UKC

I was at Wintour's Leap today when a climber fell off
Direct route. I'd Just finished pitch 1 of Central rib
route 1 but my Dad went off to help. She was airlifted
to hospital with head injuries. I wandered if anyone knows
how the girl is? Hopefully she isn't seriously injured.

According to the BBC she is OK

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-14011261

In reply to ianmacklin:
Thanks, that's good to hear

In reply to JamesRich:

I am a friend of her - she is stable in hospital - we'll know more in a few days. Thank you for asking about her.

In reply to waggers: I'm glad to hear she's stable. I wish her a speedy recovery.

In reply to JamesRich:
Hi JamesRich
Just wondering if you knew any of the details of what happened and how she came to fall? I have been close friends with her for 11 years and I lived with her for 3 years - it is awful not knowing what happened. I was hoping you may have some answers. Her brain in still swollen - we're keeping everything crossed for her.

In reply to waggers: I'm afraid I don't know much about what happened however I gather she was on the second pitch of direct route when she fell off and ripped her gear out. Falling past her belayer she landed on the broad walk.

In reply to JamesRich:
Doctors say it is going to take months to recover thank you for telling me what you know. It's so hard to imagine how something like this can happen - I thought the point of a belayer was that they could halt a fall by the way that they hold the rope? I guess this is different if you are climbing outdoors? I have only ever climbed indoors (I believe the term is using a 'top rope' so I don't have enough experience to understand climbing on an actual rock face. I am told it is a very different experience and you need very different skills. At any rate her poor climbing partner (who I don't know) must be devestated. I hope you and your Dad are not too badly affected by this - it must have been traumatic to see.

In reply to waggers: I have worked it out now - I was being dense - of course belaying depends on having the gear in the wall - it's awful. I feel so sad for her

In reply to waggers:
I hope you're doing okay. My sister suffered serious head injuries in a horse riding accident a few years ago. It can take weeks at the very least for the swelling to go down, and much longer for the patient to be in a stable enough condition to be conscious. Rushing the process can cause further damage. The best thing you can do is be as supportive as you can for her and her family on the long and uncertain road to recovery and rehabilitation, and look after yourself in the meantime. Don't lose hope.

She's lucky to be in Frenchay, my sister got flown straight off the hill to there. The staff (doctors, nurses, cleaners, everyone) are amazing - true lifesavers.

In some ways the worst part is the uncertainty. Hang on in there. The outcome isn't necessarily as bad as it feels that it might be right now.

In reply to JamesRich: Something similar happened when I was belaying at Wintour's,fortunately a bush cushioned my mate's fall.Loose hold.Loose crag.Helmet a very good idea.

Mitch

In reply to waggers:
>It's so hard to imagine how something like this can happen - I thought the point of a belayer was that they could halt a fall by the way that they hold the rope?

Best wishes for a good recovery for your friend. When "lead climbing" the climber places protection into the rock which the rope then clips into. If any this protection were to fail the fall would be longer.

In reply to paul mitchell: I don't know if she wearing a helmet - I think helmets should be compulsory.

In reply to waggers:

That should illicit a few responses!!!

Al

In reply to Gaston Rubberpants: Making helmets compulsory would be thin end of the wedge of unwelcome regulation from outside the climbing community.
What's more important is that punters learn to place gear at ground level,rather than throwing themselves at routes at their limit,with badly placed gear.Most punters choppered off Stanage are at the severe or vs grade.Winding it out off one cam is a common error;it rips out,splat...

Mitch

In reply to paul mitchell: Don't tell me tell waggers.

Al

In reply to paul mitchell:

That's a pretty tasteless post.

There is young person with brain injuries following this accident.

In reply to paul mitchell: No one cares. She's/he's upset about her friends brain injury, pretty understandable.

I hope she gets well soon.

In reply to Gaston Rubberpants:

but hopefully not on this thread

In reply to JamesRich: This is no place/thread to discuss helmets etc. Would be insensitive and poor taste. Hopefully people will remember that the statement came as a result of a person being injured. I hope she recovers well and agree that Frenchay is a good place.