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philbox
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Mar 15, 2004, 4:40 AM
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Ben Mcmahon was climbing Juggernaught a 30 to 35 metre wide offwidth horror show Oz grade 20 which I believe is undergraded and should be closer to a 23. I was belaying. Ben fell aprox 30 metres.
Pic link here http://www.pbase.com/...ns_climbing_accident
Ben was climbing strongly and confidently he was milking every rest he could to keep himself as fresh as possible for the bit where the climb widens right out and then closes back up a touch and becomes slightly overhung.
He protected the bottom half beautifully but the top half was somewhat run out as he used a big blue HB cam and a 4.5 Camalot to protect himself pushing them up alternatively and then leaving the blue HB and forging on ahead through the wide. He passed through the wide with a little difficulty and then tried to place the 4.5 Camalot. He was unsuccessful at this try and he pushed on up for another 6 inches to try to place it again. At the third try he seemed to have it placed.
Just as he clipped it above his head he called out that he was going to take a rest. The cam immediately blew. The 4.5 Camalot was approx 4 to 5 metres below the top of the climb.
Previous to this happening while I was belaying I was becoming increasingly apprehensive about what would happen if the HB blew so therefore I was planning what I would do in the event the worst would happen.
The worst did in fact happen. From my point of view I saw rock dust explode out after the HB as the HB Blew out of the crack. As I`m watching this happen I`m trying to yard in rope and keep it locked off as well hoping that the HB would hold as he got to it. My plan was that I would jump over the side of the 20 foot high ledge I was belaying on. This I subsequently did do.
I remember seeing Ben hitting the ledge and me diving off the ledge at about the same time. I ended up about ten or twelve feet down below the ledge. I yelled out help and gave a few extremely loud whistles. Adam and Matt who were first on the scene 2 weeks ago at that last bad accident raced around the corner.
I batmanned up the rope to attend to Ben. I could hear him moaning and groaning. At least I then knew that he was breathing. As I batmanned up and over the ledge. I observed that Ben was hanging over the edge holding on with one arm. He was tight on the rope. This was about the time that the guys turned up below us. We decided that the best course of action was to lower him to the ground.
The guys got him down as comfortably as possible with Ben expressing that his arm was really really sore. His ultimate position that we had to work with Ben on was a slopey slab of rock that he kept sliding down. We had to physically hold him there from him spooging down the slope.
When I got him safely belayed down to the ground I got my phone out of the pack and called the emergency services. It would have been no more than 2 minutes from Ben landing to when the Ambos (ambulance paramedics) were called.
Ben sustained a compound fracture to the upper right arm and another compound fracture to the lower right arm near the wrist. He also has a few broken ribs close to the back bone. He has also sustained a couple of minor fractures to the sticky outy bits of his verterbrae. No broken back or spinal injuries. He also got a bit of a whack to the head. No concussion however.
He can`t remember hitting the deck but can remember the fall. From what I saw he at no time lost consciousness.
The ambos turned up at around twenty minutes and the SES (state emergency service) got there soon after. The ambos worked on Ben to stabilise him and give him some pain killers. The helicopter doctor and paramedic at around an hour after Ben decked were able to administer some more drastic painkillers which helped Ben tremendously. That happened about half way through the walkout.
It was decided to carry him out to the top of the scree slope and out to the carpark for transport to an awaiting helicopter about 4 k`s away.
Sometime when I had a moment I was able to contact Bens dad and fill him on what had happened and let him know that Ben was headed for the PA hospital in Brisbane.
I maintained contact with Ben pretty much at most times during the care and evacuation. A friendly voice can be a comfort to a patient.
The SES, police and the ambos did a fantastic job and of course all the climbers who were at the cliff that day also worked in well as litter bearers as well as of course first responders.
Paul Tiffany asked for a debrief at the top of the scree slope so that everyone who was involved in any way could have a chance to express themselves in any way they chose. He asked if things could have been done better and it was thought by all that the evacuation went very well. I cannot speak highly enough of the emergency services people from Boonah and Ipswich and thank goodness for the rescue chopper and its medical team as well as the wonderful hospital staff that respond to this sort of thing when it happens.
I sustained quite bad rope burns on my right hand from the locked off rope pulling through the Reverso as the weight of shockload hit the blue HB cam and then as I pulled up when I jumped over the side. I also managed to receive a huge gravel rash on the back from when I hit the edge as I leaped backwards over the edge.
Oh yes it should be noted that we preserved the whole chain of gear and rope as well as the cut off harness so that if any investigation were called for by the police the evidence would not be disturbed as much as possible. The policeman told me after I explained exactly what had happened that as far as the police were concerned they had no official interest in investigating further and that I could take all the gear down.
