DavidHiers Posted May 10, 2008 Share Posted May 10, 2008 (edited) Hi, This topic came up in a recent conversation, so I thought that I'd rattle the cage of the assembled brain trust... Is any one aware of a climber being injured when a non-climber tampered with their gear? I'm thinking of places like Rocky Butte and Broughton Bluff that have walkup trails that provide easy access to anchors. All those bright shiny things might tempt some schmoe that's watched too many Jackass episodes. I can't find any mention of this kind of injury in the accident journal, so it seems to be somewhat rare. Thanks, David Edited May 11, 2008 by DavidHiers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashw_justin Posted May 10, 2008 Share Posted May 10, 2008 I have never heard of this happening either. I guess people are wiser than this. However, I once climbed at a crag where you approach from the top and normally climb by setting up a clean gear anchor first (there are no bolts and nothing to simply sling with rope or webbing) and then lowering/rappelling down to the start of the pitch. The thought of anyone intentionally tampering with my gear placements worried me less than the thought that any of several other climbers that were buzzing around at the edge of the cliff might trip over my anchor setup and cause damage to it and/or themselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billcoe Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 (edited) Hi, This topic came up in a recent conversation, so I thought that I'd rattle the cage of the assembled brain trust... Is any one aware of a climber being injured when a non-climber tampered with their gear? I'm thinking of places like Rocky Butte and Broughton Bluff that have walkup trails that provide easy access to anchors. All those bright shiny things might tempt some schmoe that's watched too many Jackass episodes. I can't find any mention of this kind of injury in the accident journal, so it seems to be somewhat rare. Thanks, David This is why you always have to LOCK your biners. Thats all I have. _________________________________________________________________ edited to add this story Ok, one more, Talbot Beilfeld did a well written artical with a bunch of crap exactly like this in it @ 1986 for Outside magazine. He included my earlier incident wherein some kids were unclipping my shit as I solo toproped below. He made it seem all dramatic, and I'll admit to some small sweat beads until I toped out, but after I heard the distinct clipping noises I started yelling up. At that, one kid poked his head over the edge, appeared shocked to see a human being below and they were all gone by the time I got up there. Now thats all I have and I mean it now. For now anyway, thats all. Edited May 13, 2008 by billcoe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catbirdseat Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 I heard a story about a kegger on a lofty ledge on El Cap long ago in which they took precautions any time they saw someone getting a little too drunk. They'd tighten the person's tie-in locker with a leatherman so the subject wouldn't accidentally "wander off". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidHiers Posted May 13, 2008 Author Share Posted May 13, 2008 That'd up the pucker factor! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
area51 Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 Wasn't John Sherman's famous sling found to have been cut by a knife, and that the cut was hidden in the knot??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catbirdseat Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 No, that's not what I heard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hafilax Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 Does trundling count? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ishmael Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 I have never see or heard of any non-climbers screwing with anchors ect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EWolfe Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 A past co-worker (redneck carpenter type) was telling me about shooting at "some shiny things on a cliff" out by East Flagstaff. I recognized the place as a climbing area called The Barrio, and gave him an earful for shooting at anchors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moof Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 (edited) I think John Long's "Close Calls" had a couple noteable stories. One was a guy on the Lost Arrow spire getting ready for a tyrolean traverse (you pre-rig the far end before rapping into the notch to do the 2 pitch climb). He saw a hiker looking at his gear and started going apeshit at him, and calling out his questionable parentage. The hiker, realizing his strategically strong position flipped the bird and cut the rope. The dude had to wait for SAR to bail him out. There are also plenty of equally scary tales of tourons hucking rocks off the top for grins and giggles, not realizing anyone is below. Edited May 13, 2008 by Moof Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hemp22 Posted May 14, 2008 Share Posted May 14, 2008 i don't have any examples of non-climbers actually screwing with gear & causing a problem - but if it were going to happy anywhere, it'd probably be Rocky Butte (meth-riddled brain thinks all them shiny clippy things are worth somethin for scrap metal). I think trundling or tossing rocks is a whole different issue, but there are certainly examples of where that had bad results (Pete Absolon is a notable recent one). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jens Posted May 14, 2008 Share Posted May 14, 2008 I've clipped plenty of bolts that have been hit by bullets. 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.