Big Gritstone climbing fall

[@cwadub]

Smart belayer wearing helmet to protect from falling climber

[@dancer1]

😂

[@menakles]

Here's the description of the route from UKC for all you armchair heroes out there.."12m. One of the finest grit experiences. A tricky start gains a flake in the arete. This leads to a break, which needs packing with Friends, before the tasty finishing moves. Well worth attempting as a true ground-up, on-sight since commitment on the final move will be rewarded with success or flight-time." This confirms that there is no more gear after the break.

[@Northernblades]

menakles This armchair hero, asks why bring an entire rack with him? if there is no more placements?

[@largeformatlandscape]

@@Northernblades build a belay for your second?

[@Northernblades]

@@largeformatlandscape really, for serious? You think he was going to build anchor? And bring up 2nd? Hahahahaha funny. Dumb, but funny.

[@largeformatlandscape]

@@Northernblades why not? Who's going to get the gear out? Do you think they're going to clip in to some bolts and abseil down?

[@chaseybears]

It dont look much on the vid...but its a lot bloody harder when your on it....and for those full of advice and having a dig....get your arse on it before you comment. Unlucky fella...good effort tho.

[@dancer1]

Fax

[@Gyntster]

I get the whole thing at The Grit, which is either on-sight or 'Headpoint' with either a TR or a certain amount of pre-inspection. The place has a sturdy history for impeccable style, and you will not find a single bolt on any routes, so the climbs can be scary & dangerous. Knowing that, I have a question: How come only the belayer wears a helmet? The leader obviously knew that this route is infamous for the long fall potential, so why not put on the lid? Severe brain injury with all the recovery and potential for massive life changes, like leaking fluids and getting fed with tubes in a bed in yer mum's living room, are too big of a risk to outweigh whatever costs there were to putting on a comfortable, light weight, modern helmet.

[@dude20002002]

I think most climbers consider helmets as protection from falling objects only. Gritstone, especially in the highly climbed areas in the UK has a very low chance of rockfall occurring. Personally I wear a helmet when climbing on the grit but I can see that here the belayer was protecting himself from the falling climber (presumably) but the climber did not feel the need to put one on. Obviously there is still the risk of hitting your head against the rock in a fall but climbing is all about accepting certain amounts of risk. For myself, and presumably you as well, the risk of brain injury in a fall is too great to skip out on the helmet for this guy he sees it differently.

[@Gyntster]

dude20002002 Good points made here Mate, and the real issue here is that there is a severe difference between 'creating' and 'accepting' Risk: by NOT wearing a helmet, the leader in this film is, indeed, creating risk. He has already accepted the obvious risk by taking on this route, which has a fierce reputation, but his hubris in leaving the helmet behind is -to me- unacceptable. I don't think he has fully addressed the extreme consequences he could avoid from a brain injury that could easily happen in a fall off the crux of this route. And, the real loosers here will be the ones who will be heavily impacted later -his Mum 7 Dad, people who love him, etc- BUT had no voice in the bad decision he made prior to his accident. Helmets these days are like a second skin, and you hardly know you have one on, so there are ZERO excuses for leaving them on the ground. You and I share this philosophy, and the lad's belayer should have taken the high road and insisted his friend wear the bucket...after all, it will fall upon the belayer to do all the initial bloody work when that skull cracks open, spilling its contents, right? But, then again, I'd wager that neither has any sort of wilderness first aid experience/training in the first place, but that is a different discussion all together...

[@Gyntster]

Macquaria Ambigua Indeed, gotta skull, so getta helmet!! Where I live there are five different types of rock within an hour's drive: Quartzite, granite, limestone, cobbles and metamorphic. The sheer variety invites one out to crag daily, and the different types of rock really enhance skills development. So, take a flight to Salt Lake City, grab the guide, bring a full rack, a 70 m rope and spend a month never climbing the same thing twice!! Cheers!

[@Northernblades]

Gyntster A better question would be why all the gear, if he knew there would be no opportunity to place ANY of it? at all? That is a HECK of a lot of gear to carry on a climb where you can not place any.

