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urbansherpa
Jun 28, 2004, 12:55 PM
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I heard the end of a report on Hamilton radio that someone had fallen 12m while climbing there....anyone have more?
-Karl
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geezergecko
Jun 28, 2004, 1:41 PM
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Well, Mike Stein was to be the trip leader for the Alpine Club trip to Devil's Glen on Sunday but he didn't show up. Someone said that he was in the hospital in critical condition due to a ground fall on Saturday at Rattlesnake. Can anybody confirm this? Downer of the worst kind :cry:
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downshift
Jun 28, 2004, 3:15 PM
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Here was a short article from the Toronto Star.
Rock climber falls in Milton
A ROCK CLIMBER HAS BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED AFTER A FALL AT RATTLESNAKE POINT IN MILTON.
57-YEAR-OLD MICHAEL STEIN OF MISSISSAUGA WAS CLIMBING WITH A FRIEND OVER THE WEEKEND WHEN A ROCK HE WAS HOLDING BROKE FREE.
HE FELL 12-METRES ONTO ROCKS BELOW AND WAS AIRLIFTED TO HAMILTON GENERAL WITH MULTIPLE FRACTURES TO TE VERTEBRAE AS WELL AS A FRACTURED PELVIS.
HE REMAINS IN INTENSIVE CARE.
HALTON POLICE SAY STEIN WAS USING THE BUDDY SYSTEM AND WEARING THE PROPER SAFETY EQUIPMENT INCLUDING HELMET... WHICH THEY ADD MAY HAVE SAVED HIS LIFE
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meataxe
Jun 28, 2004, 3:51 PM
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Bad news...
I hope he has a full and speedy recovery.
Any details on the accident? Did a placement pull?
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urbansherpa
Jun 28, 2004, 3:51 PM
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Sounds like he's not a newbie. Wondering what went wrong....anchor failure, free climbing?
With the "buddy system" (Torstar quote) I'd assume he was belayed when this "rock broke free"
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flipnfall
Jun 28, 2004, 3:53 PM
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In American Measurements, that's about 40 feet. 12 meters didn't mean anything to me until I did the conversion. Hope that helps other readers like myself.
Can you say OUCH!!!
Hope all goes well for that guy.
GT
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hoppinbig
Jun 28, 2004, 4:08 PM
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I got an email from some of Mike's friends. They told me he had placed one piece - and ended up climbing above it - into groundfall range. Then the hold he was using broke off, causing him to deck.
Best wishes to you Mike - hope you have a speedy recovery!
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darkside
Jun 28, 2004, 4:31 PM
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In reply to: On Saturday, 26 July 04 Mike Stein was involved in a climbing accident at Rattlesnake. I don't have many details, but apparently he had one piece in place & was climbing above it. A hold broke off in his hand. He fell & hit the deck. Mike was airlifted to Hamilton General Hospital where he was diagnosed with a fractured heel, pelvis & cracked vertebrae. Fortunately, he can move, & has feeling in his extremities. He is currently stable in ICU, awaiting further examination & to be moved to a regular room. That's all the information available as of last night. I hope all is well. Stay safe.
The above comes from an Alpine Club of Canada - Toronto section executive member dated Monday morning.
I doubt the above refers to only one piece of pro on the route as Mike is an experienced and competent climber. I have climbed with Mike and have complete faith in his abilities. Sometimes things happen beyond our control and we have to hope for the best when they do. There are too few facts available at this time to evaluate the accident or it's causes but wise climbers can take it as a reminder not to become complacent. Whatever the details in this case, it serves to remind us all that the closer one is climbing to the ground, the greater the chance of groundfall. We often place pro and get dangerously close to groundfall before placing more so please remember to place more often lower on a route. There are many other factors to take into account besides.
I'm sure many in the ACC and other climbers will join me in wishing Mike a speedy and full recovery. My thoughts go to his family too at this distressing time.
Climb safe and have fun.
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shakylegs
Jun 28, 2004, 4:31 PM
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There's been enough climbing sadness for the Ontario ACC in the past few years. Hope the trend ends soon.
darkside, some of us sure do miss you around here.
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oafy
Jun 28, 2004, 4:49 PM
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Tough to hear about stuff in our own area, take care mike and swift recovery!
