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As the title suggests, wondering who has never taken a fall, I've never had one ever, top-rope or lead, indoor our outside.
Also if you have fallen then what was your first and what route was it on?
Tom
Also if you have fallen then what was your first and what route was it on?
Tom
In reply to pinkpeople53:
Never had a 'proper' fall, although I have slumped onto gear and had to downclimb mighty fast before. I see it as a good thing (at the grades I climb at, at least).
Never had a 'proper' fall, although I have slumped onto gear and had to downclimb mighty fast before. I see it as a good thing (at the grades I climb at, at least).
In reply to pinkpeople53:
My only lead fall was on Strapiombante; I fell off part way through the top out mantle and swung pretty much the whole width of the wall head first and upside down. I ended up less than 2m off the deck although none of my gear had ripped. It was fun although I ended up with a few bruises and some major rope burn on the back of my knee.
My only lead fall was on Strapiombante; I fell off part way through the top out mantle and swung pretty much the whole width of the wall head first and upside down. I ended up less than 2m off the deck although none of my gear had ripped. It was fun although I ended up with a few bruises and some major rope burn on the back of my knee.
In reply to pinkpeople53:My most spectacular was off the lip of wombat at the Roaches, i was 20cm from the floor by the time is stopped.
In reply to pinkpeople53:
Outdoor lead: Only slumped onto gear.
Indoor Lead: Sept 09 - Decked out from 2nd clip at Penrith wall.
Outdoor 2nd: Slipped traversing pinnacle ridge route (Pen yr Ole wen), 4m swing, clipped ledge; partially dislocatedankle, fractured foot and leg http://happykat86.blogspot.com/2008/06/problem-with-falling.html
Outdoor lead: Only slumped onto gear.
Indoor Lead: Sept 09 - Decked out from 2nd clip at Penrith wall.
Outdoor 2nd: Slipped traversing pinnacle ridge route (Pen yr Ole wen), 4m swing, clipped ledge; partially dislocatedankle, fractured foot and leg http://happykat86.blogspot.com/2008/06/problem-with-falling.html
reply to Katie86:
Ouch! Bad luck =(
Ouch! Bad luck =(
In reply to Only a hill:
My first lead fall wasn't too great. I hadn't placed any gear yet and broke two fingers. Other than that all my trad falls have been fine, with the gear holding and me coming away with nothing more than a scrape or two.
Had a couple soloing or highballing which I've escaped without injury - the best was at Caley after a drinking session, where I fell about five metres, missed the mat and crumpled into a heap before getting up and being amazed to find myself unharmed.
I've also got some pretty cool bark-pattern scarring on one arm from a mid-air fight I had with one of the trees at Giggleswick. I like to think that I won.
My first lead fall wasn't too great. I hadn't placed any gear yet and broke two fingers. Other than that all my trad falls have been fine, with the gear holding and me coming away with nothing more than a scrape or two.
Had a couple soloing or highballing which I've escaped without injury - the best was at Caley after a drinking session, where I fell about five metres, missed the mat and crumpled into a heap before getting up and being amazed to find myself unharmed.
I've also got some pretty cool bark-pattern scarring on one arm from a mid-air fight I had with one of the trees at Giggleswick. I like to think that I won.
In reply to Only a hill:
I should perhaps mention, I once took a 40' soloing fall over three years ago which left me with back problems that plague me to this day...
I should perhaps mention, I once took a 40' soloing fall over three years ago which left me with back problems that plague me to this day...
In reply to Only a hill:
Bloody hell! I felt lucky to be walking away from less than half that. Did you manage to land on a bouncy castle?
Bloody hell! I felt lucky to be walking away from less than half that. Did you manage to land on a bouncy castle?
In reply to DWilliamson:
Landed on a wedge-shaped rock, on my back, right next to an enormous drop. Apparently the only reason I'm not dead is because I maintained pressure in my lungs (by having a full lungfull of air and not exhaling). I was climbing on Side Pike in Langdale but it took me over three hours to crawl back to the campsite ... not an experience to be repeated.
