|
climbtozero
Dec 1, 2004, 7:15 AM
Post #1 of 106
(11723 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 5, 2004
Posts: 11
|
Ok I know this has probably been done before, but I want to know what is the scariest thing you crazy people have done.
I will start it off. The first time a person goes skydiving in Colorado, it must be tandem. To get hooked together is a bit uncomfortable, so my instructor and I made small talk. When it was almost our turn to jump my instructor asks me “so what do you do for a living?”
“I am a meat cutter.”
“REALLY, I am a vegan…Its our turn to jump.”
|
|
|
|
|
coldclimb
Dec 1, 2004, 7:23 AM
Post #2 of 106
(11723 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 14, 2002
Posts: 6909
|
Only thing that has ever scared me enough to remember was being sketched while unprotected with huge exposure on unclimbed rock covered in lichen. There's a few things (like my first time highlining) that have weirded me out to the point that I couldn't do them, but I can't call that fear, exactly. More like my mind just froze up and stopped me, though I consciously felt comfortable doing it. I was definitely afraid of falling on that climb though. So strong I could taste it for a long while after I got off. That one leaves a memory I'm not likely to ever forget.
|
|
|
|
|
maculated
Dec 1, 2004, 7:41 AM
Post #3 of 106
(11723 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 23, 2001
Posts: 6179
|
The only thing that has scared me so much i couldn't deal with it at the time was when a guy broke into my house and my bedroom and was going to assault me until my involuntary scream sent him packing. I had no control over what was happening and it was total slow motion. I was shaking for days, and I moved from the town because of it. I still don't take kindly to sneak attacks by friends.
Climbing? That's NOTHING in comparison. That's a situation you get yourself into. I have never felt so vulnerable. It could have ended up a LOT worse.
|
|
|
|
|
mr_muffey
Dec 1, 2004, 8:11 AM
Post #4 of 106
(11723 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 10, 2004
Posts: 39
|
When I was 18... On the way to climb a peak (Mt Murchison) in Aurthers pass (sth island, NZ) we had to cross the Waimakariri river about 6 times whilst it was in flood. It never got deep (over mid thigh) but it was soo wide and pretty fast. It was one of my first trips and we were stupid to cross it the first time and all 5 after that. The walk in to the first hut normally takes about 3-4 hours, it took us 9 due to the rivers and weather. Needless to say we didnt make the peak. At the time it wasnt so scary, but looking back with a bit more time under my belt I realise we were very lucky to come out of the river crossings OK. Rivers kill alot of outdoorsy people in NZ and im guessig its faily similar all over the world. Thinking of the posible outcomes makes me shudder. It was winter and everyone in the team fell over in the river at least once and got soaked. From a "goals completed" point of view the trip was a disater, however I learnt a hell of a lot. We were a bunch of nieve inexperianced kids with the glory of a good peak clouding our all ready not so sound judgement
|
|
|
|
|
far_east_climber
Dec 1, 2004, 8:12 AM
Post #5 of 106
(11723 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 30, 2003
Posts: 873
|
I have only encountered a few scary things involuntarly. When I was very young visiting my grandparents in L.A. (maybe when I was 3 or so), there was a man outside my grandparents house, with a gun firing manically into the air. He was being chased by a police helicopter. Was more afraid for my parents because they were out for the night.
Something non-threatening that still scared me was again at my grandparents home, a father next-door was going psycho on his family and I could hear him punching his wife and her screaming and I remember looking at his two girls screaming through the fence in tears in fear. My grandmother called the cops. Don't know what happened to the women-beater. What I found most disturbing and scary were their screams and cries.
Climbing wise, my second ever trad lead was pretty damn scary. It was about 80ft in height. The grade was a 5.8, which I was comfortable with. However, when I got about 20ft up, the crack became really shallow, wavy and flared and was generally very difficult to protect (especially with my limited placement knowledge at the time).. so I was forced to put in 3 marginal placements within 25ft - 2 of which fell out. 20ft from the top there was no more gear placements available so I had to run it out. Definately a mind-game at the time. In a torturous sense, I was loving every moment of the unpredictable situation.
|
|
|
|
|
climbtozero
Dec 1, 2004, 10:06 AM
Post #6 of 106
(11723 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 5, 2004
Posts: 11
|
Something non-threatening that still scared me was again at my grandparents home, a father next-door was going psycho on his family and I could hear him punching his wife and her screaming and I remember looking at his two girls screaming through the fence in tears in fear. My grandmother called the cops. Don't know what happened to the women-beater. What I found most disturbing and scary were their screams and cries.
I can tell you what i hope happend to him, but it might be a bit hard for some to stomach.
Force should be used sparingly, AND NEVER IN THE HOME
|
|
|
|
|
nonick
Dec 1, 2004, 10:08 AM
Post #7 of 106
(11723 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 28, 2001
Posts: 174
|
mountainwise - a hike i did in the monsoon last year. Slippery wet rock all the way, fully exposed. Stupid mistake...nearly died twice in 3 days.
|
|
|
|
|
shock
Dec 1, 2004, 11:01 AM
Post #8 of 106
(11723 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Feb 10, 2004
Posts: 103
|
climbing wise: havent done anything mad enough yet
Scariest thing that ever happened to me was when some guy tried to mug me. Came up to me in the street and said to give him my phone and wallet. i kept walking and he followed me until i went into the shop where my mate works.
|
|
|
|
|
tradman
Dec 1, 2004, 11:29 AM
Post #9 of 106
(11723 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 14, 2003
Posts: 7159
|
I got caught out last year on Ben Nevis, attempting a free solo of Tower Ridge, a 1000 metre route on the north face. When I started, conditions were okay, then the weather closed in and it rained buckets.
The rocks were literally running with water and I eventually ground to a halt below a chimney which I knew went at about HVS (5.10a). Under normal circumstances I'd have zipped up it in a jiffy, but I had my big boots on and no chalk because it was so wet.
Knowing I couldn't downclimb what was below, I committed to the chimney and somehow managed to claw my way up it, terrified and shaking like a flat-pack wardrobe. Getting to the top I looked up and saw two more pitches the of same, one even harder than this one, before the terrain eased off. I just folded completely, sat down in the downpour, freezing cold and 300m off the deck, and tried to figure out what I was going to do.
Then, from round the other side of face, came - miraculously - a guide, with two clients and a rope! I almost jumped up and down. He kindly let me follow them up the next pitch on his rope then traverse out to an easy exit.
If that guide hadn't turned up I don't know what I would've done. All I know is I don't think I've ever been so scared.
|
|
|
|
|
mischief8
Dec 1, 2004, 12:20 PM
Post #10 of 106
(11723 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 17, 2004
Posts: 416
|
When I was 18 I went snowboarding in Utah. I had to go by myself because the person I was visiting had to work. In my ignorance I crossed into out of bounds not realizing there was a large drop ahead. I fell off the cliff smashed my shoulder and had to walk all the way back up to the top of the cliff and back to the in bounds area and board down. I faked a fall that looked like I hurt myself in order to get the ski patrol to help me down. I was so exhausted by the climb and fear of an avalanche at any time I would not have made it down very far anyways without falling. The scariest part was being out there alone where no one could hear or see you, wondering if you are going to be able to make it back. I have not gone out of bounds since and I always board with at least one other person.
Daniela
|
|
|
|
|
soulwithoutfear
Dec 1, 2004, 1:26 PM
Post #11 of 106
(11723 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 8, 2004
Posts: 50
|
I havnt found anthing that i am really afraid of but i can still get spooked. If i didnt react to certain situations by getting my adrenaline pumping then i probably wouldnt be able to "function properly" under these situations. But i'll tell you about a time taht i was really spooked last year. I was up north in good old North Conway, New Hampshire and i was staying in a nice little resot (i forgot what it is named) and i was walking back to our building, i had seen some bears by the dumpster earlier on so i was being cautious to keep away from them. It was really dark on the side walk going to our door so i decided to take out my Zippo and see if i could get some light. The minute i sparked that baby i saw the glowing eyes of a mama black bear about ten feet in front of me staring at me. :shock: Yeah that was probably what i looked like since i cam to realize that her cubs were behind me. :shock: . Well somehow i got out from between her and her cubs and they ran off into the woods. I wasnt afraid of the outcome of the situation but it did surprise the $hit out of me and i almost pi$sed myself. Thats my two cents.
|
|
|
|
|
thedesertnomad
Dec 1, 2004, 2:24 PM
Post #12 of 106
(11723 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 23, 2003
Posts: 216
|
Hiking / moderate non-steep ice climbing (crampons and mountain axe only) geared up for a week, coming down the backside of a frozen mountain in ME. Caught in very minor avalance (enough to topple me off a 30 footer while traversing to a less steep section) bounced a couple of times landed on a very small ledge in a powder filled pocket and assesed the damage. Had quite a bad gash across my calf (from my own damned crampon) goose egg on the noggin, dislocated shoulder, and a sprained wrist. I basically had only 2 choices, climb back up the only truly vertical ice on the mountain (30 feet) with a bum arm, and returning the way I came (only 6 or 7 miles mostly down hill) OR continuing down the other side (probably closer to 15 to 20 miles to any civilization or my vehicle) It was Thanksgiving day, I had been out only two days. And the dumbest part... I told NO ONE where I was going (don't do that anymore)... weather was coming in and in to stay, but I was decked out I could have weathered the storm for weeks, but the feeling of being utterly alone out there was a bit scary. Ended up climbing down, camped for a couple of days nursing my wounds and climbed back out when the storm broke.
Don't be a dumbass... tell people where you go!!!!
|
|
|
|
|
piton
Dec 1, 2004, 2:27 PM
Post #13 of 106
(11723 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 11, 2002
Posts: 1034
|
my ex girlfriend, she's from staten island
|
|
|
|
|
bad_lil_kitty
Dec 1, 2004, 2:43 PM
Post #14 of 106
(11723 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 1, 2004
Posts: 2341
|
as a child, i was in the toy aisle and a man was following me and asked me if i wanted him to buy me something.... i ran to my father and when we returned, the guy was gone. still gives me shivers when i see kids wandering alone.
|
|
|
|
|
usmc_2tothetop
Dec 1, 2004, 2:43 PM
Post #15 of 106
(11723 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 18, 2002
Posts: 661
|
Hmmm lets see in the early years I got lost when I was little at 6 Flags Darien Lake. And one other time in the Adirondacks when I had to cross the top of a waterfall, The water was thigh deep and running fast and the only rocks to hold on to were right at the edge.
More recent. 5 or 6 years ago before I did any real climbing I used to solo around the gorges close to my home which are all shale. I got my self in a few bad jams there, the falls would have killed me. I soloed a trickling waterfall and the last part of it was too hard. Knowing there was no hospitals around I had to down climb. It was probly a 5.7 climb to begin with. That sucked. But I would have to say the scariest is in retrospect. I climbed down the edge of an over-hanging waterfall, onto a small shale ledge about the size of a chair seat. Every thing was wet and I was about 100 fight up. That was teasing death. I can't beleive I did that and I don't think I would have the guts now. I was young and didn't have the knowledge of importance of the redundant safety measures I use now.
|
|
|
|
|
theothermeat
Dec 1, 2004, 2:47 PM
Post #16 of 106
(11723 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 21, 2003
Posts: 20
|
Several years ago I was at a party and had to talk down a drunk ex-marine sloppily loading her gun (dropped a few bullets on the ground in the process, she was that drunk) as all the while she stared at me and a friend of mine and threatening us for associating with a guy she thought was after her girlfriend. I was amazingly calm at the time, but once someone came by and got the gun away from her, it hit me that had I made one wrong move, gesture or word, I would have a hole in me.
