Greg_W Posted September 20, 2004 Posted September 20, 2004 I would be concerned about catching a heel in your scenario, CBS. I just keep my hands and feet out to the rock, regardless of where I fall. Quote
mattp Posted September 20, 2004 Posted September 20, 2004 Mattp has told me to run madly backwards if I fall on slabs. Somehow I have managed to avoid falling on slabs, but most certainly the time will come. I may have said that is what I usually do, Catbird, but you should recognize that it has its limits. If you run backwards and stay on your feet you can often come out of a slab fall with not even a scratch, but in a longer fall I don't believe you are going to be able to keep up no matter what you do and the back peddling will likely only increase the chances that you're going to end up tumbling and getting really banged up because you're going to be keeping your center of gravity away from the rock. Also, the back peddlng may cause you to put a greater force or a more outward pull on a nut or cam placed behind some hollow flake or something. I do not recommend any "one size fits all" approach to falling on a slab. I am surprised when we read, every time this topic comes up, that slab falls are the most dangerous (or someting like that). Maybe I'm just not clear on what the definition of a slab is, but to me a slab is a smooth and low angle rock face and often on this terrain there is nothing to hit. I do not call it a slab where a climb follows broken terrain that happens to be less than vertical. I've never heard of any serious or even significant injury when someone fell of, say, On Line at Static (the climb known for total slickness with "gape like a fish runouts" where thirty footers are not uncommon), and I bet if you look at Accidents in North American Mountaineering you will find that serious injuries on slabs constitute very few of the serious fall-injuries reported. One other miscellaneous point I want to comment on is the idea that you should push away from the rock when you fall. I believe this is most applicable to bolt-proteted and overhanging terrain but that lots of times it is a bad idea. On any terrain less than vertical, pushing away from the rock may avoid hitting the ledge immediately below you but it is just as likely to increase the speed with which you strike the next one. Also, most of us protect as closely as possible below a hard move. Generally you want the pull to come downward on your gear, not outward. In all cases, the idea that a leader should try to keep their head about them is correct. When launching onto a hard move, look to see where the rope is or what you may hit if you fall and evaluate your pro - and then think about what you are going to do if you come off. There's a good chance that your reaction in a fall will be instinctive and this "analysis" will change little, but maybe you'll do better than simply reacting as you always do. Quote
chucK Posted September 20, 2004 Posted September 20, 2004 Depending upon where you grease off on a slab, you often have a chance to stop sliding if you keep your sticky rubber underneath you. Think of it like skiing. You may stop if you slide into an area that's even just a little bit less steep. So anyway, pushing off or running backward may be giving up too soon. On slabs, starting to slide is not always impy you're at the point of no return. The only place I might quickly give up, and walk backward is if I was very close to an omnidirectional piece (bolt), so giving up and walking backward may save a little shoe rubber. Oh, and making sure the rope is not behind your leg is quite important on slabs. If anybody is gonna get hurt bad on a slab fall it is from the rope flipping them over and cracking their head. Quote
SnowByrd Posted September 21, 2004 Posted September 21, 2004 Depending upon where you grease off on a slab, you often have a chance to stop sliding if you keep your sticky rubber underneath you. Think of it like skiing. You may stop if you slide into an area that's even just a little bit less steep. So anyway, pushing off or running backward may be giving up too soon. On slabs, starting to slide is not always impy you're at the point of no return. The only place I might quickly give up, and walk backward is if I was very close to an omnidirectional piece (bolt), so giving up and walking backward may save a little shoe rubber. Oh, and making sure the rope is not behind your leg is quite important on slabs. If anybody is gonna get hurt bad on a slab fall it is from the rope flipping them over and cracking their head. or wrapping around their ankle, flipping them upside down, and snappinig the ankle. owwww! Quote
Dru Posted September 21, 2004 Posted September 21, 2004 or wrapping around your whole body multiple times and turning into a cushioned body stocking to protect you from injury... Quote
SnowByrd Posted September 21, 2004 Posted September 21, 2004 or wrapping around your whole body multiple times and turning into a cushioned body stocking to protect you from injury... Dru, stop thinking of sausages.....u know the ones I mean. Quote
SnowByrd Posted September 21, 2004 Posted September 21, 2004 "Your rope is your airbag" Hmmm...I thought you were an 'airbag'. Have you ever seen a broken bone sticking through the skin? Warning - Disgusting Picture (bone sticking through flesh) http://www.worldortho.com/database/exam-trauma/comp/76.jpg Mine looked a little like that except the bone was sticking out the other side. Quote
Bug Posted September 21, 2004 Posted September 21, 2004 People seem to have an aversion to reality today. Let's all eat acid and pretend Timothy Leary is president. Quote
specialed Posted September 21, 2004 Posted September 21, 2004 Mine looked a little like that except the bone was sticking out the other side. Attention Whore. Quote
SnowByrd Posted September 21, 2004 Posted September 21, 2004 Mine looked a little like that except the bone was sticking out the other side. Attention Whore. tis true...its all about mememememememememe Quote
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.