Landed on a wedge-shaped rock, on my back, right next to an enormous drop. Apparently the only reason I'm not dead is because I maintained pressure in my lungs (by having a full lungfull of air and not exhaling). I was climbing on Side Pike in Langdale but it took me over three hours to crawl back to the campsite ... not an experience to be repeated.
In reply to pinkpeople53: First proper falls:
Inside was on an 8a+ route in inverness, the green one.
Outdoor was arete de rabuin, I was doing a variation line, as I hate scrambling up scree, a crack that was about 5c. Had one reasonable bit of gear and was quite a bit above it, hit a ledge on the way down. Hardest rock route I've ever done in B3's.
Inside was on an 8a+ route in inverness, the green one.
Outdoor was arete de rabuin, I was doing a variation line, as I hate scrambling up scree, a crack that was about 5c. Had one reasonable bit of gear and was quite a bit above it, hit a ledge on the way down. Hardest rock route I've ever done in B3's.
In reply to fishy1:
Yarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! We all be very impressed. Yarrrrrrrrrrrrr!
Yarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! We all be very impressed. Yarrrrrrrrrrrrr!
In reply to pinkpeople53:
I normally don't take more than 1 leader fall a year - probably because I don't climb to my limit very much.
Basically if you don't fall off every so often, you are not climbing at your limit.
I normally don't take more than 1 leader fall a year - probably because I don't climb to my limit very much.
Basically if you don't fall off every so often, you are not climbing at your limit.
In reply to joe king: until this summer i had never taken a trad fall on lead, i almost thought it a badge of honour, but actually, it was more to do with playing it safe and not pushing myself, or not climbing with the right people to push it. My first trad fall was on a 3 pitch e1 in the middle of nowhere in the pishing rain when my last hold snapped off as i pulled on it (off route), i bust my ankle badly, then had to climb it again, then as i mantled onto a ledge above this point my foot slipped on a wet grassy bit, so down i went and had to climb the same bit yet again, successfully the 3rd time. All this after smashing my hip and knocking myself out the weekend before on the downhill mountain bike course at fort william.
In reply to pinkpeople53: My first fall was off Delstree at Hen cloud, fell out of the crack because I couldn't jam for toffee, some of the gear ripped I fell about 20 feet and I ended up upside down, my mate then fell off from the top the rope went through and he ended up down in the bracken and was taken off in an ambulance and was unconscious for 4 days. Memorable times
I didn't 'take' the fall, the fall was imposed upon me.
In reply to fishy1:
"Inside was on an 8a+ route in inverness, the green one."
You got to 8a+ without ever taking a fall? That sounds pretty impressive
"Inside was on an 8a+ route in inverness, the green one."
You got to 8a+ without ever taking a fall? That sounds pretty impressive
In reply to pinkpeople53:
My first trad lead fall was off the start of the roof section of The Sloth at The Roaches. I hadn't got the sling over the cheese block sorted so fell about 20 feet, bashing my wrist on the ledge on the way down. No more climbing that day.
My first trad lead fall was off the start of the roof section of The Sloth at The Roaches. I hadn't got the sling over the cheese block sorted so fell about 20 feet, bashing my wrist on the ledge on the way down. No more climbing that day.
In reply to pinkpeople53:
indoor? the only way I can progress indoor is by trying, falling, trying again and eventually getting it right..
trad is to me a very different game: climb well within the confort zone so the gear is never actually tested!
> As the title suggests, wondering who has never taken a fall, I've never had one ever, top-rope or lead, indoor our outside.
>
> Also if you have fallen then what was your first and what route was it on?
>
> Tom
>
> Also if you have fallen then what was your first and what route was it on?
>
> Tom
indoor? the only way I can progress indoor is by trying, falling, trying again and eventually getting it right..
trad is to me a very different game: climb well within the confort zone so the gear is never actually tested!
In reply to pinkpeople53: My first fall was on The Thorn at Beeston Tor, Fell about 7 or 8 metres when I was nearing the top of the first pitch, called it a day after that. My second was a week later on Fern Crack at the Roaches. I got to the top, stuck a cam in a flake at the top, which was very silly, fell, and it pinged. was about three metres past my last piece of gear, so ended up with my head 2 metres off the ground upside down in my harness.
