Near Miss on Cathedral Peak

This same guy has posted similar stuff in a few skiing forums - videos of him absolutely flying down beginner terrain, terrible form, narrowly avoiding collisions the whole way. His argument is always "I don't fall so obviously my technique is fine." Hopefully this incident is a wake up call for him?

https://youtu.be/3pC7-bxzaTc

https://youtu.be/SflXO_DiYF0

Everyone is hoping some how this guy is going to 'wise up'. Based on the story of events (he was seemingly un-phased and argumentative immediately after having pitched off and only saved by an almost Hollywood B movie like grasp of a rope from the party above) not only is he not going to wise up - he will go attempt to solo something else and likely soon at that. Let's hope he doesn't injure / endanger / traumatize anyone else in the process of doing so. 

He's not going to wise up.  Honestly, I'm less concerned for his safety, and more for those around him.  Dude is certainly a lost cause.

How does this end?  DOES HE EVEN DIE BRO?!?!

rafael wrote:He then makes a beeline for the route that the rope im tied to runs up, but my partner hissed at him (the literal sound she made) and it scared him off.

Reminds me of the scene in The Beach where Leo went native.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=40mbrI-n_BA

I would suggest not linking to any of his lame videos since it increases his exposure and might even encourage his insanity.

I posted a link to this thread on his failbook page, hoping he'd come see what was cooking.  He might be too busy filming himself eating salad and checking his heart rate?

He really digs those gloves.   If gloves are so great for climbing I wonder if you just wears socks and no shoes when climbing.  

Kevin Mokracek wrote:

He really digs those gloves.   If gloves are so great for climbing I wonder if you just wears socks and no shoes when climbing.  

Way to give him ideas on making his 5.6 solos even more difficult.  

It's the 5.6/12 or is it 5.6+ -A2

A lot of times people who solo look down upon people who don't like them passing because "Oh they must be noobs" or something similar.  THIS OP is exactly why letting anyone solo past me has always made me nervous. Guy could have easily fallen and taken out the OP or someone else.

You want to take the risk of soloing, that is fine.  That is your choice, but once you get above someone else, your choices affect them as well...

Stagg54 Taggart wrote:

A lot of times people who solo look down upon people who don't like them passing because "Oh they must be noobs" or something similar.  THIS OP is exactly why letting anyone solo past me has always made me nervous. Guy could have easily fallen and taken out the OP or someone else.

You want to take the risk of soloing, that is fine.  That is your choice, but once you get above someone else, your choices affect them as well...

C'mon, the likely hood that a soloist would fall on someone is pretty small. There are more important issues to worry about, like rockfall but a roped climber can pull off rock as well. The issue is people climbing above you not the soloing.

This guys antics are unrepresentative of the soloist crowd.

Tradiban wrote:

C'mon, the likely hood that a soloist would fall on someone is pretty small. There are more important issues to worry about, like rockfall but a roped climber can pull off rock as well. The issue is people climbing above you not the soloing.

This guys antics are unrepresentative of the soloist crowd.

Well, it has happened.  A few years ago in eldo a soloist fell onto a roped climber.  It stopped the soloists fall and saved his life. The guy he landed on had a severely broken shoulder among other injuries.

Greg D wrote:

Well, it has happened.  A few years ago in eldo a soloist fell onto a roped climber.  It stopped the soloists fall and saved his life. The guy he landed on had a severely broken shoulder among other injuries.

Of course it happened in Eldo, I wouldn't blink an eye to this shit in ColoRADo. The chance is very small....

Bottom line is that anyone of us would help save a life and/or minimize risk by trying to help this jackass if he gets into a bad situation but the likely hood of being in the right place at the right time again is very low. This whole thing is a great story but doesn't provide any real insight anything because this guy is an anomaly.

Yes, it is very likely in states that have capital letters in the middle of the name.  Not so much else where.  

Why would anyone really care that much if this guy lives or dies? Every one of us is gonna exit at some point, but this jerk doesn't seem to care if he takes any of us with him. I'm not faulting folks for offering him aid. In fact, I'd do the same thing, if asked. But all the sympathy and the "I was just glad he made it out alive" comments have me wondering if anyone out there is feeling the same way I am? 

