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THE AUSTRALIAN RE, RETRO-BOLTING OPEN FORUM 17-Apr-2004 At 4:58:56 PM hex-TROLL

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Now that the tone has been set , it's time for >

A (true) SHORT STORY :

'...I , too , was climbing that day and was just about to commence a climb next to the one on which the woman fell (D MInor). After hearing her scream, followed by a sickening soft thud , I rushed across. She was rolling down the climb like a limp rag doll, BLOOD SPURTING FROM HER HEAD. Luckily ,her rope pulled her up before the bottom...her injuries would have been much more serious and may have cost her, her life. I then soloed up the climb to her...Semi-conscious, she was in a contorted position, the rope caught round her left arm. Blood flowed freely from her wound, over the rock and myself, eventually filling my boot to over-flowing. After stabilising her neck and airway to the best of my ability, we lowered her off the cliff...Subsequent X-rays showed serious skull and spinal fractures...The dangerous element of the sport [life-style ?] will always be there and is part of it's attraction...' ( Dr Mark Marriott , 1995 ).

With the high numbers of newbies (and others) being injured on 'easy' climbs , there may well be a strong case for 'sacrificing' D-Minor , to be RETRO-BOLTED WITH BIG, JUICY, RING-BOLTS.

ONE , well-known , introduction/TRANSITION climb , could well be a very good climbing-community 'investment' ; especially as D-Minor is already used for this purpose...

Intro to out-door climbing , lead-climbing , abseiling (off the top of the pinnacle), etc,etc,etc
Transition from gym>rock , town>country,etc,etc,etc

THEN ,once much confidence, and basic belaying, climbing , and abseiling skills have been quickly gained in a very user-friendly environment , can the intricacies of natural-gear placing be learned...maybe also on D-Minor , using the Ring-Bolts as very handy back-ups !...

Just a vague thought...

Luv,HEX.