Hence my username.
Hence my username.
In reply to pinkpeople53:
Hmm. Lots of falls indoors, too mnay outdoors and also a few whilst soloing. (DWS and crags). Not too many injuries from landing though. Oh wait, I tell a lie. Quite a few injuries. Oh well. Must learn to get stickier fingers.
Hmm. Lots of falls indoors, too mnay outdoors and also a few whilst soloing. (DWS and crags). Not too many injuries from landing though. Oh wait, I tell a lie. Quite a few injuries. Oh well. Must learn to get stickier fingers.
In reply to pinkpeople53:
As the saying goes; if you've never fallen, you've never really climbed.
I'll be honest though, I've taken my fair share of falls...and a few nasty ones to go along with it. Decked out from 20ft whilst soloing once, that one hurt. Though I got away with mainly cuts and bruises. Taken afew fair sized lobs onto gear and what not.
I think the biggest, and funniest, fall was about 250ft down the back of Helvellyn one winter after a winter climb on Browncove Crags. It was more of a Scooby Doo style fall because I bounced and tumbled almost the whole way down the fellside after the initial drop...couldn't quite get my ice axe to stick. Had a nice cut on the back of my leg from a sharp rock, a few cuts in my shin from my crampon, a broken rib and various oven cuts and bruises...but I was alright all in all. Could have gone alot worse.
Cheers,
Jos.
As the saying goes; if you've never fallen, you've never really climbed.
I'll be honest though, I've taken my fair share of falls...and a few nasty ones to go along with it. Decked out from 20ft whilst soloing once, that one hurt. Though I got away with mainly cuts and bruises. Taken afew fair sized lobs onto gear and what not.
I think the biggest, and funniest, fall was about 250ft down the back of Helvellyn one winter after a winter climb on Browncove Crags. It was more of a Scooby Doo style fall because I bounced and tumbled almost the whole way down the fellside after the initial drop...couldn't quite get my ice axe to stick. Had a nice cut on the back of my leg from a sharp rock, a few cuts in my shin from my crampon, a broken rib and various oven cuts and bruises...but I was alright all in all. Could have gone alot worse.
Cheers,
Jos.
In reply to Katie86:
Woah! Who were those 2 stick people you were climbing with?! They look kinda cool.
> Outdoor 2nd: Slipped traversing pinnacle ridge route (Pen yr Ole wen), 4m swing, clipped ledge; partially dislocatedankle, fractured foot and leg http://happykat86.blogspot.com/2008/06/problem-with-falling.html
Woah! Who were those 2 stick people you were climbing with?! They look kinda cool.
In reply to Jesus of Suburbia:
this is why i like ukc as much as i do.
Taken plenty of falls, though nothing more than kinda slumping onto gear while tradding.
this is why i like ukc as much as i do.
Taken plenty of falls, though nothing more than kinda slumping onto gear while tradding.
In reply to pinkpeople53: Had a few now. The first I believe was from Inspiration at Worlds End. Rolling a couple of meters below the path and narrowly missing a rather large boulder with my head certainly inspired me to purchase a helmet.
In reply to Katie86: You look a lot like my brother in that top picture...
no worries with using the picture though!
Probably quite a good idea that he didn't fall, much worse rope work than what you show.
Very unlucky to take a binner, falls from that kind of terrain are often worse than those on steep clean faces.
no worries with using the picture though!
Probably quite a good idea that he didn't fall, much worse rope work than what you show.
Very unlucky to take a binner, falls from that kind of terrain are often worse than those on steep clean faces.
In reply to pinkpeople53:
Have taken lots of falls but they're slightly more 'interesting' these days because I now use DMMs renegade harness with the 'floating' waist padding which tends to spin me around to face the ground if I don't fall completely straight!!
Have taken lots of falls but they're slightly more 'interesting' these days because I now use DMMs renegade harness with the 'floating' waist padding which tends to spin me around to face the ground if I don't fall completely straight!!
In reply to pinkpeople53:
plenty of sport ones.