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meataxe
Jun 28, 2004, 6:12 PM
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Like darkside said, I guess there are too few facts at this time. I have seen a few climbers at Rattlesnake with a tendency to run out the protection at the bottom of a route.
Regardless of the cause, it's good to hear that his condition is not as bad as it could be. I hope he gets back on his feet soon.
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bishop
Jun 28, 2004, 6:38 PM
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We're all thinking of you and hope you have a full and speedy recovery Mike.
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darkside
Jun 30, 2004, 3:34 PM
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A quick update. Mike is still in the hospital and will be for a little while yet. At one point it was thought he may have to have a body cast but they are managing to avoid that. He is rather tired at this time but otherwise mostly pissed that he will be missing most of the climbing season. His recovery is expected to be a long one so I for one hope he hangs in there and keeps it as short as possible.
It would seem he was climbing a 5.4 at Buffalo crag unless I'm mistaken, well within his ability, when the handhold broke unexpectedly. He fell about 30ft and reports of his helmet saving him from further injuries seem to be true.
Three things we should all pay attention to from this, are to protect often when low, and even when high on easy terrain we are comfortable with, we can never be totally ready for the unexpected handhold breaking or foot slipping. Thirdly, helmets are not only for falling rock but also falling rock climbers. Whether any of this is what happened to Mike isn't the issue but rather for YOU to take this as a wake up and avoid unneccesary situations where you can get hurt.
Climb safe, have fun, wear your helmets.
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sentinalien
Jun 30, 2004, 8:07 PM
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Good word on helmut use.
My experience: Gym-taught and TR'd from early on, helmuts were never seen for me and mine as necessary. Of course, we knew they were a good idea. My recent climbing buddy and I mutually considered the idea of climbing in helmuts a nuisance — until, on a new route, I pulled a 20-pound rock loose. The next outing we wore helmuts. By the end of the day, they felt natural. Now, every climbing day is helmut day.
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bigdrop
Jul 20, 2004, 1:56 AM
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Anymore news regarding the technical aspects of the accident?
What pro was in and where?
Name of the route?
How high was he above his last peice?
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darkside
Jul 21, 2004, 7:06 PM
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In reply to: Anymore news regarding the technical aspects of the accident? What pro was in and where? Name of the route? How high was he above his last peice?
Protect often when low.
Protect even when high on easy ground.
Protect even when on terrain you are comfortable with.
Wear a helmet.
Mike was not beyond his abilities nor doing anything especially more dangerous than many others have, but events resulted in him taking a ground fall. Fortunately he will recover.
Guard against a similar fate for yourselves but realize that there are inherant risks in climbing, breaking rock being one of the risks, and as a result accidents sometimes happen.
As for your questions
His last piece was a nut, that held.
He was on lead above the nut.
Height above last piece is irrelevant unless you factor in variables such as how dynamic the belay was, whether the belayer got pulled up, the dynamic elongation of the rope, and even the height of the climber (a taller climbers feet reach the ground sooner, think about that one). The idea of being 10 feet above pro equating to a 10 x 2 = 20ft fall is misleading as dynamic factors will increase the distance fallen. It all means we need to protect more often when leading from the ground or a ledge. Another thing to think abut is what will your fall be should your top piece of pro fail for any reason. Will your next piece be sufficiently high enough to help? I have assisted in evacuating a climber who's handhold broke while placing gear. He injured his ankle and had to lower to the ground but remember, he knew he needed gear and found a stance. He still came a cropper.
Factors beyond your control can mess you up.
Be smart and climb safe. Try to stack the odds in your favour.
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hoppinbig
Jul 21, 2004, 7:16 PM
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Another reason why trad climbing on the escarpment sucks....
Mike get well soon dude - I hope your recovery is speedy and painless.
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darkside
Jul 21, 2004, 10:52 PM
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Actually the accident evac I referenced in my last post happened on a classic Seneca route, not the escarpment. You forget that I am widely travelled beyond the escarpment. Maybe it is despite this or maybe because of it but I have learned to appreciate escarpment limestone for what it is rather than what it is not. It is my home area and I have come across very few crags that didn't have some redeeming quality, the escarpment included.
And what the hell, they are all the same anyway once they are covered in ice right? :P
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