[@Gyntster]

Northernblades Totally agreed...why all that gear?

[@octavia2]

Classic Peak rite of passage; been there - not quite done that. Must have been even more classic before Friends, come to think.

[@hydr5]

I don't think he has enough gear, he should bring more

[@Super0062]

..and he wasn't using it. He came within a few feet of hitting the ground before he stopped. Lesson learned, use anchors closer together so you don't fall so far.

[@twobyfour]

***** My thoughts exactly. Nowhere for protection on that top run anyway. Fortunate that he swung under that lower overhang too, or he`d have been bruised or winded.

[@profd65]

A bunch of climbing gym noobs in this thread, jealous that somebody actually knows how to use chocks.

[@moonvillalobos2251]

Forgot some gear= a helmet. (Idiot.)

[@networkbike543]

Judging by the quick reaction of the climbing partner you were half expecting this fall. Even with this knowledge you nearly hit your head on the rock face when you pendulumed in. Why not wear a crash helmet

[@54114142]

Good cam placement and excellent falling technique! :)

[@jeremyrosene157]

I thought the same thing. At least whoever put the gear in did a good job

[@DizzyVizion]

Only thing missing was a helmet

[@dannyisrael]

no it's not a factor 2 fall, "fall factor = fall distance / amount of rope out", so it would mean being on a multi pitch, climbing above your belayer and then falling below your belayer without having clipped into any protection. It would be like climbing 3 metres up (3 metres of rope) and then falling 6 metres (3 metres below your belayer).

[@ollicrudge]

@canyoncaptive It sounds like your saying its his fault for being too high above the gear...........the rock dictates where the gear can go, its just the nature of the climb

[@Northernblades]

As for the fall, I saw no errors from either the climber or the belayer.

[@benyjamin]

for those armchair heroes who've never climbed on grit, the stuff is covered in thin flared breaks that just don't take gear, the ones on this being prime examples. if the higher breaks on this took gear, it would have been placed. they don't, however, and that is why it receives the grade, and that is why the lower pieces are backed up. try the route... then you can make slandering comments on it all you like

[@jrgiggulden]

He makes it look a lot easier than E4 6a. Respect to a man willing to take that kind of a whipper.

[@TheScreamingSeal]

That was a great fall by him, saved himself from hitting sideways or getting turned around

[@andrewmcleod1]

According to Metolius 80% of head injuries in climbing come from falling, not rockfall, so it doesn't make sense for the climber to be the one without a helmet.

[@NKingTotoro]

I don't know much about trad, but isn't that a really dangerous fall? He came pretty close to hitting the deck. Fantastic belay, though!

[@hiroshi6041]

sweet fall haha and nice belay. Lucky cam didnt pop too

[@truthseeker9281]

Bet he was buzzing after that fall. Such a good feeling when the gears bomber.

[@hemming57]

Look at some of these youtube videos and you'll see the belayer lifted a foot or so above the ground and the leader hitting the ground. To be honest I never anchored myself when I belayed on the ground (i'm retired from climbing after 40 years) looking back at it I took too many chances. Good luck with your climbing

[@JoBianco]

I'm not sure what your point is. Are you saying the belayer should be anchored to the ground?

[@burnwash8174]

Good color choice for the pants...

[@jamisam]

Not a bad climber at all, this is what the guide book says... One of the finest grit experiences. A tricky start gains a flake in the arete. This leads to a break, which needs packing with Friends, before the tasty finishing moves. Well worth attempting as a true ground-up, on-sight since commitment on the final move will be rewarded with success or flight-time. © ROCKFAX

[@richardgoldstone4666]

Maybe I missed it, but I haven't noticed discussion about the fact that the lower two pieces came out.

[@VentureTact]

They're called gear loops, and it's not a belt. It's a harness.

[@jsollien127]

Thanks for posting this video!

[@adamfrederick3006]

Skip to 3:33

[@slackline]

Thats often a "good thing" as it helps lessen the forces on the gear, ensuring they stay in place.