Slumped on gear on SS Special.
Come pretty close on a few E1s and was a whisker away from a hug lob on left wall but managed to hang on! I think i do push myself enough but i happen to also be very stubborn!
plenty of sport ones.
Slumped on gear on SS Special.
Come pretty close on a few E1s and was a whisker away from a hug lob on left wall but managed to hang on! I think i do push myself enough but i happen to also be very stubborn!
In reply to pinkpeople53:
I've take two proper falls (i.e. more than slumping / dropping onto gear from a ft or so above) The first from the top Pitch of Agags Grove when I pulled a block/flake off and was 4-5 m from gear (running it out 'cause it was "easy" - a classic leasson learned!) and this summer at latheronwheel where a hold pulled off, only 1m or so from gear but it was my first piece on a short route so wound up barely missing the ground and knocking my ankle a bit. I'm obviously very lucky with breaking holds!
Falling on a toprope doesn't really count as falling, more weighting the rope than falling. I'll qualify that by adding unless your on a scary traveres with a belay badly placed to protect it though!
never fallen in winter thankfully!!
Stu.
I've take two proper falls (i.e. more than slumping / dropping onto gear from a ft or so above) The first from the top Pitch of Agags Grove when I pulled a block/flake off and was 4-5 m from gear (running it out 'cause it was "easy" - a classic leasson learned!) and this summer at latheronwheel where a hold pulled off, only 1m or so from gear but it was my first piece on a short route so wound up barely missing the ground and knocking my ankle a bit. I'm obviously very lucky with breaking holds!
Falling on a toprope doesn't really count as falling, more weighting the rope than falling. I'll qualify that by adding unless your on a scary traveres with a belay badly placed to protect it though!
never fallen in winter thankfully!!
Stu.
In reply to snoop6060:
Nah, I've fallen off 8a+ loads of times, often somewhere between the first and second moves.
Nah, I've fallen off 8a+ loads of times, often somewhere between the first and second moves.
In reply to pinkpeople53:
Not had many falls, but all have occurred when trying to down-climb something I've wimped out on. Lesson learned: don't wimp out!
Not had many falls, but all have occurred when trying to down-climb something I've wimped out on. Lesson learned: don't wimp out!
In reply to StuDoig:
never fallen in winter thankfully!! - unless you count your ski tumble.
Says the man who's got a 'bit' of flying time towards his pilot's licence.
never fallen in winter thankfully!! - unless you count your ski tumble.
Says the man who's got a 'bit' of flying time towards his pilot's licence.
In reply to pinkpeople53:
First gear below my feet trad fall was off Left Unconquerable and hate to be so common but fell off the crux. Haven't had any other trad falls but don't do much trad climbing.
Lots of falls sport climbing and indoor climbing as I agree with the mantra that you're not climbing as hard as you possibly can unless you fall off every now and again.
First gear below my feet trad fall was off Left Unconquerable and hate to be so common but fell off the crux. Haven't had any other trad falls but don't do much trad climbing.
Lots of falls sport climbing and indoor climbing as I agree with the mantra that you're not climbing as hard as you possibly can unless you fall off every now and again.
In reply to pinkpeople53:
Fallen off of shed loads of routes, I like to think I was trying hard
My best, like someone else mentioned above was off of Strapiombante, complete with the amazing swing around the arete. Only decked out once and I was fine.
Fallen off of shed loads of routes, I like to think I was trying hard
My best, like someone else mentioned above was off of Strapiombante, complete with the amazing swing around the arete. Only decked out once and I was fine.
In reply to pinkpeople53:
Not had one for a little while, mostly because I've been coasting along doing easy trad while my shoulder heals (read: gets worse). I go through phases of lots of falls then none then back to failing a lot, I suppose it just depends what type of climbing is inspiring me at the time.
I'm surprised you've never had any kind of fall. Is that not holding you back a bit?
I think my first fall was a silly little slump off a greasy VDiff at Ilkley. Pretty forgettable except for a little note in the margin of my grit bible.
jk
Not had one for a little while, mostly because I've been coasting along doing easy trad while my shoulder heals (read: gets worse). I go through phases of lots of falls then none then back to failing a lot, I suppose it just depends what type of climbing is inspiring me at the time.
