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Scariest fall ever? 12-Oct-2012 At 9:20:18 AM Tastrad

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On 9/10/2012 Cool Hand Lock wrote:
>That's a massive winger.
>
>Mental Jim told me he was belaying someone going for a ground up first
>ascent at Ben Lomond. On the second pitch the guy ran out 30m with no gear,
>as it was a closed corner. Fell the full 60m+stretch. Pulled up a few meters
>off the deck.
>
>Mental Jim shaid he the leader went past the belay quite quickly.

I witnessed that fall from the route beside it. Niels from USA going ground up on Heimdall Crag at Africa. On 2nd pitch a hold broke, he ripped 8 pieces on the pitch and went cartwheeling upside down past the belayer (Crazy John). He fell at least 50m and pulled up 15m off the deck. 5m from the belay the rope snagged behind a flake and shredded a 3m section of the rope. I think this is what held the fall - there was one more piece between the flake and the belayer, which probably would have ripped as well and factor 2 onto John's belay which he said was marginal. The rope getting caught on the flake probably averted 2 fatalities.

Bob McMahon fell 30m off the Pavilion at Ben Lomond in 1974 with no harness and just a manilla rope around the waist - factor 2 onto his belayer and the fall was held because the rope wrapped around the belayers leg and snapped his femur. Bob hanging in space below the belayer swung into the cliff (off the guys broken leg), climbed to the top with broken hand and broken ribs belayed by a third fellow. The third guy went for help, brought back a logger several hours later, who hauled the injured climber up the cliff then pissed off. The police seach and rescue got them all down about midnight.