Darwinism??

This really should NOT happen! But it does...Often and to competent climbers!!

I was climbing at a prominent and extremely popular sport crag in central CA last Sunday and in the middle of the day, it happened...An all too common and EASILY AVOIDABLE accident. I was standing 2 routes away and witnessed the entire scenario. Basically, the 40-something, experienced leader was attempting the 3rd ascent of a new 5.12 route and after being FOREWARNED by the first ascentionist (whom was also there) about the need of a 70M rope, went for the lead. Everything was fine until approximately 8-10 feet above the deck...WHIP! He hit the deck hard on his ass and WHACKED the back of his head on a vertical talus block. No knot and obviously the belayer was not paying attention to the other end! This dude is so lucky to just have a minor laceration to his head and leg!!

The moral of the story...Turns out from what I ascertained, its possible the leader had forgotten he had shortened his rope a while ago.

So...At a minimum for your own safety ALWAYS PRE-TIE A BOMBER KNOT AT THE END OF YOUR ROPE!!!

Huh? What does a 70-meter rope or a knot in the end have to do with avoiding a 10-foot leader fall?

JL

I believe he is attempting to say the leader did the climb and then on being lowered, they ran out of rope causing the leader to deck. It's also a misleading thread title. 'Leader misjudges rope length and gets dropped' would be more like it. Bad judgment on the leader's part, bad belaying on the belayer's part. Really a team effort from the sound of it.

Well, that certainly makes more sense. Or to quote Gilda Radner: "Oh . . . that's different. Never mind!" Heh.

JL

Well, when I'm belaying my leader I always tie in as a second, regardless of whether it's sport or trad. It's part of my pre-flight checklist.

this thread is worthless without pics or video...

No excuses - pure and simple. Any explanations or excuses are nonsense.
Anyone, leader or belayer, who is part of such a situation needs to take up shuffleboard or expect to die. Eventually you will -I promise.
Climbing is not a sport - it is a lifestyle. If you want to approach it is a half-ass activity, expect to live half a life.
If you think this response comes from a jerk, then I am a jerk who has been leading and guiding for 3 decades. Get trained, get experienced with others who see such a sitaution before it can happen, or get gone.
FACT: Most accidents happen at the end of the day, on descents, during rappels, when your burned and just wanting the day to be over... on equipment dependent moments.
Don't become a statistic and get another climbing area closed because you are too stupid to be doing this. Get serious.