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papadigity
Jul 25, 2010, 4:11 PM
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Several weeks ago I was climbing at the NRG. Most of the trad climbing I had done before this trip has been at the gunks, or central NC. All face climbs. Long and the short of it I guess is that I was on a 5.8 crack climb, Zag, and took a 25' fall on a .3 BD cam. I came to a halt so close to the ledge below, my elbow and helmet smacked it. If it had given 8 more inches I would be dead or worse.
I have had trouble getting back on the horse after that. Even have my rack posted for sale currently. Any words of comfort or advice? Thanks
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Mumm-Ra
Jul 25, 2010, 4:23 PM
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Don't sell your rack! You'll regret it. Work back up slowly, then put your man-pants on and get it done. You'll be fine, everyone gets scared and has close calls.
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ludias
Jul 25, 2010, 4:35 PM
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Hi buddy,
if it can be of any help, I still have nightmares of leading falls that I took these past years. Run outs also make my nerves shake when I think about them. Despite all these fears I didnt quit climbing and even learnt to appreciate it with different eyes, more respectful than before.
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billl7
Jul 25, 2010, 5:32 PM
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That's a pretty normal and healthy response. Three to six months of recovery is bad enough let alone death or worse. A few weeks feeling shakey is a pretty small price to pay.
Though, sounds like it was a surprise to you. Trust me, I've been there very recently. If you haven't, consider why / how you let yourself get exposed to a fall that concerns you so much. Maybe the answers will build confidence in avoiding a repeatg or similar down the road should you continue climbing.
Bill
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bill413
Jul 25, 2010, 9:04 PM
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papadigity wrote: Several weeks ago I was climbing at the NRG. Most of the trad climbing I had done before this trip has been at the gunks, or central NC. All face climbs. Long and the short of it I guess is that I was on a 5.8 crack climb, Zag, and took a 25' fall on a .3 BD cam. I came to a halt so close to the ledge below, my elbow and helmet smacked it. If it had given 8 more inches I would be dead or worse. I have had trouble getting back on the horse after that. Even have my rack posted for sale currently. Any words of comfort or advice? Thanks
This reminds me...
I was doing a lead at the Gunks that (according to grade) I should have been able to do. Pro options weren't great. I couldn't press out a mantle, eventually had to hang by hands, warn my belayer, and drop. My feet just brushed the ground. No injuries...but I was spooked on lead for several months.
I'd say
-Accept that you're a bit spooked
- Keep trying
- Make "active" choices as to what you want to lead.
- Don't get in the habit of backing off. If you decided you want to try for a lead, then really try.
Good luck!
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jeepnphreak
Jul 26, 2010, 4:36 AM
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Every one falls, and a lot of people get spooked, this is part of rock climbing. the important thing to do is keep at it. Go find a favorite route that you have done before and climb it again. Getting you head back in to the game just takes a bit of time.
Oh and BTW just in case you cant keep climbing....
were is your rack listed for sale? *gear vultures start circling*
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naitch
Jul 26, 2010, 9:39 AM
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Read the Rock Warrior's Way/Expresso books and /or take Arno's course. IHe can give you a way to accurately assess risk and deal with the dialog in your head. Also taking practice falls in controlled situations can help.
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xtrmecat
Jul 28, 2010, 12:07 PM
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Don't sell your self short just yet.
I took a month off and spent it in Yosemite, and three weeks in, I took a follower fall above a ledge. I know, doesn't seem too bad, but there was mega slack in, we were moving very fast, and to shorten the story, I hit my ass on a ledge from over 10 feet up just coming onto the rope, and about took out the following leader just arriving at the ledge.
We were all climbing together, and I felt horrible about almost taking out Juan, and put a bruise on my butt bigger than all get out. I had to give up my next couple leads because I hurt so bad, but the fear is what really was the issue keeping me off the sharp end.
I have worked through it mostly in the head, not so much on the stone, and last week did some of the hardest alpine leading I have ever done. Standing at the start of the climb, I confided in my partner about the head issues, and we agreed, all I can do is get out there and do it. It wasn't nearly as big an issue to be 25 foot above some bomber piece on terrain I was nearing my max onsight at. What was the worst part, not worrying about falling, but rather the cold.
