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blueeyedclimber
Jul 12, 2003, 1:41 AM
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Registered: Nov 19, 2002
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Me and my fiance were sport climbing in Rumney, NH this week on our vacation when it happened. It was my first attempt at a 5.10 lead (Bonehead Roof 5.10c). About halfway up, the climb clears a ledge and proceeds to a roof (the crux). With one bolt between the ledge and the roof, I didn't feel that good about the protection. I went for it anyway. After looking at the problem a dozen different ways readjusting my postition, I went one last time. I couldn't reach the bolt from my position so I decided to downclimb (again). That's when I pealed. Seeing the ledge come up very fast I wondered how much it was going to hurt. I made the decision to try and land on my feet, rather that lift them up because i didn't know how far I would drop. I figured an ankle injury is better than a tailbone/spine injury. F@*k, did it hurt. My fiance trying to be calm, lowered me down. On the way I could see my ankle swell up before my eyes. I thought our vacation was ruined. I thought I wouldn't be climbing for a while. THe next day was spent in the hospital. I was on crutches for two days. I am a fast healer and I was determined to get back on the rock before the week was out. Three days later I was back and climbed for a couple hours. THe ankle felt all right. I rested the next day and was back on our last day of vacation. We climbed ALL day. In fact I did the hardest climb I have ever done. We both climbed great. Although i did make it back climbing before we left, I would have been fine if i didn't. My fiance (wonderwoman) helped me through a very tough situation. I was just happy to be there with her. I am glad, however, that we spent our last day of vacation doing what we love (Even if i did have to limp down at the end of the day.)
What was your first fall like?
Josh
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jefffski
Jul 12, 2003, 2:20 AM
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Registered: Dec 10, 2002
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Myfirst fall on lead did not happen until my 3rd season of leading. i postponed the inevitable because of an experience on my first day of leading--a 5.9 that scared the living poop out of me. I resigned myself to climb all the 6's, 7's and 8's single and multipitch climbs until i was ready to move up.
that day came im leavenworth wa on a climb called bob's 3rd. the climb followed an easy traverse to a small ledge below a roof. a led up and eventually placed 2 bomber pieces in above the roof and spent some time scoping the moves. finally i went for it. one hand was on a slopey knob above the roof and the other was much lower down in a crack. my feet were skidding off the wall. as i moved my hand out of the crack to jam it in higher i went sailing off into the blue yonder. my partner saw my body silhouetted against the sky in the moment before the rope went taut. i found myself hanging in space, gasping for breath and dry sobbing. the tears wouldn't come.
she lowered me down to the ground where i recovered, then i climbed back up, recovered my pieces and downclimbed the route.
thank goodness for bomber nuts and good belayers!
a few weeks ago i took a little fall on a tiny stopper. the next day i carried it in my pocket as a good luck token.
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tradkelly
Jul 12, 2003, 2:24 AM
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Exceedingly painful, rather bloody, very roll-ey, and about 35' of slab. It received many hold-your-breath "Aaaaaah"'s from the touron group below in the Garden. I decided that 10s at the Garden were a bad idea from there on out and led the 7 crack next to the climb I was on with one arm to retrieve our various gear left on top.
Took a grounder a year and a half ago, and haven't let myself fall since; still only onsighting my 10s trad now because of it.
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jt512
Jul 12, 2003, 2:41 AM
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In reply to: Me and my fiance were sport climbing in Rumney, NH this week on our vacation when it happened. It was my first attempt at a 5.10 lead (Bonehead Roof 5.10c). About halfway up, the climb clears a ledge and proceeds to a roof (the crux). With one bolt between the ledge and the roof, I didn't feel that good about the protection. I went for it anyway.
It's not worth getting injured over some sport climb. You don't have to do the move; you don't have to get to the anchors. My first piece of advice would be not to climb "sport" routes with unprotected crux moves above ledges. If for some reason, you do climb such a route, assess the risk before deciding to commit to the move. If you have any serious doubts about making the move successfully, then bail or stick clip the next bolt, so that you can do the move on top rope. If you can wire the move on TR, you can later relead the route for the redpoint.
BTW, I put the word "sport" in quotes because IMO a route with an unprotected crux move does not meet the definition of a sport route.
