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Roaches, Valkyrie LOOSE

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 mlmatt 02 Aug 2009
There was an accident at the Roaches today on Valkyrie where a flake fell off and injured a guy (he is ok, broken arm).

There is alot of loose material on Valkyrie. Please bear this in mind when either climbing it, or more importantly moving around at the base of the route. The area is currently cordended off and MRT are informing the Park Rangers.

Rememeber to wear your helmets.
 Michael Ryan 02 Aug 2009
Just had this submitted:

"This evening, 2/8/09, a large flake of rock detached itself from the upper buttress of Valkyrie, Roaches - Lower Tier, when a climber was pulling on it. The flake was approximately 4ft by 2ft by 6 inches think in places, and hit the floor beneath the buttress.

The climber sustained injuries but is now safe in hospital. Anyone visiting the area, or attempting the route, should be very aware of the potential for more loose rock, although most of the remaining loose stuff was cleared by the Mountain Rescue team attending."

Mick Ryan
Senior Editor
UKClimbing.com
 Will Hunt 02 Aug 2009
In reply to mlmatt:

Christ! Anyone got a picture. Not THE flake?!
 Chris Craggs Global Crag Moderator 02 Aug 2009
 KeithW 02 Aug 2009
In reply to Chris Craggs:

No, he was round the arete & coming up the final slabs.

Credit to the guy for keeping his cool, apparently it went:

"BELOW!!"
!!!BANG!!!
"Are you OK?"
"Yes, but I've broken my arm."

Wishing a speedy recovery, & thanks to MRT & fire brigade etc.
 Brass Nipples 02 Aug 2009
In reply to mlmatt:

Valkyrie was my first VS lead. Anyone know if the missing bit of rock will fundamentally alter the finishing upper section of the route?

Wishing a speedy recovery to teh climber
nicwes01 02 Aug 2009
In reply to mlmatt:

http://www.buxtonmountainrescue.org.uk/call_outs/the-roaches-2

No extra details really, but can confirm the flake was on the front of the buttress towards the top. Not sure whether it will majorly effect the route. Was really nice to see how many people had lent a hand in helping the injured guy before any of the emergency services had arrived.

Hoping for a speedy recovery for the guy.

 gethin_allen 03 Aug 2009
In reply to KeithW (LMC):
"Yes, but I've broken my arm."
I must be a wimp, if I'd just broken my arm and someone asked me if I was OK i'm quite sure the answer wouldn't be "yes", It would probably turn the air blue.
 sutty 03 Aug 2009
In reply to gethin_allen:

Those were probably his comments while the adrenalin was protecting him form a lot of the pain, once it wore off it could feel a lot worse.

Lucky to not be worse for a fall from there. Modern gear is sometimes a good thing used well.

Hope he makes a good recovery
 beardy mike 03 Aug 2009
In reply to sutty: 'Fraid not - Iain is just an extremely cool cucumber! He was asking whether he really needed morphine when we were at casualty. A massive thank you to everybody there as you all really really helped - Matt was with Iain within minutes, and let me help get to Vit, who was stuck at the first belay... He has a broken humerus, and pulled some muscles in his neck. He will be operated on sometime in the morning...

I'd just like to say, please please don't let this thread descend into a rambling speculative rant - Iain is an extremely careful climber, one of the most cautious I know, he even tapped the flake so was aware that it was hollow. It was just one of those really unfortunate accidents - wrong place, wrong time...

Matt, he's got your gillet...

A bad end to the day...

 beardy mike 03 Aug 2009
 sutty 03 Aug 2009
In reply to mike kann:

Looking at the picture you put up, and the one from BMRT it seems he may not have fallen at all but was hit by the rock doing the damage. Is that how it seemed to you Mike? As you say wrong place wrong time.

It does send a message to all climbers to test holds, specially after heavy rain when any cracks may have weaker joints due to saturation, as on Sandstone.

Hope he is comfortable, and being well looked after by the nurses in hospital.
 BALD EAGLE 03 Aug 2009
In reply to mike kann:

Sorry to hear the news Mike. I hope your buddy makes a swift & speedy recovery!

