ScottP Posted February 14, 2002 Posted February 14, 2002 A few years ago, I loaned my portaledge to some friends for an ascent of Uncle Ben's at Squamish. On the second pitch the friend I will call Winky is hooking through some expando flakes while the other friend I will call Dinky belays him from the comfort of my ledge. Not surprisingly, Eric, I mean Winky rips a snow saucer sized flake that passes between Susan's, I mean Dinky's legs on it's way to the ground, punching a hole through the floor of my ledge and cutting two of the suspension straps. Deciding it is time to bail, the two begin to rap. At the top of the last rap, the ledge, now stuffed in it's sack, becomes unclipped from the bottom of the haulbag and hits the ground end-first, bending two of the aircraft aluminum frame tubes. So, I get my ledge back totally knackered. Eric and Susan offer to replace it, but considering I only spent 165.00 US on the materials to make the thing, I couldn't rightly stick my friends with the price of a new commercial ledge. They did purchase and deliver all of the materials needed to repair the ledge, but in the end, I had to completely rebuild it. Quote
specialed Posted February 14, 2002 Posted February 14, 2002 Sleeping bag returned to me without my "friend" saying anything. Noticed the next day the two gaping burn holes in the nylon. Trying to sleep a little "too close" to the camp fire? Since it was an older non high-performance bag, couldn't really ask for any restitution. And the chick I lent it to was way flakey anyway. Quote
CleeshterFeeshter Posted February 15, 2002 Posted February 15, 2002 Loaned a pack to "Smelly Bob" in Everett whilst doing glacier peak back in 93. Smelly bob was brewing some home brew porter crap in his bathtub so he had not taken a shower in a month or more. Stank would not exit from the straps and hip belt. Washed the pack. Industrial Ozoned it. Let it air out for a couple of months outside. 9 years later and that pack still is rank from the Smell. Quote
Teogo Posted February 15, 2002 Posted February 15, 2002 Hey Scott, I was near the base of the wall when that chunk-o-rock went through your ledge---a couple of friends had just finished traversing a pitch 200 hundred feet below when the entire area was sprayed with rock fall. After the thing roared through the forest like a freight train I looked up to see a huge swath of daylight peaking through the middle of your ledge. Quote
ScottP Posted February 15, 2002 Author Posted February 15, 2002 quote: Originally posted by Teogo: Hey Scott, I was near the base of the wall when that chunk-o-rock went through your ledge---a couple of friends had just finished traversing a pitch 200 hundred feet below when the entire area was sprayed with rock fall. After the thing roared through the forest like a freight train I looked up to see a huge swath of daylight peaking through the middle of your ledge. I don't suppose you saw the brown stain in Susan's undies too? She says that for some reason, she was sitting opposite of the way she had slept on the ledge. If she had been oriented in the same direction, she believes the flake would have cut her in two. Quote
jordop Posted February 15, 2002 Posted February 15, 2002 (edited) . Edited June 15, 2021 by jordop Quote
Teogo Posted February 16, 2002 Posted February 16, 2002 Scott...no stains, but lots of wailing and high-pitched beseaching from the leader prior to the that flake ripping out. Very fortunate that nobody below got whacked. Quote
mr._happy Posted February 16, 2002 Posted February 16, 2002 loaned a pack to a friend for a nepal trip. two months later the pack comes back with some kind of mysterious sticky white creamy shat all over the extension collar. and it WON'T wash out. friend "doesn't know" how it got there or what it is. neither do i. Quote
Lambone Posted February 16, 2002 Posted February 16, 2002 I lent my rack to some friends in Bozeman. They tried a route that was over their heads with tricky pro. My buddy fell 40ft, pulling two pieces and snaping his foot off the bottom of his leg, it just dangeled there. I've lost count on how many surgeries he's had. I've never lent my rack out since then. Quote
sayjay Posted February 16, 2002 Posted February 16, 2002 *Twice* I've loaned whitewater kayak paddles out to recently-become-ex-boyfiends and gotten them back in two pieces. The first time it was a custom-made wooden paddle that I loved but was stupid enough to loan it out for a first descent of a waterfall. He got stuck in a hydraulic at the bottom of the falls where it broke but managed to roll and get out the a single blade. Glad it had a happier ending than Lambone's story-- Quote
max Posted February 16, 2002 Posted February 16, 2002 quote: The first time it was a custom-made wooden paddle that I loved but was stupid enough to loan it out for a first descent of a waterfall. Hindsights 20/20, but your right, that was stupid! Quote
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