So I decked today...

Beautiful day out in Eldo today, we were psyched to be out and getting after it. The destination: West Ridge, the Sidewall area, my favorite cragging hangout in the canyon. After warming up on Court Jester, I felt ready to get back on my goal: the Unbroken Chain-False Prophet link-up. I had tried it once about a month back, and was lucky enough to onsight the first half (Unbroken Chain), before falling on the False Prophet crux.

You know how sometimes, when a good football team gets upset by a lesser opponent, they say that the good team was overlooking the "powderpuff" team, perhaps anticipating a tough matchup the next week? Well, the crux of the pitch is up high, and I got caught looking ahead...

I fell about 20-25' up when my foot unexpectedly slipped. I felt the normal acceleration, and then the comforting deceleration of the rope coming taught. Then, the feeling I had been fearing: the sudden pop of the flake blowing, the flake that contained my only gear. I landed on the thankfully flat, but painfully solid rock. I hit on my back, and immediately I knew I was hurt. I tried to remain still while spewing a string of curses, which probably didn't reassure my partner Dave. Having luckily avoided hitting my head in the fall (yes, I had a helmet), I was quickly able to inventory the damage: scraped elbows, bruised heel, a tweaked wrist, and a disturbingly painful back. After much lying down and nervous discussion, I decided to test out my back and sit up. Painful, but not devastating.

About an hour later, feeling better now, and relieved at the arrival of my friends Matt and Zach, we started down the hill. It took a while, but we made it, including the crux river crossing at the end (sorry you had to get wet, Dave). A trip to the clinic for some x-rays revealed no broken bones, despite a really painful wrist and nagging back pain.

So, why am I posting this?
-First, to send out a HUGE thanks to my friends Dave Russel, Matt Lloyd, and Zach Durbin. Y'all's cheerfulness and confidence definitely helped me out, not to mention all the help getting my broke ass down the hill.
-Second, to remind us that climbing is dangerous, and falling on dangerous routes has consequences.
-Third, Unbroken chain is probably harder now, since that flake was a really great hold. I guess it was always a dangerous route, but now more obviously so.
-Finally, the biggest lesson I'm taking from it so far is to place tons of gear! There's no good gear on that part of the route, but there were some small rps (most likely jingus) that I skipped. There's also some jiggery with a cam in the sidewall corner (on a giant sling) that I used on my first attempt, although that probably wouldn't have helped. Regardless, taking the time to work that extra piece might someday be useful.

So, climb safe folks, I should be back out there in a few weeks.

-Scott

My 8lb souvenir

Hope you heal quick and get back to climbing. Glad you weren't hurt worse.

Scary story- sounds like quite the experience. Glad your ok man- I hope your back on the rock soon. Maybe we should start you a fund for RP's?? :) Nice souviner!

Glad you made it out of that without too much injury! Thanks for the reminders, too. We all need those, as we tend to get too comfortable with the risks in our sport...

My friends and I were at Cathedral Ledge here in NH, climbing a route that was sheltered by the rain. It's a pretty strenuous, right-angling crack, with lots of flaring pods. Anyway, my friend Matt started up it, placed a couple pieces, and slipped off the slick granite feet while trying to place his next piece... his top piece (a large BD nut) pulled right out of the weirdly shaped crack, and he decked, landing heels first, then onto the flat of his back. He stood up calmly, told me to hand him the nuts he dropped, and then got back on the route and finished it.

And no...he wasn't wearing a helmet...but I was...lol.

Glad to hear of no major damage, Scott.
Hope you're up and around soon.

Bummer. I'm glad that your injuries weren't more serious. I hope you heal up quickly. Best of luck.

Thanks guys for the positive thought. I feel like I was hit by a bus, maybe its time to go fill that vicodin perscription...

scott, hope you heal quickly so you can hang some more ropes at the creek for us.

"the only people who know where the edge is, are those that have stepped over it"
Hunter S Thompson

Heal quick brother, and then glue that flake back up there. HAH!

David Aguasca wrote:Glad you made it out of that without too much injury! Thanks for the reminders, too. We all need those, as we tend to get too comfortable with the risks in our sport... My friends and I were at Cathedral Ledge here in NH, climbing a route that was sheltered by the rain. It's a pretty strenuous, right-angling crack, with lots of flaring pods. Anyway, my friend Matt started up it, placed a couple pieces, and slipped off the slick granite feet while trying to place his next piece... his top piece (a large BD nut) pulled right out of the weirdly shaped crack, and he decked, landing heels first, then onto the flat of his back. He stood up calmly, told me to hand him the nuts he dropped, and then got back on the route and finished it. And no...he wasn't wearing a helmet...but I was...lol.

Dave glad to hear matt is ok i am assuming this is ritter you talking about what route were you guys on?

And glad to hear that scott is ok as well

this is why i don't push myself hard on gear unless it's absolutely bomber. anyone who says trad climbing only has more "perceived risk" than sport climbing is delusional.

glad to hear you're only out for weeks instead of months (or permanently). you're a much braver man than i.

