I climbed a bit at Great Falls when i lived in Washington DC. I very quickly learnt that you can't lead there, vertically bedded slick crumbly slate. Not surprising that everything fell out
1. Why is the belayer standing to the left when the crack goes right-to-left? Thus putting more outward force on the lower piece that blew, and also managing to 'trip' up the falling climber on the rope.
2. If you're going to fall, best put that fat padded haul bag below you and aim for it instead, rather than land in a puddle.
On 2/08/2014 dalai wrote:
>Lesson learned - don't aid climb...
... said the treadly rider with the fractured collarbone!
;-)
On 3/08/2014 daave wrote:
>Someone should really clear up the definition of "deep water soloing" for this guy
Laughed aloud at that.
;-)
On 2/08/2014 gfdonc wrote:
>There's a couple of good lessons there.
>
>1. Why is the belayer standing to the left when the crack goes right-to-left?
> Thus putting more outward force on the lower piece that blew, and also
>managing to 'trip' up the falling climber on the rope.
>
I largely agree, though there may be a drop off the ledge beyond the haulbag, in-line-under the 'yellow piece' that blew, and it is not visible where the next belay stance in that direction is...
Once the climber was 'tripped' it caused the belayer to let go with the non-braking hand due rope twang, and interestingly the lowest piece was still holding once the fallen climber decked out.
Due the lowest piece holding, I'd say it was more a side-loading that pulled the yellow piece rather than an outward loading. Still, it would've been better/stronger to have everything in line if possible.
>2. If you're going to fall, best put that fat padded haul bag below you
>and aim for it instead, rather than land in a puddle.
>
I am hesitant to call on that in this particular scenario, as it may have resulted in a leg fracture or broken ankle or heel/s, especially if he hadn't been 'tripped up' and landed feet first. The haulbag is on a deckout ledge after all...
Another point worth considering is the testing that the leader used on the topmost piece which blew when he eased onto it. It was more a leg shuffle-wiggle (ie tentative lightweight testing), rather than a full-on bounce test.
This can be justified if the placement was considered marginal to start with, but if that was the case, and especially given the proximity of decking out, I would have been doubling up pro there, or making a matrix to take bodyweight at least.