Cheers

Dave
 beardy mike 03 Aug 2009
In reply to sutty: Iain's account was that he placed a runner at the ledge, then tested the flake, pulled up on it and as he did so it stated to topple. He fell back to the ledge, may a foot or two and the rock hit him on the side of the head, then the shoulder and arm and he then manage to push it away from him. When he looked at his arm, he knew it was broken because it was pointing in the wrong direction!

You're right, we should all test flakes, but it is easy to comprehend how on a route as well trodden as Valkyrie, after having completed the main difficulties, it's the last thing one would expect... the crazy thing is that Iain did expect it and tried to test it as best he could!

He's in surgery now, so hopefully will be able to come home tonight... I'll convey everybodies good wishes!
 pdufus 03 Aug 2009
In reply to mike kann: Huge respect to your friend Iain, I was there when it happened and he held it together amazingly well.
 Stoke-Gaz 03 Aug 2009
What time did this happen??? myself and partner were up the roaches yesterday till abot 5 ish.


wishing a speedy recovery to the guy/s injured.
 EricpAndrew 03 Aug 2009
In reply to mlmatt:
huh...
thats worrying, i cant really remember the flake that it refers to, seem to remember a number of rounded breaks up there only,

Ive soloed that route a number of times, never again methinks
 sorry what 03 Aug 2009
In reply to kitemadgoth: I think it was around 6pm, happened just as we were leaving. He was a very cool cucumber indeed, best wishes to him and for a speedy recovery!
 mark s 03 Aug 2009
In reply to EricpAndrew:
> (In reply to mlmatt)
> huh...
>
>
> Ive soloed that route a number of times, never again methinks

of course you have

get well soon.
 EricpAndrew 03 Aug 2009
In reply to mark s: witnesses and everything
nicwes01 03 Aug 2009
In reply to mlmatt:

Slightly better news article with some pictures showing the exact location of the accident.

http://www.buxtonmountainrescue.org.uk/call_outs/valkyrie-the-roaches-staff...

Hope the surgery went well.
 Mr Wild 03 Aug 2009
In reply to mlmatt: Climbed Valkyrie tonight, upper slab very gritty on the holds but still climbable, cleaned as much as I could as I went, slab no more difficult but flake next to where it broke also seems fragile. Take care. Get Well soon Fella.
 wilkie14c 03 Aug 2009
In reply to Mr Wild:
Just goes to show eh, even the most well traveled Peak classics are subject to rock fall / holds snapping etc. Suprised at how much I've taken for granted now I've stopped and thought about it.
Hope the individual recovers well and is back on the rock soon.
 beardy mike 03 Aug 2009
In reply to mlmatt: Just got back from Stoke - I drove up to pic up Vit who stayed with him. He's out of surgery now, and in a fair bit of pain - he's begun to like the morphine now Hopefully he should be out again either tomorrow or Wednesday! In reasonable spirits considering the circumstances...

All I can say is that if there is still loose rock up there it needs to be released asap before someone else fall foul of it... sacred rock or not, it's dangerous... I would do it if I wasn't at the end of the country... Maybe one of the BMC access reps could see to it?
 Neil Foster Global Crag Moderator 03 Aug 2009
In reply to mike kann:
>
> All I can say is that if there is still loose rock up there it needs to be released asap before someone else fall foul of it... Maybe one of the BMC access reps could see to it?

Very prophetic Mike. It's already been done...

 compact 03 Aug 2009
In reply to mike kann:

Not wanting to add much to this.

We were just leaving when it happened (had climbed it earlier, for the first time). He was very relaxed and cool about it.

If there is anymore loose rock, then it should be looked at, as the flake bounced off the nose and landed near where you belay for Via Dolorosa and kids were playing around earlier.

Guy Keating, BMC 04 Aug 2009
The PDNPA contacted BMC on Monday morning with news of this incident - together with a request to assess any remaining loose rock etc.

Dave Bishop (Staffs Access Rep.) and I went out and identified a large block (now on the ground below the buttress) appeared to have come off mid-way up the top slab, 2nd pitch of Valkyrie.
Dave abbed down to find another big block was also now loose - this was easily removed and now also resides below the buttress.
There is a largish area of dirty rock left and prob best avoided until it is cleaned by the next downpour. The climbing has not been significantly affected, and the route grade remains the same.