After all the hubub had died down I rapped the route and cleaned the gear. I also took copious photos of both the gear remaining in place and the possible placements of the ripped gear. I`ve also photo documented the care and carry out that was performed.
I spoke with Bens mum and dad this morning in the carpark and asked whether Ben would like visitors up at the PA. They were delighted at such a prospect. Please if anyone has the time to spare would they please visit Ben. I can`t tell you where he will be at the PA but I`m sure that the enquiries desk will be able to track him down.
They told me that he has had another operation today to set the bones in his arm. As I find out more I will post here. Oh yeah, my phone died after it was all over and so I had to rely on the public phone down at the Dugandan pub to arrange for Bens car to be picked up.
I reckon a mobile phone is a great tool to have in your first aid kit.
Ben, get well soon mate.
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epic_ed
Mar 15, 2004, 4:54 AM
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I'm beginning to think you Aussie guys have balls of steel and bodies of titanium. You guys aren't afraid of leading anything! In this case, unfortunately the outcome was a bad accident, but how many people crater from 30 meters and come away with only a few broken bones?! Unbelievable...and I'm very glad both of you are still breathing with what sounds like a good prognosis for a full recovery.
Please send along best wishes to yer buddy. Hope you both heal quickly and completely.
Ed
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ell
Mar 15, 2004, 4:56 AM
Post #3 of 20
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Get well soon, Ben!
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reprieve
Mar 15, 2004, 5:03 AM
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Geez...that looks rough man. Good job on your part, it seems like you tried to do what you could to save him. I hope he gets better, and that this incident doesn't decrease future access to climbing areas.
Best of luck,
-rep
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drkodos
Mar 15, 2004, 5:09 AM
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Astonishing.
Best wishes for speediest recovery.
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addiroids
Mar 15, 2004, 5:22 AM
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That is one hard hard man. Damn, good luck on the recovery dude. Keep your chin up dude.
TRADitionally yours,
Cali Dirtbag
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philbox
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Mar 15, 2004, 5:37 AM
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In reply to: Geez...that looks rough man. Good job on your part, it seems like you tried to do what you could to save him. I hope he gets better, and that this incident doesn't decrease future access to climbing areas. Best of luck, -rep
Hey rep, you`ve hit the nail on the head mate. This is a repeat of an accident that happened two weeks ago at the same cliff. The same sort of accident happened 14 months ago too. Gear pulls and people deck, this is the highest deck out and yet Ben comes out of this with injuries that are quite a bit less serious than the other two accidents. Beauracrats hate accidents, they wish to ball us all up in cotton wool, I`m very much hoping that we are still flying under their radar screens.
One thing that any publicity that does go out over this incident is that this cliff will get a scary reputation and n00b1! climbers will try to get some competent istruction before venturing forth.
The last two accidents were through inexperience and this one could well be viewed as simply an accident caused by a misplaced top piece of gear and then who knows why the second piece ripped.
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coldclimb
Mar 15, 2004, 6:06 AM
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Yeah it's definately interesting the way that second cam trenched out like that. Are you fairly sure that the one side held while the other slipped? The top cam didn't look too good to me, but the second looked fine. :?
Anyway, nice job covering the accident and getting the rescue. Hope this guy heals up fast and gets back out on the rock soon!
Man, it's kind of a toss-up whether I would ever want to climb with you Phil. On the one hand, you've had these two serious accidents in the last few months, and on the other, they have both turned out very well thanks to your cool-headedness. ;) :lol: :lol:
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chuckd278
Mar 15, 2004, 6:26 AM
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Tell Ben best of luck and work hard at re-hab. This brings back memories of a fall I took this summer.
