UKC

All ice climbers place ice screws, but cross our fingers we never fall on them. But what happens if you do?

Patrick Bidwell finds out and he tells his bone crunching story here.

“Never fall on ice!” - The golden rule of ice climbing, fact or fiction?

Read more at http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=1768

In reply to UKC Articles:
That was a brilliant but scary story/article. Interesting for someone who is yet to winter climb.

In reply to UKC Articles:

An interesting article. On a recent climbing trip I became convinced that ice screws in good ice are actually very solid (witnessing a few falls) and came to the conclusion, like the author, the danger is actually from all the spiky things you are carrying and particularly your crampons catching.


I'm not really sure what can be done about that though? Is there a way of minimising the liklihood of catching your crampons in flight? I think that leashless has reduced the chances of your axes spearing you (although increased the chances of spearing a belayer!).

In reply to Monk:

A few falls?! In one trip? Where was this and had some collective crazyness set in? I ice climb every weekend through the winter and have done for many years and I've taken a fall, held another fall and I think that's it. I don't think I've seen another climber fall. And that's in, I guess, ten seasons of every weekend ice climbing. Are Finns super safe?

In reply to TobyA:

I've only seen two lead falls on ice, both in the same week at Rjukan. Fortunately both without serious injury.

In reply to UKC Articles:
I don't think screw integrity has ever been called into serious question by anyone. Ice integrity is more an issue I would have thought.

In reply to Monk:


Embrace the inevitable... go head first all the way

jk
<who hopes no one is stupid enough to take that seriously>

In reply to TobyA:

Amazingly, yes. It was in Rjukan and people seemed pretty happy to fall off for some reason. Maybe it was just chance that I happened to be around for 3 freak occurances but the fallers didn't seem that fazed by it. I was very surprised though. There was only one fall from our party and it was a complete accident and quite a shock, an axe popped out of a hook whilst he was placing an ice screw. I was belaying and was fairly shaken by the experience. People around us were concerned too (indicating that a fall wasn't a common thing for them to witmess either), but it turned out ok.

In reply to TobyA:
I saw two falls within 5 mins last time mixed climbing in the northern corries, both involved relatively close gear and only short falls and the leaders were fine in both cases.

In reply to CurlyStevo:

I've fallen off Scottish mixed a few times, if you push hard enough it's going to happen eventually. But falling on to ice screws is rather different!

In reply to UKC Articles: I'm presently recovering from having broken my ankle, tibia & phibia snapped and hip pulled out of joint..... Crampon bit in after I'd fallen while exiting a cornice. I've been ice climbing for almost 30 years and had only fallen on steep ice befor and that was protected by solid pegs. Not sure exacly how far I fell befor my crampon bit in but I suspect it was about 20ft, I continued to fall a further 30/40 ft befor I stopped. Good belay and belayer!!!!
I got first class assistance from the aonach mor rescue team, lochaber mountain rescue, RAF and various nurses and doctors...my sincere thanks to all involved.
Never thought I'd be taken out by a cornice!

In reply to UKC Articles:



Ouch!!!