Chockstone Forum

      Sponsored By
      ROCK
   HARDWARE

Chockstone Photography

Australian Landscape Prints

Chockstone Forum - Accidents & Injuries

Report Accidents and Injuries

Topic Date User

Top Roping Ankle Breakage 20-Mar-2017 At 3:28:39 PM jakob

Message

Was belaying my second up a climb in Joshua Tree recently when I heard a thump, thump thump scream. Peered over the edge and saw a girl on the end of a top rop which was anchored close to me, her ankle was completely busted, not compound, but badly fractured.

What happened? The party of 6 she was with set up a wondering slab (about 45degrees from left to right) without clipping bolts on the way as re-directs to protect against a pendulum. She blew it around half way and pendulumned and crocodile rolled about 8m across the slab, bouncing off and then swinging around and having her foot jam the slab.

How to stop this - if you are going to set up a top rope for a friend, beware of pendulums, protect against them by clipping gear/bolts in order to reduce the size of the pendulum. The second can unclip on the way up. If you have multiple in your party, you will be forced to lower or rappel each climber back down the route and get them to reclip each piece to protect the 3rd, 4th, etc.

Rescue - The girl was above a large ledge, the party was stunned. She couldn't be lowered on to the ledge as she was incapable of walking herself the 3m back across the undulating ledge to lower off again. I lowered my partner from the atc in guide mode (safely of course, having read of accidents where this has gone wrong). Then rigged an extended abseil on self belay with a prussik. I came down and connected her to my device with a couple lockers and another sling (modified rescue sling esque). I got her belayer to keep slack in the system as a backup but to stay on belay. Kept her between my legs facing out (as opposed to inwards if rescuing someone unconcious) and she used her good foot to stabilse herself as we came down, onto the ledge, over the ledge and back down to the ground. Off to hospital for her, hope she goes ok.

Recommend everyone read up on rescues! It could come in handy. Practice with a mate on the next rainy day, just back it up with a separate rope.