Getting Shot at While Climbing! WTF!!!

10 or 15 years ago I was shot at while climbing at Catslab. The hillbillies were on the old road across from the river and were shouting things at us (could not make out what) while they fired off three shots. They were definitely shooting at us (it was a distinct noise), but were aiming to miss us as the bullets were ricocheting off the slab around me. This was way before there were any access issues to the crag (aparently not). In fact this was before catslab was documented in any guide book (or even MP). We (quickly) got our things together and took off thinking we were on private land, never to return until Catslab showed up in the old Rolofson(sp?) guidebook. Until then my buddies and I called it "Hillbilly Crag".
It’s important to remember some of CCC is in Clear Creek County, and/or is really close to it. Metro areas like Denver, and their inhabitants, are the exception in the state of CO. Sometimes hillbillies have a way of “telling” you something that you’ll listen to very carefully.
Edit: Escalante Canyon outside of Grand Junction is riddled with bullet holes. If you use them as a foothold to stem a dihedral, is it a chipped rout or cheating? O-well maybe that could be a different thread.

Illegal shooting definitely goes on in Clear Creek Canyon, though this is the first time I've heard of it in this particular area. Sorry, you didn't get a satisfactory response from the S.O., though them asking if you were sure they were shooting at you is actually pretty logical. There being a distinct difference between someone intentionally shooting at you or someone failing to assess their backstop before firing. I understand that being the victim in this situation there is very little difference to you. Be sure that when we get reports of shots fired in the canyon, we definitely do respond, and will cite the parties involved if we catch them.

Thanks for posting, I will be passing this along to the rest of the crew.

Mike Morin
Park Ranger
Jefferson County Open Space

Mike Morin wrote:Illegal shooting definitely goes on in Clear Creek Canyon, though this is the first time I've heard of it in this particular area. Sorry, you didn't get a satisfactory response from the S.O., though them asking if you were sure they were shooting at you is actually pretty logical. There being a distinct difference between someone intentionally shooting at you or someone failing to assess their backstop before firing. I understand that being the victim in this situation that there is very little difference to you. Be sure that when we get reports of shots fired in the canyon, we definitely do respond, and will cite the parties involved if we catch them. Thanks for posting, I will be passing this along to the rest of the crew. Mike Morin Park Ranger Jefferson County Open Space

Thanks for showing interest and posting, Mike. Appreciated.

So, if somebody is shooting at you like this...you can assume the worst that they are trying to take your life. If you are armed...are you allowed to return fire?

wankel7 wrote:So, if somebody is shooting at you like this...you can assume the worst that they are trying to take your life. If you are armed...are you allowed to return fire?

Reminds me of the quote "I would rather be judged by 12 than carried by 6"

muttonface wrote:I'd just pitch it to Patagonia or Marmot or whomever. Actually, Sly wasn't in my top ten. I was thinking Hank Caylor, since he's a veteran too and is all kinds of savvy to this type of thing. Worse comes to worse, I could don my invention- err... your invention; OUR invention?... but I'm not very appealing, hence my name.

I believe he was being sarcastic.

I got shot at while setting up a TR up off of Mt. Herman Road once. Bullets started hitting the rocks really close to me so I dove for cover behind a boulder and started yelling & screaming. The shots just kept coming no matter how much I yelled. I thought WTF, someone is trying to kill my ass. I scrambled down & around a ways and came up behind the guy who was shooting his sniper looking rifle at targets. He was wearing....you guessed it, big ol' ear muff hearing protection. He couldn't hear me screaming bloody murder down in the trees. He was very apologetic and felt horrible about it - turned out he was a Monument cop!

Mike Morin wrote:...Be sure that when we get reports of shots fired in the canyon, we definitely do respond, and will cite the parties involved if we catch them....

Nice, Mike. Good on ya.

I was climbing at Trad Rock, in Cochise, a month ago. I rapped down after Isle of Ewe and my wife and dogs are at the base when someone started shooting a large caliber handgun near us. No one else was at the crags and luckily it was easy to stay behind the large rock outcropping at the base. Turns out it was an idiot shooting below us into the creek/field, which has not only climbing above it but also a trail (horses had just walked it about an hour before). I didn't have my gun because I was rope soloing, but I really wish I could have "returned" fire.

Mike Morin wrote:Be sure that when we get reports of shots fired in the canyon, we definitely do respond, and will cite the parties involved if we catch them. Thanks for posting, I will be passing this along to the rest of the crew. Mike Morin Park Ranger Jefferson County Open Space

Good to know, Mike. Thanks for all that you guys do! I'll be putting JeffCo Open Space's phone number in my cell phone. If we were to report an incident like this in the future, would this the be right place to do it?

Open Space
700 Jefferson County Parkway, Suite 100
Golden, CO 80401
303-271-5925

Thanks!