What Happened:
Earlier in the summer I had put up a route on the left side of the wall that follows a crack to a small ledge then works it’s way up and left on a slab with a thin crack is just large enough for medium sized nuts. I had been climbing solid that day so I decided to try to make a new route that follows the same crack to the ledge, but then once to the small ledge the route I was attempting goes up and to the right hooking up with the rap anchors from another climb. The first 10 feet after the climb from the ledge goes unprotected, but then hooks up with a large flaring crack and then works it’s way up a face with some exfoliation to get some pro in. The total route when finished will be about 160 feet. I had passed the small ledge and got a #3 nut in on the bottom of the flared crack as mostly just a rope hanger and proceeded up. The crack was more flared and rotten than it looked. I was only about 6 inches deep and the only pro I had wide enough to protect it was a #3 and #4 camalot. I got both pieces in but they were marginal. I think they were solid for a downward pull but as you will soon find out that is not what happened. I left the flaring crack and saw where I wanted my first piece of pro on the slab. I had my left foot on a small-exfoliated area and for hands I was using one small edge. My next foot was a high step to a small dish with my right foot. As I got my foot up about half way the left foot broke off and I stabbed the wall with my right foot. Both hands pealed off and I pushed off the wall with my left foot to clear anything below. When I pushed off the wall I didn’t realize how turned away from the wall nor how hard I had kicked off. As I passed my #4 I was at least 5 feet to the right of the flared crack and it pulled. By the time I passed my #3 I was even farther away and it pulled. Somehow I had turned face first to the ground by now and next thing I knew I was hitting the ground. The small nut at the bottom of the crack blew out the rock around it and next in line, a good old 1.5 forged stemmed friend held. Things are not to clear after that, but I do remember being happy because I still had all my teeth. Evan and Julie were both on me quickly checking for wounds and broken bones. Since my left arm was now part of my chest they new something was wrong there, but overall I looked fine. Evan told me that by the time he saw the gear blow all he had time to do was squat down and go for the ride. I’m glad he did because the rope had stretched before I hit the ground and he got pulled back up to a normal standing position. This means that my last piece that held was just high enough to keep me from taking a full impact. I don’t know how much force I hit the deck with, but all I can say is I was LUCKY this time.
Lessons Learned and some I should have already known:
1. If the rock looks bad it is.
2. If your not getting in the pro you want maybe it’s time to back off the climb.
3. Accidents always seem to happen at the end of the day.
4. Place pro as needed for the climb since you never know how you’re going to fall.
5. A good belayer is worth his or her weight in gold.
6. If you’re out in the true wilderness it’s a long way to a hospital.
7. I was real lucky this time, learn from my mistakes.
What got injured:
My arm was fully dislocated and pushed into the left side of my chest. After it took three people to put it back in place the x-rays showed that one of the tendons at the top of my rotator cuff was attached to a small bone fragment. The fragment went back in place, but we have to wait to see if the bones re-attach. If they don’t I will need to get one or two screws. Either way I have to be a couch potato for about 7 weeks. Lots of small bruises and cuts on the left side of my body. Also a little hurt pride, but if others can learn from this it’s worth it.
I hope this clarifies my unfortunate or lucky accident. Depends how you look at it. I hope to be climbing by next spring if all goes well and most of you know you can always stop by and stay if your passing through the area.
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philbox
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Mar 15, 2004, 6:44 AM
Post #11 of 20
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Wow chuckd, thanks for posting your accident report.
Upon reflection of Bens accident I don`t believe that he hit the ground with the force that would normally be associated with a fall from the quoted height. I believe that his pro ripping may have slowed his descent enough to make a difference. My current thinking is that as the blue HB cam trenched down through the crack for around one and a half metres it was slowing him down even though it ultimately blew out.
Rope stretch may also have been a contributing factor in slowing him down as well. Because he landed on his right side and his arm broke in two places and he sustained rib fractures this may have been in effect something akin to a crumple zone which helps to slow down the deceleration. This I believe may have helped to prevent some very serious injuries if he had of landed flat on his back.
Can one choose how to land, dunno, everything happens all rather swiftly when one is falling, I should know as I have taken a 30 metre plummet but fortunately that happened on the second pitch so connecting with the ground did not occur. There`s a lot happening and you have time to think but no time to make any difference when you are in mid flight.
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acrophobic
Mar 16, 2004, 1:35 AM
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Glad to see he was wearing a helmet! Saved his life i bet.
thanks for the log of the accident! eveyone can learn something from this
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majid_sabet
Mar 16, 2004, 4:25 AM
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well i do not understand why 99.9% climbers do not wear gloves when belaying their partner ? may be you got a superman hand, few years ago i witness a climber who had a 2 inch deep burn mark on his belay hand when his friend took a fall on Elcap, what stop the rope was not his hand, some knot ended up in the middle of the fast passing rope accidently thru the belay device which stop the 70+ feet fall. :shock:
Climb smart, climb safe
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billcoe_
Mar 16, 2004, 4:27 AM
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Well: I'm gonna have to stop reading this stuff or I'll never get my leading head back. Everybody pulling pro and decking Ouch. Damn thats got a hurt, even an Aussie, and they're tough, everybody knows it. This is just another example.
The most amazing thing about all this is that Dr Kodos was shocked and stunned enough to keep his normally florid word count per post of 155 per to a very tepid 4 words.
I thank you both for great stories, especially since they have turned out "relatively" OK. I guess it's realtive, but always nice to see everybody live.