I'm not really crazy about guns.
|
|
|
|
|
jammer
Dec 1, 2004, 3:23 PM
Post #17 of 106
(11723 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jun 25, 2002
Posts: 3472
|
Looking in the mirror first thing in the morning, every day of my life. That's scarry!
|
|
|
|
|
livingtheedge
Dec 1, 2004, 3:38 PM
Post #18 of 106
(11723 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 10, 2004
Posts: 239
|
On my senior class trip in high school we went to six flags. It was an awsome time but on one of the rides the shoulder bars that hold you into position popped and and i almost fell out durring a loop de loop i had to hold on for dear life trying to keep my a$$ in the seat and once it leveled out i was able to pull the restraint back "into the locked position" and finish the ride. Lets just say that i only went on that ride once.
|
|
|
|
|
keith_b00ne
Dec 1, 2004, 4:07 PM
Post #19 of 106
(11723 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 15, 2004
Posts: 124
|
I got a ton of these kind of stories.
The most scariest was when I was flying ultralight aircraft and was 500 feet in the air in a close formation with a buddy. Heavy thermals and a down draft from a ridge pulled us into a near miss air collision (within 30 feet). We seperated and I had to fight heavy thermals in a 2 axis aircraft in which the termals where trying to dump me over. The ground never felt so good.
Second scariest was when I put my 92 Camaro into a pole at 90 mph, 3 feet in the air, and sideways. (Hill hopping if anyone knows what that is) I came over a hill and someone was getting their mail in my lane. Minor injuries, but everything was VERY slow motion.
Third scariest moment was when I had an appendix rupture and almost died. Emergency surgery and 2 weeks in the hospital. Gave me 2 months away from work which wasn't so bad.
Fourth scariest moment was when my brother decked on the 2nd bolt and and cracked his head at Red rocks. There was so many unknowns about his condition at the time. You always don't think it could happen to you.
Fifth scariest moment when we were lost in the Gourge at 3:00 pm in the dark, no flashlight, carrying packs. We completely lost our bearing and had to slide down several washouts and mild clifts to get back to the creek. We then followed the creek to a road. Wasn't scary at the time, but looking back and where we came from in the light showed that we were very lucky that noone got hurt. Expecially since my buddy fell into a hole that night.
|
|
|
|
|
keith_b00ne
Dec 1, 2004, 4:10 PM
Post #20 of 106
(11723 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 15, 2004
Posts: 124
|
Thought of one for the 6th moment..... I was on the racers and Kings Island and the lap bar popped up on me also. Mine wouldn't go back down. I was holding on so tight that I bruised my arms up to my elbows. (After that they installed seatbelts and lap belts.)
|
|
|
|
|
chitowngirl
Dec 1, 2004, 4:26 PM
Post #21 of 106
(11723 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 5, 2004
Posts: 140
|
The scariest thing I ever lived through was when I was a little girl vacationing Barbados. I was taken on a speed boat ride far from the island: the boat did a quick turn, and nobody noticed that this little girl flipped off the back. The boat speed away, and I was too far away to see land. I tried to memorize where the boat had gone, but with all the waves, I ended up getting confused and not knowing where the boat had gone and where land was. The water is so black out there, and I felt so scared and alone. I still have nightmares about being surrounded by nothing but black waves. People on the boat eventually realized they had lost a passenger and came back and found me. I was nine, and I still have a fear of large bodies of water. I couldn't bring myself to go see the movie Open Water - topic hits a little too close to home.
It was a bad time out there, but it makes for a good story now.
|
|
|
|
|
holmeslovesguinness
Dec 1, 2004, 4:47 PM
Post #22 of 106
(11723 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 10, 2002
Posts: 548
|
Hmmm... went hiking down in Copper Canyon Mexico about 10 years ago. Apparently they grow a lotta weed down there. After a few days of hiking we happened to stumble across a large field (following a small trickle of water off into the brush). One of my buddies (against my advice) snagged a little for the road and as we were leaving noticed a few local types checking us out. An hour or two later we were sitting by a small creek trying to dry out our stash when three rough looking bandito types ride up on horseback - one of them carrying an AK-47 across his saddle. They did not look friendly. I can honestly say I nearly sh*t my britches and for a moment was utterly convinced they were just going to shoot us on the spot. Of course they turned out to be friendly banditos and after checking us out for a while rode off into the woods.
|
|
|
|
|
grayrock
Dec 1, 2004, 5:00 PM
Post #23 of 106
(11723 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jun 1, 2004
Posts: 46
|
By far the scariest and the most thrilling thing that I have ever done was to surf 25 foot waves at Waimea Bay when I was 18. I was typically a small wave surfer growing up in Waikiki in the 50s. For me the fun ended on waves over 12 feet then it was a run for your life kind of thing. My friends and I would often make a foray to what we called “the country” which would be either the Makaha side or the North Shore. This particular day we went to the North Shore. Most of the time we would make our first stop at Haleiwa but this day we pasted it up. When we got to Waimea it was breaking about 18 – 20 feet. As I recall, Waimea doesn’t even begin to break until the swells get over 12 -15 feet. Since we didn’t own any big wave boards this looked great to us.
It was tuff getting through the Waimea shore break, but it was either that or try and go off the rocky point.
By the time we got out to where the waves were breaking, the sets started getting larger and larger. We had to keep paddling out as fast as we could to keep from getting caught in front of a breaking wave. As you paddle up up up the shoulder of a cresting 25 – 30 foot wave and look into the jaws of hell it is exciting beyond belief. The forces of water and wind are incredible and to be that close is beyond words to convey the feelings and emotions. This thing is moving and alive. As you top out you get a great view but the only thing you want to see is - is the next wave smaller? But, no! The next one is even bigger. The waves are getting to be around 35 feet. The whole bay is closing out. All you can think is paddle for your life and get over that wave before it eats you for lunch and spits your board out like a kukui.
Finely there is a bit of a reprieve. The waves appear to be getting smaller. We paddle back in to see if we can get the heck out of there. Ah, finely, here comes a nice small 25 footer and remember that in Hawaii anyway, we calculate the wave height from sea level or from the back of the wave. That means the face of the wave is really higher (sandbagged) because of the trough at the bottom. I really don’t know how high they are, I just knew what we called a 25 footer and it’s BIIIG.
In those days, big wave boards or “big guns” were 12 feet long and more. I was surfing a Donald Takayama special of about 8 feet which was big by his standards but definitely not a big wave board. What this translates into is, small boards have to take off in the more critical portion of the wave just what seems milliseconds before it crests over.
I paddled like a dirty dog. It seemed like I was paddling straight down and soon I was at the speed that I knew it had me. I was on my feet and almost in a free fall. It seemed like I was approaching light speed – maybe 35 miles an hour. The wind coming up the face of the wave was horrific. The face of the wave actually had chops on it. It was not smooth like my beloved Waikiki waves. I bottomed out and made my turn and looked up. Now the jaws of hell gaped open its mouth wide after me. I eased up into the steep section to increase my speed and finely came out on the shoulder.
Total, total exhilaration like I had never experienced before. I had morphine once in a hospital situation and this was even better. I was soooo alive, I was so alive.
Well, like a dummy, I paddled back out for more. My next experience was not so successful. On the next big one, as soon as I got to my feet I hit a chop and lost my balance. If you have seen Dosage II and heard Klem Loskot (sp?) explain how long it takes when falling, that is what happened to me. My mind went into high-speed and everything else went into slow motion. I hit one of the top stories of the wave face and fortunately for me I skipped and fell some more and skipped again and then went under. Well, all that water was moving and I am a good 90% water, so I just wen along for the ride; as if I had a choice. What do you say? The knowledge is not transferable. You have to experience it for yourself. I said to myself, “I’m a dead man”. I had a good breath, but that doesn’t mean much. In those turbulent, pressure changing conditions, even the best can’t hold their breath more than 15 to 20 seconds max. Me? If I couldn’t get out in 12 seconds I was in trouble even though from years of practice I could hold my breath under water (calm water) for more than a minute. After a few seconds of incredible violence of being thrown around like a rag doll, when I finely got to where I could control my body movements and with eyes wide open, I went for the bottom. Counter intuitive, but it is the safest, fastest way to get out. Most of the swirling is forcing you down anyway, but it only goes down so far. Once I got beneath it, I could see the swirls blurry though it was.
The closest I can explain it to those who have not played in waves is the next time you have a really good storm in your area, look up at the clouds and you will see billowy formations under the clouds. Where 2 billowy formations are juxtapose, the apposing forces somewhat cancel each other out; at least they do in ocean waves. That is what you look for.
I got down out of the turbulence being (I guess) about 30 feet in depth and on the sandy bottom of Waimea Bay and I could see one of these calm spots. I have been in this situation hundreds of times, but not of this magnitude. I had to move fast because things are moving in and changing all the time. I pushed off and made it to the surface and eventually made it in.
|
|
|
|
|
sarcat
Dec 1, 2004, 5:23 PM
Post #24 of 106
(11723 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 22, 2004
Posts: 1560
|
We had just moved to Utah from flat Ohio and very eager to climb the 'hills'. We had no idea what we were doing. Someone told us of some fun hikes around Stuart falls up past Sundance Ski resort so one nice summer day off we went. I was 17 and I took my two little brothers 10 and 7. We made it to Stewart falls without a problem. We wanted to get up OVER the falls so started up what looked like a trail.
We ended up on some shale like stuff that was very slippery and seemed steep. Below the shale was about a 40ft. vertical drop. I made ledges of rock to try and keep us from sliding and it worked so that I could get my little brothers into a gully that didn't have the shale or the drop.
The only injury was a 2" gash on one brothers forehead from a rock I send rolling.
|
|
|
|
|
fixednut
Dec 1, 2004, 5:27 PM
Post #25 of 106
(11723 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 3, 2004
Posts: 509
|
Every time I climb at Stone Mountain. :shock: :)
|
|
|
|
|
berkly
Dec 1, 2004, 5:50 PM
Post #26 of 106
(10982 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 29, 2003
Posts: 189
|
One that I recall was about 4 or 5 years ago, I had just gotten my pilots license and wanted to take some friends up in a small cessna 172.
The four of us, three guys and one girl got up to about 3000' and I thought it would be fun to show them what a stall was. Bad mistake.
I set up for a power off stall and as soon as I reduced power and pitched back, that sucker buffeted and dropped like a stone at an airspeed way above normal for a stall. They liked it and wanted to do it again, but I was wide eyed on the brink of panic as I now realized we were grossly overweight. I didnt let them know how bad it was, i just said its time to go back. Lesson learned, check your weight and balance before flying
|
|
|
|
|
gat
Dec 1, 2004, 6:08 PM
Post #27 of 106
(10982 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 3, 2003
Posts: 420
|
When WW kayaking I tried to catch a tricky eddy and missed, as a result I backender'ed and was washed up against the face of a rock that faced upstream. I was being lifted and dropped by the water surging against the rock. Every time it dropped me I hit another rock that was submerged beneath me. I was afraid if I tried to exit the boat I would be pinned somehow betweend the submerged rock and the rock face and I would drown. As a result I figured I was either going to roll out of it, or drown.
I was reasonably skilled, but not experienced enough to know that I could have safely exited. A bow rescue from a partner was out of the question because they were already downstream.
I kept trying to roll out of it but the rock I was against was making it difficult. I was managing to get occasional breaths ("carping" as fellow boaters know it) and just kept trying to roll. Between rolls I was trying to push off the rock underwater with my paddle in hopes that it would wash me downstream or out of the main surge of water that was surging against the rock.
