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Fall from 2nd Flatiron [video; somewhat disturbing]

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John RB · · Boulder, CO · Joined Oct 2016 · Points: 154

Fall from 2nd Flatiron on Apr 16 2019

He appears to be recovering but holy crap... could have been fatal.  GoPro footage of the fall:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hQcnGJPKP4

Tan B · · Chattanooga, TN · Joined Jul 2017 · Points: 20

Denver Post Article
That’s nuts. I hope he turns out okay.
Jeremy Bauman · · Lakewood, CO · Joined Feb 2009 · Points: 1,067
John RB wrote: Fall from 2nd Flatiron on Apr 16 2019

He appears to be recovering but holy crap... could have been fatal.  GoPro footage of the fall:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hQcnGJPKP4
Clicky
Brie Abram · · Celo, NC · Joined Oct 2007 · Points: 493


for posterity
Long Ranger · · Boulder, CO · Joined Jan 2014 · Points: 619

I wish him a speedy recovery too.

I'm trying to figure out where he might have been. Perhaps just climber's left of Dodge Block, Tunnel Var. (Between that and Free For All)? Or, above Dodge Block, continuing onto the summit (above where Freezeway is).

Stating that he's done routes on the Second "hundreds of times", and the pitch being "5.13" seem a little exaggerated.

Parachute Adams · · At the end of the line · Joined Mar 2019 · Points: 0
Long Ranger wrote: I wish him a speedy recovery too.

I'm trying to figure out where he might have been. Perhaps just climber's left of Dodge Block, Tunnel Var. (Between that and Free For All)? Or, above Dodge Block, continuing onto the summit (above where Freezeway is).

Stating that he's done routes on the Second "hundreds of times", and the pitch being "5.13" seem a little exaggerated.

Agreed. Dude sure was breathing hard (sketched).

P. W. · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2010 · Points: 150
Here's an article about RMR going to get him.  

Is anyone else annoyed by his casual closing to his YouTube comment?

I wouldn't recommend climbing new routes without practice or ropes to anyone lol.
Personally that smells of arrogance and not really appreciating how close he came to dying.
Brendan Blanchard · · Boulder, CO · Joined Oct 2010 · Points: 590
Long Ranger wrote: I wish him a speedy recovery too.

I'm trying to figure out where he might have been. Perhaps just climber's left of Dodge Block, Tunnel Var. (Between that and Free For All)? Or, above Dodge Block, continuing onto the summit (above where Freezeway is).

Stating that he's done routes on the Second "hundreds of times", and the pitch being "5.13" seem a little exaggerated.

Yeah, 100% chuff. You can see he's left of the Tunnel Variation from the video (:35 -:41), but he's not as far left as the chimney in Free for All. He's somewhere between there, and was *not* about to do any 5.13 -- the first responder, a local ultra runner and scrambler found him in un-resoled Saucony's.

TheBirdman Friedman · · Eldorado Springs, Colorado · Joined Jan 2010 · Points: 65

This is how the Flatirons get closed to soloing.

Just in case there was any debate as to how much of a chuffer this guy is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bffxg41rPjk

He literally edited a video of him soloing earlier that day and captions it with:

"Woke up early to a beautiful climb.
Fell 60ft 2 hours later.
Full falling vid in profile."

It's like he's trying to drive traffic to his accident video.

Look man, I hope you recover because I don't wish injury on anyone. However, you should seriously re-evaluate why you're climbing and your ability to do so safely. There is no 5.13 on the Second. Where you fell is more likely 5.6 or below. If there is any chance of you falling on the second (other than an unforeseeable hazard which didn't happen here like rain or broken rock), you shouldn't be on it unroped because you're just jeopardizing access for all of us.

tbol · · CO · Joined Mar 2008 · Points: 1,177

Glad he survived.  Yikes.  Looks like the start of North Crack.

HughC · · Fort Collins, CO · Joined Jul 2015 · Points: 60

That is freakin spooky, especially since I have soloed the Flatirons a bunch of times.   Cant believe he is alive.  Is there any 5.13 on that face?  Did he mean 5.3?  I'm too lazy to research, but my fuzzy memory says nay.

Ryan Pfleger · · Boise, ID · Joined Sep 2014 · Points: 25

It was Anton Krupicka that found him. I remember reading it on his Strava. Anton thought he fell from Dodge Block or Free For All. Judging by the holds in front of him in the video when he fell he must have been on a horizontal roof for it to be 5.13. This should be required viewing for all twenty something males that watch Free Solo. Hope he makes a quick and complete recovery!

Long Ranger · · Boulder, CO · Joined Jan 2014 · Points: 619
TheBirdman Friedman wrote: This is how the Flatirons get closed to soloing.

That would be an interesting vote, considering the OSMP is all about conservation and preservation. I would guess that includes the history and style of the climbing in the park, which very much includes scrambling its formations. 


Brendan Blanchard · · Boulder, CO · Joined Oct 2010 · Points: 590
HughC wrote: That is freakin spooky, especially since I have soloed the Flatirons a bunch of times. 
Interesting. I found it a bit comforting as someone who logs literally miles of rock in the Flatirons every year. I sometimes come home from days where I've done 3-5K feet of scrambling on 5.0-6, knowing it all felt casual, but wondering if I was ever mistaken for feeling that way. Sure, anything could go wrong, but it helps to know that many of the cases where it does involve incredible lack of foresight or experience or both.
HughC · · Fort Collins, CO · Joined Jul 2015 · Points: 60
Brendan Blanchard wrote: Interesting. I found it a bit comforting as someone who logs literally miles of rock in the Flatirons every year. I sometimes come home from days where I've done 3-5K feet of scrambling on 5.0-6, knowing it all felt casual, but wondering if I was ever mistaken for feeling that way. Sure, anything could go wrong, but it helps to know that many of the cases where it does involve incredible lack of foresight or experience or both.

I think what spooked me out is how quick it was for him to cover that distance. And having a visual in that go pro format - I think it makes it more hyper-surreal for me.  (I think I may have invented a word, but lets let that slide.)

Soft Catch · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2018 · Points: 0

MP feature request:

Update the ticks menu with "Solo / Fell" option.

Paul L · · Portland, OR · Joined Dec 2016 · Points: 261

Woah.  Lucky to be alive to post his footie.

The whole thing is really strange, though.  I don't know the climbing on the Flatirons at all, but his description and comments sound completely unreal, and a little unhinged.  
Why not post the whole scramble?  
I don't think anyone would intentionally throw themselves 60' down a rock face, unless they intended to die, but it certainly seems like he's trying to hype it now that it happened....

Ross Goldberg · · El Segundo · Joined Oct 2017 · Points: 143

Who the fuck goes solo scrambling and then decides they want to onsight free solo "5.13" in sneakers? His story reeks of BS

sean o · · Northern, NM · Joined Oct 2012 · Points: 48

I'm glad the dude survived, but he would have to go well out of his way to find 5.13 on the 2nd Flatiron.  

This is how the Flatirons get closed to soloing.
I doubt that would happen -- enough angry locals would show up at city council meetings.  The French have accepted that ~100 people a year will die in the Mont Blanc Massif, and they pay for the PGHM to make a reasonable effort at rescue.  I hope the residents of Boulder accept the fact that some people are going to bounce down the Flatirons on a failed #grampatrol, and let them do it while making a reasonable effort at search and rescue.
Brie Abram · · Celo, NC · Joined Oct 2007 · Points: 493

10/10 for dedication to the troll

Long Ranger · · Boulder, CO · Joined Jan 2014 · Points: 619

I guess if you squint, The Compound could be considered a 5.13 on the Second that's often solo'd.

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