06/10/2021

Scratching the surface

The leader took a short fall on the second bolt and swung into the side of the corner they were trying to gain. They still had their belay device (GriGri) racked on a back gear loop on their harness. This punched into their back, leaving them very sore and tipping them into an inversion. An imprint of the device was visible on their back afterwards. A minor injury, but it could have been much worse if it had impacted against the spine or organs. Casualty walked off in discomfort.

05/04/2015

DM walls

Experienced climbers in a familiar area on a simple warm up climb, first climb of the day. Topo for climb taken from sportclimb.co.uk as no guide book for DM walls existed at the time. Topo had no route lengths in it. 30m rope was used where majority of route known to be 15m. Climber used belayer rope and kit, unfamilliar and not wanting to scrutinise to much for fear of offending. Climber had a 50m rope in the car with proper belay sheet where rope ends were always tied. Belayer had a 30m rope in an ikea bag. Upon lower off rope was found to be too short, belayer continued to lower off, no knot tied in the end of the rope therefore rope slipped through belayer and belay plate. Climber fell four meters and is now paralysed. Route assumed to be 17m not 15m.