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Chockstone Forum - Accidents & Injuries

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Factor 2 22-Apr-2010 At 7:25:02 PM sleake

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On 21/04/2010 Olbert wrote:
>
>>
>Do you really want to say this to a struggling beginner leader? My friends
>have been in a situation where a climber has made a poor decision and as
>a result completely lost there head. It was commented by the leader afterwards
>that the fact that the belayer stayed calm and confident (or so the leader
>thinks) it really helped him keep him in it.
>

As the leader in this situation, I have to agree completly. It was my first trad lead close or at my limit in 3 months after spending all summer on real mountains in NZ, and quickly realised how less solid i had become (yes ollbert, that IS possible :P). Poor decision was using a rubbish cam, thinking i had a good enough stance to place it properly. Cam went in sideways, my brain exploded and it was all thanks to dave staying dead calm and cool despite my tears and shakes and screaming till i got in a bomber cam onto which i slumped, much relived. The nature of the pitch meant that a fall would have been pretty horrible for both of us, and afterwards david admited that he was packin it too.

Climbers and belayers must both realize that trad, particually multi pitch, is the ULTIMATE team sport, and mistakes made by one affect the other, potentially fatally, and that communication must resect such level of commitment.

As for fixed gear, same as in the mountains - Clip ANYTHING, trust nothing.