The point is with only two months gone by, and only 40 or so pitches, it was better that I could have hoped. Heck the head is healed, but I stll feel the bruised glute on the approach to check the head. Don't sell your shit just yet, you may regret it.
Bob
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dangleme
Aug 21, 2010, 4:46 PM
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Ahh, dynamic elongation, such a bitch she is.
If only there was a way for me to know how far I'll actually fall. Oh yeah, one of the ratings on my rope had something to do with that...
But seriously, that should be something you talk about with your partner. Keeping rope stretch in mind, he/she should be telling you when you are getting run out.
Work some easily/well protected routes and zipper 'em up like you did when you first started placing gear until you get more comfortable with it.
As previously mentioned, it's a good time to evaluate how much risk you are willing to assume and pick your future routes accordingly.
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notapplicable
Aug 21, 2010, 11:22 PM
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subantz wrote: and whats worse than bieng dead? I dont know more deader
Congratulations.
I've been ignoring your bullshit for the last few weeks but you have now officially joined Joah Rivers, Ryan Seacrest, Joel Osteen, et al. on the list of people I will smack on sight.
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notapplicable
Aug 21, 2010, 11:25 PM
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papadigity wrote: Several weeks ago I was climbing at the NRG. Most of the trad climbing I had done before this trip has been at the gunks, or central NC. All face climbs. Long and the short of it I guess is that I was on a 5.8 crack climb, Zag, and took a 25' fall on a .3 BD cam. I came to a halt so close to the ledge below, my elbow and helmet smacked it. If it had given 8 more inches I would be dead or worse. I have had trouble getting back on the horse after that. Even have my rack posted for sale currently. Any words of comfort or advice? Thanks
Try looking at the upside of the situation. You didn't get hurt and you should be a much safer climber now because you know what NOT to do again.
Mistakes are useful. Learn from this one, protect more often and keep moving forward.
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chrisJoosse
Aug 28, 2010, 9:28 PM
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papadigity wrote: Several weeks ago I was climbing at the NRG. Most of the trad climbing I had done before this trip has been at the gunks, or central NC. All face climbs. Long and the short of it I guess is that I was on a 5.8 crack climb, Zag, and took a 25' fall on a .3 BD cam. I came to a halt so close to the ledge below, my elbow and helmet smacked it. If it had given 8 more inches I would be dead or worse. I have had trouble getting back on the horse after that. Even have my rack posted for sale currently. Any words of comfort or advice? Thanks
I had my version of this experience 12 years ago, while kayaking. I was on a flood-stage river (I was used to technical V, not bigwater V) and got worked so bad in a hole that I couldn't lift my arm to swim afterwards. If not for my buddies, I might have gone over the big waterfall just downstream.
The cause of my incident was something I didn't notice, except for in hindsight- the exit of this particular spot was superelevated, making escape from it more or less impossible. My takeaway: I had some stuff to learn before I could safely be on water like that.
It took me another 6 months to get back on serious V again. I spent those months on easier water, taking harder lines where consequences would be low if I got it wrong. I also made it a practice to talk over rapids with my mentors, and was amazed with how much more there was to see than I'd been seeing. I turned into a much, much better (and safer) paddler by doing this.
Don't make it wrong that you've had trouble getting back on the horse- this is an appropriate response to finding out that your judgment about safety turned out to have less margin for error than you wanted.
Take this opportunity to address the concern at the root of your unease, and develp your capacity for seeing what's in front of you. You'll be able to make better decisions that way.
To make the discomfort go away, you'll need time and success. So practice, go easy, sew it up, and take advantage of the lucky break you had not getting hurt.
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hendo
Sep 15, 2010, 4:15 PM
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papadigity wrote: I have had trouble getting back on the horse after that. Even have my rack posted for sale currently. Any words of comfort or advice? Thanks
Don't sell the rack yet. Take a break. Do some things you really enjoy other than climbing.
Then sit back and think about things.