Heal up quickly Scott, glad you're bascially ok, could have been bad! Looking forward to your getting back after it!

I often get concerned about just this scenario you described. . .

Heal quickly!

W

sucks. hope you heal well. seems like you can never trust the rock in Eldo 100%.

was it worth it? not trying to violate Guideline #1...just curious if you thought this type of climbing - given the injury felt worth it.

is it something you'd be interested in attempting again - either this route or another X rated headpoint?

Jon Ruland wrote:anyone who says trad climbing only has more "perceived risk" than sport climbing is delusional.

The route in question is X-rated. No one in their right mind claims that X-rated gear routes are as safe as well-bolted sport routes. Lots of gear routes can be protected better than most sport routes.

Our sport is only as dangerous as we are willing to make it. Personally, I like to get my feet off the ground.

Dusty Ross wrote: The route in question is X-rated. No one in their right mind claims that X-rated gear routes are as safe as well-bolted sport routes. Lots of gear routes can be protected better than most sport routes. Our sport is only as dangerous as we are willing to make it. Personally, I like to get my feet off the ground.

true. i keep forgetting that southern arizona gear is trickier than most places. though i'd be willing to bet that your average popular trad route is not as safe as your average popular sport route.

so does this diminish the X rating? most folks do not test the X rating (fall) and as i understand it, it is hypothetical (like A6) until such a time as it has been tested. e.g.. you fall, you die = X vs you fall, you get hurt = R. i am not being cute nor am i trying to diminish the fact that scott had the jangles to do some "testing" for the rest of us (after a few top rope rehearsals, i decided i would never take a lap on her from the drivers seat) and i am truly stoked that HE (not a friend verifying the X rating) is posting. i am simply curious circumstantially. i am a bit nervous to distract this thread and would like to stress my stoke that scott is going to heal and that dude is luckier yet to have a few pals who can be counted on when the chips are down (or in his case, the flakes).

Scott: Glad you will recover fully. I only ever climbed one X rated pitch. Southern AZ climb called B Cubed...it was only 5.6 but the first and only bolt was 50 feet up on a 150 foot pitch. Doing the dicey little traverse to the bolt anchors at the top scared the crap out of me. Then we backed off due to rotten rock, and we only had one rope to get down. I had to use every tied runner and the tied slings taken off several cams to get down. I remember yelling 'Watch me' when I made the traverse as I was scared. My partner said later, 'Yeah, I would've been watching you crater big time.' I never have done an X rated pitch after that. I also bought a pair of double ropes after that. So, heck an X rated pitch is like soloing, something I don't do either. Sorry for the divergence from the thread, but I'm glad you'll fully recover. I like that souvenir hand hold you've got. You should frame it some way.

Peace out.

Get Some, Scott!

scott e. tarrant wrote:so does this diminish the X rating? most folks do not test the X rating (fall) and as i understand it, it is hypothetical (like A6) until such a time as it has been tested. e.g.. you fall, you die = X vs you fall, you get hurt = R. i am not being cute nor am i trying to diminish the fact that scott had the jangles to do some "testing" for the rest of us (after a few top rope rehearsals, i decided i would never take a lap on her from the drivers seat) and i am truly stoked that HE (not a friend verifying the X rating) is posting. i am simply curious circumstantially. i am a bit nervous to distract this thread and would like to stress my stoke that scott is going to heal and that dude is luckier yet to have a few pals who can be counted on when the chips are down (or in his case, the flakes).

Actually a great point. I think alot of routes change "danger grades" as equipment improves. It seems that every year there is a new offset this or its bitsy springloaded that. Maybe this is responsible for the occasional discrepency.

Thanks again guys for all the positive thoughts!

To responds to a couple of the above posts: Yes, I do intend on climbing the same type of routes once I'm feeling better. The risks and possible consequences have always been what makes hard trad more interesting than any other climbing. Granted, I will try to take these routes more seriously, since I think I was feeling too casual when I fell (having already successfully climbed that part of the route last month).

I do not, and never did, think this pitch deserves an "X" rating. Rossiter (who gave it "VS") is notorious for exaggerating the seriousness of climbs in Eldo, and whoever posted the route here probably just carried over that rating (he never led the pitch). I think the "X" should be reserved for true, no-doubt death leads, such as Alec Sharp's "Ministry of Fear" just up the hill on West Ridge.
Unbroken Chain has gear on it; there's a good looking piece just above where I fell. There are also some marginal small wires that I neglected to place this time around. If leading on double ropes, one could even place a good cam a few feet to the right on "Sidewall" that would likely keep you off the deck. I guess it comes back to my hubris on the route that I passed up that gear, thinking I would not fall. I think the pitch is solid "R", but no more.
(sorry for the ratings rant)

Also, I heard from someone who fell on, and was caught by, the cam in the flake just a few weeks ago. Just goes to show the dynamic nature of the rock. Next time you whip on something suspect and it holds, think twice before you report that "that (flake, pin, fixed stopper, etc) is bomber!" because everything blows eventually.

Thanks again, and climb safe,
Scott