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Chappy76
Sep 1, 2008, 1:25 AM
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Well weekend was going great. Today I was the first and only one climbing at my favorite crag. Was using my Petzl micocender. Was on my fourth climb, something told me to relax, but I didn't. Long story short, I fell 30ft! The ascender didn't catch that time due in part because it didn't self feed due to it not being weighed down. So I got a nice trip to the ER. My right wrist/hand are splinted and I have a concussion. What's worse is, since I'm Air Force, the butt chewing I'll get for going solo. My body is starting to really hurt but hey, I got good pain meds. P. s. Typing with one hand is a pain and so is wiping your butt with your non-dominant hand. I'm ready to go back out and climb when I'm all healed up.
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ja1484
Sep 1, 2008, 2:14 AM
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How much should it weigh?
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Chappy76
Sep 1, 2008, 2:22 AM
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Not sure but enough to put some tension on it? I thought the coiled up rope on the ground was enough to weigh it down, boy was I wrong.
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angry
Sep 1, 2008, 2:23 AM
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First off, I'm sorry you got hurt. That sucks man, hope you heal.
Second, from the first time I used a solo TR to the 100th, I always could directly look at the slack in front of me.
How did that kind of slack build up? Whether grigri, soloist, mini-trax, or micro, you have the device right in front of you and you can either watch it feed or pull rope through if it doesn't.
It feeds better when weighted (I tie the extra rope into a coil that hangs just above the ground) but this accident was due to not paying attention, not the unweighted rope.
Sorry to harsh you in your condition, I'm sure with all those pain killers you can take it.
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Chappy76
Sep 1, 2008, 2:31 AM
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No hard feelings. I definately wasn't watching the slack at all. Also, did your locking gate seem to come undone 2. I've heard of others taping it closed.
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angry
Sep 1, 2008, 2:38 AM
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Not on TR but on lead it has not only come undone, but has unclipped from my belay loop and just swung out in space (I still had a backup knot). I just neurotically give it a little twist a few times every pitch now.
And tie backup knots. They give you practice stopping en route and screwing with gear and they allow you to look at your slack and manage it.
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Chappy76
Sep 1, 2008, 2:50 AM
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Thanks for the much needed advice. I will definately learn from this. Thanks.
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moose_droppings
Sep 1, 2008, 3:12 AM
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Chappy76 wrote: Well weekend was going great. Today I was the first and only one climbing at my favorite crag. Was using my Petzl micocender. Was on my fourth climb, something told me to relax, but I didn't. Long story short, I fell 30ft! The ascender didn't catch that time due in part because it didn't self feed due to it not being weighed down. So I got a nice trip to the ER. My right wrist/hand are splinted and I have a concussion. What's worse is, since I'm Air Force, the butt chewing I'll get for going solo. My body is starting to really hurt but hey, I got good pain meds. P. s. Typing with one hand is a pain and so is wiping your butt with your non-dominant hand. I'm ready to go back out and climb when I'm all healed up.
Way sorry to hear this. Well its going to be some time, but sounds like you'll mend up, and that part is good.
Hard to believe that much rope can build up with out noticing. It definitely will not catch if rope isn't sliding through it going up. I wonder if the practice of putting a backup knot in your system would of let you seen that it wasn't feeding in time to keep you from decking?
Guess this another call to everyone to double check your setups.
Thanks for posting up.
Edit:
Didn't see that angry covered the knot thought.
(This post was edited by moose_droppings on Sep 1, 2008, 3:16 AM)
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ja1484
Sep 1, 2008, 3:14 AM
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Chappy76 wrote: Not sure but enough to put some tension on it? I thought the coiled up rope on the ground was enough to weigh it down, boy was I wrong.
Never mind. I'm losing my edge.
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moose_droppings
Sep 1, 2008, 3:22 AM
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ja1484 wrote: Chappy76 wrote: Not sure but enough to put some tension on it? I thought the coiled up rope on the ground was enough to weigh it down, boy was I wrong. Never mind. I'm losing my edge.
Naw, I caught it.
I just remembered another guy posted he almost screwed the pooch because he had rigged the device (rescucender) with the retainer cable over the rope, keeping it from feeding. Could this of been a possibility?
