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kobaz
Oct 12, 2010, 5:04 PM
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I overheard from a rangers radio about an accident with possible head injury while I was at the Trapps on Sunday.
An ambulance rushed by in the afternoon, and someone was evac'd in a litter on a ranger trunk in the afternoon as well.
Anyone know what happened?
This is a crazy year for accidents in the gunks.
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gblauer
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Oct 12, 2010, 5:29 PM
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Accident #1
Slime wall
Head injury
No helmet
30 foot fall, two pieces pulled
lots of blood
climber appeared to be ok.
Accident #2
Over by Rusty Trifle
Borken foot (heel)
Rope burn
Climber walked out with assistance from rangers
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sethg
Oct 12, 2010, 7:10 PM
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Ugh, I hope both climbers are going to be okay.
Having been a statistic last year (although I appear to have been omitted from the official statistics), I know it can happen to any of us. But it does seem like there are so many accidents this year.
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brokesomeribs
Oct 18, 2010, 3:38 PM
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Thanks for the lowdown Gail. Any more info? Sounds like #2 was a belay accident.
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gblauer
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Oct 18, 2010, 3:49 PM
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A girl decked on Frogs Head on Sunday. She fell at the crux, pulled two pieces (according to rangers) and hit the deck with rope stretch. She refused medical treatment. Sure set off a panic at the cliff.
Thank goodness she was ok.
(This post was edited by gblauer on Oct 18, 2010, 4:25 PM)
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sethg
Oct 18, 2010, 4:48 PM
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gblauer wrote: A girl decked on Frogs Head on Sunday. She fell at the crux, pulled two pieces (according to rangers) and hit the deck with rope stretch. She refused medical treatment. Sure set off a panic at the cliff. Thank goodness she was ok.
Edit: I posted a stupid joke I regretted and I've now removed.
I'm glad it turned out okay. I'm sure everyone concerned was pretty shaken up.
(This post was edited by sethg on Oct 18, 2010, 6:11 PM)
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wonderwoman
Oct 18, 2010, 5:21 PM
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How far off the ground is the crux? I can't remember.
Glad she was able to walk out on her own, though!
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gblauer
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Oct 18, 2010, 5:58 PM
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35-40 ft? Maybe more? It was apparently rather scary for all those around her.
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divnamite
Oct 18, 2010, 6:19 PM
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gblauer wrote: 35-40 ft? Maybe more? It was apparently rather scary for all those around her. |
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gblauer
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Oct 18, 2010, 6:24 PM
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You go through the polished part and then make moves up over a little bulge. I think that's the crux for most folks (especially if you miss the foot out right).
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welle
Oct 18, 2010, 6:30 PM
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divnamite wrote: gblauer wrote: 35-40 ft? Maybe more? It was apparently rather scary for all those around her. I thought the crux is the bottom polish part. Didn't realize it's higher. I hope she's doing OK.
The crux is higher than the polished part - it's a bulge move. She's ok, I saw her later in good spirits. I'm not a big fan of Frog's Head - it's not a good beginner lead. People always get attracted by the minus in the rating.
Also, friends told me another beginner leader decked on Three Pines and gear pulled. Heard she was fine too.
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rgold
Oct 19, 2010, 12:31 AM
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Having gear pull at the bulge used to happen quite a bit when we first started using nuts. Nowadays, it is a sign of inexperience. (come to think of it, it was always a sign of inexperience.)
The block below the bulge directs the rope outward, and nuts will lift unless they are placed with a directional to either hold them down (better) or keep the rope up against the upper wall (more drag).
Of course, the situation is made even worse if the belayer takes up one of the inviting positions in the woods half-way back to the Carriage Road.
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ensonik
Oct 19, 2010, 1:46 AM
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gblauer wrote: You go through the polished part and then make moves up over a little bulge. I think that's the crux for most folks (especially if you miss the foot out right).
Uh ... that was exactly where the crux was for me. I thought for sure I was going to die (then again, I always think that). I did see it coming though; so I had two (three?) equalized pieces at my feet ...
That right foot ... I had missed it ...
The lower polished part was (at least for me) a breeze. Everything above the crux was as well.
Just before heading out on the 2nd pitch, and upon seeing the nervousness in my face after I'd noticed how f'ing steep the pitch was, a wise man at the rappel station to the climbers left told me : "Take it easy; follow the line of least resistance; the feet are ALL there; you shouldn't be reaching high". Turns out that it was great advice as it was all true.
