chris_stolz Posted September 2, 2004 Share Posted September 2, 2004 I'm posting this on rockclimbing.com and gripped.com as well. On Monday Aug 31 two climbers were beginning the route Midway (5.7?), off Logger's Ledge, at Castle Rock near Leavenworth, WA. The leader (experienced) climbed about 15 feet up, realised he was on the wrong route, attempted to install pro, and, when he could not find pro, tried to downclimb, and slipped. He decked, and his belayer caught him (and was knocked down), but the leader smashed the back of his head on the rock. Blood was gushing out of his head. The belayer had a seriously broken finger and probably a concussion-- he was incoherent for about half an hour, sick etc and basically unable to move. My partner and I found them a few minutes later. We stabilised the leader and manageds the bleeding, my partner went for help, and we helped the Sheriff's Office and the Fire Dept in getting these guys off the exposed part of the ledge and down to the ambulance. We also received assistance from another party who luckily were certified in wilderness first aid. Both climbers survived. The leader has written with some info about what happened. So we can all learn, here is the gist of his info. 1) He wasn't wearing a helmet. 2) He had not installed pro on an "easy" (for him) section of rock (probably 5.5 or so). 3) The doctor told him he would have died of bleeding if we hadn't helped, as the volume of blood loss was really high. Imagine three or four two-liter jugs of tomato juice, and you have an idea of the volume of blood loss. The accident had temporarily rendered his belayer unable to hlep him. 4) He was off-route and it was baking hot (slippery). 5) The belayer's catch probably help him-- leader might have broken his neck on a rock if he hadn't been caught. anyway. luckily it all came out to moderate injuries...but if there hadn't been other parties right there to help, there would certainly have been a fatality. chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg_W Posted September 2, 2004 Share Posted September 2, 2004 Glad to hear all will recover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ducknut Posted September 2, 2004 Share Posted September 2, 2004 Good job, glad you and your partner and the other party could help out. Probably saved his life. to you guys. Not to nitpick (is that spelled right Ireno?) or belittle your assistance: but isn't the total volume of blood in the human body something like 5 liters? It would be hard to loose 6-8 liters out of a 5 liter system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chriznitch Posted September 2, 2004 Share Posted September 2, 2004 Those first couple pieces are the most critical. Sometimes it's safe to be "high". A couple years ago I sprained my ankle catching my partner decking from about 20'--missing the 2nd bolt on a 5.10 sport route. He had a bunch of slack out to make the clip. I've contemplated if I should've run with the rope to take up the slack, but he was sure glad that I was there to catch him. Although the granite was excellent in that area, we've both worn our helmets since. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattp Posted September 2, 2004 Share Posted September 2, 2004 Were were they? I could imagine getting confused as to the location of the start of other routes on Castle Rock, perhaps, but not Midway. Do you know what guidebook they were using? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catbirdseat Posted September 2, 2004 Share Posted September 2, 2004 I have to wonder if they were headed up Damnation Crack? He would have gotten pro, however. My guess is they were on Winter Solstice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnowByrd Posted September 2, 2004 Share Posted September 2, 2004 (edited) I hate to say this...but it sounds like he could have died? He was damned lucky. I always wear a helmet. My question is, WHAT are the factors involved that caused this accident and HOW could it have been prevented? I know nothing about leading trad or anything else...but I can logically agree that those first few pieces are important. Having followed my first trad route last weekend, I got a good lesson on placing it, AND cleaning it. You guys did a good thing....perhaps the rest of us inexperienced climbers can learn from this? Edited September 2, 2004 by SnowByrd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg_W Posted September 2, 2004 Share Posted September 2, 2004 Alright you fuckers, I knew this would happen. Snowbyrd, keep your editorial about helmets to yourself or start another thread. This isn't about bashing an injured climber for his choice in headgear, it's about informing the climbing community of an accident. Start a thread to completely teardown everything these two climbers did and Monday morning quarterback it to death. Don't do it here. Greg_W Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cpt.Caveman Posted September 2, 2004 Share Posted September 2, 2004 I hate to say this...but no helmet? He was damned lucky. How stupid can you be? I know nothing about leading trad or anything else...but I can logically agree that those first few pieces are important. Having followed my first trad route last weekend, I got a good lesson on placing it, AND cleaning it. You guys did a good thing....now something good will happen to you I trad climb without helmets and have done some large alpine climbs without them. It depends on the situation.... In fact I have never climbed with a helmet on the Castle Rock formation. I think it's a stretch to call everyone stupid that climbs without them. Especially when you don't have much experience to judge others by. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted September 2, 2004 Share Posted September 2, 2004 good work Stolz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iain Posted September 2, 2004 Share Posted September 2, 2004 Wow, that could have been so much worse. Nice work, good to have a positive outcome for once. