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Fall at movement 10/12

Original Post
patrick morrow · · lafayette · Joined Jun 2003 · Points: 10

I just witnessed a bad ground fall at movement this morning,does anyone know what happened and if the guy is alright?best wishes for a speedy recovery, it was a really bad fall!

Gregger Man · · Broomfield, CO · Joined Aug 2004 · Points: 1,759

From what I saw he was still tied in and the entire length of his rope wound off the top-rope pipe during the fall.
That means that the belayer's strand was free.
Not sure 'how?' or 'why?', but that answers part of the 'what?'

Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

Jon H · · PC, UT · Joined Nov 2009 · Points: 118
Gregger Man wrote:From what I saw he was still tied in and the entire length of his rope wound off the top-rope pipe during the fall. That means that the belayer's strand was free. Not sure 'how?' or 'why?', but that answers part of the 'what?' Best wishes for a speedy recovery.
Normally, I would think this is the result of the climber failing to complete his knot. i.e. he climbed to the anchors, sat back in his harness, the knot failed, and the weight of the full length of hanging rope pulled the climber's end of the rope (only a couple feet of rope remaining) through the top rope pipe.

HOWEVER - how the hell was the climber "still tied in?" Whatever did happen, it was multiple errors that all compounded. I can't think of a scenario that would allow for the scenario Gregger Man describes.

I'll take an opportunity to mention that in general, I see some SERIOUSLY lazy/awful belaying at both Movement and BRC all the time. Seriously, all the time. People still haven't learned how to properly use a GriGri despite Petzl's best efforts and even videos. Movement even has a "How To Use The GriGri" poster right when you walk in, but it seems to be for naught.
Mike Cara · · Hendersonville, NC · Joined Jul 2014 · Points: 21

Any update or new information?

John Byrnes · · Fort Collins, CO · Joined Dec 2007 · Points: 392
Jon H wrote: HOWEVER - how the hell was the climber "still tied in?" Whatever did happen, it was multiple errors that all compounded. I can't think of a scenario that would allow for the scenario Gregger Man describes.
Perhaps the climber was following a route his partner had led; unclipping as he went, and actually unclipped the two at the top?
Gregger Man · · Broomfield, CO · Joined Aug 2004 · Points: 1,759

It was a bizarre one. I still haven't figured out how the rope ended up on the ground. The route is a South-facing .10d in the middle corridor of the gym with a top-rope and lead draws. My back was turned before the loud bang, but I'm assuming he was top-roping because the top-rope was missing from the pipe above it after the fall.
If he had been belayed to the top on a rope that is at least twice the length of the wall, the midpoint of the rope would have just reached the floor. A fall to the floor would then leave half the rope hanging on either side of the pipe. The only way I can see the entire top-rope coming down is to tie in and climb to the top with no belayer present, then grab the climber's strand near the midpoint and fall...
Multiple mistakes in the system, I guess.

highaltitudeflatulentexpulsion · · Colorado · Joined Oct 2012 · Points: 35

Total shot in the dark here. Climber tr on a lead line, accidentally unclipped the top anchor and grabs the hanging tr line at the mid point at the moment of the fall? If the ropes were colored the same, it would have looked pretty much like one rope on the ground in the commotion that followed.

Any word on how the climber is doing?

Christopher Roberts · · Boulder, CO · Joined Apr 2002 · Points: 80

Hello all,
So has anyone heard how the climber is doing. I guess I get it that Movement has been mum on the whole thing, lawyers and all, but it would be nice to know that one of our own is ok and recovering.

Gregger Man · · Broomfield, CO · Joined Aug 2004 · Points: 1,759

Unconfirmed report: unfinished figure 8.
That explains how the entire rope ended up on the floor.
It appeared to me that he was tied into the end because he was still holding the rope and I thought I saw the 8 there near the tie-in point.
Hope he's recovering well.

John Byrnes · · Fort Collins, CO · Joined Dec 2007 · Points: 392
Gregger Man wrote:Unconfirmed report: unfinished figure 8. That explains how the entire rope ended up on the floor.
Ah! So in a panic, he grabbed the belayer's side of the rope, and with no knot, the entire rope ended up on the floor.
patrick morrow · · lafayette · Joined Jun 2003 · Points: 10

Thanks for the update,that makes sense,The guy that fell almost landed on me and my little daughter .I hope he is back on the rock by now.
Cheers

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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