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Another day, another arapiles incident :(

patto

5-Jan-2006
11:35:37 PM

Another fall at arapiles today. Ambulance, police, SES, the whole works. Luckily it seems that the climber involved was not seriously hurt. The climber, a foreigner I believe, was unconcious briefly but was concious as he was taken away in the ambulance. I believe he suffered head and pelvic injuries. The climb that he fell on was Hyena on the Moby Dick pinnacle.

Sorry for the lack of other details, I observed much of the action from 50m up the cliff.


gordoste

6-Jan-2006
11:01:30 AM

did he have a helmet?


jh

6-Jan-2006
3:04:06 PM

Wimmera Mail Times
Italian in cliff fall
Eugene Duffy
Friday, 6 January 2006
EMERGENCY services and climbers have responded rapidly to the latest climbing accident at Mt Arapiles.

Franz Boshetti, 24, of Moreno in Italy suffered head and hip injuries after falling seven metres at Mt Arapiles shortly before noon yesterday when a safety device pulled out of the crack he was climbing.

Yesterday's fall follows an incident in early December in the same climbing area.

Mr Boshetti's climbing partner dhTristan Wardley from Melbourne said ambulance officers and fellow climbers were on the scene within 15 minutes of the alarm being raised.

Mr Wardley said Mr Boshetti was a confident and experienced climber who was resting on the safety gear when it pulled from a climb called Hyaena, causing him to hit the ground.

He said Mr Boshetti was unconscious for about 30 seconds and suffered a brief seizure before recovering consciousness.

Mr Wardley said it was reassuring as a climber that the emergency response was so rapid.

Rural ambulance paramedic Paul Burton said the climber was treated at the scene for a hip injury and lacerations to the skull and would be taken to Wimmera Base Hospital to check for any underlying injuries.

Mr Burton said the head injuries might have been avoided if the climber was wearing a helmet.

Nine members of the combined Goroke and Horsham State Emergency Service teams transported the victim off the cliff face and down a narrow path to a waiting ambulance.

About a dozen climbers including Horsham Rural City councillor Iain Sedgman and Natimuk climbing writer Simon Mentz were on the scene to assist.

Horsham SES team controller Jason Woodhart said having the local knowdhledge of members of the Arapiles Rescue Group and other climbers to help had sped up the rescue.

"It is always good to have as many people as possible, it makes the carry-out much easier," Mr Woodhart said.


master of drung

6-Jan-2006
5:39:55 PM

On 5/01/2006 patto wrote:
>Another fall at arapiles today. Ambulance, police, SEC the whole works.

why did the former and now defunct victorian power supplier attend?

patto

6-Jan-2006
6:50:54 PM

On 6/01/2006 master of drung wrote:
>On 5/01/2006 patto wrote:
>>Another fall at arapiles today. Ambulance, police, SEC the whole works.
>
>why did the former and now defunct victorian power supplier attend?

Despite popular belief the SEC is not a defunct organisation. Unknown to most of the general public a small group of renagades from the former SEC have continued to opperate and have formed a crack team of covert opperatives. Some say that the high exposure to electromagnetic radiation during their previous work have turned these SEC workers insane, and possibly altered their genetic make up giving them unique powers. This small group trains in ninja methods of stealth and disruption and has learnt techniques to remain almost invisible even in bright sun light.

Their goals are unknown however this group have been regularly causing trouble around Victoria for years. Strong evidence has linked these SEC workers in the Arthur's Seat chairlift accidents and the recent fires in the Grampians. SEC opperatives have been known to have their laughs by pulling cams of unsuspecting climbers, that is why many wise climbers continue to carry hexes to protect against hidden SEC opperatives.

Naturally this accident will be written up by the police as another climbing accident with no mention of the SEC. But several sightings of SEC opperatives that day aroung the area of golden fleece wall seem to indicate that this wasn't an ordinary climbing accident.


Rich

6-Jan-2006
8:46:07 PM

On 6/01/2006 patto wrote:
>On 6/01/2006 master of drung wrote:
>>On 5/01/2006 patto wrote:
>>>Another fall at arapiles today. Ambulance, police, SEC the whole works.
>>
>>why did the former and now defunct victorian power supplier attend?
>
>Despite popular belief the SEC is not a defunct organisation. Unknown
>to most of the general public a small group of renagades from the former
>SEC have continued to opperate and have formed a crack team of covert opperatives.
> Some say that the high exposure to electromagnetic radiation during their
>previous work have turned these SEC workers insane, and possibly altered
>their genetic make up giving them unique powers. This small group trains
>in ninja methods of stealth and disruption and has learnt techniques to
>remain almost invisible even in bright sun light.
>
>Their goals are unknown however this group have been regularly causing
>trouble around Victoria for years. Strong evidence has linked these SEC
>workers in the Arthur's Seat chairlift accidents and the recent fires in
>the Grampians. SEC opperatives have been known to have their laughs by
>pulling cams of unsuspecting climbers, that is why many wise climbers continue
>to carry hexes to protect against hidden SEC opperatives.
>
>Naturally this accident will be written up by the police as another climbing
>accident with no mention of the SEC. But several sightings of SEC opperatives
>that day aroung the area of golden fleece wall seem to indicate that this
>wasn't an ordinary climbing accident.