I'm surprised you've never had any kind of fall. Is that not holding you back a bit?
I think my first fall was a silly little slump off a greasy VDiff at Ilkley. Pretty forgettable except for a little note in the margin of my grit bible.
jk
Loads of great stories and rather painfull sounding incidents, as I said never fallen but caught one or two whippers.
The first and funniest was at my old partner and I were climbing at Rosyth Quarry, he was climbing the waullie and was on the last move, as all you can hear is a kid in the group next to us ask an adult
'why is he putting all that gear in?'
partner fall with a 'f********k*'
the adult instructor says 'that's why'
I wound up half way up the cragg with my mate upside down facing me and a group of kids half laughing half looking scared as hell.
hilarious
The first and funniest was at my old partner and I were climbing at Rosyth Quarry, he was climbing the waullie and was on the last move, as all you can hear is a kid in the group next to us ask an adult
'why is he putting all that gear in?'
partner fall with a 'f********k*'
the adult instructor says 'that's why'
I wound up half way up the cragg with my mate upside down facing me and a group of kids half laughing half looking scared as hell.
hilarious
In reply to jkarran: Um i don't know if it holds me back (have a look at my profile?), I'm currently teaching one or two friends to go outside so I actually have a partner (lack of which is definately holding me back).
I'm progressing at an ok rate, considering how little climbing time I actually get, but obviously everyone wants to climb harder, even if its just to make the stuff they do less scary.
I'm progressing at an ok rate, considering how little climbing time I actually get, but obviously everyone wants to climb harder, even if its just to make the stuff they do less scary.
In reply to ScraggyGoat:
Oi! that was a skite not a fall - important technical difference!!
I think that your flying distance is probably a more impressive measure! :O)
Stu
Oi! that was a skite not a fall - important technical difference!!
I think that your flying distance is probably a more impressive measure! :O)
Stu
In reply to pinkpeople53:
You've never taken a fall, like ever? Wow. I've taken tons of long, screaming falls. No idea which was the first, but a few memorable ones were off the top of Cenotaph Corner, going for my first E1, and one from the lip of The Sloth, without any gear in the roof. That one earned me two broken fingers. Ah, the foolishness of yoof..
You've never taken a fall, like ever? Wow. I've taken tons of long, screaming falls. No idea which was the first, but a few memorable ones were off the top of Cenotaph Corner, going for my first E1, and one from the lip of The Sloth, without any gear in the roof. That one earned me two broken fingers. Ah, the foolishness of yoof..
In reply to pinkpeople53:
You may have taught those kids more than the instructor....
You may have taught those kids more than the instructor....
In reply to StuDoig:
The art of falling is to miss the ground, and everything else on the way down................h'mmm
The art of falling is to miss the ground, and everything else on the way down................h'mmm
In reply to pinkpeople53:
It wasn't intended as any kind of criticism. You must be either exceptionally good at judging your ability against the route or always climbing comfortably within your true potential.
Ah well, if it works for you then stick with it.
jk
> (In reply to jkarran) Um i don't know if it holds me back (have a look at my profile?)...
It wasn't intended as any kind of criticism. You must be either exceptionally good at judging your ability against the route or always climbing comfortably within your true potential.
Ah well, if it works for you then stick with it.
jk
In reply to Only a hill:
I second that.
> Never had a 'proper' fall, although I have slumped onto gear. I see it as a good thing.
I second that.
In reply to pinkpeople53:
Indoor - fallen off loads, cos that's what you do indoors.
Outdoor - 3 times. First one was about a 5ft fall from the crux of Calver Wall at Curbar, got a little scar on my left hand where it ripped out of a poor jam.
Indoor - fallen off loads, cos that's what you do indoors.
Outdoor - 3 times. First one was about a 5ft fall from the crux of Calver Wall at Curbar, got a little scar on my left hand where it ripped out of a poor jam.
Dont even get me started on falls (or lack there of) I started leading Trad (June this year) before I lead inside or outside on any sports routes, ovbioulsy my mindset has developed into aviod falling if in any way possible.