-Jay
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neomagi
Jul 12, 2003, 2:43 AM
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Registered: Mar 6, 2003
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my first real fall happend a few years back at potero chico, mexico. it was on the 6th pitch of space boys. i got a bit off route and ended up next to the bolt 2 bolts above my last clip, but to far off to the side to make the clip, and no way to traverse over. i told my partner i was falling and dyno'ed for this little edge above the clip. my hand stuck for about .5 second before i fell backwards into the void. i took about a 45 footer, landed a little below my belayer (although off to the side and the first move is a step into the void) on my back looking down the 600 feet or so the bottom of the cliff.
fun stuff. got back on it and lead the other 5 pitches to the top.
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alpinerock
Jul 12, 2003, 2:54 AM
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Registered: May 17, 2003
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My first fall was this monday, it was my first 11a i was on the 6th bolt and I had to go from a crimper pocket to a lieback and from there to a small crimper well i made it to the crimper and was going for the draw to clip the next bolt and then my feet slipped off i hung there for a second and then fell, it was only 10 feet with a fall factor of .15 (yes i did do the math) but the moment is still frozen in my head
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cjcalls
Jul 12, 2003, 5:11 AM
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Registered: May 30, 2003
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Air....lots and lots of air.
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melekzek
Jul 12, 2003, 5:40 AM
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Registered: Nov 16, 2002
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If I do not count short sport falls, my first serious lead fall was on a trad climb. I went offroute, nothing to put in, try to backup, nevermind, I can traverse a little, things get worse, i am peeling, rope between my legs (remember, I traversed), and suddenly I am falling backwards, on to number 2 or 3 hex, watching the whole belayer-locking-but-still-flying-onto-me. That was scary.
Funny thing my worse sport lead fall was the next week, I am falling backwards again, and it is not funny anymore.....
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ptone
Jul 12, 2003, 5:50 AM
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Registered: Mar 5, 2003
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It was fist time in the 10s, a 10c sport climb, steep up to the 5th bolt, where the crux began with a topout over a blank slabby bulge.
I think I slapped that fat slopey thing 4 times trying to get friction as I peeled.
I just remember REALLY not wanting to fall at that moment!
I laugh even now at the memory of the feeling in my stomach!
Once you've fallen a couple of times, (long as you're not on slab--oooooooh yuck) it isn't so bad. I don't think I'll ever really get used to it. I think the adrenaline sticks me to the rock sometimes when normal power wouldn't for sure!
peace,
-p
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cbeltrano
Jul 12, 2003, 3:26 PM
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Registered: May 22, 2003
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first time out leading. did the first climb pretty good 5.8 with a rest or nine, but no serious falls.... second climb was a 5.9 with a decent run out to left to get to the 4th bolt and a pretty tough move off this big two handed sloper to get to the bolt that i tried to just throw off of and didn't quite make it...... whipped right out for about a 10 - 15 foot fall. i was hanging there before i even knew what happened......... SO MUCH FUN..
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snowrocker
Jul 12, 2003, 7:04 PM
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Registered: May 28, 2003
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My first fall was a joy :? , Well actually it nearly scared me out of climbing. It was my first day leading and I was climbing a unmarked route (I now know that it was a little harder than I should have been trying 10b-c) since I was new to the sport I was using my friends P.O.S. shoes with no rubber, not great for slab. Well, I had just pulled the crux move and was inches away from the fourth bolt when I slipped. I fell 20-25 feet ( right above the first bolt). I probibly should have only fell 10-12 feet but because of my partner (alpinerock), who was new at lead belaying, fed out two to three extra feet of rope for every move that I made.
Well that was my first fall.
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cjcalls
Jul 12, 2003, 7:10 PM
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Registered: May 30, 2003
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do you still climb with alpinerock?
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alpinerock
Jul 12, 2003, 8:01 PM
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In reply to: do you still climb with alpinerock? |
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evoltobmilc
Jul 12, 2003, 8:22 PM
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My first lead fall was actually in a gym. I fell 25 feet from a roof (the ceiling) and my feet were about 2 feet off the deck. My belayer, and longtime climbing partner who is about the same weight as I am, ended up with his feet about eye level with me.
My first trad lead fall was on the Dome in Boulder Canyon on Cozyhang (5.7). It's this slabby climb with a real akward bulge move about halfway up. I equalized 2 crappy nuts in the crack as high as I could, threw my foot up over the bulge, went for it, and my right hand peeled right off the sloper right of the crack. I landed on my feet on the slab, hanging by the rope. The fall ripped one of the 2 equalized nuts out. Yikes.
Incedentally, my worst lead fall just happened a couple months ago in a gym. I was laybacking this big jug, with a bolt just inches below my feet. I moved my other (left) foot onto the jug my right foot was on, and it twisted, sending me going backwards (sidways to the wall) and my left foot right behind the rope as both my feet popped off the hold. It was only about a 6 footer, but I landed totally upsidedown and had a gnarly rope burn on my left leg. That fall shook me up worse than any other I've taken.
