Chockstone Forum

      Sponsored By
      ROCK
   HARDWARE

Chockstone Photography

Australian Landscape Prints

Chockstone Forum - Accidents & Injuries

Report Accidents and Injuries

Topic Date User

Climber injured in bluies after 30m fall 2/Jan/13 19-Jan-2013 At 8:09:03 AM Jakob

Message

Regarding the possible greater than ff2, remember that its not possible to have greater than ff2. If on the belay ledge there was significant slack from nut, belayer etc, the fall would be about aff1or slightly more. If you were on a bridge, let out 50m of slack and jumped (without decking), that would be atextbook ff1.

The thing I enjoy most about climbing is that every climber/belayer has the freedom to chose there own level of risk, so to me the details of what these guys were doing are interesting, but if you are a climber interested in learning something, I think it is this: whenever you are in a position to fall directly on to the belay point/anchor, a loud warning bell should go off that you are in a position to load your life protection system (rope, harness, placements, trad gear, belayer, rock, piton, etc.) with worst case loads, resulting in the highest risk throughout the climb that something could fail. Falling off a ledge with 2m slack onto your belay results in similar forces to being 30m up, 15m run out from your last cam and jumping!

How you protect yourself from risk is up to you and your belayer, but everyone needs to understand the risk they are in. For me, I use a 3point equalised, isolated anchor and low placed pro such that in a fall, my belayer goes upwards, not downwards. these guys made a decision on how to protect, others will solo stuff, some are happy on a knotted prussik jammed in a crack, and good on everyone, just have fun climbing!