Problem is I sport climb at a higher technical level than I do trad and therefore falls more likely but I can't seem to shake the no falling mindset when i'm on realtivley safe bolts and it is holding me back big time (climb 6C on top rope 6a on lead)
In fact I led my first hvs last weekend (which felt at my mental limit) but I was more scared of falling last night at the indoor wall on a f6a+ route...it makes no sense.
I am desperate to take a fall so I can break this bloody mental block I seem to have. I kept try to throgh myslef of the wall last night to get used to it but my body refused to obey.
all very frustrating, maybe I just need bigger testicles!
Problem is I sport climb at a higher technical level than I do trad and therefore falls more likely but I can't seem to shake the no falling mindset when i'm on realtivley safe bolts and it is holding me back big time (climb 6C on top rope 6a on lead)
In fact I led my first hvs last weekend (which felt at my mental limit) but I was more scared of falling last night at the indoor wall on a f6a+ route...it makes no sense.
I am desperate to take a fall so I can break this bloody mental block I seem to have. I kept try to throgh myslef of the wall last night to get used to it but my body refused to obey.
all very frustrating, maybe I just need bigger testicles!
lots of slumps, a few small falls, most memorable was when my only piece of gear popped but I avoided decking out by landing on my then-girlfriend (now wife) instead...
In reply to pinkpeople53:
I find it a little hard to believe that someone who's onsighting E2's has never taken a single fall indoors or top rope.
In fact, I call absolute bull shit, we all started as crap climbers afterall
I find it a little hard to believe that someone who's onsighting E2's has never taken a single fall indoors or top rope.
In fact, I call absolute bull shit, we all started as crap climbers afterall
In reply to Silum:
Its hard to fall on a top rope, you just tend to slump onto the rope unless you have a particuarly liberal belayer
Its hard to fall on a top rope, you just tend to slump onto the rope unless you have a particuarly liberal belayer
In reply to gcandlin:
Just like anything else in climbing, practice.
Practice falling on trad even if thats what holds you back. I'd reccommend just picking a steep route indoors and taking some nice whippers until you realise it's nothin.
Just like anything else in climbing, practice.
Practice falling on trad even if thats what holds you back. I'd reccommend just picking a steep route indoors and taking some nice whippers until you realise it's nothin.
In reply to idiotproof (Buxton MC):
My first fall was on top rope, my little brother who was climbing with me had forgotten to clip the karabiner through the belay device and rope so when I leaned back to be lowered off I dropped tot he ground very quickly. Luckily I wasn't hurt but I left my little brother fairly embarrased with the amount of shouting and expetives used when I realised what had happened.
My first fall was on top rope, my little brother who was climbing with me had forgotten to clip the karabiner through the belay device and rope so when I leaned back to be lowered off I dropped tot he ground very quickly. Luckily I wasn't hurt but I left my little brother fairly embarrased with the amount of shouting and expetives used when I realised what had happened.
In reply to pinkpeople53:
Ive been climbing trad for a year now, and im yet to fall. Long may it go on...
Ive been climbing trad for a year now, and im yet to fall. Long may it go on...
In reply to pinkpeople53:
my worst fall to date was on a route at logie head on the moray coast.
I placed a No. 2 nut and climbed above it onto the crux then got onto a lovely hold, my feet came off i flipped upside down (bad rope technique!!! ) then i fell 4 metres or so and smacked my head and arm off the ground. helmets are very useful!!! i would reccomend them to others
I got away with no more than a gash in my arm but if i had not been wearing my helmet then it would be a very different story. since then i have decided to stick to one grade for the mo and chill out. it is amazing how much a fall scares the shit out of you!!!!
tom
my worst fall to date was on a route at logie head on the moray coast.