- Harry

I got shot at while going for a run in Delta Junction, Alaska while running on a trail next to a highway. Bullets were flying across the trail right in front of me so I decided that 2 miles was sufficient for the day...

I also went bouldering (for once) and found that the people near us that were target practicing were actually shooting at the boulders we were about to climb. Some people really do test the limits of firearm freedom.

While hanging out in my car below Cactus Cliff at Shelf a couple years back, I heard gunfire, interspersed with whizzing as the shots went by overhead. I leaned on the horn pretty hard for about 30 seconds, and then the shooting stopped.

Also, one October evening I was walking around downtown Laramie, about a block from the Buckhorn Bar. Laramie locals will know it as the bar with the bullet hole in the mirror behind the bar. I heard gunfire from the direction of the Buckhorn, and immediately ducked behind a Buick because, if any car will stop a bullet, its a fuckin' buick. I peek around the side of the car to see that the shooters are in late 19th century cowboy attire, in front of a big hay wagon with the words "Laramie Ghost Tours" emblazoned on its side. I glanced around nervously to make sure nobody noticed my irrational chicken move, and continued walking to my destination.

Brian Scoggins wrote:I heard gunfire from the direction of the Buckhorn, and immediately ducked behind a Buick because, if any car will stop a bullet, its a fuckin' buick.

Best.

I posted up on this very topic about four years ago. Happened to George and me once - intentional near misses while climbing on the Bucksnort Slabs. I know a friend who was shot at while climbing Freed Falls near Durango. Others posted similar experiences.

George and I woulda dodged behind a Buick but we were feeling all Clint like so we continued with style… plus there were no Buicks.

I took comfort in knowing that these were intentional near misses and not random bullets.

I would not take comfort in the idea that these guys are random rednecks or hillbillies - they might just be your bagger at Whole Foods. You know the one.

That truly adds to the rating. did you ever yell "HEY WE'RE F'IN CLIMBING HERE OR CEASE FIRE YOU IDIOTS?" That would have pissed me off rightously. Breaking one of the cardinal rules of firearms safety. "BE CAREFUL OF YOUR BACKSTOP AND BEYOND" Were rounds actually impacting the rock around you?

Ben F wrote:This why a large caliber handgun is an essential part of any trad rack.

+1
Double action, hammerless compact 10+ shot .380 that fits in the palm of your hand. Mine has an ankle holster too. And go hollow point of course.

Harry Dorcy wrote: Good to know, Mike. Thanks for all that you guys do! I'll be putting JeffCo Open Space's phone number in my cell phone. If we were to report an incident like this in the future, would this the be right place to do it? Open Space 700 Jefferson County Parkway, Suite 100 Golden, CO 80401 303-271-5925 Thanks! - Harry

I would encourage you to call Jefferson County Dispatch first. We're dispatched through them and would be requesting cover from Deputies on a call involving shots fired, so working through the central dispatch center should get things moving more efficiently.

Despite the OP's experience with JeffCo Dispatch I would say they are a reliable avenue to receive assistance. You can contact the Sheriff's Dept. via their non-emergent line (303-277-0211) if it's just a case of hearing/witnessing target shooting, and request a response by a park ranger. Directly requesting a ranger should get the wheels moving relatively quickly. If you don't receive a response to your satisfaction, then I would say, yes, definitely give Open Space a call. Of course if there is an immediate danger to life and safety don't hesitate to dial 911.

As a side note, if you have an occasion where you find yourself placing a call for help, or to report an incident let the dispatcher know that you are in Clear Creek Canyon Park, and if possible give a universal land mark like a tunnel number or mile post, along with this include the crag that you are at, as this can reduce response time.

Did he look like this?

I ran into this guy in 1993 and he stole $10 an two hours of my life.

HBL wrote:That truly adds to the rating. did you ever yell "HEY WE'RE F'IN CLIMBING HERE OR CEASE FIRE YOU IDIOTS?" That would have pissed me off rightously. Breaking one of the cardinal rules of firearms safety. "BE CAREFUL OF YOUR BACKSTOP AND BEYOND" Were rounds actually impacting the rock around you?

HBL, I was yelling WTF are you shooting at me for. The angle they had was almost parrell to the rock face, so the bullets were hitting the rock about 20 yds away. Hard to explain without drawing a diagram (the bullets were flying behind my head).

Glen, Crusher and everyone thats been through this sorry to hear that morons do this sh**!

Odds are the were intentional misses, regardless would have been nice to have something large caliber to fire a couple shots back their direction.

Forestvonsinkafinger:
And as for that picture. THAT WAS THE SON OF A B**CH! He was shooting his bolt gun at us as well!!!

Maybe it was God. Because every time you clip a bolt, a puppy takes a dirt nap.

It's gotta be stupidity. Glad you weren't hit. Maybe some signage, but you can't fix stupid. I got 50 cal'd in the Splatte right at a frictiony crux move, scared the ever-loving piss out of me. I still sent.