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18/07/2020 Leader groundfall at Frog Buttress (QLD 29-Jul-2020 At 7:08:38 PM davedave

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Accident note with photos.

Please note: the following is a rough overview of some details of a recent accident at Frog, undoubtedly some of the details will be incorrect, incomplete or just missing, nevertheless I hope they provide some educational value. Please keep any comments constructive.

Best wishes for the recovery of the climber, and thanks for QAS, QPS, Fire and HEMS services for their assistance.

Date of incident: 18/07/2020
Location: “Voices in the Sky” *** 25, West of access track, Frogs Buttress, Mount French section, Moogerah Peaks National Park, QLD, Australia

Activity: single pitch trad climbing
Mechanism: Trad lead fall, multiple placement failure, groundfall.
Injury: Lower limb injury requiring hospitalisation
Weather: Clear
Incident ~1540, Sunset: ~1712, last light ~1737 (ref: Willyweather)

Route Description from TheCrag:
https://www.thecrag.com/climbing/australia/frog-buttress/west/route/11800009
“Fantastic climbing and superb positions can be found the whole way up this thin and daunting line. Despite appearances, brilliant protection in the form of small wires and micro cams can be found the whole way.”

Route Description Guidebook:

Incident description:
Male climber in his 30s fell during onsight attempt on Voices in the sky (Grade 25, three star, 32m), due to multiple placement failures fell approx 7m into boulder gully, ‘caught’(spotted) as he bounced out of the gully head first to the base of MMT. Sustained leg injuries, walked out by ambulance service for road transport to hospital for further treatment.

Climber was not wearing a helmet at the time of the fall, I understand it was his first day at Frog.

Emergency services were contacted by the climbers' partners immediately due to concerns regarding risk of serious injury due to significant fall distance by mobile phone (good reception at this crag).

Climber was reviewed at the site by QAS with attendance of QPS/fire who performed as assisted hobble to walk to road transport ~300m as last light approached.

Per the climbers friends, injuries including open fracture of kneecap and fracture of tibia were identified.

Unfortunately I have been unable to contact the climber to confirm any details regarding this incident.

The climber was reported to have noted, during the climb, that his placements were of poor quality prior to the fall. Review of photos taken prior appears consistent with some of the micro cams stems being in a suboptimal position (ie out of alignment with expected loading) immediately prior to the fall. It is likely the climber was either not carrying or did not use micro wires.