I placed a No. 2 nut and climbed above it onto the crux then got onto a lovely hold, my feet came off i flipped upside down (bad rope technique!!! ) then i fell 4 metres or so and smacked my head and arm off the ground. helmets are very useful!!! i would reccomend them to others
I got away with no more than a gash in my arm but if i had not been wearing my helmet then it would be a very different story. since then i have decided to stick to one grade for the mo and chill out. it is amazing how much a fall scares the shit out of you!!!!
tom
In reply to Sankey:
Sorry, I wasn't intentionally steeling. I'm sure I found it on google....appologies. I struggled to find a decent pic of the ridge!
> (In reply to Katie86) You look a lot like my brother in that top picture...
> no worries with using the picture though!
>> no worries with using the picture though!
Sorry, I wasn't intentionally steeling. I'm sure I found it on google....appologies. I struggled to find a decent pic of the ridge!
In reply to idiotproof (Buxton MC):
Harrisons or Bowles are good for watching TR falls...
> (In reply to Silum)
>
> Its hard to fall on a top rope, you just tend to slump onto the rope unless you have a particuarly liberal belayer
>
> Its hard to fall on a top rope, you just tend to slump onto the rope unless you have a particuarly liberal belayer
Harrisons or Bowles are good for watching TR falls...
In reply to pinkpeople53: I was on the Quad Rocks when i fell and smashed my left leg that was bloody sore.
In reply to pinkpeople53: Had a big fall in May this year off the Cuillin Ridge. Got knocked off by a boulder that slid when I stepped around it knocking me off the edge of the cliff. Fell about 100 feet. Sheared my pelvis in two, broke the top of my femur, broke 5 vertebrae, broke 5 ribs, broke left scapula, ruptured bladder, lost 5 pints of blood internally, lungs collapsed, 8 hour rescue, 5 days in intensive care and a month in hospital. Still sore but managed a 2km swim yesterday and an evening at the climbing wall. Not bad after less than 5 months since the accident!
Iain
Iain
In reply to pinkpeople53: Decked out as an enthusiastic beginer on my first weekend trad climbing, of all things I placed, two cams and neither held. p*ss ripped out of me for years they still call me Deck Out Dick
Your not trying hard enough then.
In reply to pinkpeople53:
Only take one proper lead fall, my first and very last.
Fell about 20feet and broke my femur, hip and pelvis.
never quite got back into climbing after, enjoy a walk along Stanage Edge as much as climbing now!
Only take one proper lead fall, my first and very last.
Fell about 20feet and broke my femur, hip and pelvis.
never quite got back into climbing after, enjoy a walk along Stanage Edge as much as climbing now!
In reply to pinkpeople53: To be relevant a fall should be a proper fall, not at a climbing wall, top roping, seconding unless you are on some horror traverse, or red-pointing with lots of bolted pro. Best falls are on run-out or iffy gear, while soloing, or partner fumbles or lets go of the rope! And aged only 22 there's a long way to go...so count your blessings. I've only had 2 serious falls in 40+yrs of climbing, and luckily lived to tell the tale.
In reply to pinkpeople53:
One trad fall - decked out from Pink Wall at Ballater. Only hurt myself cos I was kind of more jumping and the micro cam I thought would def pop out decided to hold and kind of whipped me off my feet.
Fall off when I'm leading sports all the time!!!!
One trad fall - decked out from Pink Wall at Ballater. Only hurt myself cos I was kind of more jumping and the micro cam I thought would def pop out decided to hold and kind of whipped me off my feet.
Fall off when I'm leading sports all the time!!!!
In reply to pinkpeople53:
Slumped on gear and fallen off indoors (on purpose). Sure it is only a matter of time though but not looking forward to it.
Slumped on gear and fallen off indoors (on purpose). Sure it is only a matter of time though but not looking forward to it.
In reply to Iain.A: What the f**k kept you alive!!
In reply to joe king:
Exactly right.
Another way to look at it is that your limit is actually psychological rather than physical. Most climbers would rather train like buggery to get stronger rather than focus improving their mental fitness in climbing.
Redpointing routes right at your physical limit means lead falls are guaranteed. Redpointing is a great way to push one's psychological limits in climbing.
> (In reply to pinkpeople53)
> Basically if you don't fall off every so often, you are not climbing at your limit.
> Basically if you don't fall off every so often, you are not climbing at your limit.
Exactly right.