Then I lost my paddle. Luckily, I had practiced hand rolls all winter in an indoor pool and eventually I managed to hand roll out of it. Strangely, once I was upright I just floated right into the calm part of the eddy. This was a loooong time after I flipped. I screamed a battle cry of victory like I have never screamed before. It was a strange feeling of adrenaline mixed with the light-headedness that comes from holding your breath, then taking a quick breath and repeating over and over.
My buddies downstream were almost scared as I was, they said I was under a VERY long time. They couldn't figure out why I hadn't just gave up and done a wet exit. I told them I was afraid of being pinned, so I was going to fight until it was over. It was then that they told me there was no danger of being trapped there and I could of just done a wet exit and I would have washed free.
I remember the calm resolve that hit me when I was sure it was a real "do or die" situation. It's something I'll never forget.
There have been other situations while climbing that were very "interesting". However, it's much more terrifying when you can't see or breathe.
|
|
|
|
|
gat
Dec 1, 2004, 6:10 PM
Post #28 of 106
(10982 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 3, 2003
Posts: 420
|
In reply to: I thought it would be fun to show them what a stall was. Bad mistake.
Nothing like being a piloting student and practicing the power ON stalls solo. Now there's a rush!
|
|
|
|
|
slablizard
Dec 1, 2004, 6:33 PM
Post #29 of 106
(10982 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 13, 2003
Posts: 5558
|
Around 86, I was following a group of alpine guides and friends to a new bolted route on the Gran Sasso there was a short but quite steep snow slope to traverse, I was with my brother and it was the first time I took him mountain climbing. We traversed the slope in sneakers, following the steps of our friends ( they had mountain boots ) a friend of us got stuck in the middle of the slope, he was scared and could not traverse. We tried to throw him a rope from the other side but after many tentatives the rope got wet and we realized we had to go back too.
By that time it was snowing and the fog came up, completely hiding the valley below.
We started the traverse back, but the steps carved by our friends weren't that good anymore. Using hands as tool and carefully stepping with sneakers over now iced snow we start traversing again.
I was more worried for my brother than me, when I felt my right foot slip.
One instant later I was sliding down in the fog picking up speed. I turned on my back and started screaming like there was no tomorrow. I could not see if the slope ended in a scree or in a bottomless gorge.
Fortunately it ended in a rock scree, by that time I was going down fast, still on my back sure that I would die.
When I saw the first rocks I pointed my feet and started running. Well more flying than running and somewhat managed to slow down and stop.
Turning my head uphill I saw a rock that after its last bounce whas aimed right at my face, charged with adrenaline I slammed it down inches from my nose cutting my hand.
Few minutes later I was at the "rifugio" ( shelter, a hig altitude bar-restaurant-hotel ) drinking grappa, glad to be alive.
Our friends were back from the route as well, they had a plastic bag with all the bolts in it. Some trad mountaineer wasn't that happy about that mountain bolted 12a route.
That was scary as hell. I was sure I would end up falling into a crevasse or a gorge while sliding down in the fog.
http://www.gdargaud.net/...sso/Direttissima.jpg
|
|
|
|
|
jpdreamer
Dec 1, 2004, 6:40 PM
Post #30 of 106
(10982 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 14, 2000
Posts: 232
|
This past summer I was in Japan for a two month study abroad. About midway through my host family took me to a goregeous beach with sand and a short cliffline. I took the route of least resistance climbing up the cliffline, in flip flops, and even though the "rock" was this sketchy sand and fossilized wood stuff that you could rub away with your hand, like sandstone that came up before it was ready, I figured I could just downclimb if it got too sketchy. However, 2/3 up (20, 25 feet) I came to a move I knew I could do, but not reverse, and seeing it mellow out after that move I figured there'd be a trail up top. So I climbed it, got up top, took some pictures, and realized there was no trail. Wandered around for a while trying to find a trail, pushing through brambles but couldn't find anything. So then I made the big mistake: I tried to downclimb the cliff. Walked back to the cliffline and started to downclimb, and got to the one moove I wasn't sure how to reverse. I got the only good foot on the thing, a rock embedded (or so it appeared) deeply in the mudstone. I sunk waaaaaay low onto it to try and reach the next flat area, and got one foot there, then the fossilized chip I had been using as a hand broke off and maintained my balance, but barely. Realizing that this move was definately not reversable, I managed to stand up on the one foothold and get back to the flatter ground above. I then bushwacked back around 75 yards and found the trail I had expected at the top and easily made my way down, but trying to reverse that move was the most scared I've evern been on a climb.
Just a note, if the rock had been real, solid sandstone or something the climb would have been 5.6. It was the fact that you could have dug out footholds with a trowel that made it so sketchy.
|
|
|
|
|
climbhoser
Dec 1, 2004, 7:02 PM
Post #31 of 106
(10982 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 4, 2004
Posts: 210
|
One time I was skiing in the Colorado BC with a friend and we scouted a good looking, maybe forty foot cliff into what looked like a chute from below. So, we hiked around on the ridge and sent ourselves into the couloir aiming for the little cliffie to have some fun in the awesome spring pow. When we got to the cliff we realized that what from below had appeared as the side of the chute was actually a cliff split by a snow covered ledge (the ledge being what we thought was the chute). So, It wasn't jumpable, but I wanted to see if the lower portion was so I skirted the upper cliff to go across on the ledge. As I turned the corner onto the ledge a giant slab of snow, probably about three hundred pounds worth, let loose and fell from the lower cliff with a mighty "whump!" Scared, I just kept skiing, straightlining across the ledge, about thirty feet up from certain injury. As I skied, a slab let loose on the ledge, and fell from the ledge taking my downhill ski with me. I managed to keep balance with my uphill ski and brought my downhill ski back to me. As I neared the ledge end at the slope onthe far side of the cliff I cooked and a roaring slab/slough followed me. I just straightlined and outran th epath of the mini avalanche, but damn, I almost died....
|
|
|
|
|
nostalgia
Dec 1, 2004, 7:15 PM
Post #33 of 106
(10982 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jun 18, 2004
Posts: 793
|
Oh and the scariest thing? My first (and last) drop-in from a 12' vert half-pipe on a skateboard. I think I was 24. I had been practicing skating around the ramp, and starting from the bottom I was able to pump my way up to the coping. I figured I was ready.
I got up to the top, snapped the tail of the board onto the coping, and was terrified. Terrified. I looked around myself hanging off Minty in the 'Gunks at over 100' up, no problem. Looking down the 12' vert wall of this ramp, it was all I could do to hold my bladder. I was shaking, sweating, sure this was a bad idea.
I steeled my mind, and rememeber uttering to a fellow skater, "No guts, no glory." Then I shifted my weight forward and dropped in. This is where I believe I blacked out from the fear. The next thing I remember is looking at the flatbottom of the ramp just before I impacted it with my forehead (helmet on - probably saved my life), elbow and hip. I was like a limp sack of potatoes. I remember dead silence, then someone said, "Oh my God, is he dead?" That's when I started dragging myself off the bottom of the ramp. I couldn't move my legs, yet.
I ended up with no lasting damage. I had torn up my elbow right through the elbow pad. My hip was the worst. I had the biggest, ugliest bruise I have ever seen. I couldn't walk right for weeks. I have a picture of it at home which I'll post up when I get there tonight.
Damn, I still get the sweats when I think about looking over the nose of that board, sticking out over the coping. Jeebus.
-Joe
|
|
|
|
|
wanderinfree
Dec 1, 2004, 7:30 PM
Post #34 of 106
(10982 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jun 7, 2004
Posts: 476
|
It's a toss up between the head on collision I had last week on I-70 and nthusiastj's morning hair. :twisted:
|
|
|
|
|
sandbag
Dec 1, 2004, 7:38 PM
Post #35 of 106
(10982 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 12, 2003
Posts: 1443
|
Almost getting abducted at age ten by too really scary looking guys in a POS 1969 rusty gold cutlass with a disintegrated vinyl top, i can still see their faces.......nothing has even come close to scaring me that much since(hair on my neck stands up just typing it now 24 years later)
|
|
|
|
|
treyfrancisclimbs
Dec 1, 2004, 7:53 PM
Post #36 of 106
(10982 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 30, 2004
Posts: 170
|
something that scared me?
hmm...
hitchhiking on acid
new years on 5 hits of acid and a few grams of speed
tripping balls on a tenstrip when the police find acid in my bedroom
i guess it is a good thing i quit doing acid
oh yeah, any time i am driving in mexico, especially mexico city
|
|
|
|
|
ambler
Dec 1, 2004, 8:07 PM
Post #37 of 106
(10982 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jul 27, 2002
Posts: 1690
|
When I used to climb in Eldorado, sometimes a fat pigeon would fly out in your face just as you climbed up a crack. That was unexpected and frightening. So I've learned to stay out of Colorado and never climb wide cracks.
|
|
|
|
|
jebel_andi
Dec 1, 2004, 8:12 PM
Post #38 of 106
(10982 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 20, 2003
Posts: 122
|
When I lived in United Arab Emirates I used to spear fish near a desalination plant. I would dive underneath the pipe that sucks water into the factory. I was a bit more then 1/2 a km out and the pipe is about 20 feet deep (low tide) when I dived under it looking for fish. I didn't see anything big enough so I thought I would swim all the way under it and come up the other side, I thought I had swum completely under it and started to head upwards but I wasn't completely on the otherside so I hit the pipe when I swam up causing me to exhale a bit of air. I got freaked out and tried to swim the other way out but the pipe was still above me. It turns out I was facing the wrong way to I was swimming the legth of the pipe I finaly turned left and swam up. As soon as I was at the surface I headed in, I don't dive under stuff when there is bad visability any more. Scariest two minuets of my life. :cry:
When ever jet skiers were near it was scary to, a women was killed in Abu Dhabi by a jet skier when she was training for a triathalon (I hate jet skiers)
|
|
|
|
|
katanaman
Dec 1, 2004, 8:16 PM
Post #39 of 106
(10982 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 31, 2004
Posts: 143
|
not super scary (could have been worse) but ive been lucky enough not to run into too many bad situations, i was flying in cessna 172 round peggys cove area and i was bored (supposed to be training on forced landings) and did some retarded moves that cessna just can't do, the fuel is gravity fed. I ended looking at the sky, engine completely cut out, and falling to the ground! Dropped about 2000 feet with absoultly no control until luckily plane rolled enough for me to level off and pull out of spiral/spin. Now i had no engine, but after many attempts to restard while plummeting and looking for ideal crash/landing spot it turned back on. Luckily i didn't have to radio maybe and no rescue team had been assembled, i found it ironic that while i was supposed to be training for forced landing i almost had one. Tip: don't be stupid and try to invert gravity fed planes:P
|
|
|
|
|
amber
Dec 1, 2004, 8:26 PM
Post #40 of 106
(10982 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 15, 2004
Posts: 708
|
finding myself at the end of a misfigured rappel, 500' off the deck.
|
|
|
|
|
sandbag
Dec 2, 2004, 12:38 AM
Post #42 of 106
(10982 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 12, 2003
Posts: 1443
|
nice bruise, my torn hamstrings looked worse than that, id rather have the bruise
|
|
|
|
|
amber
Dec 2, 2004, 1:04 AM
Post #43 of 106
(10982 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 15, 2004
Posts: 708
|
another big scare factor - a serial rapist was actively attacking women in my neighborhood (within a few blocks of my place) a couple of years ago, and i fit the profile *exactly*
|
|
|
|
|
khenderson
Dec 2, 2004, 7:22 AM
Post #44 of 106
(10982 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 10, 2004
Posts: 18
|
i was running about 75 on the highway in my jeep when the back end kicked out and i spun around 2 times, hit a guardrail with the back end, and ended up across on the other side while semi's where running up hard on me. i still can't drive faster than about 55 on the highway while raining.....and that was two years ago
|
|
|
|
|
climber15
Dec 2, 2004, 8:43 AM
Post #45 of 106
(10982 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 30, 2004
Posts: 39
|
When I was 13 my dad and my sister and I went out fishing on the upper Kenai River In Alaska. After the river trip we had to cross Skilak lake which was about 6 miles to the take out. We were in a drift boat, and we had a cheap imported Ugaslavian engine that we had bought ten years before, that we straped on the back of the boat. WE had done the trip 4 or 5 times before with my dad and I, but this time the weather turned bad, and things went wrong. When we got to the lake, the swells were only two feet or so, and the glaciated wind was starting to build. We got the engine organized, and started putting off into the lake. We were about a quarter of the way across when things really picked up. Icy grey water began splashing over the gunwalls of our 14 foot aluminum drift boat, and you could hear every time we wnet over a wave as the propeller spun helplessly out of the water and dove back in a gain. By the time we got to the middle of the open section, the waves had picked up to 6 feet from tip to trough. I looked over at my sister and the terrified look on her face was one ill never forget. I looked back and my dad, and said "dad I love you, thank you for all youve done for us" and held on.
