Accident Report: Owens River Gorge Friday 10/14/16
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So my wife and I were climbing in Owens River Gorge on 10/14/16 at the Social Platform area. I was watching a climber on Bone Up 5.10d (which supposedly sees a lot of traffic and a very popular route) suddenly shout "ROCK ROCK ROCK!" He was just below the roof or a draw or two below the roof when I saw him dislodge a giant rock. I would say a big watermelon size, weighing 30-40lbs, maybe more. I believe he also fell when he pulled on it, creating the belayer to get pulled into the wall. He was a pretty big guy and the belayer a petit size woman. |
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How much would a helmet do against a hurtling 30-40+ lb rock? |
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Here we go with another helmet argument thread? |
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Colonel Mustard wrote:How much would a helmet do against a hurtling 30-40+ lb rock? It's true that the helmet is underutilized for sport belaying (by far the more useful end to wear it in that venue, IMO).If the rock wasn't a direct hit, lets say scraped the side of her head, a helmet would have most likely helped by preventing a large laceration. Again that is IF it wasn't a direct hit and the angle was correct. I'd rather have a helmet on with maybe a large headache vs a large laceration to my head. |
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Jan Tarculas wrote: If the rock wasn't a direct hit, lets say scraped the side of her head, a helmet would have most likely helped by preventing a large laceration. Again that is IF it wasn't a direct hit and the angle was correct. I'd rather have a helmet on with maybe a large headache vs a large laceration to my head.For sure, it's hard to argue against safety isn't it? Where I draw the line is mandating certain things or saying you must. Lead by example. In my experience, the leader who minds the rope is far less in need of the helmet on steep sport territory than the belayer who is in the fall zone. |
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Jan Tarculas wrote:...I saw him dislodge a giant rock. I would say a big watermelon size, weighing 30-40lbs, maybe more.If the watermelon were 1 cubic foot and made of the same rock as in the Gorge, it would weigh around 145 lbs. That may account for the damage to her foot that you saw. |
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Good lord. Best wishes and good vibes to the belayer. |
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Marc801 wrote: If the watermelon were 1 cubic foot and made of the same rock as in the Gorge, it would weigh around 145 lbs. That may account for the damage to her foot that you saw.Holy shit, I would have not guessed. My wife did say it felt "squishy" when she was helping support it and putting an ace wrap on the foot/ankle |
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I was gonna say. Watermelon size. We're talking 100+ easy. You'd be dead no matter what if that landed on your noggen! Really hope belayer and climber recover from this as it's really no ones fault. Just awful! |
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Our feet are extremely robust. It may never function 100% the same but I am sure that amputation will not be necessary. |
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MP Route Guide comment on Bone Up: 11-19-2007 At the 3rd bolt 2 of the key handholds were coming loose, one was the size of a microwave. Be aware of those below you.. |
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Wow ... pretty gruesome, I hope she pulls through. |
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Yeah. As a 100% helmet advocate, I still have to admit that a helmet would not have saved her from a direct hit. |
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From Facebook, Kalymnos Rescue Service: |
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Not even steel toed boots would've helped is my guess. Good call on a locking device. |
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Ted Pinson wrote:Yeah. As a 100% helmet advocate, I still have to admit that a helmet would not have saved her from a direct hit.I agree if it was a direct hit right on top of her head. But if she moved to the side like she did and let's say it scraped the side, a helmet could save have prevented severe lacerations. Any protection is better than nothing. |
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Guy Keesee wrote:Wow ... pretty gruesome, I hope she pulls through. IMHO the Social Platform is a very dangerous spot..... any rocks that get rolling up where you start down into the gorge end up at the SP. So if your up there and see dummies cutting down low on the path, just to save a few steps.... yell at them. The closest to death I have ever come was right there... at the bottom of Harvey Wall-banger.... next time you are there, check out the 4 or 5 large rocks that people like to sit on and change shoes. Kris and I were relaxing when those were deposited right their.... one landed about 5 feet to Kris' right and another smashed into my rope bag that I was using as a blanket.... I saw the rocks in the sky and rolled over off of the blanket!!!!! Another large rock smashed the Boom Box into about a 1,000,000 fragments. When I go there now..... I sit right up under the little cave at the bottom of that 5.7..... Good on you and the other climbers who helped the poor woman and her rescue. And props to the DWP for helping out. P.S. a helmet wouldn't have done jack squat..... think about it.I think you mean the pub wall. Social platform is the area across the river from the pub wall and the descent into the gorge |
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Glad she's okay. Having come across many large holds ready to come loose within a few more pulls, when is it our responsibility to remove a loose rock off a climb? |
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Scary. The ORG is really fun but the week I spent down there was interspersed with serious choss-wrangling. |