08/12/2019

While sport lead climbing on a steep route my shoe heel loop (for assisting putting on shoe) somehow clipped itself into the quickdraw next to it (i.e. the last draw I had clipped). I was unable to continue ascending due to my foot being held in place, yet neither could i downclimb for the same reason and due to the significantly steeper than vertical rock. I had just climbed through the crux which was near limit climbing for me (i had fallen off here on my previous attempt) and thus was very pumped and fatigued, but was not yet able to reach any big jug holds where I could recover. I could just reach the quickdraw above me with my body fully stretched out, which I grabbed with both hands. My memory is somewhat hazy, but I remember feeling that clipping the rope in it was out of the question, probably since I was too pumped to take one of my hands off the draw for long enough, or because of the position I was in, fully stretched out over a steep bulge. The quickdraw was a slim trad style draw which did not offer a good grip given how pumped I was, and with my last reserves rapidly dwindling, I was facing a fall in which I would inverse, pivoting around my trapped foot which could not move, crashing head first into the rock. I was extremely fortunate that another british climber, with whom I had previously made acquaintance, was climbing just above me on the route next door. I shouted for help and she immediately swung down off the rock to remove the quick draw to which my foot was attached from the bolt, and I was able to safely fall. I had previously learned that she worked at a climbing centre, and I credit her and her partner with saving me from a potentially very nasty fall, by reacting so impressively quickly and adeptly to the situation.