The waves kept comming, and the sickening pounding of the boat as it soared up and over each wave and came smashing down on the next was sickening. Dad had kept complete concentration during the whole time, and as we rounded the point were the open water ceased, we could see the sun and clam water in front, and the writhing dark turmiol behind us. I wont ever forget how scary that was, and the lesson learned was to keep cool and focussed, no matter how close death may be.
|
|
|
|
|
coldclimb
Dec 2, 2004, 9:38 AM
Post #46 of 106
(10982 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 14, 2002
Posts: 6909
|
This thread is quite the interesting read. I see now that I should elaborate on my other post.
My scariest moment ever, I wason the third pitch of a new route, above the V of a single crack that split into two and had one hand in either arm. The route has never been climbed to our knowledge, and was coated in fuzzy lichen, making it incredibly hard to climb. Fifty feet below me was a low angle slab, and between me and that slab were two nuts placed where I could dig the moss out of the crack. You do the math. I managed to place another nut where I was and move up a few steps to where the left hand crack vanished, and things looked seriously bad. I nearly fell slipping back down to a semi-good position, fighting the slipping lichen constantly with no friction anywhere, checked my nut as best as I could, and lowered off that single iffy piece, half downclimbing half sliding, and rubbing lichen off the whole way. Got to the base of the crack and all I wanted was to be somewhere else. I tried whipping the nut out, but it wouldn't let go, which was some relief, but when I came back a week later and rapped down to it, it was loose and came right out. This is the most scared I can ever recall being. I could taste it strong. If I had fallen there, I'd have been seriously injured at the least, and it was miles to the nearest road.
So of course I have to go back next year and finish that route! :twisted:
On another note, I was involved in a car accident a few weeks ago. We stopped to help at a rollover at midnight, and parked our truck on the shoulder to tow the SUV back onto its wheels. I was kneeling behind the truck attaching the trailer hitch when the guy driving me (John) and the SUV driver (Patrick) started getting nervous about a car coming around the corner. Then John yelled "Oh no... Oh no... Oh no!" and then, thinking of his wife in the truck, "Get out!" All three of us dove for the ditch as a car slammed full speed into the front left tire of the truck, spun around, and flew into the ditch right at us. From the time I jumped up till I dove into the snow was maybe a little over a second. I recall turning my head in mid-dive and seeing the lights of the car spin around, and then it brushed my leg out of the way, and slammed John and Patrick against the bottom of the SUV. Patrick was able to pull his leg out of the snow. John has one leg in a cast (fractured bone in his ankle) and the other in a brace (severely dislocated knee) which is far better off than the paramedics figured. His wife, who was in the passenger seat of the truck when she saw the car coming, had gotten nervous and started to crawl across to get out the driver's side door when something told her "Just sit back, buckle your seatbelt, and everything will be fine." She did, and the car slammed the truck right at the driver's side door going well over 60mph. Knocked a loaded down F250 back 30 feet, but she was fine. The driver of the car also made it out ok.
This was an intense situation, and close calls don't get any closer, but it happened way too fast to be afraid, which is why I didn't post it first. I never had the chance to think, I just acted. Waiting 45 minutes for the rescue vehicle with John smashed between two vehicles, I felt no fear either. Just mechanically did what I could to help the situation.
Makes you think though. Just another second and I'd have died before I knew what hit me. Are you ready to die? It really does happen that fast. I thank God for getting us out of that one alive. The officer that showed up said he fully expected to find someone dead, with the description he got and what the scene looked like when he arrived.
Nasty situation all around. I never thought I would have a use for the flashing setting on my headlamp - in fact I made fun of it - but now I see what it's there for. I was glad to have it. That and a chunk of my slackline to tie the door back on the truck, and my North Face jackets and Helly shell as we stood around in the cold all night.
|
|
|
|
|
cgailey
Dec 2, 2004, 10:08 AM
Post #47 of 106
(10982 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 6, 2004
Posts: 585
|
In reply to: Only thing that has ever scared me enough to remember was being sketched while unprotected with huge exposure on unclimbed rock covered in lichen. There's a few things (like my first time highlining) that have weirded me out to the point that I couldn't do them, but I can't call that fear, exactly. More like my mind just froze up and stopped me, though I consciously felt comfortable doing it. I was definitely afraid of falling on that climb though. So strong I could taste it for a long while after I got off. That one leaves a memory I'm not likely to ever forget.
Yeah, he was so freaked out that he got whitefaced just rapping down to the spot...I would have too with that exposure...
I was most scared when my buddy took a whipper with the rope behind his leg...he almost whacked his head...I was yelling at him to step around the rope and next thing I know he's falling nearly upside down. That freaked me out.
|
|
|
|
|
slcliffdiver
Dec 2, 2004, 3:48 PM
Post #48 of 106
(10982 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 18, 2002
Posts: 489
|
This was going to go in the stupid things you did climbing thread but didn't have the time. When I first started trad I was a bit isolated without strong mentors. I had heard that multi-pitch was for experienced climbers only. Unfortunately the only guide books I knew of at the time for "lead areas" were multi-pitch. Through camping hiking and my first lead climb with someone in retrospect with probably less experience and sanity than I assumed at the time in an undocumented area I knew of some cliffs to try. What it comes down to is most of my begging leading was either first ascents or stuff that was either undocumented or I didn't have any documentation for. Not unsurprisingly several times through a lack of experience, rock quality and general stupidity in one way or another I found my self over my head faced with certian injury or death at the edge of my ability and periodicaly dependent on a hold appearing where I would need it or a hold not breaking that was iffy. Two of the many things that kept this cycle going where "young man denial" (realizing in the moment I could have died and the next day minimizing and forgetting about it to a great extent) and my perspective that since multi-pitch is supposed to be a lot harder than single pitch that I was just being a baby about it and I wasn't ready for "the big rock" since the "little stuff" scarred me this much (in the moment). I didn't really hit me overall how many close calls I had and how serious they really were until I did my first established multi-pitch. I wasn't pulling of "holds", occasional tree's, the pro was generally good and I could be pretty damn sure that the route was within my ability. I had "reasoned" before that since the experienced climbers that I had talked to talked me out of multi-pitch before and since a lot of people did multi-pitch which was supposed to be way harder than single pitch and weren't dropping like fly's that I was just being chicken and was overblowing the close calls I had in my head. Now that I had done estiblished climbs with a guide book I understood in my heart why climbers weren't dying at massive rates and realized just how friggin lucky I had really been on a lot of what I had done before. Anyway for the first time I was flooded with how much peril I really had been in do to combining inexperience, addiction, denial, isolation and faith in my own noobish logic. It seems most people's multi-pitch is a glorious experience. For me at the end of the day I just felt utterly stupid, embarressed and lucky to be alive and unscathed from many of my previous climbs. I've had other scary experiences but the flood of realizing just how poor my judgement and perspective had been really shook me. The danger in large part hadn't been external it had been do to many flaws in the way I looked at things and made decscions. The good thing is I think I grew up a lot from the realization and made a lot of changes. But realizing in a short span of time how much my previous attitude and the way of thinking put me in peril scarred me on a whole different level.
I may end up deleting this part if it's considered to of topic but to me it relates. In general I consider it almost miraculous I survived my teens and early twenties without at the very least with permanent disabilities, climbing was by far not the only thing that I'ved close calls with. I was meditating on a mountian once and this woman came up to me and told me I had a powerful gaurdian angel. I told her she had no idea. How often can you flip a coin 10-20 times and have it come out heads? The probabilty of me being here able to type this seems a bit absurd. The existance of some entity or something looking after my well being seems to me more likely than chance letting me exist today. While for the most part my close calls are embarressing to me surviving them has shaped my faith and my perspective to a good extent.