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mtselman
Oct 19, 2010, 3:19 AM
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rgold shows his clairvoyant ability once again.
I was among the first few who ran up to the girl when she fell. She was on the ground and a guy who clearly had medical training was evaluating her condition. The girl was responding well and eventually sat up and appeared OK. The belayer said that she hit the ground on a rope stretch so the fall was cushioned by the rope somewhat. I took a brief look at the gear that failed - three sport quick-draws with nuts were hanging on the rope next to girl's tie-in point. These are the pieces that pulled. The last piece that held seemed to be a nut as well (but I might be wrong here) and was exactly as rgold mentioned - about 30 feet up at the top of the block. This would make rgold's speculation the most plausible: add ingredients such as nuts on short/stiff draws, change of rope direction/angle at the top of the block and inexperienced leader, and the failure may have been much more severe.
It was a great relieve to see the girl get away from this with what seemed to be just minor scratches.
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moose_droppings
Oct 19, 2010, 4:13 AM
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Watts weth all the hait on the Polish?
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divnamite
Oct 19, 2010, 1:39 PM
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rgold wrote: Having gear pull at the bulge used to happen quite a bit when we first started using nuts. Nowadays, it is a sign of inexperience. (come to think of it, it was always a sign of inexperience.) The block below the bulge directs the rope outward, and nuts will lift unless they are placed with a directional to either hold them down (better) or keep the rope up against the upper wall (more drag). Of course, the situation is made even worse if the belayer takes up one of the inviting positions in the woods half-way back to the Carriage Road. |
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devkrev
Oct 20, 2010, 4:52 PM
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I couldn't imagine how someone could rattle out 3 pieces of gear on that climb....
till I remembered the first time I led it, a nut definitely rattled out from beneath me while I was climbing above it through the crux.
I guess I'm not one to cast the first stone.
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happiegrrrl
Oct 20, 2010, 6:57 PM
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I fell off that route on an earkly lead. Was so relieved the nut held, or I would have hit that ledge. Haven't tried leading P1 since, but I am ready now, so it is on the To Do list.
Now Sixish.... THAT is a route I am putting off leading P1 for a while.
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bhickey
Nov 21, 2010, 1:24 PM
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gblauer wrote: A girl decked on Frogs Head on Sunday. She fell at the crux, pulled two pieces (according to rangers) and hit the deck with rope stretch. She refused medical treatment. Sure set off a panic at the cliff. Thank goodness she was ok.
Hey,
The girl who decked is a friend of mine. We just got off the phone*. She's been sport leading for about a year and started trad climbing this season. I've seen her competently sport lead 5.9+, but I would describe her as bold. Her partner is an exceedingly capable instructor.
On the phone* she told me that three of her pieces pulled, two nuts and an under-cammed metolius piece. She had slung the nuts with dogbones, and they got jostled out in the fall. Her lowest piece that held was a tricam. As reported by the rangers, she hit the deck on stretch.
She estimates that her total fall was about 40 feet.
It turns out that she broke her pisiform in half. The initial x-rays didn't catch it, but a second batch three weeks later picked up on it. The bone is too small to pin. She'll be in a cast for a couple of weeks. I'm very glad that she escaped more serious injury.
* "Oh! You were the girl on Frog's Head!"
(This post was edited by bhickey on Nov 21, 2010, 1:25 PM)
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gblauer
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Nov 21, 2010, 2:13 PM
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Thank you for the update. Thank goodness she was (mostly) fine.
"there are old climbers and there are bold climbers"
Hope she lives to be an "old" climber.
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lywang
Feb 14, 2011, 4:45 PM
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I'm the girl who fell on Frogs Head. I've started climbing in the gym and ice climbing outside again, and am looking forward to spring. Everyone's analysis was pretty spot on, except for one point. I'm a bit under 5'1''. So those feet that people speak of, well they weren't there for me. In order to reach the next set of holds, I had to smear, and my foot popped off.
So for future climbers of Frogs Head, remember that the second bulge ~45 ft up is a bit reachy if you're short.
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gblauer
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Feb 14, 2011, 7:25 PM
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Glad to hear that you are back in the saddle!
I am your height too. I almost popped off one time and vowed the next time to find the feet. I lowered and immediately climbed it again to redeem myself. There really is a good foot that will enable you to easily reach the horizontals.
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