Eyebrow-Raising Observation, First Trad Lead Fall, Broken Hand, and finally a BIG Thanks to Gunkies who Got My Cams Back

Beautiful Day Thursday in New Paltz, Sun shining, cool, nice breeze.

Went to 3 Pines. Someone was on it (not surprising). Nice lady with two young girls. I said "we'll wait, rack up, etc...no rush." Was informed that she was going to lead the first pitch then top rope with the girls. Didn't feel like getting into it, so i said "ok...still gonna wait...we tried to get on here last trip and failed so and want to do all three pitches." We then watched her begin to give a teenage girl a lead belay lesson (girl had obviously never lead or even TR belayed before...yikes). After exchanging eyebrow-raised looks with my buddy, we said "um...ya'll climb safe" and bailed.

Walked down to Andrew (5.4). Lovely first pitch! Was great. Bomber gear, slab climbing with awesome holds...bit runout here and there but really enjoyable.

Set up on GT ledge. Lead about 75 feet to small right traverse and found a boatload of wet rock from a runoff. Yikes. Was crappy. Everything, hands and feet soaked. Placed a .75 camalot in and went for it. One ticket to nopeville. Feet slipped, peeled off...first trad lead fall ever since i began climbing in 2000, about 15 feet. Stopped, gave the old "woohoo...cam held" and then tried to climb again. Major pain...looked at right hand...was swelling already. Knew i broke it. I think i back-hand whacked it on a right facing block as i peeled off.

Descended, cleaned some gear, rapped twice and bailed for the hospital. Met a fella at the No Glow rap station and told him what happened. He, i guess, called up to some buddies atop who managed to retrieve from my route: one X4, the .75 camelot that i fell on, and four draws. Only left two small stoppers. Saw him at the base as we walked off and he told me his buddy got the gear for me and handed it to me. DUDE! You guys rock. THANK YOU!

Broken hand indeed. Surgery next day and on the road to recovery.

Takeways:
1. Careful on Andrew boys and girls...it was a dry day and that water looked like its always there.
2. People who go out of their way to retrieve and return "accident booty" epitomize solid climbing community values. Thanks again guys.
3. Encountering "Dr. Boris V." a hand surgeon, whose wife is a former Soviet rock climbing champion to fix your broken hand...priceless.

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Ouch! Glad your cam held and you got your gear back, props to those guys for going up there for you. Heal up soon!

BryanE wrote:Ouch! Glad your cam held and you got your gear back, props to those guys for going up there for you. Heal up soon!

I think they got the gear on rappel as they were already at the top, either way...good stuff!

It's amazing that you've been climbing 16 years and never took a trad leader fall if you climb in the Gunks.

frank minunni wrote:It's amazing that you've been climbing 16 years and never took a trad leader fall if you climb in the Gunks.

I think so too. But I've always climbed well below my limit on lead. The stiffest I've ever lead was a 5.7 though I've followed harder in the past. I spend my time mostly between 3-6 and just enjoy.

wonderwoman wrote:Lead falls are generally safe, so take this accident as a freak thing.

That sort of statement requires all sorts of qualifications. Lead falls on moderate terrain (aka generally non steep) are far more risky than lead falls on overhanging terrain.

If the route isn't overhanging then anything can happen on the way down. You have a lot of speed and there is alot of hard rock around you.

I know of MANY injuries through from lead falls. To say generally that they are "safe" is just misleading.

Now that you've fallen off a 5.4 and broken a bone (despite your 16 years of experience), maybe next time you'll be less hasty to raise an eyebrow in judgement of another climber learning how to climb on a 5.3.

patto wrote: That sort of statement requires all sorts of qualifications. Lead falls on moderate terrain (aka generally non steep) are far more risky than lead falls on overhanging terrain. If the route isn't overhanging then anything can happen on the way down. You have a lot of speed and there is alot of hard rock around you. I know of MANY injuries through from lead falls. To say generally that they are "safe" is just misleading.

SHOULD be safe would be a better way to put it. Certainly plenty of spots where falling is not an option but usually IMO the better routes have cleaner falls.

Actually, since you primarily climb 5.3 - 5.6, I'd say the opposite - that lead falls are generally NOT safe. Climbs in that range are often going to have low angle, ledgy, and/or blocky terrain which makes impacting the rock on the way down not a freak accident, but rather pretty likely.

Hope your hand heals up well and quickly, and that you're back to climbing soon!

Thanks to all who sent good thoughts for a speedy recovery. I do believe encountering wet rock, and a back-handed smack on block fall under less-than-usual fall circumstances...but accidents do happen.

Ill be back at it soon.

T Roper wrote: SHOULD be safe would be a better way to put it. Certainly plenty of spots where falling is not an option but usually IMO the better routes have cleaner falls.

All depends on the type of climbing and the grades. "Better" routes barely come into it. There are some incredible routes where falling at many points in the route is very likely going to result in harm.

Em Cos wrote:Actually, since you primarily climb 5.3 - 5.6, I'd say the opposite - that lead falls are generally NOT safe. Climbs in that range are often going to have low angle, ledgy, and/or blocky terrain which makes impacting the rock on the way down not a freak accident, but rather pretty likely.

Pretty much. As a general rule I consider anything below 5.9 as potentially problematic for falling. Though like it is very climb dependent.

I fell off a 5.10b last year and injured myself. Very thin feet and ended up falling across my rope causing me to flip upside down. Fell 20feet or so, 18 of the upright.

Likewise a friend of mine fell on a 5.8 at hit a ledge, it wasn't a big fall but she'll never have full mobility of her ankle again. :-(

wonderwoman wrote:Glad that you are okay. Lead falls are generally safe, so take this accident as a freak thing. Regarding the first encounter, I just have to point out one thing: Guides teach new people how to lead belay all the time. Perhaps the woman was climbing well below her limit. Don't be so quick to judge, or you could be judged yourself.

This is valid point. Could have been a guiding situation...who knows. Just hope they were safe and fared better than me that day!

Now that you've fallen off a 5.4 and broken a bone (despite your 16 years of experience), maybe next time you'll be less hasty to raise an eyebrow in judgement of another climber learning how to climb on a 5.3.

ZING ZING ZING ZING!!!11

There's a great story about Colorado legend Skip Guerin going up to try a 5.12 offwidth roof crack (maybe Animal Magnetism, near Lyons?) with a buddy who had never climbed before. Hands the guy an atc or stich plate, heads up into the crack, and whips off the roof. You know...a guiding situation ;)