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Chockstone Forum - Accidents & Injuries

Report Accidents and Injuries

Author
Belayer passed out while lead climbing
Freddofrog
21-Jul-2016
10:52:23 AM
This thread just started on MP. Thought you guys might me interested in it.

https://www.mountainproject.com/v/belayer-passed-out-while-lead-climbing/112013850

E. Wells
21-Jul-2016
12:20:48 PM
Very.
Last weekend I had the honour of making second ascent (toprope cleaning) of a bottomless roof bodyjam chimney that involves climbing a horizontal figtree to establish suitably stuck ribcage. It is a magnificent addition to Nowra at grade 17-18 between the greasecaves at Thompsons.

While being stuck, stationary, and trying not to panic approx 10m above my belayer (the first ascentionist), I heard a crashing sound and looked down to see him on the ground holding his head. Nothing seemed to have been dislodged up where I was and it was all a bit confusing however retrospectively I think the horizontal figtree behind my shoulders may have moved away from the chimney wall enough to send debris nestled between them down. Anyhow , he recieved a rock to the eye as he was gazing straight up in amazement at my gracefull problem solving.

All I had to do was inhale and I wasnt going anywhere however falling might result in grazing bothsides of my head not to mention a dead weight 'softcatch' (he had a grigri) which would leave me hanging in mid air.
Not ideal.
I was about to find a way to reach back and go in hard to a hanger but he collected himself up and all was well. A visit to Nowra hospital didnt seem to solve the issue and I can only hope he is well. ( If you read this Jarrah let me know how your doing!)

After reading this article I like the option of a single strand rap with munter on opposed snappies (thats all I would have had).

P.S the route is actually quite unique though as yet undocumented. FigJam , Gr 17/18 , sport. Bottomless chimney to join arette/wall left of Grease Cave. The grade makes sense afterwards when you realised you didnt use many muscles , just a desire to live.

pmonks
21-Jul-2016
1:23:56 PM
Great name! 👍🏻👍🏻
robbio
21-Jul-2016
9:24:29 PM
I have only climbed once at nowra in the past (we got rained out at point perp, so went to Nowra to climb something dry) and i have never really had the desire to return. FigJam sounds like just the kind of route that could inspire me to climb there again. Hope it makes it into the new guide...
Freddofrog
21-Jul-2016
9:32:39 PM
Yeah, after reading that I may go out and practice rapping with a munter. In theory I know how and normally have my ATC with me at all times just good to know just in case.

E. Wells
21-Jul-2016
10:07:56 PM
I partially bolted a steep route with a 9mm static and a munter (w prussic belay) once just because I was too lazy and time poor to spend the extra 40min it would take to go home and get the grigri I forgot. The amount of twists at last 15m was epic however there is a super-munter that apparently resolves this...I just havent tried it. Someone used to bang on about super-munters all the time.
TimP
22-Jul-2016
10:49:24 AM
On 21/07/2016 Freddofrog wrote:
>Yeah, after reading that I may go out and practice rapping with a munter.
>In theory I know how and normally have my ATC with me at all times just
>good to know just in case.

Angle of the brake rope is important when abseiling on a munter — great article by Richard on RopeLab, includes super munter:

http://www.ropelab.com.au/munter-hitch/

Macciza
22-Jul-2016
11:34:11 PM
Not sure how a Munster would go on opposed nonlockers, I would prob just go with a single and be careful ... And I used to usually have a figure 8 with me and would rig it in auto locking mode if I needed hands free at times ...

As to the getting knocked out bit, it almost happened to me once when we were freeing The Citadel. Brian knocked a chunk of rock off that hit me in the back, winding me so much that I collapsed onto the rather meagre belay, gasping for breath and feeling like I was about to pass out. Fortunately I had the sense to rap as much rope around my hand as I could as I was belaying on an ATC. A few minutes later I was able to get myself together and whimper that I still had him on belay and he finished the pitch with me belaying very slowly as I couldn't move my right arm very much. Unable to climb out do to lack of mobility in arm it ended up as a very slow jug out ...

I also once had the leader almost pass out shortly after leaving a MP belay, fortunately he ended up only vomitting profusely which seemed to help regain his composure, the invention of an alternate exit via different routes made the upwards escape interesting but at least easier then continuing on the line we were on...

Ah the fun days ....

There are 8 messages in this topic.

 

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