Another way to look at it is that your limit is actually psychological rather than physical. Most climbers would rather train like buggery to get stronger rather than focus improving their mental fitness in climbing.
Redpointing routes right at your physical limit means lead falls are guaranteed. Redpointing is a great way to push one's psychological limits in climbing.
In reply to pinkpeople53: Decked out from 30' before, came away pretty unharmed but i put the ocasional lower back problems i get down to the rock i landed on. Had another 10' one and came away with a bit of rope burn.
In reply to pinkpeople53: took my first lead fall this sunmmer up the roaches, only fell about a metre or so but it didn't half sh1t me up, i think the worst part was knowing i'd soloed the same route a couple of weeks before hand, i came away with a couple of cuts on two fingers on my left hand and a dirty great graze on my backside!!! the route in question is a HVD 4A going by the name of prow corner twin cracks, i've subsiquently climbed it many times since without problems.
In reply to Iain.A:
Well done you! Pretty impressed you can even manage to type!
I've only had twotrad lead falls, and both times I had in good gear,
which seems to me to be the main point!
Well done you! Pretty impressed you can even manage to type!
I've only had twotrad lead falls, and both times I had in good gear,
which seems to me to be the main point!
No real trad falls to think of, other than the odd slip (like a few feet) or resting on gear.
Outdoor sport, yep one biggy last year in South Africa - should have been 2m ended up nearer 10m as the bolt came away... though sheer enough to miss everything and land cat like feet first - and no where near the ground
Many many indoor falls, like every week - when trying to push the grade or just pushing stamina.
I think falling is a part of climbing and taking falls is good for getting your head "right" for bigger things, saying that I will be more careful on sports routes (not trusting bolts so much) and I climb much lower grade trad, so for me the next thing I need to sort / work on is getting more confidence with trad climbing falls onto bomber gear.
IMO its probably about managing the risk and indoors should be 100% safe, so in my advice - go for it.
If you solo everything, just take care..
Outdoor sport, yep one biggy last year in South Africa - should have been 2m ended up nearer 10m as the bolt came away... though sheer enough to miss everything and land cat like feet first - and no where near the ground
Many many indoor falls, like every week - when trying to push the grade or just pushing stamina.
I think falling is a part of climbing and taking falls is good for getting your head "right" for bigger things, saying that I will be more careful on sports routes (not trusting bolts so much) and I climb much lower grade trad, so for me the next thing I need to sort / work on is getting more confidence with trad climbing falls onto bomber gear.
IMO its probably about managing the risk and indoors should be 100% safe, so in my advice - go for it.
If you solo everything, just take care..
In reply to pinkpeople53:
Only 2 in 5 years of on/off climbing - cant be pushing myself enough! The first was not long after i started leading and thought Aberdeenshire rock was the same as Cornwall. My belayer wasnt very observant and i chose something ambitious. I was arrested a couple of feet from the ground and cacked myself a little bit. Later in my "leading career" i fell out of a ghastly northumberland climb that i thought was well within my ability. Nerve damage in the hand followed with a bit of physio. You live and learn!
Only 2 in 5 years of on/off climbing - cant be pushing myself enough! The first was not long after i started leading and thought Aberdeenshire rock was the same as Cornwall. My belayer wasnt very observant and i chose something ambitious. I was arrested a couple of feet from the ground and cacked myself a little bit. Later in my "leading career" i fell out of a ghastly northumberland climb that i thought was well within my ability. Nerve damage in the hand followed with a bit of physio. You live and learn!
In reply to snoop6060:
Of course, it could have just been his first ever time climbing. I'm sure even *I* could have managed to fall off an 8a+ on my first time out.....
> (In reply to fishy1)
>
> "Inside was on an 8a+ route in inverness, the green one."
>
> You got to 8a+ without ever taking a fall? That sounds pretty impressive
>
> "Inside was on an 8a+ route in inverness, the green one."
>
> You got to 8a+ without ever taking a fall? That sounds pretty impressive
Of course, it could have just been his first ever time climbing. I'm sure even *I* could have managed to fall off an 8a+ on my first time out.....
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