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majid_sabet
Sep 1, 2008, 3:41 AM
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tie short
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zeke_sf
Sep 1, 2008, 5:08 AM
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I've definitely done unplanned soloing for several different reasons while using a solo TR system. I've managed to catch my mistakes before anything terrible happened, but your story is definitely a cautionary tale. The biggest thing about having a belayer is that you have an extra pair of hands, pair of eyes, and (hopefully) an extra brain on your side; be careful and double-check your system when doing solo TRing.
Good luck on the mend, Chappy!
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coolcat83
Sep 1, 2008, 12:19 PM
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I just switched to a microcender for soloing, I've gotten my self into the habit of checking the slack often, I clip my boots to the line and it has so far worked well. I've been using it with a belay master biner, i played with it falling in all different ways close to the ground and it's pretty much impossible to make it crossload (with the microcender on the small end of the biner), the other benefit is that the plastic keeper snaps over the screwgate so it can't unscrew. plus you can't lock the keeper unless the gate is locked to begin with, so it's sort of a automatic reminder to lock the gate. first few times i backed it up with a ropeman above the microcender, now i that i trust it(as much as could be expected anyway) if the pitch is less than half a rope length i just tie backup knots in the other half, if longer i use the ropeman backup, it rodes fairly well above the microcender (clipped to a short sling girthed to my harness) and doesn't get in the way.
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bear829
Sep 3, 2008, 10:38 AM
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Maybe if you got the business in front and party in back you wouldn't have fallen so hard. hehehehe. I'm sorry, but I can't help but laugh, and I know that its really bad of me. I do feel bad that you did get hurt though. Did you get an air splint or ridgid? And what grade level did your concussion land at? I always hated getting those too. I've had 14. How I don't have brain damage is amazing. Well, depends on who you ask ;) Poor thing. Get better soon.
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Chappy76
Sep 3, 2008, 6:44 PM
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I have a rigid splint for now, waiting to see what the radioligist says. If I would have had the mullet rockin, I probably would have glided down while singing "Wheel in the sky".haha
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healyje
Sep 3, 2008, 6:56 PM
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Bummer - but yeah, lead or TR, you have to watch the device like a hawk when free climbing. I basically do a momentary glance before each sequence of moves and sometimes even move-by-move under some circumstances. It's easy to get ahead of yourself and not notice things are going awry.
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milesenoell
Sep 3, 2008, 7:38 PM
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When I was 16 I got three concussions in one summer. But that's only part of what I had to say.
Weight your rope with a nalgene bottle. They're heavy, bullet-proof, big enough to keep the clove hitch you clipped the bottle in with off the rock, and you can pull the water up to you after a particularly ragin' pitch. Using gear, packs, shoes or the rope puts abrasive wear on things you care about, so just let the nalgene take the abuse.
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bear829
Sep 4, 2008, 12:14 PM
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How does one get so many concussions? I used to figure skate and play hockey. The boards were definately not my friends. I was a defenseman and craptacular goalie. I also jumped about four feet into the air on my jumps. I'm still trying to figure out how the tiny girls can get in all their rotations when they're only getting a foot off the ice. lol
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Chappy76
Sep 4, 2008, 5:26 PM
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So you don't like being ridden on the boards? Hahaha
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bear829
Sep 6, 2008, 11:38 PM
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You know it baby! lol But I like it on a stretcher better. They have built in straps. muahahaha
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Chappy76
Sep 7, 2008, 2:07 AM
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Being tied up with the psych straps are better!!!!! hahahaha
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bear829
Sep 8, 2008, 4:10 PM
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I hope that you are talking the leather ones. The ones break too easily. lol
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billcoe_
Sep 8, 2008, 6:59 PM
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Chappy76 wrote: Well weekend was going great. Today I was the first and only one climbing at my favorite crag. Was using my Petzl micocender. Was on my fourth climb, something told me to relax, but I didn't. Long story short, I fell 30ft! The ascender didn't catch that time due in part because it didn't self feed due to it not being weighed down. So I got a nice trip to the ER. My right wrist/hand are splinted and I have a concussion. What's worse is, since I'm Air Force, the butt chewing I'll get for going solo. My body is starting to really hurt but hey, I got good pain meds. P. s. Typing with one hand is a pain and so is wiping your butt with your non-dominant hand. I'm ready to go back out and climb when I'm all healed up.
should we also tie into the end of the rope?
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