heehee.. classic!

sorry about the accident... but gotta wear those helmets on trad guys! good job on the response to all those involved, hope Franz recovers quickly and completely.

kieranl

6-Jan-2006
10:39:55 PM

Yesterday I gave an Austrian climber a lift out from Horsham. He was supposed to be climbing today with the guy who was injured and was nearby when the accident happened though climbing with someone else.
It sounds like the guy was trying too hard a climb while learning to lead on natural gear. Luckily not too badly hurt.
The Austrian guy said that was the biggest problem with climbing at Arapiles because he has only clipped bolts before. He's looking to do a lot of seconding and only lead easy climbs to get some gear skills.


Tjurri

7-Jan-2006
9:10:04 PM

Hehe, I know that guy Hans. I led him up his first multi-pitch trad at Araps just a couple of days ago! We stuck to Introductory Route, since it's only a grade 4. I thought he was disappointed that I insisted on something so easy, but now I'm kinda pleased I did, since I'm not exactly wonder woman and when things go wrong you really need to know what you're doing.

wombby

7-Jan-2006
11:04:18 PM

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.


shaggy

8-Jan-2006
12:09:27 AM

On 7/01/2006 wombby wrote:
> when a biner snapped.

I'd like to see that... Is this what is known first hand, or just from the rumor mill?

patto

8-Jan-2006
8:12:45 AM

On 8/01/2006 shaggy wrote:
>On 7/01/2006 wombby wrote:
>> when a biner snapped.
>
>I'd like to see that... Is this what is known first hand, or just from
>the rumor mill?

I too would like to see that. Maybe it was loaded across an edge or something. Even then I'd expect that it would still need a largish fall.

Oh BTW, hi shaggy!

One Day Hero

8-Jan-2006
6:40:03 PM

Shit, poor Frankie! Nice bloke, I hope he's alright.

In regards to biners snapping, don't believe the gear company hype, I've seen two bust with my own eyes. The trick seems to be levering the gate open on the rock just before the load comes on (this happens really easily), then even a tiny little sport fall will do the trick.

leap_frog_j

8-Jan-2006
9:59:08 PM

frankie's fine, i saw him just as i was leaving nati and he was on his way back from an overnighter in hospital. i'm really glad that he's ok.

wombby

8-Jan-2006
10:48:11 PM

I spoke to the American guy (Chris) while he was still there in The Pines. He said the biner was about 10 years old, but not damaged in anyway. It didn't slap against the rock or get caught on an edge or get cross loaded - it just snapped.

He was going to contact the company, but we all know what they're going to say.


shaggy

9-Jan-2006
12:19:51 AM

Hmm, without going into the usual carabiner debate, biners don't just break...

Hey Patto, which patto are you? might have to jog shuffle my memory, too much sun!


Rich

9-Jan-2006
7:16:11 PM

On 8/01/2006 patto wrote:
>On 8/01/2006 shaggy wrote:
>>On 7/01/2006 wombby wrote:
>>> when a biner snapped.
>>
>>I'd like to see that... Is this what is known first hand, or just from
>>the rumor mill?
>
>I too would like to see that. Maybe it was loaded across an edge or something.
> Even then I'd expect that it would still need a largish fall.
>
considering the crux is near the start, it wouldn't have been a large fall but probably a highish factor and if the gate is opened on the rock at the time.. tada..

>Oh BTW, hi shaggy!
yeh hi shaggy.. :P

Fish Boy

9-Jan-2006
7:28:23 PM

Franky is fine...lucky his dreads are so big....when he got back from the hospital he was still carrying the .4 camalot that popped!

He left for the gramps yesterday....

wombby

15-Jan-2006
12:38:00 AM

"Hmm, without going into the usual carabiner debate, biners don't just break..."

Perhaps a timely reminder that we don't live in a perfect world with perfect things.

Once again the illusion of "bomber gear" raises it's ugly head.

estherrenita_

15-Jan-2006
2:49:26 AM

The trick seems to be levering the gate
>open on the rock just before the load comes on (this happens really easily),
>then even a tiny little sport fall will do the trick.

hey this reminds me..
has anyone noticed the shot of Gareth Llewellin on this site taken by Neil ?
>grampians> red rocks > the 3rd pic.
....it is a super (to be said with a german accent) photo, and also it is a nice open bina shot.


shaggy

15-Jan-2006
9:53:26 AM

Yeah, there was already a brief discussion on this, and neil mentioned that he did rotate the biner post sjot.

There are 21 messages in this topic.