Accident in Muir Valley RRG this past weekend

Does anyone know exactly what occurred that led to a climber falling in Muir Valley this past weekend?

Nope. The Muir Valley Facebook page said that he is expected to make a full recovery, which is good news. As far as we heard, his belayer just dropped him.

We were told by the rescue team that the reason for the accident was the belayer didn't know how to use his gri gri.

Classic.

The combination of these posts is the funniest thing I have seen all day!

Hope the hurt party makes a full recovery.

D.Buffum wrote: I've been lead belaying with an ATC for years, and most of my climbing partners think I do it well. I've caught some dramatic falls. However, I have only tried to lead belay with a gri-gri once or twice and I found it very awkward. I'm just not used to having to hold the device open while feeding rope. I keep my brake hand back from the device while I'm feeding rope; putting it right on the gri-gri makes me uncomfortable because I feel like I don't have the right hand position to brake if the climber falls while I'm feeding.

I couldn't agree more.

At my home gym, they teach the gri gri in the beginner classes. They show the class an ATC, pass it around, and then put it in a drawer to be forgotten about. They also tell students that if they panic while belaying to simply let go with both hands, and the gri gri will stop the fall.

Two people have decked at the gym since January. Both times, the belayer was lowering, pulled the handle the entire way open and dropped their climber 30-40ft. Thankfully, no one was seriously injured.

Gri gri is not the appropriate belay device for a beginner, and under no circumstances should it be used for a lead belay by someone who has never used it. Force them to use an ATC and learn to belay properly before giving them a more complicated device and telling them that it will do all of the work.

I hate lowering with a grigri.....no wonder accidents happen with that jerky movement it provides. I use a click-up device and it is foolproof and smooth like an ATC when used correctly.

D.Buffum wrote: I have only tried to lead belay with a gri-gri once or twice and I found it very awkward.

I thought the same thing until I learned the proper method and used it a few times. After you get the hang of it, it's very easy and secure.

theschwill wrote: I couldn't agree more. At my home gym, they teach the gri gri in the beginner classes. They show the class an ATC, pass it around, and then put it in a drawer to be forgotten about. They also tell students that if they panic while belaying to simply let go with both hands, and the gri gri will stop the fall. Two people have decked at the gym since January. Both times, the belayer was lowering, pulled the handle the entire way open and dropped their climber 30-40ft. Thankfully, no one was seriously injured. Gri gri is not the appropriate belay device for a beginner, and under no circumstances should it be used for a lead belay by someone who has never used it. Force them to use an ATC and learn to belay properly before giving them a more complicated device and telling them that it will do all of the work.

That is just boneheadedness on the part of the belayers. GriGris are excellent tools. If the same attention is applied as when properly using an ATC, a safe, smooth belay and lower will be the result, with an extra layer of safety. If the same boneheadeness and improper use is applied to an ATC, the climber will hit the ground.

Anybody holding the handle down in a panic obviously hasn't been drilled enough before given the task.

The gym where i train does not allow the grigri...

I've had the "to gri-gri or not to gri-gri" debate with a bunch of people over the last few years and what I've gotten out of these many discussions and from working in gyms where I have taught lead belaying with a gri-gri and an ATC is that the belay device is nowhere near as important as the belayer. If the belayer is taught the right way to belay whether by someone who works at a gym or by a friend, then the belay device doesn't matter. They both have their advantages and disadvantages, but it all comes down to what the belayer is competent using.

I hope whoever got injured has a speedy recovery. Stay safe everyone.