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Chockstone Forum - General Discussion

General Climbing Discussion

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first trad fall 18-Jan-2006 At 2:53:29 PM master of drung

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neils current questionaire has me wondering if in this age of working routes the drama and significance of your first lead fall particularly onto your own gear has gone. I don't remember mine but i think it was onto a shiny new bolt. i do remember my first fall onto a teeny tiny rp on silver knight at gravel pit tor in the youies surprised at my lack of fear but the piece did get very retired. have been present at a beauty at dec crag, arapiles where my partner lost his cherry at the exact point of a climb that resulted in the sad plaque at the bottom, he was very aware of this fact. almost exactly the same thing happened to my father on d minor for his first lead fall many years ago when he was racking up he was told the story of the recent fatality on the climb and observed the still fresh blood stains only to take a surprise fall from the key overhang. So any good stories, particulary from the young, or is this once "special" (i have been watching bruce on the tennis) time in a climbers life no longer a big deal.

A small aside which would be better suited to the other thread if you are leading trad and you are not consistently confident logically and rationally in the quality of the gear that you are placing then fix this problem or take up soloing before you hurt yourself. This is f---ing dangerous!