Falling is good- stopping very quickly is bad.
David
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climbinggirl33
Jul 12, 2003, 8:25 PM
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It went like this:
"Clipping"
"Oh #!@#&!("
"Yikes, the rope is around my leg"
"Oh I've already stopped"
"Yeah, I'm ok"
"Oh look, blood"
"You'd better untie me or I will bleed on your rope"
sigh
Glad I got that over with.
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reno
Jul 12, 2003, 8:32 PM
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Registered: Oct 30, 2001
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Tallulah Gorge, Georgia, on Mescaline Daydream. Traversed left under a roof, sank a 0.5 Friend, and moved out from the roof to a layback. Missed the hold, feet peeled, and I was off. about a 16-18 foot fall, with pendulum, and cracked my elbow on a tree that was next to the route.
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bvb
Jul 13, 2003, 1:39 AM
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big, scary, on poorly placed first-generation stoppers and hexes that pulled.
i got hurt.
i would not trade that experience for all the glued-in half-inch stainless steel bolts on the planet.
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ambler
Jul 13, 2003, 1:58 AM
Post #18 of 47
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Registered: Jul 27, 2002
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In reply to: Me and my fiance were sport climbing in Rumney, NH this week on our vacation when it happened. It was my first attempt at a 5.10 lead (Bonehead Roof 5.10c). About halfway up, the climb clears a ledge and proceeds to a roof (the crux). With one bolt between the ledge and the roof, I didn't feel that good about the protection. |
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crackaddict
Jul 13, 2003, 2:24 AM
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Registered: Jun 24, 2000
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So scary seconds before.
I almost craped my pants.
Then it was over.
And no crap.
Amazing huh!
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dnruss
Jul 13, 2003, 3:05 AM
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Registered: Jul 4, 2003
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I've never fallen. wait....did i?? no....well...i dont remember...i think..no maybe wait.......slip......wind.....rock...rock..rock..rock..rock..rock..............OWWWWWWWWWWW.....blackout--------------------------
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cjcalls
Jul 13, 2003, 4:22 AM
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Registered: May 30, 2003
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this is why you should wear a helmet. TO STOP REPRODUCTION.
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coylec
Jul 13, 2003, 6:54 PM
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It seems that most of you have taken your first lead fall by accident. I have the distinct pleasure of taking my first lead fall on purpose. I work at the USC Rock Wall and my boss asked me to take a lead fall ("so you'll know what its like"). 6 feet above my anchor, on 40 ft of rope, i let go of the wall and leaned back. Fell 12+ feet and twisted my ankle. Had to fill out my own injury report.
A week later, I had to take several more lead falls to show the lead belayers what its like to have a lead fall. Letting go that first time, for a 5 ft. drop was the hardest thing in the world.
MORAL: Falling on purpose sucks.
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zacrobinson
Jul 13, 2003, 11:50 PM
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I was aat Prototype (10.c) a classic climb at Reimers Ranch. I had TR'ed it a few weeks before with only 2 falls/hangs so I decided to go for the redpoint. I made it all the way up, through the crux and was clipping into the anchors. I got the draw in and was pulling up some slack to clip the rope when I felt my grip start to go. I let go of the rope and got back on the rock to rest up. Then I went for the clip. As I pulle dup the slack that I needed, my grip just left me and I fell about 20'. It was quick. O did'nt even have time to yell or anything. I took a couple minutes to recompose, then got back on and finished it. It was a blast!
ZAC
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muncher
Jul 14, 2003, 12:02 AM
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My first lead fall was on about the third route I tried to lead. It would have been my hardest as well had I known that you clip the anchors from a hold below the dirty, moist, sloping ledge at the top of the climb. Needless to say I fumbled around for a little while trying to get something positive before I eventually came off for about a twelve footer. It helped my climbing soo much. I was pretty stoked after it and was then able to climb with so much more confidence than before.
coylec, falling on purpose is heaps fun, so long as there is nothing you are going to hit, although it does put a little added unnecessary wear on your rope.
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dsafanda
Jul 14, 2003, 12:12 AM
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It was about 11 years ago. I fell on a 5.9 slabby face climb about ten feet above the last bolt. There is a strategy for falling on slabs but I was clueless back then. As I slid for 20 feet I continued to try and grab on to something on the featureless granite. It took a few weeks to regrow skin on my finger tips. Ouch. I've never liked slab climbs since.
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