers

In reply to Andy:

What I think is sad is that someone always wants to find fault, or point out "I'm SO much better than thou. I did that route blindfold/one-handed/at age 12".

What's so wrong with saying 'well done' to someone who has pushed themselves? I can feel genuinely pleased for and congratulate climbers who have just struggled up their first ever climb, led their first route, or pushed themselves on a VS, an E2 or an E10. What is this need to be so elitist?

The cutting edge in any sport is very impressive, but that doesn't mean that the 99.9% of us who don't climb at that level aren't pushing our own personal limits.

In reply to Nick Smith:

A+ for effort, Nick. I'm sure you'll nail it next time.

In reply to Andy:

... for who? 'Hard' is a subjective thing. Just because one person finds a route a piece of p*ss doesn't mean it is easy for everyone else! How naive of you. If you are over 5'11", sure, that reach on the Tippler would be a darned site easier and probably more easily achievable. For me, being only 5'2", the route is *totally* outside of my capabilities unless I suddenly develop Lynn Hill type gymnastic abilities and strength.


... sure, congratulations on the effort, congratulations which are deserved.

In reply to Nick Smith:

Sounds like you need some "falling off" practice down the Edge.

Climb one of the steep walls and when you're near the top jump off when level with the next bolt (but don't clip it).

It's great fun.

J

In reply to Nick Smith:
It wasn't until I starting taking leader falls that my leading grade started to improve - and this after 15 years of climbing. Breaking that psychological barrier was a major break though for me. Knowing that you can place good gear and recognise it as such allows you to keep going for it rather than down-climbing to your last runner. I now accept that if I'm on-sighting E2/3 I'm going to take a few falls - knowing when you can safely get away with it is the trick!!

Rich

In reply to Ropeboy:
He did a few of those (jumps off the tower) with me belaying and giving him tons of slack as he was just about to clip near the top - don't know who was more scared, him or me Probably not the same as leading trad and falling on to your gear though, but good practise all the same. I should try it myself sometime.

In reply to Richard Osborne:
I think that this is so true, it is important to get comfortable with the idea that falling is a possibility rather than a never to be done thing.
I'm just starting to lead climb, but when I started in the gym I'd get jitters up high, so I decided to conqueror it. I climbed up high (ish) and deliberately went for a hold I thought I'd miss, having checked with my belayer, I fell, it was good. Now I starting sport bolt clipping indoors I'll do the same. However I think that a deliberate fall outdoors is a harder thing to attempt.
I might try it, onto a really good solid bit of gear.
I found that this acceptance of falling really helped me to push myself on the wall and jump for holds I could reach and smear up for others.
congrats to Nick too
cheers
Gavin

In reply to Gavin Bell:

I also haven't been leading (or indeed climbing at all) that long, but I've already had two "incident-free" lead falls. The first time wasn't particular pleasant, as I went into a sort of "won't fall off, won't fall off" denial, and as a result came off hands-first backwards.

The second time, a few weeks ago, I was knowingly off-route on a multipitch "excursion" (what I *thought* was the route looked unprotectable and exposed) so I tried a much harder crack/gulley which at least looked protectable.

When I got to the top and discovered a complete lack of holds coupled with a poor smear which was starting to shift, I was completely calm about just shouting "falling" and then pushing away with my feet a microsecond before they slipped anyway. I don't think I would have been able to do that without being sure of my gear, and with the prior knowledge that if you've done everything right then falling *should* be okay.

Not sure I would recommend a deliberate fall, but something like this, where you're trying something beyond your ability with bombproof gear and a good length of rope out is probably not too hazardous.


Well done Nick.

In reply to Nick Smith:
Nice 1 m8ty

In reply to Nick Smith:

Took my first flyer leader fall recently too - what a buzz!! the prospect utterly more terrifying than the event. On an adrenaline high for hours

In reply to Nick Smith:

Okay Nick how did you summon up the committment to try that move (and get bloody close)???

In reply to Fiend:

Hello earth to Nick....please =)