Phil, the other day you were smacked by a rock on the back, now this. Are you nervous that bad things come in 3? Is your head all messed up now? I hope you're ok mentally, I mean Aussies are tough,....... and everybody knows it,........... but hey...............
Regards:
Bill
Edited to recount the words in DrKodos post -it's 6 (SIX) words and no links to interesting articals which I believe is still a record?
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coldclimb
Mar 16, 2004, 4:29 AM
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In reply to: well i do not understand why 99.9% climbers do not wear gloves when belaying their partner ? may be you got a superman hand, few years ago i witness a climber who had a 2 inch deep burn mark on his belay hand when his friend took a fall on Elcap, what stop the rope was not his hand, some knot ended up in the middle of the fast passing rope accidently thru the belay device which stop the 70+ feet fall. :shock: Climb smart, climb safe
Two inches deep? :shock: My hand isn't even two inches deep. :shock: :shock:
Someone was watching over that guy that day though, to throw a knot in the rope and stop him.
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escale
Mar 16, 2004, 5:37 AM
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I believe he meant that it was a deep burn in his hand, two inches long.
That was a great accident report. Sound like you did everything you could have and then some. Sometimes people push themselves further than they should have and as partners or belayers we can only respond when events turn dangerously sour.
We discussed jumping off a ledge when you see someone’s pro pull out, and the wondering if I had to courage to do that when the time came. I guess I would, because I always double check the belay station because both our lives are on the line and it wouldn't do any good if it was quickly set and looked shoddy. Bomber is the word we use before we start the next pitch.
Anyway, let Ben know that I hope he heals fast and is back on it when he is ready. You know, if you hadn't not have jumped, he might have fallen even a greater distance and sustained greater injuries or simply not survived.
As tough climbers as we all "believe to be" it is easy to muster the testosterone and yell that it didn't affect me and tip a brew. But as a surviving member of this epic turn of events you to may be still in some shock. Seek some quiet time and take a break to collect yourself and don't take blame. I does sound like you did your best and no one can do more than that.
Granted some people will feel hesitant having you for a partner, but that is just superstition, based on how you took action, I could tell you are quick responder and that is a gift I wished all my climbing buddies had.
---Escale
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dirtineye
Mar 16, 2004, 5:29 PM
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Well Phil, I'm glad your friend wil lbe OK, but I hope you guys will read the handwriting on the wall and get some BIG gear and place it.
Number 6 Friends. Cheaper and lighter than Camelots, and big, very big.
Hey send me a plane ticket and I'll come down there and bring the friends.
This report kills off any notions I ever had about cam walking up an offwidth.
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cracklover
Mar 16, 2004, 6:55 PM
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Thanks for the report and for the outstanding documentation. I wish your friend good luck on a full and a speedy recovery.
GO
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holmeslovesguinness
Mar 16, 2004, 7:10 PM
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Wow, thanks for the detailed accident report. Your friend was very very lucky, hopefully he will make a speedy recovery. Reading about his experience is making me think twice about using that particular technique for protecting big cracks (walking a single big cam through large sections).
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philbox
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Mar 16, 2004, 9:34 PM
Post #20 of 20
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Billcoe said
In reply to: Phil, the other day you were smacked by a rock on the back, now this. Are you nervous that bad things come in 3? Is your head all messed up now? I hope you're ok mentally, I mean Aussies are tough,....... and everybody knows it,........... but hey...............
Last year I took a 30 metre whipper which broke my wrist. This happened on the second pitch of a climb. That means I`ve had the three bad things happen to me so now I`m golden. :lol:
Head space is doing fine. Bens accident happened on Saturday and guess what I did on Sunday, yep, you guessed it, I went climbing. I took it easy though as I had arranged to give some one on one instruction to a gym climber who was wishing to transfer to trad. So seconding and lots of jugging was the go.
holmeslovesguinness bespoketh
In reply to: Phil, the other day you were smacked by a rock on the back, now this. Are you nervous that bad things come in 3? Is your head all messed up now? I hope you're ok mentally, I mean Aussies are tough,....... and everybody knows it,........... but hey...............
Yeah, I reckon walking two cams alternatively is the go. I`ve done just this in the past on two ropes and it works fantastic. You`ve virtually got a constantly moving anchor system above your head. Very nice and reassuring. The thing is that you have to have enough big gear to do this because really you have to leave some big gear behind every now and then.
Everyone, I will pass on your well wishing to Ben. I have spoken to him and he is in amazingly high spirits and very thankfull that he got out of this with as few injuries as he did.
Let me encourage any first responder to any climbing accident, please take as many pics as possible and document what happened in as much detail as you can. This will then ensure that the lessons can be learned from the experience. Do preserve the chain of evidence as much as is practicable.
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