29/06/2023

Middle Earth

Weather: dry, overcast, approx. 16degrees. Climber leading the 7b route at Bram Crag Quarry had fallen just before clipping the third bolt, following which the rock around the second bolt came away from the face with the draw and rope attached. This resulted in a ground fall for the climber (5-10m) who sustained an injury to the back of the head and neck (they were wearing a helmet, the plastic straps of which snapped during the incident), as well as a wound/gash to top of thumb. The belayer said the rock fell on climber as they fell. The belayer escaped the rock falling directly on them but they had a shallow leg wound from the rock fall/being pulled into and up the face. 4 other climbers in the close vicinity quickly went to assist, call emergency services, administer first aid, kept climber still and warm and calmed and assessed belayer. Mountain rescue and NW Ambulance service attended (arriving approx 30-40 mins after incident occurred) and stretchered the climber off for transportation to the hospital.

05/06/2022

Looper

Last Sunday I was on a warm up route at the LHS of Bram crag quarry with a mate. He'd just led the route (combination of Bolt from the blue and Looper) We pulled the ropes and I led it....just before the last clip on the upper section of Looper, a lump of rock about the size of a large frying pan and 4" thick dropped from a series of underlings above me and twatted me on the leg. Fortunately it had only dropped a metre before it hit me (bruised leg and fortunately I managed to cling on) and just missed my mate below. Had I been 5m lower it probably would have taken me out serious fashion. I had not touched the piece of rock, it just decided to drop off when I was near it. My mate doesn't think he used when he was clipping the bol on his ascent. We are both older experienced climbers in the age range 57-60, capable of 7a onsite sport climbing and currently E2/3 trad (though both have led up to E4/5 when we were younger) We were both aware of loose rock at the quarry. At least one of us wont be going back there to climb again.