That's about the extent of what I know, too. Talked to the climbing ranger today. He added that the two of them didn't actually know each other very well. Might be a case of not screening partners before roping up with them. He also told me the girl claimed the climber was out of sight, which I don't understand. There's clear line of sight from the base all the way up, IIRC. That leaves me wondering if perhaps it wasn't a different route. Flight of the Gumby maybe? (Yes, I see the irony. No need to point it out.)

The route in question, Greenpiece, is 10b. It's kind of a one move wonder, but the one move is tricky. Many a 5.10 climber has been surprised by it and either bailed or found him/herself airborne.

Yeah, I heard it from my husband last night. He was there and retrieved the guy's quickdraws.

All right, I'm lena_chita's husband. This guy and the girl started with Flight of the Gumby, but I heard that it was too hard for her, so they moved to the left. The guy asked me if the route I was belaying was Boing. I said no. It was Bicycle Club and the Boing is around the corner. I pointed them at the Green Piece and Low Voltage as the easiest routes after FotG.

The guy was very cheerful and self-confident. He asked the girl if she minded to try the Green Piece. She was very shy and it looked like this was her first or one of the first climbing outdoors. They moved over. We finished with our route and the last I saw was this guy clipping the first draw on the Green Piece. He was doing it kinda awkward.

We went around the corner to the HArdcore female thrash. Then I heard girl's scream, buzz of the rope and a thud of impact. My friend next to me said, 'I don't like the sound of it.'

We went over and there was a group of climbers around the fallen guy. He was very pale, but breathing. There was some blood bubbling out of his mouth, but it could be from a broken tooth. He was complaining about lower back pain. He could move his feet and feel his toes.

His rope was clipped into the last bolt of the Green Piece. There were no draws at the chains. An ATC-XP was still on the rope a few feet above the ground.

There was a doctor and a first response expert among the climbers. They did everything very quick and professionally. The guy was extremely lucky to have them around. The FR guy was holding his head and neck still all the time until the paramedics came. The doctor was examining him, talking to him constantly to make sure he was conscious, and taking his vitals. Another young man was wiping blood and applying pads to the guy's bleeding lacerations.

So, what happened? As far as I heard, the girl and the guy had climbed together in the gym only twice. She did not even know his last name. It sounded like she was paying him the rope when he fell at the pumpy crux right below the chains. I've seen people taking 20 ft falls from this spot. It may actually benefit from an extra bolt.

She might have released her grip on the rope while giving him slack. As he fell, she panicked and could not grab the rope back.

He fell about 60 ft and hit this hard-packed dirt feet first. There were two craters. Then he skidded about 10-15 feet down the slope with rocks and roots on it.

Paramedics gave him an IV. I did not see how they transported the guy to the helicopter. Apparently it took some effort to carry him over the stream bed. With help of Melissa, an experienced trad climber from the Gunks, I took down his draws and the rope and gave them to a couple from New Jersey, Melissa and Scott. Scott ran up the hill with the guy's gear to deliver it to his car, helicopter, or whatever.

I did not climb any more that day. When we left, there were two O-shaped biners, a toothbrush and a roll of tape on a colored string on a rock, which could have belonged to the injured guy.

I should write a book full of stories

I should write a book full of stories

Yeah these reports are bummers. Man I have to be more selective on choosing belayers....

Hope the dude is ok.

Thanks to everyone that helped him!

I see people belaying and letting go of the rope with their brake hand on every trip to any crag. I'm not surprised that strnagers don't say anything but it sucks. I'm going to start being an ass and telling people they are belaying wrong.

I too hope the dude is okay. I also hope the belayer doesn't get too wrapped up in feeling like crap. It's likely that no one told her that catching a fall is hard and that letting go of the rope for any amount of time, no matter how short, can be diasterous.

Dave

From what I heard (whatever the hearsay is worth) the belayer was very inexperienced, possibly lead belaying for the first time.

I take note to avoid these people like Phoenix asphalt on a July day.

i see people taking there breaking hand off the rope all the time when i go climbing. this is my first year climbing so i feel a little out of place being the noob and calling someone out, but do you think i should mention it to them? ive never taken my breaking hand off the rope but i do see people switch hands (always leaving one had on the rope), granted i dont think i would ever practice this technique because i could totally see it leading to bad habbits but do you guys consider it a safe means of belaying?