when highballing goes bad...

Evan Simons wrote:Really? You think he didn't look at the ground and realize he'd be screwed if he fell? Maybe you're the ignorant/pretentious one. People make their own choices in this sport, acting like you know better than them concerning their own personal situation just makes you the jerk.

Aaron S wrote: You keep making blanket assumptions about climbers you don't know, assuming that they have no idea how to assess risk. How do you know???

Evan and Aaron S, did you read the guys own blog about what happened????
"During my previous highballing exploits I have never thought about the fall; every time I was so zeroed in on what I was doing and so confidant in my abilities that I knew with absolute certainty that I was getting to the top safely.'

I agree the hat is terrible. I thought it was a bag at first.

Yea my post had more to do with the other thread, probably stupid to post it here.

Dude, I just Highballed Page 2

Is that bad?

Buff Johnson wrote:Dude, I just Highballed Page 2 Is that bad?

not at all

damn it all!!

Buff Johnson wrote:damn it all!!

safe landing

Just note for all the up-comers really getting into pushing the limit of climbing; conservation-wise bouldering is a cool thing, a lot of us do it, and it can allow a safe margin without having to bring out a rack full of gear and having to rope up. You can certainly read the tone difference between those that have been in climbing for a while and those with limited experience in seeing climbing accidents.

I'd rather come here and bang a point home, than not say anything only just read another oh-why-did-this-happen or why-did-you/I-do-something-so-stupid type article. Granted, anyone can have a bad day when out enjoying their mountains/crags/boulders etc. Realize if the climber featured here lands in a worse posture, as effecting energy to his head/neck area as examples already offered, it's likely the rest of his life is fucked.

I feel this is a better place for us to discuss such an issue than at the post-incident report with your families & friends. Maybe some of you can agree, being the jerk here is probably not all that bad a thing.

It doesn't seem like that huge a fall, but it was the bad landing that did it.

I just don't understand why he had all those pads and spotters - only to come down with a jacked ankle? Sure the landing looks bad, but if you have that many guys and that many pads you should have covered your bases and been able to protect the fall. NOT trying to be a jerk, just saying that if you are going to highball AND have pads/spotters FOR PUBLICITY take the time to figure out all the possible landing scenarios if it goes wrong. Otherwise just screw the safety measures and go for it. You'd get a lot more street cred doing it that way.

but hindsight is always 20/20 right. we've ALL been there.

wish you the best in your recovery...been there and it sucks for a while.

Here is an interesting medical paper on the lethality of falls:

journals.lww.com/em-news/pa…;issue=07000&article=00015&type=fulltext

A 36 to 50 foot fall has a 50% mortality rate

Buff Johnson wrote:Just You can certainly read the tone difference between those that have been in climbing for a while and those with limited experience in seeing climbing accidents.

Well, when I'm old I'll have been climbing a lot longer too.

Buff Johnson wrote:being the jerk here is probably not all that bad a thing.

Obviously, I am quite frequently.

seriously did you really NEED to post the pic?

McCay, so your point is that climbing is dangerous and decking from 15+' will sometimes end badly? This may sound crazy but I actually know quite a few people who have managed to deduce these things on their own; without even going to med school! In fact, I don't climb with a single person who isn't aware that climbing can result in injuries up to and including death. I never really thought of my friends as a pack of geniuses before but all patronizing talk on here lately about high balling is making me rethink that.

As someone who deals with death and serious injury in the recreation world more than I would like I feel compelled to chime in on this. I understand that just about every person reading this has the ability to assess the situations that they are putting themselves in when they take part in high risk activities. However, being involved in carry-outs and recoveries gives one a keen sense in a very real manner of what can go wrong out there. I would wager that people that work in the SAR and medical world do assess risk in a different manner than those that don't. I'd encourage you not to take these or other words as patronizing, but look at them from where they are coming from. Life experiences are what make us who we are, some of us happen to be intimately involved with the end result of mishaps that occur while playing outside. It only stands to reason that we would assess risk differently than someone who doesn't.

Oh yeah, the picture was a bit much IMO.

G.McCay wrote:The bottom line is, we inherently know right from wrong and we choose to take the risk. Hopefully you believe in a heaven and a hell and accepted the free gift God offers to avoid the latter...or survive the fall and THEN take the appropriate steps! Be safe. Glory to God!

Jesus is my car insurance.

Buff Johnson wrote: This wasn't all that high, to me in appearance, was it?

High enough to knock a beanie off a boulderer. Zing!

Okay, perhaps that was poor taste, but it was just too tempting. ;-)

Those last two are classic!!

I'm gonna change my name, Capt Buzzkill

(ps -- didn't see the pic, but don't support posting any trauma shots merely for shock-value anyway; unless it was from the climber themselves made in a public format, as the centerpiece of this discussion was; or by having it come from the family. Otherwise, doing that here is not cool)

Peace out, Beanie Cap'n Pebble Poppers -- I gotta go stash my pad

I did notice one fatal flaw in his bouldering technique.....

He wore a shirt.

G.McCay wrote:...All due respect to my fellow climbers but unless you are versed in Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS) or Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) or equivalent you will more than likely fall short in your ability to assess risk accurately in the event of a fall...

I'm gonna have to call BS. Not because I disagree with the claim that those with medical training are better able to predict the types of trauma that might result from a fall. I agree with that. But, I do not believe that level of training is required to assess the risks associated with climbing. I think it's irrelevant in this situation.

I know that I'm gonna fuck myself up if I fall 10 feet into a pile of boulders. Medical training isn't going to improve my ability to assess that risk.

The reason for my post was merely to educate on the standard in which trauma is assessed here in the US. Hopefully someone learned something and has a keener awareness about what little it takes to cause serious injury.

For example, and not to disrespect the response from thegreenalien: "I just don't understand why he had all those pads and spotters - only to come down with a jacked ankle? Sure the landing looks bad, but if you have that many guys and that many pads you should have covered your bases and been able to protect the fall." Even if all the bases were covered these types of injuries occur because of the height in which you fall.

Don Juan was known for his permiscuous exploits and was infamous for leaping out from the second story windows of the maidens bedroom windows, to avoid getting caught, down to the street below. Those that actually fall from these heights suffer calcaneus (heel, the point that typically strikes first) fractures, radial and ulnar bone (wrist) fractures (reaching out forward to break the fall), and lastly a skull fracture or closed head injury secondary to the velocity at which the body has attained and tertiary to the head striking the surface, whether a pad or a hard surface. This is appropriately called the "Don Juan Syndrome" Sure a pad may soften the fall but its the height that maimes or kills. If you already knew this, awesome! If you didn't, now you do. Pass it on!