|
|
|
|
|
apieceinbozeman
Dec 3, 2004, 4:03 AM
Post #49 of 106
(10982 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 1, 2004
Posts: 14
|
Ahh...I can recall the incident as if it happened not a week ago. It was the '60s; following my escape from the East and the heinous southwestern Montana FA that undoubtedly defined me as a hardman, I made my way to Yosemite Valley in hopes of sending a sick route on one of the big walls. Upon arriving in the Valley, I decided that a partner would be most beneficial, even though I normally climb alone (due to the fact that I have applied THE KNIFE! to most aspects of my life). Climbing in the Valley would be different, however, for I had used the majority of my gear to ascend the brutally intense aforementioned crack line. Becuase of this, my remaining rack was comprised of some shoddy 2x4's, which didn't bode well for my aspirations. I began to cruise around Camp 4 in search of some poor sap to come belay me on one of the walls- it was during this venture that I happened across DON! DON was a fellow hardman who happened to be from Montana as well, and we immediately took a liking to each other's personality and motivations. Upon establishing a common bond, I proposed that we send El Cap the following day. DON was quite pleased with this suggestion, but made it clear that he would accompany me provided I adhere one condition- I had to bring along an adequate supply of snacks in order to keep DON satisfied on the climb. He claimed that he "loved to eat snacks in the mountains." Although I found this somewhat quirky, my respect for DON overpowered the odd and repulsive nature of his request; I obliged, and by the following morning, DON and I set off for what was to be the greatest adventure of all time! We reached the base of the wall shortly after sunrise, and DON (after inhaling four or five snacks) begged for the first pitch lead. I surrendered it to him, and off he went. The climbing fell to our natural ability for the first couple pitches, but then required copious amounts of aid in order to ascend further. This didn't slow us down, however, for DON had the healthiest rack I had ever seen- state of the art gear, straight from Yvon himself! DON had claimed to be a good buddy of the talented ironsmith, and made it clear that the rack was a generous gift from Yvon. Although I had my doubts, I wanted to exercise my ability as a hardman and send sick routes, so further questioning as to the validity of DON's acquisition of the gear remained on the backburner. This, however, proved to be a mistake, and the consequences manifested themselves on the 67th pitch. I was on lead, nailing up a magnificent pitch of A6, when from below I heard DON utter a low groan resembling that of a dying cow. I glanced down, and witnessed a terrified look on DON's face. "DON! What the hell's goin on, man?" I asked. DON replied with a series of mutters, and he kept glancing nervously down towards the ground. I then diverted my gaze past DON's position at the belay, and noticed a tiny figure steadily ascending towards us with a determined and angry look on his face. Who was this crazy fool, and why was he soloing the second ascent of our sick new route? As the figure ascended closer, I started to recognize him as none other than Yvon himself! "DON!" I shouted, "It's Yvon! He's fuckin sending, man!" DON looked mortified, but I couldn't understand why. Then it hit me- DON had stolen Yvon's entire rack, and now the Initiator of Iron was about to have his way with us halfway up the sickest wall in the world! Suddenly things weren't looking so good. I confirmed with DON, and he affirmed my assumption. By now, Yvon was one pitch below DON, and we could hear him screaming at the top of his lungs as he sent the 5.13 roof in fine style. Not one to be slowed down, he dispensed with the remainder of the pitch, and promptly arrived at DON's location. At this point, Yvon unloaded on DON by beating him silly (with one of my 2x4's) and regaining as much of his gear as possible at the belay. With DON out of the way, Yvon's attention was now focused on the bulk of his rack (and livelihood) which was situated on the sling around my shoulder. He dug in his rucksack and produced two ascenders, then began to ascend the lead rope by employing the counterweight the I created by hanging off the dubious pin hammered into a flaring scar. He soon reached my position on the rock and demanded that I return his rack. I replied that under normal circumstances it would not be a problem, but considering our situation, I begged Yvon to allow me to continue on with his rack in order to send my sick new route. Yvon would not hear anything of this, and forcibly took the rack from my shoulders, upon which he continued to free solo the daunting piece of rock above him. Within minutes, he was gone, and so were my chances of sending the sick new line. I tried to rouse DON from his comatose state at the belay, but it was of no avail. It occured to me at that point that I may die up on the sick wall. My partner and rack had both been taken from me, and without these two aspects of ascent, I was as good as dead. Apparently my hardman training in the mountains of Montana was not enough. This turn of events terrified me, and I soon began to pray for my life. Soon after this began, I heard a voice from below- it was...ED! (ED was a former partner of mine who ascended the ranks of alpinism and eventually ended up inventing the French Grading system) "ED!" I yelled as loud as I could, effectively catching his attention. Even though he was hundreds of feet away from me, I could still make out his intense facial features and sideburns shaved in the shape of ice picks. ED's inherent natural ability allowed him to climb over to me and rescue my sorry ass off of the sick wall...my life is forever indebted to ED and his will to survive. ED and I ended up finishing my sick route, and we named it "Snacks in the Mountains," after our beloved friend DON. So believe it or not, this was the most terrifying thing to ever happen to me, although DON (who still lurks on certain internet ice climbing forums) would argue that our epic on Nanga Parbat's Rupal Face was far more exhilerating...this, however, is not the time nor the place for that story. CLIMB ON! :robert:
|
|
|
|
|
sabu
Dec 4, 2004, 1:06 AM
Post #50 of 106
(10982 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 14, 2004
Posts: 51
|
ok scariest mistake i've made was missing a crutial bolt whilst leading the small roof on our 7m wall at skool. made worst cos i was lunging for a hold on the lip. hanging by one arm wit no feet off a jug on the lip i realized the amount of slack rope and how far the last bolt was!! that must have been the fastest clip i have ever done!! had i have fall i would have hit the ground or swung straight into the wall. the last clipped bolt was on the face under the roof the bolt i missed was on the roof and i was on the lip!! a very painful fall had i have missed the lunge!!
|
|
|
|
|
honeybee
Dec 10, 2004, 9:49 AM
Post #51 of 106
(10652 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Feb 14, 2004
Posts: 26
|
Strangely enough it wasn’t the actual even that scared me most, I found the aftermath the hardest to deal with.
I was out in a pub with my brother/friends a few years back. The night was great, nearing the end of the night I was standing talking to a friend at the bar when a girl shoved me from behind, being the idiot that I am I laughed and said I’d have moved if she’d asked, next thing I know I’m pinned against the bar by this girl and her boyfriend. The all up in my face and the boyfriend head butts me on the side of the face. Total was the shock that even the lads I was with took a second to react. (men don’t hit woman where we grew up). The bouncers moved in and escorted the couple from the bar.
This was just before closing time, and we remarked to the bouncers if it was possible to stay in to wait for our taxi as we figured the couple might be outside. They basically couldn’t have cared less and told us no. Literally as soon as we stepped out my brother so the guy and went to make sure he didn’t come near me, our friend went after to him to make sure he was ok. Little did they know, the girl was waiting for me, to shorten it all, I end up on my back with at least 4 girls kicking the hell out of me. Me not being the fighting type didn’t have a clue what to do.
What shocked me was that I was right at the door and the bouncers did nothing. My friend came back from checking on my bro, remember him saying that he’d seen plenty of blokes fighting, but had never seen anything as sickening.
We finally got away and up to casualty as my left eye had closed over and I was very disorientated. Was a mad night.
The next day was worse, was sitting at the top of the stairs when my brother rang my mum to tell her. She arrived up with have my family; you can tell it’s not one of your pretty days when you can make your mum cry every time she looks at you. My left eye was closed over and the whole left side of my face was bruised, the right eye was swollen and badly brusied. Had bruised all down both sides of my body where the other girls were laying the boot in while she was on top of me. As I said, definetly not pretty.
Took me quite awhile to get over it, if you can even say I am. Got panic attacks in crowded places, can’t stand any form of confrontation. The police were brilliant, very understanding. But we didn’t get them. What I found strange was other peoples attitudes the doctors were the worst. They just assumed you were just like the girl; she was the type that her night wasn’t complete without something like that. I still get a sick to the stomach when I think about it, or go past the place. As I said, during it, you didn’t have time to feel scared, but it was afterwards, just walking down the street scared the hell out of me.
lol, I feel fear at climbing, but that’s a healthy fear. And it’s a situation I put myself in. It’s in my control. Much prefer that.
|
|
|
|
|
calfcramp
Dec 10, 2004, 11:15 AM
Post #52 of 106
(10652 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 10, 2003
Posts: 391
|
Man, so many to read.... I'll just throw mine in...
1st was probably the time my dad had a seizure on our porch, eyes rolling, vomit, the whole bit. That was scary. I should really give him a call....
2nd was probably the time I was in Mexico with some buddies on a diving trip. My buddy discovered a couple who were smoking a little weed and went over to chat. They offered to sell him a little...
So anyway, we we're relaxing quietly and talking about dives and whatever when a couple of drunken girls come over and started to talk to us. They were pretty rowdy and not all that welcome under the circumstances. They wouldn't shut up and wouldn't take the hint that they should move the party along somwhere else. Before long, the J was snatched out of my hand by someone. I turn to see that it was a policeman with a machinegun and the whole bit, along with about 4 of his buddies. We had to identify ourselves, give up our passports and were about a micron from being hauled off. Thankfully, we had made a friend from Chile and he talked the cops out of arresting us. That was really really really close. Muchos gracias Dave, wherever you are...
3rd was likely at Rumney climbing a slab in the rain with a groundfall looming. I was scared.
|
|
|
|
|
sabu
Dec 10, 2004, 12:00 PM
Post #54 of 106
(10652 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 14, 2004
Posts: 51
|
true that. but r u allowed to defend urself in that situation or do u hav to sit down and take it? a bigger question is wat the hell was that for??? ther was absolutely no reason to beat sumone up and THAT"S scary that people bash others for no particular reason. maybe it's just SAFER to live in a tent at the base of a sweet cliff and climb.
|
|
|
|
|
numbnut
Dec 10, 2004, 1:53 PM
Post #55 of 106
(10652 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 31, 2004
Posts: 144
|
rock climbing
|
|
|
|
|
thedesertnomad
Dec 10, 2004, 2:04 PM
Post #56 of 106
(10652 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 23, 2003
Posts: 216
|
In reply to: In reply to: (men don’t hit woman where we grew up) Indeed. What DOES one do in that predicament? :? The way I've been raised, any guy who hits a girl needs to get beat into the ground. I wouldn't be able to fight back in a situation like that. :shock:
Hitting a girl is one thing... 4 pyscho chicks kicking the crap out of you.... I say flail, fight dirty... bite and kick. Hell I'm not sexist, I would hit those girls just as quick as 4 guys doing it !!!!!
|
|
|
|
|
dontfall
Dec 10, 2004, 2:12 PM
Post #57 of 106
(10652 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 31, 2003
Posts: 2798
|
In reply to: my ex girlfriend, she's from staten island
OMG THAT IS SO FUNNY. Girl's from SI do scare the hell out of me though....
|
|
|
|
|
dontfall
Dec 10, 2004, 2:15 PM
Post #58 of 106
(10652 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 31, 2003
Posts: 2798
|
I slept over my friends house one night and I heard his parents......... :cry: I can't look at them the same anymore.....
|
|
|
|
|
joshj
Dec 10, 2004, 2:27 PM
Post #59 of 106
(10652 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jun 25, 2003
Posts: 302
|
Ok... this is more stupid than scary and IN NO WAY compares to some of the scary/freaky things that have already been posted. That being said... this is my story.
It was my first climbing trip, January 2001. We had been bouldering most of the afternoon and made it back to camp with visions and conversation of the climbs we would hit tomorrow. I decided to go ahead and start gathering wood for the fire.
As I chop the fire wood, my mind starts to wander into thought of how much I have fallen in love with climbing. I hear my climbing partner yell to me that we should have enough wood for the night, so I decide to finish up this last log. A couple more chops should do it. Suddenly, I feel a thud on my left shin and excruciating pain. I look down and see that my pants have been sliced in a nice 2" slit down the front. My mind starts to race. What have I done? Did I just break my leg? Did I even cut it? Maybe the pants had stopped the blade from reaching the skin. I drop the brand-new shinny hatchet, realizing that it IS brand-new and very sharp... I HAD to be cut. I slowly open the slit in my pants, looking at the injury. Blood starts to pour out. I yell at my climbing partner to bring me my clothes bag... bring ANYTHING that I can make into a bandage. He starts freaking out, realizing that it would be at least 2 hours before help could get to us. I calmly tear tomorrow's shirt into long strips, applying them to stop the blood. STUPIDLY, I decide that I don't need medical attention and stick it out the rest of the night. I didn't get much sleep, worried that I was going to loose my leg. It took me a good 3-4 weeks to fully heal (let's be honest... when the weather changes or my kids jump on my leg, it still hurts like heck). To this day, if you run your hand over my shin you can feel where the bone is fractured.
josh
|
|
|
|
|
timmay
Dec 10, 2004, 5:35 PM
Post #60 of 106
(10652 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 10, 2004
Posts: 18
|
A few years ago, I was sailing with 2 friends on my family's sunfish. It was Labor day so the lake was very busy and there was almost no wind, but we were having fun. Eventually, a young kid (probably 12 at most and never took a boater's safety class) on a Seadoo started to buzz by us and then spin and try to spray us on the boat. He did this a few times and we were getting mad trying to tell him to get away from us. However, he didn't and kept spraying us and getting closer and closer. Finally, he spins out once more, hits the boat and slides the back of the seadoo over the top of our boat, hitting our boom and coming less than 2 or 3 feet from hitting my brother. Luckily, he missed my brother and he also broke the jet prop on the back of the Seadoo so he could only go in straight lines. The police caught him and his dad and gave them a very large fine.