[@Northernblades]

Derbyshire > Curbar Edge >Moon Walk for anyone wanting information

[@edwardlaw797]

Be responsible for your family. Wear a helmet at least...

[@seizethedayandlive]

i was gonna say the same but figured someone else would have the same thought. it's funny that his partner (who at the time doesn't need it) is wearing one!

[@lingen2193]

Actually it makes even more sense for the belayer to wear a helmet as the climber coud drop or pull out some gear or kick down a lose rock. All of which could not only hurt the belayer but also knock him out and thus bring the climber into big trouble. Conversely, there is not much risk that the climber - when falling - hits something with his head (as can be seen in this video). I'm always amazed at how many people who are obviously totally clueless about climbing feel entitled to make smart ass comments.

[@grimlund]

He still have a couple of meter left to the top when he falls. Imagine to fall right on the top. Holy crap.

[@DeShark88]

What about at 1:30? I wasn't there so I don't know, but he was running it out a hell of a lot imo

[@robsmith9042]

dude, we don't have chains or bolts on gritstone, they are definitely to build an anchor with. Come and have a go if you think you're hard enough, its only e4! (Thats french 6c, or 5.11b)

[@Itstoearly]

@kayakair1 If the climber hits his head and goes unconscious, he get's a concussion. If the belayer gets hit by a falling rock and falls unconscious, the climber dies. While a helmet on both persons is ideal, if there is only one helmet, I would much rather see the belayer wear it.

[@charlie021092]

@Northernblades errm first off, they're not solutions. They're scarpa vapours if i'm not mistaken, probably an ideal shoe for this. secondly, he can do what he likes, take what rack he likes, place his pro how and where he likes etc... leave him to it.

[@magwo]

Not every climbing session is about performing. Sometimes you just have fun, or want to get accustomed to carrying a multi-pitch rack. It takes a lot of guts to make hard moves high above natural placements, so give the guy a break. Personally I feel like I'm cheating if I slim down my rack on a single pitch route, because the result is not indicative of my actual performance on a long multi-pitch route, which is what I train for and enjoy.

[@ArcanePath360]

Good effort. I wonder is all those biners on your belt for endurance training? I've done a multi pitch climb with less gear

[@benyjamin]

Nice, was a good day that! Proper grit route, run out and slopey as hell!

[@MrNickjberry]

Can somebody explain to me why this guy is carrying 10lbs of draws and gear up this climb with him, when there are obviously very few if any good gear placements above the pre-fixed gear? Is he carrying dead weight to earn extra E point or maybe earn extra pints from his mates?

[@cwadub]

TheSlim He could be training, carrying the extra weight practice for big wall routes...

[@DrewWithington]

How do armchair grades relate to UK trad grades? Is there a comparison table somewhere?

[@ExpandTheLimit]

Props to the belayer for a job well done.

[@canyoncaptive]

Belayer did his job perfectly. Climber was a bit too high above his pro. Nice catch!

[@doubleboost]

You should buy the lad on the belay a pint lol

[@robsmith9042]

Also; how will he get the gear back without setting up an anchor to abseil for it? There aint no chains in grit country boy-oh

[@beholderlt]

now put that piece in the 'gear that saved my life' bin.

[@jeffconstine2344]

These climbs are mostly HEAD Pointed (Toprope the hell out of it) then go for the send.

[@hiroshi6041]

yes cuz protections are very poor... would you try them ground up?

[@jeffconstine2344]

maybe.

[@cipher256]

Typically Moon Walk is attempted ground-up as the gear is good and as seen in the video the fall is pretty safe.

[@chaseybears]

Lot of slagging off....good effort fella, top of that route is harder than the film shows. Hemet...no helmet....its up to the individual!

[@AnonUser2023]

You carried too much gear, but the way you took the fall was really good, could have gotten really badly tangled in the rope there. Keep up the good work!

[@Northernblades]

Lastly, what is a 6a (5.9-5.10a) here in canada, doing on an E4? Oh yea, tricams are AWESOME in horizontal crack.