In addition to being extremely dangerous to our fellow climbers, this guy is a total asshole and an egomaniacal attention seeker. If he doesn't stop, he's going to hurt someone. There are two ways he could stop: 

    (1) He wises up, stops doing this, and goes on to live a happy and productive life. 

    (2) He falls and dies.

Does anyone really believe that option 1 will happen?

Am I a monster, or does anyone else feel this way?

Air Alexy wrote:

Why would anyone really care that much if this guy lives or dies? Every one of us is gonna exit at some point, but this jerk doesn't seem to care if he takes any of us with him. I'm not faulting folks for offering him aid. In fact, I'd do the same thing, if asked. But all the sympathy and the "I was just glad he made it out alive" comments have me wondering if anyone out there is feeling the same way I am? 

In addition to being extremely dangerous to our fellow climbers, this guy is a total asshole and an egomaniacal attention seeker. If he doesn't stop, he's going to hurt someone. There are two ways he could stop: 

    (1) He wises up, stops doing this, and goes on to live a happy and productive life. 

    (2) He falls and dies.

Does anyone really believe that option 1 will happen?

Am I a monster, or does anyone else feel this way?

You are not alone Air. I couldn't care less but if I was in a position to save his life I would because I'm not God.and none of us gets to choose who lives or dies.

Option 2 is likely.

Air Alexy wrote:

In addition to being extremely dangerous to our fellow climbers, this guy is a total asshole and an egomaniacal attention seeker. If he doesn't stop, he's going to hurt someone. There are two ways he could stop: 

    (1) He wises up, stops doing this, and goes on to live a happy and productive life. 

    (2) He falls and dies.

Does anyone really believe that option 1 will happen?

Am I a monster, or does anyone else feel this way?

There are 3 types of soloists:
1) Inexperienced
2) Stuff on a rock at the base
3) Ones who survived #1, by choice or by chance (prudence is a choice) and made it to #3 with sufficient wisdom to continue for a long time.

Croft, Hannold, Hersey, Bachar, Etc all ended up as #3.  Note that #3 does not say 'will live forever' or 'are safe now.'
It says 'for some time.'

I do solo.  I think riding a bike on the roads is more frightening.  I bet more experienced climbers die driving than climbing, even soloists.
So I keep it in perspective as a 'risk sport' like Scuba, BASE, Mountaineering, and Rodeo.

Air Alexy wrote:

Why would anyone really care that much if this guy lives or dies? Every one of us is gonna exit at some point, but this jerk doesn't seem to care if he takes any of us with him. I'm not faulting folks for offering him aid. In fact, I'd do the same thing, if asked. But all the sympathy and the "I was just glad he made it out alive" comments have me wondering if anyone out there is feeling the same way I am? 

In addition to being extremely dangerous to our fellow climbers, this guy is a total asshole and an egomaniacal attention seeker. If he doesn't stop, he's going to hurt someone. There are two ways he could stop: 

    (1) He wises up, stops doing this, and goes on to live a happy and productive life. 

    (2) He falls and dies.

Does anyone really believe that option 1 will happen?

Am I a monster, or does anyone else feel this way?

Yea, it'll be option 2. I don't really care if the guy lives or dies but I do care about the people who will unfortunately witness his death and be traumatized by it. It's also the only reason why I'd offer to help him. I don't need PTSD.

Air Alexy wrote:

Why would anyone really care that much if this guy lives or dies? Every one of us is gonna exit at some point, but this jerk doesn't seem to care if he takes any of us with him. I'm not faulting folks for offering him aid. In fact, I'd do the same thing, if asked. But all the sympathy and the "I was just glad he made it out alive" comments have me wondering if anyone out there is feeling the same way I am? 

In addition to being extremely dangerous to our fellow climbers, this guy is a total asshole and an egomaniacal attention seeker. If he doesn't stop, he's going to hurt someone. There are two ways he could stop: 

    (1) He wises up, stops doing this, and goes on to live a happy and productive life. 

    (2) He falls and dies.

Does anyone really believe that option 1 will happen?

Am I a monster, or does anyone else feel this way?

I care, because every death is another step towards closures and/or overregulation of the sport.