I am just glad that they did not hit my brother.
|
|
|
|
|
greyicewater
Dec 10, 2004, 6:31 PM
Post #61 of 106
(10652 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 8, 2003
Posts: 419
|
when i first started climbing i was actually afraid of heights... i don't know if that's common, i'd say it is...
|
|
|
|
|
crimpandgo
Dec 10, 2004, 6:42 PM
Post #62 of 106
(10652 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 15, 2004
Posts: 1005
|
"Spiders coach... " -- The replacements.
|
|
|
|
|
lang22
Dec 10, 2004, 7:36 PM
Post #63 of 106
(10652 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 10, 2004
Posts: 19
|
just this past july my buddy ryan and i were hiking in garibaldi provincial park near whistler. we made the quick hike up to wedgemount lake, hoping to spend a few days getting to a few of the surrounding peaks. no real climbing, just scrambling mostly. after realizing wedge mountain was too dangerous to attempt without our crampons, harnesses, rope, axes, we decided on a smaller, easier-looking peak for our first day.
we started up the peak, realizing at once it was a lot more difficult than what we could see from our tent. then we started getting stupid. we would see some near-vertical sections, and say to eachother, 'ok, we'll do this one, but turn around if things get hairy'. so we basically bouldered our way up, further, and further, up 15-20 foot sections of vertical rock, no chalk, no equipment, in salomon super mountain lites. we got about halfway up, and realized there was no way we could safely backtrack down, so we decided to the top, and find an easier way down.
the top turned out to be a tiny summit, only about 2 square metres. looking for an easy way down, all we could see was a glacier on the other side of the mountain. on the very edge was some wet deep snow we figured we could boot ski down...slowly. but it was steep, very steep. so steep that it actually went down, then under a lip, then about 75 degrees until it leveled out. so ryan was going to go first. i tried to psyche him up and he took a few deep breaths and started down. after about 2 steps, he lost his footing and started on a ridiculously fast slide out of control. he was flipping, somersaulting, trying to grab onto anything. i was freaking out thinking he was going to nail the rocks and kill himself. finally, about 6 inches from the rock, he slid to a stop...he was speechless, realizing how close he came to biting it. he told me later he was also crying a little, not from fright, but because we were both wearing shorts, and he'd never had that much sharp, icy snow shoved up his ass before!! :o
then it was my turn, i was scared shitless....i used my hiking pole to self-arrest, but still lost control and flipped a few times, but not nearly as scary as watching my best friend almost die...we managed to descend about 1200 feet in about 25 seconds.
|
|
|
|
|
kevanrobitaille
Dec 10, 2004, 7:54 PM
Post #64 of 106
(10652 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 5, 2004
Posts: 113
|
Between Whistler and Squamish, closer to Squamish, is a lake called Brome (or however its spelled). A buddy and me were there and met up with some local friends. We scoped out some of the " scary big cliffs" which turned out to be not too bad compared to P.R, accept the insane one that had a memorial plaque from a kid who died on it. My friend decided to free climb some bluffs, probably a 5.6 at the most. I followed. The problem was they were completely covered in moss, and we were bear footed and wet. We got up high enough for a deadly fall, and no way of turning back when he got stuck in a spot. He made it past, but i slipped on some loose moss and almost fell. We both made it fine, but that shook me up.
It was crazy to really realize how such a little mistake can end a life.
|
|
|
|
|
cactusjack
Dec 10, 2004, 8:27 PM
Post #65 of 106
(10652 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 27, 2004
Posts: 62
|
Well, it would have to be sometime around the second season I was climbing. I climbed up on tr, and then belayed my partner from above. The wind picked up really bad, and we couldn't hear what the other was saying. As a result, he started climbing up before I was ready for him. So, I put him on belya before paying attention, and when he fall, the rope was running right over the top of my leg, and pinched my leg between the rock and the rope across the thigh. Hurt like a mother. Luckily, just a little black and blue, and I pay attention now where I stand.
|
|
|
|
|
boulderinemt
Dec 10, 2004, 9:33 PM
Post #66 of 106
(10652 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Feb 9, 2003
Posts: 282
|
In reply to: when i first started climbing i was actually afraid of heights... i don't know if that's common, i'd say it is...
so was i. but the first look down a 1000 meter deep crevasse will change that. i still get kinda nervous on highballs unless i have someone there watching me. one of my buddies ate it on grand teton solo. i don't want to repeat his fate.
|
|
|
|
|
modman
Dec 10, 2004, 9:42 PM
Post #67 of 106
(10652 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 10, 2004
Posts: 52
|
the scariest thing happened at a base camp in the Cordillera Blanca. i was sitting there reading che Guevera's motercycle diaries in my underwear. Three armed men in rag tag military type clothes came into camp with AK-47s pointed at me. They saw the picture of che on the book I was reading and left me alone after I gave them some tuna sandwiches.
When the rest of the party returned from a visit to the "french" camp around the knoll they didn't beleive me and thought I ate all the Tuna!
|
|
|
|
|
ottoman
Dec 10, 2004, 10:47 PM
Post #68 of 106
(10652 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 26, 2003
Posts: 149
|
Have seen bad thunderstorms...Have been under them.....but the Storms that ya don't see until they hit..........those are the one's that scare me the most....This summer at Moore's wall....bad juju
|
|
|
|
|
kman
Dec 10, 2004, 11:46 PM
Post #69 of 106
(10652 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 16, 2001
Posts: 2561
|
HEY HONEY BEE!! What did you do to start all this. Seems odd that this would happen out of the blue. Well....I have seen lots of club fights that started for no reason, so it's not that odd. Did you do something to provoke them? Did they think you were some one else?
|
|
|
|
|
shatter
Dec 11, 2004, 2:17 AM
Post #70 of 106
(10652 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 18, 2003
Posts: 24
|
I can see honey bee's situation as I have been in a few unprovoked violent situations...
#1. Back in Highschool there was a group of people that disliked me for one reason or another...mostly I think it was because I just know longer enjoyed hanging out with thier close nit extremist crowd. Anyway, I had watched a fight the week before and saw a kid get beat up pretty bad because he was not ready for the encounter...had his pack on and hands in his pockets...so, when confronted a weak later I started taking my pack off...of course this was seen as hostile and I got clocked by some guy on the sidelines instead of the guy confronting me in the first place.
#2. I was at a friends house that was a known party pad. We were just hanging out and there was no actual party at the time. Well, 4 guys showed up on the front porch that had just come from the bars...they had heard a party was here...the owner of the place said there was no party and told them to leave. At this point they became beligerent and started yelling at the owner...I decided to step outside onto the porch where I could view the confrontation. Well, eventually my buddies got fed up with arguing and slammed the door in the drunks face...not realizing I was outside with them...after kicking the door a few times they turned to me and said "what you lookin' at" then charged. I just lay defensless and let them beat me up. I don't know if it was the right choice, but I'm still living so it got me through. Had I fought back maybe I would have been beat less, maybe more...
#3. Maybe I just look funny, but this keeps happening to me...I'm walking through the parking lot of my girlfriends dorm late at night, walking to her jeep. Anyway, a car shoots up from behind me and some guy jumps out of the back seat and starts following me. Really scary situation...I get to the jeep and he pushes me and asks if it's my car. Instead of telling the extended story of it's my g/f's car I just say, "yes". He pushes me trying to get me to fight him and eventually just tells me to get in the car and get out of here...so I get in and start the car. Then the car the guy was in pulls up behind me, blocking me in and the guy starts conversing with some people in the car through thier window...I then try to start backing around them slowly and the guy turns around and kicks the side of my car. I snap...deciding I'm am tired of being bullied. Rev the engine, hit the gas, and floor the guy. Nothing like 2000 lbs of steel knocking you on your ass. The car bolts realizing this got serious and leaving the guy on his butt in the parking lot...I bolt and drive directly to the police station where they check video's (they have camera's in all of the lots) and verify everything I have said. I ask if I can get in trouble for hitting him and they agreed that I did was I had to to get out of a tense situation. They could not find the guys later and I think I would have pressed charges for assult if they had...I personally am done slinking into a cave.
Now, since I am in this thread anyway I should post my story of when I was really scared for my life. This is actually an excerpt from a letter that I wrote to my friends parents after "the incident". It all started with a pristine day of cliffjumping in Hawaii.
---start letter------
We walked out on the cliffs. The sun was out and we were all glad to get away from the school for a bit. We laid down and sunbathed for a period of time. Then, we went jumping. I jumped in first and Mallakai followed. I had done it numerous times before so I showed him the way out and how to get in between the sets of waves. We probably jumped for a good twenty minutes before deciding to go look at the bigger cliffs down the coast. They are called “spitting caves” because as the waves crash into a cave below the cliffs, it spits water out about fifty feet.
The cliff is probably about 400 yards up the coast. We looked at them and hung out there for about an hour. I had jumped off of them in the past, but, the waves looked a little ominous on this occasion so we decided against it. We then hoofed it back to “china walls” the smaller cliffs that we were jumping off of earlier.
It was nearing dusk but we still had a bit of light left, probably about 45 minutes. I recall looking at the sunset that night. It was picture perfect. Mallakai really did not want to go in again, but I did, so he sat back and lounged as I jumped in once more. I came out and started talking with him. I decided to go again, and two ladies started pressuring him to come in with me. They asked him how he would feel if he was jumping all alone. I wish they had not been there because he would have continued to lounge had they not pried him into jumping with me . . . We both jumped at the same time. We were in the water when the set of waves came in. We were far enough away from the cliff to be safe, but the waves felt bigger. It was a bigger set than I was used to, and they were breaking with about eight or nine foot faces along the wall. (The waves run parallel to the wall.) Mallakai said he would follow my lead. I waited for a lull in the sets. We were probably treading water for about five minutes before I thought that the set had past. I swam into the wall to climb it and Mallakai followed. I was about three or four feet up the wall and Mallakai was right behind me by about a step. It was at this point that I saw either a rogue wave or a wave of a new, even bigger set; I do not know. It had about an eleven-foot face. When I saw the wave I felt a dread that I cannot put into words. We were in the worst place to be, right where the monster was going to break. When I first saw it, it was maybe seven to ten feet away, just enough time to react, maybe a second or two. I jumped away from the cliff back into the water hoping that I could distance myself from the dangerous rock. I cannot say for sure, but I think that Mallakai tried to hold on through the wave. I do know that we collided once in the water. I believe our backs hit each other as the wave picked us up and played with us as if we were rag dolls. It was the last time I ever had contact with my friend.
The wave felt like the hand of God. So much power. I have never felt, and hope to never again feel, power like it. The wave took me a distance of about a football field. At first I thought it would just let me go after awhile. That is what happened with previous waves while surfing. But it did not. It held me tight and then started to hammer me against the rocks. I remember starting to fall unconscious. I could feel the blackness encroaching upon life. I remember telling myself, "Stay conscious, or you will die" over and over again. Holding on. And waiting…
Eventually the grip loosened on me and I was allowed to breath. Another smaller wave then picked me up and washed me onto the reef. I recall standing up on the reef…it's edges cutting my feet and assessing the situation. I glanced at my leg, a four inch gash in it and bleeding profusely. I could taste blood as well. I thought I had almost lost my tongue…it felt like it was hanging on a thread. There was a lot of blood in the water…a circle forming around me. I turned and called Mallakai's name. Once, twice, thrice…all there was, was quiet, and the sounds of the ocean. I turned and started the climb back to where the girls were on the beach. I saw a man and called for help. He came rather quickly and I told him my friend was still in the water. He immediately took charge and got surfers searching the water. Somebody called 911. I waited about ten minutes before an ambulance came and I was taken away. They patched me up over the longest four hours of my life. There was no news of Mallakai. I only hoped he had been washed further down shore onto some beach.
