08/03/2024

Dexterous hare

I'm an experienced trad climber having climbed up to e4/5. It was the first trad day back after winter and a while having led. I felt strong and confident on the other routes of the day and decided to try this route. As I climbed up I felt fine but the gear placements were poor which I ignored somewhat. After the overlap I missed a cam on the left and so only protection was small wires and cams. I was starting to get pumped and numb out as it was getting cold and slipped. As I fell all my gear stripped, taking some of the force. I landed on my back, luckily avoiding all rocks nearby. I had an unstable L1 compression fracture and broke my sacrum. I had no whiplash and did not hit my head. There wasn't lots of pain mostly shock and a strong winding hindering me from deep breathing. My partner checked my sensation and we called 999 and they quickly sent out an ambulance, a helicopter and mountain rescue. I was lying for around an hour and at one point tried to move and sat up briefly against the wall but holding my weight through my arms. Mountain rescue and emergency services were amazing, friendly funny and comforting and relieved a lot of the stress at that moment. I was flown to the northern general in Sheffield.

05/05/2019

Just started leading E2 and was very excited to give this a go, though I was fairly apprehensive because I didn't quite feel ready for it. I lead up to the low crux and slipped - unfortunately my gear popped and I fell, caught my leg in the rope and inverted. A nut held the fall but the rope stretch allowed my head to hit the floor, though not very hard. It was pretty sketchy.