13/02/2021

Kinder Downfall

On 13th February my partner and I climbed the Downfall Route up on Kinder. After climbing the first pitch and arriving at the belay ledge I saw the team above - the leader already climbing the final section whilst being belayed by his partner on the same ledge as my belay. I was shocked that his belay consisted on a single ice-screw and warthog, both placed in poor quality ice. The climber had clipped with a carbineer directly through (not even in) to the sling use to equalise the 2 gear placements. Therefore, if the warthog had ripped (it was flexing) the large carabineer would have slipped directly through the sling resulting in a ground fall. When told that his belay was not built correctly and that he was not attached, the climber refused to admit any wrongdoing.