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary_Yngve Posted September 2, 2004 Share Posted September 2, 2004 Good job, glad you and your partner and the other party could help out. Probably saved his life. to you guys. Not to nitpick (is that spelled right Ireno?) or belittle your assitance: but isn't the total volume of blood in the human body something like 5 liters? It would be hard to loose 6-8 liters out of a 5 liter system. Yep, about 5L. And loss of a liter can trigger hypovolemic shock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minx Posted September 2, 2004 Share Posted September 2, 2004 friendly reminder to all to have some common descency. snowbyrd et al., if we're going to analyze this accident to death, including the use of a helmet please start a new thread. these guys did a good thing. lets keep it positive. speedy recovery to the 2 climbers who were injured! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stefan Posted September 2, 2004 Share Posted September 2, 2004 Good job stolz. Tell your partner good job too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashw_justin Posted September 2, 2004 Share Posted September 2, 2004 Yeah the scene description is convincing enough on the helmet issue, no need to beat a dead horse... (luckily, this time that phrase is not in poor taste) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomtom Posted September 2, 2004 Share Posted September 2, 2004 Were were they? I could imagine getting confused as to the location of the start of other routes on Castle Rock, perhaps, but not Midway. Maybe he started up the route to the left on the face of Jello Tower. It's kinda thin for pro, I believe and has been the scene of similar accidents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olyclimber Posted September 2, 2004 Share Posted September 2, 2004 Great work guys. Best wishes to the injured climbers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slothrop Posted September 2, 2004 Share Posted September 2, 2004 Maybe he started up the route to the left on the face of Jello Tower. It's kinda thin for pro, I believe and has been the scene of similar accidents. Yeah, that's exactly what I was thinking of: the South Face route. My partner pulled a piece and almost decked on that pitch a few years ago. There's a big pointy flake right underneath the start of the climb and it's an awkward belay, so the belayer tends to want to sit back from the base and thus can get yanked off his stance by a fall. I'm glad the climbers involved got speedy, competent help. Good thing the accident was at Castle Rock and not somewhere more remote and less popular. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catbirdseat Posted September 2, 2004 Share Posted September 2, 2004 (edited) Edited September 2, 2004 by iceguy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg_W Posted September 2, 2004 Share Posted September 2, 2004 Take it somewhere else, cbs. This ain't spray. Don't litter a serious thread about an injury with your idiotic antics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stemalot Posted September 2, 2004 Share Posted September 2, 2004 good job, glad to know the climbers will live Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Off_White Posted September 2, 2004 Share Posted September 2, 2004 I think Snowbyrd's question about a helmet is worth asking. I freely admit that as an old fart who dates back to the era that anyone worth their salt wouldn't wear anything more than a bandana or a little Royal Robbins (before he had a clothing line) billed cap, I've been really lax about wearing a helmet outside the alpine arena. I've been intending to get better about wearing a helmet for leading rock routes, especially since I've heard tales from climbers I know having their bacon saved by their helmet, even on "safe" sport routes. Maybe if I get one of those sleek foam jobbies I can make the leap, since all I have now is the model so stylishly modelled by Snowbyrd. I'm long past the romantic stage where I think dying while climbing would be anything less than horrible. Oh, and I think this thread is about response to an accident, and I have no problem with dissecting the incident. Maybe it's just that the people involved both survived, but I think making this a "teaching moment" is not without value. There's no need to make the victims feel stupid about it, and it does sound like the belayer may well have saved the leader's life (kudos due), but there are things worth examining here, especially on a popular moderate route, perhaps even one of the best easy routes in the state. Also, stellar work by Chris and all others involved, you all . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cpt.Caveman Posted September 2, 2004 Share Posted September 2, 2004 You can wear body armor and coiled springs around yourself while climbing with trampolines to catch a fall, ropes, cams and pro every 3 feet but there is always something that can get you. To sum it up - it's more often that you will find SEVERAL factors that contribute to accidents. Off route, loose rock, wet rock, gear failed, underestimate one's own skills or difficulty of route etc.. Frankly -It wasn't really a question but more of a remark. Whether it was ill intended - very unlikely I suspect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Off_White Posted September 2, 2004 Share Posted September 2, 2004 I agree completely. I also appreciate the fact the Snowbyrd edited out her insensitive comment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleblebleb Posted September 2, 2004 Share Posted September 2, 2004 Was the belayer wearing a helmet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.