Guy Keating
BMC A&C
 beardy mike 04 Aug 2009
In reply to Guy Keating, BMC: Good news Guy. Thanks for that!
Guy Keating, BMC 04 Aug 2009
P.s
We borrowed a quickdraw (for the ab. belay) from a pair who had just done the route - and kept it by mistake.
- the lad was a Scottish guy, glasses, worked for CAN.
Anyone know him to rtn the gear?

Guy
 sutty 04 Aug 2009
In reply to Guy Keating, BMC:

Any pictures of the block that came off, and more importantly, the site it came from?
Guy Keating, BMC 04 Aug 2009
Check the BMC news item - http://www.thebmc.co.uk/News.aspx?id=3232

Guy
 Shone 04 Aug 2009
In reply to mlmatt:
1000 thanks for all the kind words, especially my friend Mike. Matt and Ken (the non local MRT chap? I would like his number anyone) ...who kept me comfy till the full local MRT team arrived... are stars.
My thanks to Buxton MRT as well of course, i am in touch with them.

Can't type much more, having to do all this one handed is difficult, right arm is all plastered up & has lots of metal in it. Walked out of hospital under my own steam though!

Iain
 Tom Last 04 Aug 2009
In reply to Shone:

Good work, sounds like you're made of stern stuff.

Get well soon.
 beardy mike 04 Aug 2009
In reply to Shone: So how long is it till you start to rust?
 pdufus 04 Aug 2009
In reply to Shone:
> (In reply to mlmatt)
Walked out of hospital under my own steam though!
>
> Iain

'Applauds'
 Stoke-Gaz 05 Aug 2009
In reply to Shone: best wishes and get well soon mate.
Rat know-all 05 Aug 2009
In reply to Shone:
Good effort sir.
In reply to Shone: Good effort, sounds like you held it together well. Are you tempted to snarf the block you pulled off as a souvenir? =o)
 Tom Penrose 05 Aug 2009
In reply to Shone:

Best wishes for your recovery.

Well done for keeping cool!

 maresia 05 Aug 2009
In reply to Shone:

I thought it was you when I saw Mike's posts. Glad to hear you're in one piece(ish). Hope you make a full recovery quickly.

Ben
 JSA 05 Aug 2009
In reply to Guy Keating, BMC:

I seem to remember a certain person pulling off a hold a few years back at the kebs, after he pulled off the hold he followed it a few yards down the slope...remember Guy? hehe

To the OP Glad the injured climber is ok and the incident wasn't serious!
 Chris Craggs Global Crag Moderator 07 Aug 2009
 SGD 07 Aug 2009
In reply to Chris Craggs: *gulp* I was standing there about 5pm on sunday walking back from the skyline pointing out Valkerie to a couple of people I was with
 beardy mike 07 Aug 2009
In reply to Chris Craggs: That was just some of it!
 Chris Craggs Global Crag Moderator 07 Aug 2009
In reply to mike kann:

Really - where has the rest gone then?

Chris
 beardy mike 07 Aug 2009
In reply to Chris Craggs: Dunno, but it was pread over a reasonably wide area - I found blocks 20-30 foot out from the base... unless these are the remains gathered together which is possible... when the block hit the deck it literally exploded!
 Silum 07 Aug 2009
In reply to EricpAndrew:
> (In reply to mlmatt)
> huh...
> thats worrying, i cant really remember the flake that it refers to, seem to remember a number of rounded breaks up there only,
>
> Ive soloed that route a number of times, never again methinks

At least if you're soloing you don't have to worry about testing runners in flakes.
Lisa Bartlett 06 Sep 2009
In reply to Shone: Hiya i know Ken the guy who helped you before mountain rescue arrived. If you contact me on my email which is lisax_422@hotmail.com I will give you his contact details.

Lisa
gaucho 08 Sep 2009
In reply to Shone:

Iain, you're as hard as nails!! Suprised you didn't just crack the bones back in place and stich yourself back up rambo stylee.

Seriously though, get well soon. We did that climb a month ago and I didn't even notice a flake there, let alone a loose one. I'm also always wandering around aimlessly at the bottom of crags like an oblivious div.

For this to occur on such a such a classic is a proper wake up call. I know there was nothing you could have done here but it'll make me more careful at the bottom and on the climbs from now on.




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