------end letter------
I went to the hospital and the excellent staff helped me with my bruised hips, gash to the bone in my leg, dislocated knee, broken nose, ripped off upper lip, gashed back and shoulders...I was basically just a big pile of flesh in no particular order. The next morning the police called me asking where I had come back into shore, and that they had not found my friend yet. They had 2 choppers and 50 boats out in the water looking. I told them and ten minutes later they found his body. He was not beat up nearly as bad as me, probably just one good hit on the back of the head. The incident has made me grow up. Before the incident I was invincible...now I realize I am mortal. I look at situations very differently now and am much better at risk assesment. My climbing ability has suffered because of it as I now see the risks more clearly then before. Hopefully it will keep me climbing and living into my old age. I believe that many people don't realize that they are mortal, and that it can happen to them. I guess the only way to learn is to have it happen once and hope you make it through to tell the story. Anyway, keep living and stay careful. And thanks Mallakai for helping me grow to who I am today.
|
|
|
|
|
mburke225
Dec 11, 2004, 2:38 AM
Post #71 of 106
(10652 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 18, 2004
Posts: 119
|
relationships
|
|
|
|
|
cintune
Dec 11, 2004, 3:28 AM
Post #72 of 106
(10652 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 10, 2004
Posts: 1293
|
In reply to: Have seen bad thunderstorms...Have been under them.....but the Storms that ya don't see until they hit..........those are the one's that scare me the most....This summer at Moore's wall....bad juju
Agreed. Went out kayaking alone on the lower Susquehanna once, expecting to meet up with some friends at Big Indian Rock, an archeological site covered with Algonquin petrogyyphs. Got out to the rock and turned around to see a solid black stormfront bearing down on me, no time to get back to shore. Laid on the rock and covered myself with the boat just as the wind, hail and lightning hit. For about ten minutes I held on to the boat and thought about how I was the highest thing for about a square mile all around, completely freaked. Finally it was over and I headed back. Found my friends at the parking area; they were late and had decided not to go out on the water, what with the storm brewing. Shook me up more than any vertical mishap.
|
|
|
|
|
bandidopeco
Dec 11, 2004, 4:46 AM
Post #73 of 106
(10652 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 17, 2004
Posts: 257
|
In 1999 I went to visit my friend Jun in Tokyo. The first night there we decide to go to the video store, so i hop on the plastic spoiler on the back of his scooter and we're off. Now being from Tahoe, California i'm not really used to driving around big cities on the back of a scooter, so as he's weaving through traffic (which drives on the left side) I'm having images of Blood on the Highway 4 running through my head. Then he turns to me and starts explaining about how it's illegal to have 2 ppl on this paticular scooter, so if I see a cop on a motercycle I have to tell him because "Dude, he's going to chase us and we're going to have to run and it's going to be sketchy".
Umm yeah, so the scariest thing in my life was going to the video store.
and I have rapped off a knotted sling before, just to put it in perspective.
|
|
|
|
|
enjoimx
Dec 11, 2004, 7:19 AM
Post #74 of 106
(10652 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Feb 23, 2004
Posts: 378
|
First scariest time was about 5 years ago at Lopez Lake, CA. Myself, my dad and my brother were fishing in a boat early in the morning. We were trolling by the dam. It was a really quiet, peacefull morning. We hadnt been catching anything and so we were all kinda in our own little worlds, just thinking about life, not paying attention to what was going on, not talking. After awhile, me and my dad look back at my brother who had been trolling on the motor cover. He was laying their on top of the motor cover completely limp. His pole was kinda hanging off of his hand just dragging in the water, about to fall in. We told him to wake up and grab his pole before he dropped it in the water. No response. We started trtying to "wake" him up by shaking him, and we soon realized he wasnt just sleeping. His eyes were rolling around in his head. My dad was starting to get really panicked, thinking he was dead or something. I was only about 12 and had never driven the boat before, but i had to drive it in while my dad tried to revive him.
Later, paramedics were able to revive him. He had been so close to the engine, ,and with no wind in the air, the carbon monoxide fumes had nearly assfixiated him.
The scariest part was looking back thinking how easily it would have been for him to have fallen off that motor cover ( which was level with the edge of the boat) and we wouldnt have noticed for a good ten seconds, long enough for him to sink in the mirky water, and the boat to move ahead 20 feet. It would have been hard to find him in the mirky water.
Scariest climbing was about 5 months ago, i was scrambling alone and found myself on a little ledge, with a huge drop below me. The ledge was this really dirty chossy ledge. After 5 minutes not knowing what to do, i got the balls to make the sketchy moves to retrace my steps. I basically had to claw my way up this steep sandy rock. It was not fun.
|
|
|
|
|
honeybee
Dec 13, 2004, 9:36 AM
Post #75 of 106
(10652 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Feb 14, 2004
Posts: 26
|
As far as I’m aware kman I don't think I did anything to provoke or start it. As I said the girl shoved me and I’d laughed and said I would have moved if she'd asked, maybe if I hadn't said anything they wouldn't have taken it so far. But when she was sitting on top of me you could see that no matter what, had it been more or some other poor bu**er, that girl was out for some sort of violence that night.
To tell you the truth kman, you had the same attitude towards it as the doctors. Even my own doctor who I've been with for 17 years asked me what I did. When I explained what happened, he turned round and joked that I wouldn't be hanging round with those friends again.
Unfortunately the girl didn't stop the punches to tell me what I'd done or not done to pi$$ her off. Nor had I seen her at any point during that night. So as far as I can see apart from me, in good humour commenting on the shove I didn't do anything that warranted what I got in return. Unfortunately there are people out there that get a buzz of violence.
|
|
|
|
|
wetyeti
Dec 13, 2004, 11:46 AM
Post #76 of 106
(11107 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 1, 2003
Posts: 56
|
non climbing- got a phone call saying that i had to come home because my little brother had died earlier that day from a drug overdose. then getting home a few days later to see my mom accidentally eat a full bottle of valium. shes alright, but that first week we had to monitor her prescription pill intake. i had been blowing my nose so much that it began to bleed, ma was so out of it she apologized to me for punching me in the face, which she never did. she was totally out of it, but we're both doing a lot better now.
climbing- standing at a good rest ready to plug into a fist crack. the stance shifted and crumbled, two pieces pulled and i fell about 20 feet onto my noggin. walked away fine. this was scariest thing until the previous.
|
|
|
|
|
kman
Dec 13, 2004, 2:06 PM
Post #77 of 106
(11107 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 16, 2001
Posts: 2561
|
In reply to: To tell you the truth kman, you had the same attitude towards it as the doctors
Actually I did not have any opinion at all. Just asking. That sucks man. What a physco beotch. I bet it took some will power to not hit em back. Good for you.
|
|
|
|
|
bighigaz
Dec 13, 2004, 2:44 PM
Post #78 of 106
(11107 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 30, 2002
Posts: 696
|
Getting married scared the crap out of me.
But it was the smartest thing I've ever done.
My little brother disappeared when he was three years old... turned up after about 3 hours... I was "slighty" frightened by that.
Chinese Food scared me pretty bad once...
My wife's blood sugar (diabetic) dropped severely when she got food poisoning from same chinese restaurant (hole in wall) and threw up for 12 hours straight... extremely dangerous for a diabetic. Vomiting blood, dehydration, unconciousness, blood too thick to draw into a syringe at the emergency room... She's fine, she's beautiful, all is well...
We're having a daughter, our first child, in March. "Scared" doesn't describe it enough... outright FEAR seams more appropriate.
|
|
|
|
|
honeybee
Dec 14, 2004, 9:12 AM
Post #79 of 106
(11107 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Feb 14, 2004
Posts: 26
|
sorry kman, just a little sensitive on the subject, just so used to people jumping to the wrong conclusion . and if i'm honest, I don't remember enough about the actual kicking but i might have hit back, violence and all that cr@p isn't for me, but I'd say anybody will do anything to try to get someone off you.
The laugh of it is (and yes I try to laugh at everything, much easier that way) the week before the attack I started self defence classes at uni. HAHAHA you should have seen the look on the teachers face when I arrived back a few weeks later still bearing the bruises (albiet now a nice purply yellow colour).
Yeah, I agree with b!tch, but she did have a look of crazy or drug induced nutiness about her.
They way I look at it, it could have been worse. There were three stabbings that night in belfast. So it could have been much worse.
|
|
|
|
|
wingnut
Dec 15, 2004, 5:11 PM
Post #80 of 106
(11107 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 10, 2004
Posts: 754
|
I don't really have a mortal fear of anything, but it was pretty scary when we were robbed.
________________
I refuse to accept your reality, and substitute my own.
|
|
|
|
|
onsight_endorphines
Dec 15, 2004, 5:58 PM
Post #81 of 106
(11107 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 14, 2004
Posts: 226
|
Was stung on the eyelid by a wasp when I was a kid, I looked like a monster for the next 3 weeks with one eye swollen shut, it was pretty serious. Needless to say, I don't tolerate wasps/bees buzzing around my head anymore, and (I don't know this for sure but...) I would probably take a fall upon coming face to face with a nest.
|
|
|
|
|
rendog
Dec 21, 2004, 3:16 AM
Post #82 of 106
(11107 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jun 30, 2002
Posts: 2468
|
decking ice climbing from 5+ meters up. got up and finished the lead.
THAT was the scariest thing for me
|
|
|
|
|
androids
Dec 22, 2004, 11:41 PM
Post #83 of 106
(11107 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 8, 2004
Posts: 112
|
the scariest thing ever... spending the day with myself. seriously. alone. i cant imagine anything scarrier! drifting in and out of luminosity all day, scarry shit!!!
|
|
|
|
|
goofyc
Dec 24, 2004, 4:03 AM
Post #84 of 106
(11107 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 4, 2004
Posts: 55
|
Marriage. Done it twice didn't work won't do it again..... :twisted:
|
|
|
|
|
ctardi
Dec 24, 2004, 7:32 AM
Post #85 of 106
(11107 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 8, 2004
Posts: 1278
|
I am deathly scared of being stung/bitten by bugs, snakes, spiders, or anything else.
|
|
|
|
|
chalkfree
Dec 27, 2004, 6:15 AM
Post #86 of 106
(11107 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 27, 2004
Posts: 512
|
My scariest climbing moment and probably what really got me into this adreniline rush we call a sport:
So this one day I was cycling home from work, along the road to my pad there happen to be these loverly blasted cliffs, not really big but a decking would definitely endanger life and limb. I decide that after cycling 8 miles or so it'd be nice to boulder a bit. So I start a problem get board and decide to top out, bout 15-20 ft up I come to a move I can do but can't downclimb. So being smart I do it, after I get up to 20 -25 ft above the rocky talus, I find that I'm stuck; no problem, I have to go up so somehow I manage a move, stabilize and make another. My left hand pulls loose a rock dinnerplate about 20 lbs worth, which makes me barndoor, my eyes were glue to that piece of ironore laden stone as it slowly feathered its way to the rocks, whereupon the shattering noise from its impact awoke me to the fact that I was an atom or two worth of rock from following it straight down, likely headfirst.