[@cherrydiscount]

Wow!! what happened there mate?

[@shgp1956]

well held but why no helmet???

[@adamskio123]

@Northernblades 6a would be british trad grades, not sport grades... it'd be around 5.11b/c for USA. doubling up the pro on there seems a pretty good idea to me, gritstone pro is notoriously sparse!

[@nickm7529]

Always good to see the belayer wearing a helmet.

[@wildfyr89]

Why does he have so much gear on if he isnt placing it? Thats a rookie mistake

[@RodneyB_III]

What does he climb so far above the anchor if there was no where to place gear?

[@joynthis]

Why is he carrying all that gear? Does he like the sound it makes when he hits the rock? All racked up and no place to pro.

[@Northernblades]

joynthis I posted this over a year ago. Likes to look cool is all I could think. If you want to laugh even harder, Imagine, that he wasn't even the one that put the gear cluster in 1/2 way. Don't even know if he has ever placed a piece of gear. But it sure does gingle nice. PS I am absolutely sure, I could stuff a tri-cam in at 1:36. You can not tell me, I could not get a tri in there, I know it would fit. it always fits.

[@joynthis]

Northernblades Yeah, tri-cams rule in horizontal cracks, and they don't require any math to place.

[@Northernblades]

joynthis If there are no placements, and he has no tricams why bring an entire rack (or a short rack?) It would have been more useful to climb with a teady bear. At least it might have cushioned his fall.

[@ianwebb6182]

joynthis 95% of my climbing is on gritstone - cams are by far the most common. Rarely seen anyone with tricams. I think its most down to that cams work extremely well for gritstone clmbing. Still - i'd love to try some - might scan ebay for 1 and try it out

[@Northernblades]

They... have their uses. Not for everything, but they do a few things very well. I bring them on sport climbs for when good climbs go bad. Just like offset nuts, some of my favourite bits to have with me when I need them.

[@palminator73]

Look at all that extra gear!!! Any wonder you fell.

[@hyep.269]

first thing i thought of was no helmet.... crazy considering he is using a rope for safety...

[@ninjafu1961]

Why does he have so much gear on him you don't need that much for a belay at the top.

[@grasseater108]

Fall is at 3:36.

[@charlie021092]

@Northernblades I share your view about the rack and on reflection I was too hasty to tell you to back off, and the shoes... well, I'll admit to being a bit of a gear nerd when it comes to that sort of thing! I guess my comment was a response to (what I wrongly interpreted as being ) someone telling someone else what to do in a rather brash manner, as appose to giving advice to them. Me telling you to 'leave him to it' was therefore fairly hypocritical so I take it back. Fast and light. Peace

[@evxdaddy]

Good job man! That look awesome! I got a rush watching.

[@Brian..........]

Lucky guy...if he had made that move 2 feet it so higher then fell, would have been on the deck head first. Insane.

[@Enaresbclimber]

I usually try not to get negative on these, but really??? A while rack of gear on a grit route? You seem like a strong enough climber to know that you probably do not need to excess weight. Anywhoo, did you get the route eventually?

[@campusdyno]

Good effort mate.

[@anthourie]

when you head up a single pitch with enough gear for el cap and you leave it on your harness... your gonna have a bad time.

[@bonefishboards]

Carrying a lot of gear for like few or no gear placements.

[@tomhill95]

@Northernblades Around 5.11c.

[@Nuttyirishman85]

Always bring a full rack for a 60 foot climb.

[@thirsklast1094]

Great effort!

[@Ragedwithcoolbeans]

good effort this is a hard route

[@wargerschaager]

what is the rating on this route?

[@flowerpower111]

Whereabouts is this climb?

[@Oscillatemusic]

Bone Alias With gritstone like that you should be able to guess, barring that google the name. its in the peak district.

[@Northernblades]

if that is what you took out of that video. good on you. I am sure he was going to put at least 6-8 pieces in that Horizontal crack. as well as a 6 way equalised anchor, to top out on. Now that you point it ouw he was masivly under equipped for a single placement walk off. I am sorry.

