UKC

I was climbing at Dinas Rock on Saturday and tried my first E3 (Frizzy Bits 5c on the main slab). I'd climbed past what I believe was the crux (protected by a piton that looked a lot like the one in the image below), up the groove, past another piton to a nice spot where I was resting/placing a good nut when my hand hold exploded landing me about 2m off the deck. My last cam (knew it wasn't great) popped, so did the piton below it but I was held by a good cam.

I bashed my ankle a little but hobbled home without issue and that's now healing nicely. This was my first trad fall and I'm pretty happy it was a bit of an epic one (and that the last piece of gear I really trusted was trustworthy).

Here's the question - will this effect the grade? e.g. if it was E3 could it now be E4? Perhaps this will take somebody with knowledge of the route/crag. Is it acceptable to replace that piton (I assume not but it's worth confirming).

A few pics:

http://i40.tinypic.com/19krya.jpg - I was at the same point as my mate cleaning the gear - this is a 16mm lens so it looks higher than it is (I was halfway up)

http://i40.tinypic.com/2m81vg4.jpg - my new rusty keepsake (definitely didn't consider it "bomber" as I clipped it

In reply to lewiz:

From the SWMC Wiki:

"For The Main Slab and Cats Wall, no bolting. All other parts of the crag - Retro-bolting permissible with first ascensionist’s permission. Replacement of worn fixed gear on a point for point basis with bolts is permissible. New sports routes allowed."

So the policy says yes. I think however it would be best to leave it out. As you've already done the route, why not do it again and see how it feels.

Well done for getting on it and that's a seriously cool whipper you took there. Glad you're ok.

In reply to lewiz:

Looking at pics i would say it was due for Replacement anyway.

Did it slow your descent at all before it ripped?

Glad youre relatively Unscathed.

In reply to mattrm: Ah cheers - I hadn't seen the policy. I didn't reach the top as my ankle hurt too much after the fall - friend had to abseil to get the rest of the gear. He reported the top didn't look harder, but was dirty which could pose a problem.

In reply to Choss: Yes - I definitely think it did - so did the poor cam just above it. By the time the good cam caught me I think I was moving (relatively) slowly. Very weird sensation

In reply to lewiz:

If its crucial then replace it, if it doesn't really affect the grade that much then leave it out.

In reply to lewiz:

I haven't done the route so I'm very much thinking theoretically, but a couple of questions could help you to answer the grade issue:

- Had the hold not exploded, you'd placed a good nut and finished the route without further ado, do you think that the prior absence of that peg would have made it feel any harder; or - assuming you're correct in thinking you'd already done the crux - would it simply involve slightly less protection on easier moves of (perhaps?) 5a/b which would normally be perfectly compatible with the E3 grade?

- Was the ex-hold crucial enough for that bit to now be the crux, or were you simply unlucky in making the wrong choice from several alternatives? If the nut you were about to place really is bomber, could the demise of the hold result in a (well-protected) move hard enough to raise the grade to E4 - ie presumably somewhere in the 6a/b region - or could it now be hard to hang on to place the nut in the first place?

Quite possibly none of this may make any sense to somebody who has actually done the route, or it may help you to direct your musings in a useful direction!

Out of curiosity, what made the can placement bad?