1. You didn't have enough gear in. Setting off from above a ledge is just like setting off from the ground. You have to really keep a focus on how far you are run out above each piece and where you would end up if you were to fall.
2. Put leading on crack climbs on hold for now and second them instead. It seems your unfamiliarity with that sort of terrain and the required technique was a big part of the fall. So get in the mileage seconding crack climbs until you're comfortable with them.
If this never happens, then sell the rack.
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jjones16
May 22, 2011, 6:41 AM
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papadigity wrote: Several weeks ago I was climbing at the NRG. Most of the trad climbing I had done before this trip has been at the gunks, or central NC. All face climbs. Long and the short of it I guess is that I was on a 5.8 crack climb, Zag, and took a 25' fall on a .3 BD cam. I came to a halt so close to the ledge below, my elbow and helmet smacked it. If it had given 8 more inches I would be dead or worse. I had a similar experience where I took a nice 30 ft whipper and came super close to decking. I had run it out, and my belayer had too much slack in the line, and when I yelled take, this dumbass tried to pull slack through his Cinch while I was falling instead of hauling ass backward like he should have. I have since fired numbnuts as a partner, but have yet to get back on that route. Sometimes the shit hangs on to you more than it should, and definitely more than you should let it. Don't sell your rack, and don't give up. Think back to the times when you were daunted and intimidated by leading. Think about your first fall. You were shaken and scared then, and you got over that too. I would venture to say that the vast majority of leaders get very shaken for some time by super close calls. But picture the guys that actually deck and get banged up pretty bad and get back on the sharp end eventually. It is possible. Don't discount your ability to hone your focus and put "the fall" aside. Build back up to it if you have to. Start again on easier routes that aren't run out and your confidence will slowly come back. Think of it as a learning experience. Use it as a positive. People a lot of times do dumb shit because they don't know first hand what the consequence can be, and haven't experienced it. You have. Hang in there and don't quit. Take a break if you need to (sport lead god forbid) but don't quit. No amount of fear is worse than the regret and self loathing you'll endure if you let the fear win. Good luck. You can do it.
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rtwilli4
May 23, 2011, 10:56 AM
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Zag is an easily protected crack. Place more gear. Be happy that the gear you did place was good, and gain confidence from that.
But Zag is a crack, so place more gear.
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j_ung
May 23, 2011, 2:53 PM
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jjones16 wrote: papadigity wrote: Several weeks ago I was climbing at the NRG. Most of the trad climbing I had done before this trip has been at the gunks, or central NC. All face climbs. Long and the short of it I guess is that I was on a 5.8 crack climb, Zag, and took a 25' fall on a .3 BD cam. I came to a halt so close to the ledge below, my elbow and helmet smacked it. If it had given 8 more inches I would be dead or worse. I had a similar experience where I took a nice 30 ft whipper and came super close to decking. I had run it out, and my belayer had too much slack in the line, and when I yelled take, this dumbass tried to pull slack through his Cinch while I was falling instead of hauling ass backward like he should have. I have since fired numbnuts as a partner, but have yet to get back on that route.
Not to split hairs here, but it sounds like he did exactly what you told him to when you yelled "take" from someplace way above your gear. Despite that, he caught you. I might have gone a little easier on him.
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viciado
May 23, 2011, 4:00 PM
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+1
I don't think you are splitting hairs. "falling" might have gotten different results... just sayin'
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majid_sabet
May 23, 2011, 4:21 PM
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papadigity wrote: Several weeks ago I was climbing at the NRG. Most of the trad climbing I had done before this trip has been at the gunks, or central NC. All face climbs. Long and the short of it I guess is that I was on a 5.8 crack climb, Zag, and took a 25' fall on a .3 BD cam. I came to a halt so close to the ledge below, my elbow and helmet smacked it. If it had given 8 more inches I would be dead or worse. I have had trouble getting back on the horse after that. Even have my rack posted for sale currently. Any words of comfort or advice? Thanks
you could actually deck and walk away if your time is not up so arresting 8" away from ledge is just to let you know that there is precise order in this world that should not be ignored.
go back and climb and remember, you will know when your time is up
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