[@MerryPranksters88]

climbing in the rain can make things difficult...

[@kayakair1]

That is interesting logic! LOL Obviously both should be wearing a helmet, but it isn't worth debating stupidity! For a fraction of the cost of the equipment hanging from the harness you could have purchased a helmet. I have 23 of them!

[@Cherrytea558]

I guess where his feet are at 3:00 was not a worthy place for protection. Great effort.

[@robsmith9042]

Nice one dude, in the video you posted she puts another runner before the top, hence the reason he's carrying more gear.... So you just posted evidence that counters your own point point, I didnt think that was how trolling was meant to work?

[@elmarcianodenny]

Is this a rated 2 fall? Man the belayer did a really good job. Nice video. Thanks for sharing.

[@Northernblades]

ps, if you want to see some real whippers, Gritstone is not the way to do it. Smith rock has opportunity for falls exceeding 60 foot.

[@Northernblades]

Jake Schuneman en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whipper as well as a book published in 2005 I feel uniformed as I can not tell you how old the term is. but I will assure you over 30 years. Stay ignorant man stay ignorant. I would also like to ask you, Is targeting ones use of words the only discussion/debate skill you have? Is there more bottled up in that ignorant uninformed little mind of yours? you may also want to familiarise yourself with a basic education. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossary_of_climbing_terms these are real words.

[@kayakair1]

The belayer has a helmet on and the climber doesn't! That makes a lot of sense!! LOL

[@Northernblades]

Not to be terribly rude, But, here are a few sugestions/observation. First off, For a climb, that is likely to have a total of 4 placements, that is a LOT of bling. next, double placements at both anchors.... interesteing. the double placement at the horizontal, pulls, the one piece out of the flair. Next. TRI-CAMS learn, live love them, they will save your life. Next, $250 high angle competative sportiva solutions. Might not be the Ideal solution for a 5.10a low angle face.

[@logtothebase2]

Hells bells! 4:13 really scary thing attached itself to the mans face

[@Lorca38Palski]

HELMET !

[@123snagglepuss]

nice catch dude!

[@p40ufh]

belayer has a kick ass beard BOOM

[@hemming57]

Another pressing reason to have your belayer tied into something. Even on the ground.

[@largeformatlandscape]

Apart from he wouldn't be able to run back to take in slack if he was tied down

[@mahym6874]

That guy can belay me anytime.

[@DarkSparkCannabis]

why are you wearing 25 pounds of cams on a 30 foot rock? There are at most 5 pieces of trad needed.. besides that, your belayer is the fucking man.

[@luisk8profile]

3:30 for fall

[@AnonUser2023]

good catch!

[@amazingseniors5770]

Almost there!

[@drawanotherbreath]

Good effort.

[@simonkemp156]

Here's a link to the climb's description, some photos, and on-going log entries of people's personal experiences:- www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/c.php?i=10997 Classic John Allen grit route I was so happy to on-sight back in the 80s. Very good times. Grit is unforgiving, the ground is always too close, but it's "god's own rock".

[@adamskio123]

Because that's how the rock is, a lot of the difficulty is the mental aspect of the climb. Bolting it would be bringing it down to your level

[@tillsen]

Thats totally normal. Try to think about it, maybe you find the reason :)

[@MrJimtimslim]

good effort from both climber a belayer....might of made it if there wasn't so much gear on your waist. well done anyway.

[@topheavy84]

Check out all the armchair heroes ready to insult a guy out there having a go. Good to see at least some of the comments actually supportive/constructive or intelligent.

[@Lucythebordercollie]

ya, you should wear a helmet.

[@baezport]

Nice helmet

[@joannawiak9855]

Brawa dla asekurującego !

[@Fr4gg3r2]

That climbing technique really looks very unsure on every move. I think when climbing you should go the route thru in your head move by move. This looks like he's waiting to fall everytime he tries moves up. Great belaying btw.