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James Falls On His Head...

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LAN_403

thedatastream

Wed Sept 22 2010, 10:52AM

Registered Member #505 Joined: Sun Nov 19 2006, 06:42PM
Location: Yorkshire!
Posts: 329

Hi gang,

I had a little rock climbing accident last Friday (17th). My foot slipped resulting in me falling approx 5m (about 20ft) after my gear I'd placed in the rock ripped out and didn't stop me hitting the rocks below. Sustained a bash on the head resulting in a C6 spinous process fracture (aka a non-serious, stable fracture of my neck) and a large gash to my head requiring several stitches.

Luckily my helmet took most of the force preventing me receiving a serious, life threatening head injury.

This isn't going to stop me rock climbing but I'll certainly be much more cautious on rock for a while. Apart from having to wear this daft collar and sporting a nice array of grazes and bruises I'm amazingly OK and not in any pain.

Some photos of the rescue here:

And to prove I'm not actually dead:

The moral of the story is to always wear a helmet when climbing. Mine probably saved my life.

James

p.s. If anyone sees a collection in the UK for the Air Ambulance or Mountain Rescue I'd be indebted if you stuck a quid in the box as these fine services are entirely charitable and rely on our contributions. You can expect me ratting the tin later when I start some fundraising activities

Dave Marshall

Wed Sept 22 2010, 07:00PM

Registered Member #16 Joined: Thu Feb 02 2006, 02:22PM
Location: New Wilmington, PA
Posts: 554

Yeesh, looking at the damage to your helmet, you are indeed incredibly lucky. If not for the helmet, a blow of that severity to that part of your cervical spine/skull would almost certainly prove fatal.

I'm definitely glad to hear you're ok. On the plus side, you should be able to use the neck brace to garner all kinds of sympathy from the wife and coworkers!

-Dave

HM_Murdock

Wed Sept 22 2010, 08:12PM

Registered Member #3075 Joined: Fri Aug 06 2010, 02:44PM
Location: Athens, GA
Posts: 148

I don't rock climb, but I do ride bikes (motorcycles)...I wouldn't get on a bike without a helmet even if it weren't the law, and I suppose the dangers and possible damages are similar with both.

Glad to see you are ok (relatively speaking)...agree with Dave, from the looks of that helmet, you would have had a much worse time of it had you not been wearing it...

Proud Mary

Wed Sept 22 2010, 08:45PM

Registered Member #543 Joined: Tue Feb 20 2007, 04:26PM
Location: UK
Posts: 4992

You'll be right as rain and climbing the Eiger nordwand or the nose of El Capitan before long!

Carbon_Rod

Wed Sept 22 2010, 11:38PM

Registered Member #65 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 06:43AM
Location:
Posts: 1155

Remember to send the helmet back to the manufacturer with a thank you note.

And... the failed gear to your lawyer.

Dalus

Thu Sept 23 2010, 10:57AM

Registered Member #639 Joined: Wed Apr 11 2007, 09:09PM
Location: The Netherlands, Herkenbosch
Posts: 512

Glad to see a helmet saved your live. Hope you recover soon. Going to make dam sure everyone will be wearing helmets on my climbing trips. Glad I was rather careful last weekend climbing quite high for the first clip.

How did you manage to rip out the gear?

thedatastream

Fri Sept 24 2010, 07:14PM

Registered Member #505 Joined: Sun Nov 19 2006, 06:42PM
Location: Yorkshire!
Posts: 329

My gear was badly placed but it was all that was easily available. Some time taken to arrange some other gear off to one side might, on reflection, have been a good idea!

Thanks for the kind messages, the collar is getting on my nerves now!

Dalus

Fri Sept 24 2010, 07:59PM

Registered Member #639 Joined: Wed Apr 11 2007, 09:09PM
Location: The Netherlands, Herkenbosch
Posts: 512

Sure is a good learning experience then. Hope your soon allowed to be collarless again. Going to make me more careful when I'll climb non prep routes and have to place my own gear. Just makes it a bit more dangerous and takes quite some skill. Imagine you can't wait to get on the rock again after being out for a while.

thedatastream

Sat Sept 25 2010, 09:15AM

Registered Member #505 Joined: Sun Nov 19 2006, 06:42PM
Location: Yorkshire!
Posts: 329

Dalus wrote ...

Going to make me more careful when I'll climb non prep routes and have to place my own gear. Just makes it a bit more dangerous and takes quite some skill. Imagine you can't wait to get on the rock again after being out for a while.

Yeah trad(itional) where you put your own gear in means lots of stopping and messing around. If I had not have had to stop and put some gear in I wouldn't have fallen off I reckon. Sport climbing (pre-bolted) isn't the main style in the UK, it is mostly trad. Where do you climb Dalus?

And yes I'm very much looking forward to getting out on the rock again. I'm going to go back and do the route I fell off on so I don't have the thought of it hanging over my head!

James

Dalus

Sat Sept 25 2010, 05:14PM

Registered Member #639 Joined: Wed Apr 11 2007, 09:09PM
Location: The Netherlands, Herkenbosch
Posts: 512

Been in Freyr, Beez, Dave, Hotton (Belgium) and Nideggen Germany. Hope to keep adding areas to the list (am kinda addicted to climbing) Have Hotton, Beez and Dave planned for the 3 next weekends

Am doing a course for outdoor spots climbing instructor at the moment and want to learn some trad climbing as well. Also handy when your in a scarcely bolted area like Nideggen (first bolt 4 meters second one 10 meters ) No falling allowed

I'm a member for the climbing club at the university in Eindhoven (Netherlands) Been actively climbing for a year now.

I'm sure you'll get yourself trough that route.

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