Nonclimbing: Ever gone through the ice? In December? In weather of 20 below or worse? Neither have I, but I've gone through to the waist. Talk about something to make you shiver for years to come.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
braaaaaaaadley
Dec 27, 2004, 7:02 AM
Post #88 of 106
(11107 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 9, 2002
Posts: 576
|
While climbing in NC I was on fairly easy ground on a mixed sport-trad route. I was about 15 feet above my last bolt and I climb up and traverse 10-15 around a corner (the obvious path of the route) and I see nothing... no bolts, no cracks for pro; nothing. By this time I was 10 feet above the last crack I saw. After thinking that there has to be a bolt somewhere (the rock was fairly rough in appearence, so it would be easy to miss a bolt), I continued to climb. A few mins later and about 30 feet from my last bolt I see the belay station about 20 feet away. Fifteen of it was vertical; the rest of it was just low angle rock. Five feet below the top of the vertical section the footholds turned to waxy marble covered in water b/c it was in the shade. At this point I was a bit concerned for my wellbeing. I maintained my composure and focused on this last move up and over to the top. I did it no problem, and to this day It was the first time when I was really scared while climbing. I think this was good b/c I learned that day the answer to saving your butt in certain circumstances is not always to look for pro(and waste time and energy in the process), but to focus on the task at hand and climb yourself out of trouble.
|
|
|
|
|
uncasid
Dec 27, 2004, 7:38 AM
Post #89 of 106
(11107 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 21, 2004
Posts: 79
|
I have one that I almost died. My friend and I were sitting out on our lawn. Some guy in a gold intrepid pulls up and starts screaming at us. He then pulls out a gun and starts shooting at us. He missed me by about 2 inches. My friend and I scrambled back into the house. He took off after he fired at us. But I tell ya what, I kept waiting for him to come by again. I get a flash of what happened every time some one drives by my house slowly.
|
|
|
|
|
uncasid
Dec 27, 2004, 7:50 AM
Post #90 of 106
(11107 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 21, 2004
Posts: 79
|
Ohh yeah, another one that happened recently. My friend and I were on our way to SLC. He is driving like 90 and goes into a seizure. I didn't notice until we started drifting lanes. I told him twice to pay attention to the road, and no response. So I grabbed the wheel and put the car in neutral. That is when he started seizing really bad. He had the grip of death on the steering wheel and wouldn't let go. I still have no idea how I got his hands off. But I did, just in time too!!!! We almost went over the side of the cliff!!!! One thing that was great about it was I was when I was driving back. He woke up and looked over at me with the look of disbelief. He asked me, "WTF??? How did you get over there".
|
|
|
|
|
collegekid
Dec 27, 2004, 11:14 AM
Post #91 of 106
(11107 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jul 7, 2002
Posts: 1852
|
many times i've lucked out of serious injury, and a few times i've lucked out of possible death. Been in a head-on car accident, almost been hit by cars while bicycling, have fallen while bicycling, have fallen while bouldering, and probably other things have happened...Those kinds of things scare me, but usually it's over so quick you don't have time to be scared till afterwards, and at that point, fear doesn't do you any good (or bad), but instead you're left with a rush of adrenaline.
Other things that have scared me:
-Almost getting fired at my internship over the summer; I lost about half a nights sleep for two or three nights in a row.
-Finding out my uncle had cancer (he fully recovered).
-almost failing econ in last semester of high school (d'oh! I'd lined up a scantron wrong). Let's just say I did really friggin well on the final.
-Bush being elected again, and having signs of voter fraud, again, and having an ineffective public outcry, again.
-Asking out girls on numerous occasions.
-Watching my friend wipe out, unhelmeted, while going around 25 mph down a steep street. (I was riding right behind him and watched in slow motion as he got speed wobbles...he broke his collarbone and probably had a concussion)
-The list goes on.
|
|
|
|
|
dirtineye
Dec 28, 2004, 5:35 PM
Post #92 of 106
(11107 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 29, 2003
Posts: 5590
|
Had cancer twice, that was scary.
The thought of my parents getting feeble and finally dying is scary.
The women I seem to wind up with are scary.
|
|
|
|
|
xcmntgeek
Dec 28, 2004, 6:19 PM
Post #93 of 106
(11107 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 4, 2004
Posts: 73
|
Non sport: 130mph in my friend's (he's also a climber) suped up Civic. He braked a little late going into the next corner and we started spinning. Somehow made it through the corner and ended up in the ditch on the other side of the road. The cop (who saw the whole thing) wasn't happy and said that when we were spinning we were at 110. Either that or spending the night in a Northern Quebec police station with some teammates of mine- them be some big loggin boys up there.
Sport: I'm a competitive cyclist so numerous occasions of almost being intentionally hit by cars. I watched the guy in front of me loose it at over 50mph on a descent. He ate it into the curb and I somehow made it over his bike.
Climbing: Been run out a few times, but that was a cool kind of fear, and I didn't fall.
|
|
|
|
|
climbersoze
Dec 28, 2004, 6:33 PM
Post #94 of 106
(11107 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 31, 2003
Posts: 1142
|
Juggin a fixed line, was cruising pretty fast when I slightly twisted my top ascender, and when I weighted it, it didn't catch immediately and slid down the rope for a fraction of a second. The sound of the ascender sliding the two inches back down the rope had me echoing all kinds of nice words across the other side of the canyon wall as I tried to regain my composure, adn slow my heartbeat down.
Note: The ascender DID NOT come off the rope, and it functioned as designed. I was still safe and my bottom ascender was in no way shape or form going to let me go anywhere. Just trying to point out that what I did was not evidence of unsafe equipment. I was just jugging really fast and the teeth didn't catch right away because the ascender was twisted. But they still caught.
|
|
|
|
|
xcmntgeek
Dec 28, 2004, 8:37 PM
Post #95 of 106
(11107 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 4, 2004
Posts: 73
|
Oh, yeah, and spiders. Spiders scare the living crap out of me. I'm just waiting to mantel a ledge and come face to face with one.
|
|
|
|
|
mother_sheep
Dec 28, 2004, 8:39 PM
Post #96 of 106
(11107 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jul 18, 2002
Posts: 3984
|
Watching my partner's single nut rap blow with shoddy backup on an isolated alpine route about 500' + up. Fucking horror. Near death for my partner and no way up, down or off the peak for me. Hello vultures. (Aug 04)
Leading an ice route and having the rope get caught between the front bale and the boot. Almost pulled myself off while trying to move up on very slushy ice. I doubt the screw would have held. But I laughed about it later. (Dec 04)
Rapping touchstone in Zion with a Thunderstorm planted right on top of us. My first real aid route. That freaked me out. (May 03)
Soloing a 5th class section on Inwood Arete (we were off route) and having the holds break off in my hands. That solo didn't last long. (Aug 04)
Others that have scared and troubled me outside of climbing. . .
Finding out days before X-mas that I had all my money stollen. (12/04)
Watching as the guy you love tells you he through with you. (6/04)
Damn, this year has sucked!!!!!!
|
|
|
|
|
fazed
Jan 5, 2005, 3:33 AM
Post #97 of 106
(11107 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 3, 2005
Posts: 6
|
Any time I have to speak in front of my peers. >.<
Climbing wise.. nothing, I haven't climbed enough for anything bad to happen.
|
|
|
|
|
erisspirit
Jan 12, 2005, 8:55 PM
Post #98 of 106
(11107 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 15, 2004
Posts: 3770
|
Carnies...small hands...smell of cabbage
hummm not a harcore enough climber to have scary climbing events...
here are my few small scares
- in a friends car who was goin bout 100 mph and almost hit a truck stalled in our lane then spun out in an attempt to avoid the truck :cry:
- a trip over the handle bars of a dirtbike to a face plant on the front tire followed by a 15 ft slide :shock:
- When a doctor thought i had cardiac dysrhythmia
|
|
|
|
|
steph
Feb 1, 2005, 1:14 AM
Post #99 of 106
(11107 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 17, 2005
Posts: 15
|
OK a couple of things:
1. when i was 7 years old - walking into my cubby house to find i was surrounded by hundreds of baby huntsman spiders on every inch of every wall. probably most ppls worst nightmare.
2. Taking a 5m lead fall outdoors because i fell as i was trying to clip - exhillarating but scary. I ended up level with the belayer!
|
|
|
|
|
jcshaggy
Feb 1, 2005, 1:15 PM
Post #100 of 106
(11107 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jun 4, 2004
Posts: 340
|
Broke my back three years ago. Not cool going into those x-ray machines.
|
|
|
|
|
fallingup
Feb 2, 2005, 9:22 PM
Post #101 of 106
(9354 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 26, 2004
Posts: 43
|
In reply to: when i first started climbing i was actually afraid of heights... i don't know if that's common, i'd say it is...
Same here. I did start getting used to it the more I climbed but those first few were quite interesting. I have a feeling that it is more commen than we think.
Fallingup
|
|
|
|
|
arctic_wolf
Feb 7, 2005, 2:24 AM
Post #102 of 106
(9354 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Feb 6, 2005
Posts: 5
|
I'd say the most terrifing moment of my life wasz when we had a really bad storm in our area. This thing was so bad our full grown trees were bending to the ground and a few of them snapped under the strain. The storm was right above us though, so whenever there was lightning there was also immediate thunder, and it was deafening. Our house actually was struck by lightning and our satelite was fried. It rained so hard that all the streets flooded and police and ambulences and stuff couldn't even get around. The next day when I went outside I was amazed at the carnage. Mangled trees, torn up roads, and still flooded streets. I've been terrified of storms ever since, even distant ones.
|
|
|
|
|
rockrat_co
Feb 7, 2005, 3:13 AM
Post #103 of 106
(9354 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 26, 2004
Posts: 194
|
WEll,
my scariest experience so far would have been mountainboarding. I was comming around a curve in a paved road that has a pretty steep slope. Reportedly I was traveling at about 35 miles-per-hour..I accidentally bent my ankles to try to turn and this action caused my board to begin to violently vibrate from side to side. I powerslid, launched into the air, landed about ten feet downhill on my back, and slid to a stop... It was really gnarley before and during loosing control of the board but I guess my buddy got a worse scare from the whole thing.
I had a cheepo water bottle in the outside pocket of my pack, and on impact with the asphault the waterbottle blew open sending water all over the road. My buddy believed it to be blood, needless to say, it kinda startled him!
Thats the only situation I can come up with at the time...Worse luck so far with climbing has been getting stuck twelve feet off the ground, so nothing too bad...
Later,
rockrat_co
|
|
|
|
|
gunksgoer
Feb 7, 2005, 3:41 AM
Post #104 of 106
(9354 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 27, 2004
Posts: 1290
|
5 or 6 years ago (or maybe more, i have no clue), i was climbing for my first time (i think), and i was with a small group, tr-ing an easy climb. Partway thru the day, one of the people i was climbing with, informed me that climbing ropes could, and sometimes did break :shock:
i certainly didnt fall for the rest of the afternoon... that was my scariest moment as a noob, after that tho, i have no idea, ive been scared may times
|
|
|
|
|
brent_e
Feb 7, 2005, 4:38 AM
Post #105 of 106
(9354 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 15, 2004
Posts: 5111
|
a scary incident for me occured in a boat alone. I went fishing with my dad on the Niagara (lower river). I was meeting my girlfriend of the time later in the day to show her the river. So my dad took off and I tooled around alone for a bit before she came. I went and fished a bit by the power plants and in Devils Hole (just above the plants).
Some of you boulderers out there know what the niagara is like - turbulent and fast. This was in january or december or so so the water was a bit below 40 degrees, as well. I was in a 16 foot boat and finishing a drift just before one of the power plants. These plants are pretty neat and they spew out TONNES of water (so much that the river actually raises up a couple feets from the volume).
Where the water from the plant meets the water from the main flow it usually depresses and eddies horizontally (and sometimes swirls like huge drains). My boat got caught in the break where the currents meet and started to pitch the gunwhale down just as I started the motor and gunned it. That is something i will never forget. It scares me going through the plants a bit every time now and I NEVER keep my hands off of the throttle. It's fine in a bigger boat, but with that little one it's wild.
|
|
|
|
|
salamanizer
Feb 7, 2005, 6:39 AM
Post #106 of 106
(9354 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jul 3, 2004
Posts: 879
|
Climbing somewhat rotten WI4 only to find out later I had misread the topo and it was actually WI5, not to mention the one inch horizontal crack midway up the first pitch.
Everytime I climb ice I tell myself (mid pitch) how stupid and pointless it is only to find myself volunteering to lead the next pitch. Climbing ice is a sickness.
|
|
|
|
|
|
