Chockstone Forum

      Sponsored By
      ROCK
   HARDWARE

Chockstone Photography

Australian Landscape Prints

Chockstone Forum - General Discussion

General Climbing Discussion

Topic Date User

first trad fall 18-Jan-2006 At 3:39:51 PM alrob

Message

I've fallen a many a time onto bolts, but gear has not been so often.

First was a fall onto a bomber #2 camalot at point perp. It was probably only at my knees.

My next was my first REAL fall. It was on Wackford Squeers at Araps. The thing with this route, especially at the top, was all the good hand holds in the horizontals are the best gear slots. So i made the compromise of taking the better part of this particular slot for a hold, and wriggling in about a #2 WC Tech Friend. It was an ok peice, with onse side good, the other side maybe a little overcammed. I was conviced it would hold. I ended up peeling with it at my feet, and can remember watching it as i fell past it, thinking..."wow! whats going to happen?! will it hold!?" luckily it did, as it was a fair way down to the previous bolt. I don't think i would have decked though.....maybe hit the ledge......

Another fall(s) were on That Fearful Vortex ar Gramps. I fell 4 times at the crux onto a #2 RP when it was at about foot level. Exciting stuff, considering the First Ascentionist apparently snapped an RP while redpointing it......

My last big one was on Mr Joshua P1, where i pumped out on the jugs above the horizontal break, where i had slotted in a NOICE! #12 Smiley. Twice. I was moving up to the tick in the top of this photo when i peeled. Needless to say i needed to take a rock up in my pocket on TR to bash that wire out.

Maybe it's my youthful ignorance, but i tend to put quite a bit of faith into my gear.