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Another day, another arapiles incident :( 7-Jan-2006 At 11:04:18 PM wombby

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Seems to be the funny season at Araps.

When I arrived there a few weeks ago, an American climber (name withheld to protect the guilty), was hobling around with a sprained ankle after he decked on Aardvark when a biner snapped. A british girl banged her head, but not too seriously, on a 5m fall, catching the rope under her leg as she fell and flipping her upside down (no helmut of course - she wouldn't even wear one after the incident). A German guy sprained his ankle on Kachoong, after he heel hooked the lip, then came off (the heel stayed behind to admire the view). Another guy did the same thing a week or so later (get in line and draw a number guys).

I met a few continental climbers whilst there, and this issue of having little or no experience with trad climbing seems to be a common trait.

I'll never forget the two German climbers I met there last year. They thought they could climb there on sports gear alone. When the harsh reality struck home, one of them went into Nati and bought a 3/4 set of wires. He didn't want to spend too much money on gear he wouldn't use was his explanation! "How much is your life worth"? I asked him. Didn't seem to have the desired affect as they went on climbing anyway.